The height of summer is officially here! It’s time to pack up the car, van, or truck, drive on out to the woods and do some good old fashioned camping. Camping is one of those pastimes that can be an absolutely wonderful experience, or a horrendously terrible one, depending on how much thought and planning you put into it beforehand. So before you hit the road with tents, firewood for camping grill and fishing lures this summer, read on for a few planning tips to make your trip extra special.
Headlamps are a Camper’s Best Friend!
Seriously. The usefulness of headlamps cannot be overstated. Need to go and do your business in the middle of the night? Putting on a headlamp keeps both your hands-free. If you don’t have a lantern, take a translucent bottle of water and rest your headlamp on top of it pointing downward, and you’ll have a makeshift lantern.
Sage Doesn’t Just Ward off Evil Spirits — It Wards off Mosquitos Too!
Keeping the bug away can be a nightmare, especially if you’re camping near water. Citronella candles work extremely well, but if you’re looking for more coverage try putting a bundle of dried sage on the campfire.
Plan for the Temperature
The secret to getting a good night’s rest in the wilderness is good planning. Even in the height of summer, it can get very cold at night depending on where you’re camping. High altitudes especially can reach low temperatures at night. Be prepared to need warmth, but make sure to handle the temperature in layers. Bring several thinner blankets as well as a thick one, so that you can find your perfect comfort level!
You Can Make Fire Starters Out of Pretty Much Anything
Fires can be a nightmare to start if you’re not well prepared. Luckily, a little bit of extra prep can save you money and start fires quickly. Lots of things around the house can help start campfires easily. Cotton pads dipped in waxwork well, as do egg cartons (add charcoal to the egg holes for best results!). You can even use hand sanitizer, and in a pinch toss down some Doritos. Yup, Doritos!
If You Wear Contacts, Use Glasses Instead While You’re Camping
This is especially important to do if you suffer from allergies, you’re going to want to forgo contacts and use your glasses instead. Contacts can be kind of a nightmare out in the wilderness even if you’re not an allergy sufferer, but soft contact lenses can aggravate your allergies. So, even though glasses are more difficult to keep track of and potentially more easily broken if you suffer from allergies, soft contacts can potentially give you an even rougher time.
Prep Some Food That’s Better For You Than Hotdogs and Burgers!
It’s easy to prep ridiculously fabulous meals that can be tossed on the campfire! Instead of burgers and hot dogs, it’s quite possible to eat healthily and deliciously when you’re roughing it. Not that burgers aren’t delicious, but you might be ready for something else. Aluminum foil is honestly your best friend here. It’s extremely useful for all manner of meals. You can use it to prep an entire chicken dinner packet for members of the family. Toss the packets in the cooler, and break them out when it’s time to cook. You can use foil for all sorts of camping recipes, especially if you have vegetarians in your camping group. They don’t need to feel left out with the right mix of fire-roasted vegetables prepped in foil.
Keep Your Gear in Good Shape
Let’s be honest, when you’re not actually out in the woods dealing with camping gear is kind of a nightmare. It’s bulky, takes up a ton of space, and it’s very tempting just to shove it all away somewhere and forget about it until next summer. If you do that, however, you might be buying new gear next summer! Being stowed away in storage can be very damaging, causing all sorts of wear and tear if you don’t take the time to clean and store your camping gear properly.
Have you Tried Glamping?
Yeah, yeah, it’s the trend we all love to sneer at. On the other hand, loading up in an RV and taking it out has its advantages.For one, you can go further in more comfort. For another, the longer you spend out in the wilderness, the more comforts you’re likely to want and need. There’s no shame in bringing those comforts if you’re looking to disappear off the grid for longer than a couple days.
Good Prep is All in the Name of Good Fun!
Summer is a time of connection, adventure, fun, and truth. The right trip, planned the right way, can bring people closer together and create memories that last a lifetime. Poor planning, however, can ruin a trip! So take some extra time to prepare and make these experiences last in your memory forever.
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