There are so many things you can have planned for the weekend, but none compares to a weekend camping trip. Among the things that will add meaning to your life is to lead an active lifestyle. And what better way than to choose nature as your number one motivator. With the hustles and bustles of everyday life, camping will bring you closer to nature and is also an ideal activity if you’re looking to disengage yourself from the norms of life, technology, a busy work schedule, and when you need your ‘alone’ time. It’s an experience that will prove to be liberating, refreshing, and rejuvenating.
Whatever your reasons are for camping, you’ll appreciate that it’s also one of the most cost-effective activities you can undertake whether solo or with family or friends. And do you know what the best part is? You get to choose your camping location. And with a million camping locations around the world, you’ll be spoilt for choice. With camping, however, you want to ensure that you have all your essentials ready. This is because there’s nothing much you can do after you’ve arrived at the camping grounds just to realize that you’re missing something important such as your sleeping bag. To help you out, we’ve outlined the essentials that you need when planning a camping weekend.
1. Camping Grounds
This is a no brainer! But come to think about it, you need the right camping grounds to make your camping trip a success. Two types of campgrounds exist today. They include public camping grounds and private ones. With public camping grounds, they are cheaper even when it comes to renting a larger camping space. This means that you’ll have to book in advance, especially when it comes to weekend getaways. The drawback of public camping grounds is that most, if not all, do not allow pets. Now, this can be a good or a bad thing, depending on the experience you’re aiming to have.
On the other hand, you have private campgrounds that are more upscale, hype, and what you may term as ‘à la mode’. They include on-site stores which can prove to be indeed useful when campers forget some essentials at home. They also offer better amenities when compared to public camping grounds. With such, it means that you’ll have to dig deeper into your wallet to compensate for what the other option cannot provide. With such campgrounds, you’ll have power outlets provided in the sleeping cabins, something unheard of in public campgrounds. This means that when you choose to go camping in public camping grounds, you’ll need to think ahead about your power back up systems. Nick Coulson of Ablesales recommends getting a generator for your camping trip to give you the power you need. A backup generator will come in handy when you have a camping RV that needs to be powered up or when you have crucial gadgets that need lots of juicing up. If, on the other hand, an RV sounds like something you want to buy, the quality RV dealers Utah has will make sure you get exactly what you’re looking for.
2. Essential Camping Necessities
Camping, being one of the best quintessential weekend activities you can think of, requires that you plan and prepare early. This means having all your essentials planned out and readied before the d-day. This brings us to the importance of having a camping checklist lest you forget some essentials at home. The following are the camping must-haves to include in your checklist:
- Modern tents for camping, including a camping bathroom tent
- Portable wood stoves
- Mosquito repellent products or devices
- Hammocks
- Camping mattresses and blankets
- Pocket knives
- First aid kits
- Ready to cook meals, preferably canned foods
- Water
- Extra layers of clothes
- Rechargeable lanterns
3. Entertainment Necessities
You just don’t want your kids to miss out on the fun other kids on the camping site are having. Hey, this is not a boot camp! Even in boot camps, attendees will be allowed some tech time. To maximize your fun while on a camping weekend, you may include the following in your camping gear checklist:
- Board games
- Bikes
- Kayaks to help with your fishing or to enjoy water experiences
- Modern cameras
- Snacks, such as Proper Popcorn, chips, and non-perishable goodies.
4. Navigation Tools
If you’re planning to have a successful camping trip over the weekend, it’s important to include tools that will guide you to and from the trip. You may want to go hiking, biking, or just to enjoy the nature trails on the camping grounds. Having these tools available will prove beneficial to you and your family. Among the navigation tools to pack include maps, compasses, and GPS locators to mention but a few. Fortunately for you, you may have all these functionalities in your smartphone. The downside with smartphones is that they require good network coverage to be fully useful.
5. Toiletries
We are not living in a Stone Age era and so, your personal hygiene must be factored in even when going for a two-day camping trip. Ladies, you heard that right! Ensure that your man packs their deodorants and shaving creams. You’ll also need your sanitary towels in case things go, well, not so good with Aunt Flow or for lack of a better term, when it’s code red! The following are among the things to include in your camping toiletries checklist:
- Moisturizers
- Sunscreen
- Soaps
- Sanitizers
- A toiletry kit that includes your toothbrush, toothpaste, toilet paper, and hairbrush, etc.
6. Medication
If you have a pre-existing medical condition that requires you to be on medication, then you must bring your meds along to avoid any medical emergencies on your camping trip. If you have diabetes, blood pressure, asthma, epilepsy, depression, or any heart disease, don’t leave home without your medical pack. For those on important nutritional supplements, it’s important to bring them along on your camping trip.
There you have it. The above are the most important items to bring every time you’re on a getaway camping trip. Having your necessities on standby will help to make your camping experience one that you’ll remember for years to come. Most importantly, don’t forget that being in the company of friends or family will help to enrich your overall camping experience.