What's the difference between campsite and tent site?
If you've never been camping, you don't know what you're missing. Being able to become one with nature can be a very liberating experience for many people. Camping is really not as difficult as it may seem. With a little advice from this article, you can become an outdoor junkie in no time.
Purchase a quality tent. It can be tempting to score a good deal on a tent, but you want to find something that can hold both you, your family members and your belongings. Try visiting a store that specializes in outdoor gear. They tend to have well-made products that will last for a while.
When going camping, make sure that you bring the right sleeping bag with you. Some sleeping bags will not keep you warm when the temperature dips below 40 degrees, while others will have you sweating all night long because they are too hot. The label on the bag usually will tell you what kinds of temperatures are appropriate for each sleeping bag.
After you buy your camping tent, set it up at home rather than waiting until your trip to set it up for the first time. This will not only familiarize you with the process, it will allow you to ensure there are no missing pieces or defects. It can reduce the frustration that you could experience setting up the tent as well.
Talk with your children about the dangers associated with camping before you leave home. Go on the Internet together and read about safety, look at poison ivy pictures and poisonous animals.
When you go camping, be sure to have a few activities in mind other than just... "camping". The camping experience is enriched by hiking, swimming, exploring and things like that. Be sure to engage in some of these other activities so that you have the fullest camping experience you've ever had.
Make sure that you avoid any venomous plants. A good way to do this is to stop at the ranger station and ask what kinds of poisonous plants are in the area so you can identify them if you come into contact with them on the trail. Never eat anything while hiking on the trail if you do not know it is edible.
Before you go camping in a new place, it is essential to have an understanding of what dangers are located there. You need to know about the local insect population, wild animals, natural dangers like water or steep locations and weather conditions. Each camping spot is unique and can be dangerous in its own way.
When you bring your dog on a camping trip, make certain he has adequate tick protection. Bugs thrive in forests, and many flea treatments do not extend protection to include ticks, so ask your vet before departing if your dog has everything he needs and what you should do for proper tick prevention and removal.
Make a list of things you need to take with you before you go camping. You may think you are great at packing, but little else is worse than being out in the middle of the woods and realizing you forgot your allergy medication. Sit down and create a comprehensive list of everything you might need during the week before your camping trip.
Cross contamination is not an issue that only affects people that cook at home. When you are cooking outdoors, you still have to worry about not using the same cutting board to cut meat that you do to cut any other foods. If you only have one board, use both sides.
Make sure your children have something to do while camping. Kids can easily get bored if you are in the woods for a long time. Children may not be familiar with activities like pitching a tent or fishing. If you don't normally spend time outside, show them before you go camping.
Prepare some of the food ahead of time so you will not have to mess around with it at the camp site. Make up some sandwiches, precook the pasta and take along foods that can be eaten as is to make each meal less tedious. Other meals can be enjoyable to prepare in the woods, but some should be ready to go on the days the weather is not perfect.
Cross contamination is not an issue that only affects people that cook at home. When you are cooking outdoors, you still have to worry about not using the same cutting board to cut meat that you do to cut any other foods. If you only have one board, use both sides.
If you will be camping in a warm area, you may think it is not necessary to bring a nice sleeping bag. That is a huge mistake as many areas cool off considerably at night. Secondly, a sleeping bag helps to mitigate uneven or rocky ground, allowing for more comfortable sleep.
Never force anyone to go camping with you, including family or girlfriends. Some people just don't enjoy being in nature, and they will be miserable and in turn, make you miserable as well. If your children are simply not interested, find a babysitter for the weekend and relax alone!
Zip-lock bags can be very handy in a camper's tool chest. Don't worry about hauling mixing bowls in your gear. A gallon size zip-lock bag is great for mixing foods together and barebones lantern review is much easier to carry in your pack. Just secure the top of the bag very carefully, then squeeze, knead or shake the ingredients together. Then discard for super-easy cleanup too!
Make sure you secure all sources of food at night when you go to sleep. There are many animals that can frequent campgrounds at night and scavenge your food, especially when left open and unattended for hours. You don't want to wake up to your food scattered everywhere, and you left with a shortage.
Now that you are aware of some of the best tips you can get about camping, you are on your way to enjoying the outdoors with your family. Make use of the tips so you do not find yourself in a miserable trip that you wish you could get out of.