Camping is a great way to connect with nature, relax, and enjoy some quality time with family or friends. Spending a night outdoors for the first time doesn’t have to be daunting. Below is a step by step guide to planning, packing, and preparing for your trip.
- Decide what kind of camping trip you want
- Pick where you want to camp
- Gear up
- Plan your meals
- Final preparations before you head out
- Set up camp
- Enjoy, you’re camping!
1. Decide what kind of camping trip you want
There are many ways to camp depending on how close to nature you want to be and how much you want to “rough it”. On one end of the spectrum is a long distance backpacking trip where you carry all your gear, hike in, and move camp every day. On the other end is a luxury glamping trip complete with cozy beds and a chef. Somewhere in the middle are car camping, base camping, and RV camping. Car camping is where you drive right up to your camping spot. Base camping is where you’ll carry your gear to a base camp and use that as the hub for your trip. RV camping will allow you to spend time outdoors while enjoying most of the comforts of home.
This is a no judgment zone, and we think every kind of camping is a worthwhile pursuit. That said, we think a car camping trip for beginners is the perfect way to dip your toe into spending a weekend (or longer) outdoors. While applicable to all camping types, this article will be focused on car camping.
2. Pick where you want to camp
After you’ve decided how you want to camp, you’ll need to decide where you want to go. State parks and national parks are great places to start. They often have campsites that will fit any level of amenity you are looking for but may need to be booked well in advance. For private campsites, we use hipcamp.com to compile all of the campsites in our area. When we are looking for a spot that is a little wilder, we love outly.com for its map tool compiling dispersed campsites with map overlays for trails, waterways, and cell service.
3. Gear up
For this guide we are focused on car camping, so your gear doesn’t need to be ultra light or crazy technical. For most items (clothing, cookware, toiletries, etc.) you can just use what you have at home. With that in mind below is our recommended packing list as well as a list of optional items to make your trip more enjoyable.
The must haves
Camping packing list
- Tent
- Sleeping pad or air mattress
- Sleeping bag or comforter
- Pillow
- Camp chair
- Lantern/flashlight/headlamp
- Cooler w/ice
- Camp stove w/fuel
- Pot/pan/cooking utensils
- Plates/bowls/eating utensils
- Food/beverages (see the section below on planning your meals)
- Water (2 gallons/person/day for drinking, cooking, cleaning, etc.)
- Lighter or matches
- Clothing
- Towels
- Toiletries
- Phone charger/battery pack
- Toilet paper
- Trash bag
- Sunscreen
- Bug spray
- Medications
- First aid kit
The nice to haves
Extras to make your trip more enjoyable
- Firewood (check with your campsite if you’re able to gather wood there)
- Coffee maker (pour over/Aeropress/kettle)
- Camera
- Hammock
- Book
- Frisbee
- Corn hole or other lawn games
- Deck of cards
4. Plan your meals
Before you leave, you’ll need to decide what you’re going to eat and drink on the trip. This guide is as much about helping you survive your first camping trip as it is about helping you love your first camping trip. Great meals can be the difference. While there is nothing wrong with hotdogs roasted over an open fire, camp meals can be so much more than that. There are plenty of options that are simple to prepare and delicious. Below are some of our recommendations for breakfast, lunch, and dinner on your first trip. We also couldn’t resist talking about some of our favorite desserts to put the cherry on top of a perfect day outdoors.
Breakfast
Almost everything you can make at home for breakfast can be made on a camping trip.
- Coffee is a must have for us. It’s the perfect start to our day and well worth packing a kettle and a few mugs.
- Cereal or a breakfast bar can be a good option if you don’t want to bother with cooking.
- Oatmeal with some fruit is a simple breakfast especially if you are already boiling water for coffee.
- Breakfast tacos are probably our most often cooked breakfast and a real crowd pleaser.
- You can go for a true grand slam with bacon, eggs, hash browns, and pancakes. All can be cooked on a single griddle and are easily prepared outdoors.
Lunch
Lunch is typically a simple meal on our camping trips. We are often out on a hike or on the water and need something that can be packed for the day.
- Sandwiches are easy to pack and can be made before the trip.
- Wraps are another easy to pack option. Since we often do breakfast tacos and are already packing tortillas.
- If you are back at camp and want something hot quesadillas are a great option or a one pot meal like curry.
Dinner
Dinner can be a truly enjoyable part of camping. This is the meal we spend all day looking forward to.
- Single pot meals are a staple for both their simplicity in preparation as well as minimal cleanup. Red beans and rice, chicken and orzo, or chili mac are all satisfying one-pot meals.
- Foil packets are great camping meals. They can be prepared ahead, cooked over an open fire, and have no cleanup. We are partial to a shrimp boil inspired foil pack of shrimp, sausage, corn, and potatoes.
- Cooking over an open flame can be an exciting and delicious part of camping. Kebabs are a great option.
- The sky is the limit. Anything that can be cooked at home can be cooked camping. We have dined on everything from enchiladas to pizza on camping trips.
Dessert
We love dessert. You probably love dessert. If you have dessert while camping, you aren’t just surviving. You are living.
- S’mores is a classic for a reason. You can’t go wrong with a perfectly toasted marshmallow sandwiched with melty chocolate (or Reese’s cup!) between two graham crackers.
- Want something a little unexpected? Try a banana boat. They are delicious, and like the foil packs, no cleanup is required.
- Want something sweet that no one would ever know you cooked outdoors? Brownies and cobblers can both be baked just as well in a dutch oven over a fire as you could at home.
5. Final preparations Before you head out
So you know how you want to camp. You’ve picked a location and booked a campsite. You have all the gear and planned out your meals. Congratulations! You are done planning and it is time to start doing.
Before you leave for your trip it is probably a good idea to test out your gear. You’ll want to have a dry run setting up your tent at home or at least watch a YouTube video before you leave. It is also worth checking everything with batteries to make sure they are charged up.
The night before your trip we recommend you fill your cooler with ice. This will allow you to add fresh ice the day of your trip into an already cold cooler minimizing how much melts.
If you are heading to an area that may have limited cell service we recommend you print out a map and copies of your campsite reservation.
Now you are ready to head to the campsite! You’ll want to leave early enough that you have at least 2 hours of daylight after you arrive to set up camp.
6. Set up camp
You made it to a campsite for the first time. Now it is time to set up camp.
We recommend setting up at least two separate areas of camp. One for cooking/eating and another for sleeping. You’ll probably also want to set up a campfire.
Camp Kitchen
In your cooking area, this is where we recommend you set up your camp kitchen, cooler, and trashbag. You’ll want to keep your food secure in a cooler or bag to keep critters from rooting through it. While tempting to keep all your food in your car, it is best to take at least your cooler out of your car so it doesn’t get unnecessarily hot in the daytime. Hanging your trash bag and potentially your food bag can prevent attracting the local wildlife.
Where to sleep
Your sleeping area where you set up your tent should be at least 30 feet from your cooking area. This will prevent insects and other critters from exploring your tent as a place to find food. To find a place to set up your tent you’ll want to find a fairly flat area on soft ground free of rocks and roots.
Campfire
Along with an area for food prep and an area for sleeping, you’ll probably want to make a campfire. Many campsites provide a fire ring where fires should be made. Getting a fire going is an art of its own. To get one going you need to gather something that will light very easily, slightly larger sticks to add to get the fire going, and larger logs to add once the fire is going that will burn for a long time. For the beginner, we recommend a log cabin or teepee-style fire. For both of these, you arrange your small easily lightable material and build out with larger and larger fuel until your logs are lit.
7. Enjoy, you’re camping!
You did it! You are now a camper, or at least are camping for the first time.
While you are camping there are many activities to enjoy your time outdoors. Below are some of our favorite activities while camping.
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Reading
- Photography
- Birdwatching
- Canoeing
- Swimming
Whether you are looking to disconnect for a while or make some memories with the family camping is a fun and fulfilling hobby. This guide should help you get out there for the first time. If you have any questions about getting started don’t be afraid to reach out on our contact page.