People often think of escaping from the stress and worries of regular life by planning a fun camping trip. If you not plan ahead, your trip could run into problems. In this article, you'll be given tips that can help your next camping excursion to go smoothly.
Pre-cool your ice chest by filling it with loads of ice, at least six hours prior to departure. When you are about to leave, pack up your refrigerated cooled drinks and block ice, not cubed. Popping room temp beverages will take up valuable ice-life, and the cubes will melt much quicker than a block!
If you have little ones camping with you, pack a few art supplies. When you get to your site, show them how to do leaf rubbings. There are always a variety of leaves in all shapes and sizes, so trying them all out will take a while. The kids will be happy and you will have some peace and quiet while you relax and watch them.
Use separate coolers for perishables, ice and drinks. While it does not matter if the perishables and drinks go into the same one, make sure to pack your ice separately. This will keep the temperature down so that you will have ice for much longer than you would have otherwise.
Look up grocery stores near your campsite. Make sure you know how to get to them. Particularly, if your trip is spanning more than three or four days, the food you bring with you probably isn't going to last the length of your trip. Not only, that, but your family is going to get tired of eating the same things day after day. Variety is the key.
If you'd like to prevent mosquito bites, but want to avoid using harsh chemicals, use an orange peel instead. Rub the orange peel over exposed areas of the skin, such as the neck, arms, face and legs to naturally repel mosquitoes. Not only will the orange peels feel better on your skin than traditional repelling chemicals, but they will smell better, too!
Bring a first aid kit. Camping is fun. It can also be a bit dangerous. Always be prepared. Small scrapes and rashes can be especially common out in nature. Bring along an emergency first aid kit full of anything you might need. You'll be happy you did if something goes wrong.
A Frisbee makes for excellent support under paper plates, and can avoid the usual camping spillage and drops! Grab as many of them as you have around your home or yard, or pick up a few at your local dollar-type store. They conveniently stack for easy, space-saving packing and are tremendously helpful with little one's meals.
Are you just starting out in the world of camping? It's vital to learn all that you can before you leave about your tent. This way, you will know the things you need to put your tent up. This will help you set up camp in a hurry if you get to the site just before dark.
Take a luxury item with you when camping. Take along some candy, some coffee you enjoy or anything that is lightweight but reminds you of home. Small luxuries can make enduring a camping trip easier.
Part of the fun of camping is cooking over an open fire or on a camp stove. To make sure you don't forget to pack any key ingredients, make a list of the meals you plan on preparing. Don't forget to take a small cutting board along with you so you have a clean surface for food preparation. Also remember to pack a couple of potholder or oven mitts to handle hot utensils, such as marshmallow forks.
Consider purchasing inexpensive walkie-talkies to take with you on your next camping trip to provide a way to keep in touch with everyone in your party in areas where cell phone reception may not be available. This can be especially important if you are camping with children and need to keep track of their whereabouts.
Remember the Boy Scout motto - be prepared! It's important to plan for anything, but the unexpected could still happen. Injuries, illnesses and the weather can change suddenly. It's important that you take care of everything, don't take risks that you don't need to, and think things through before doing them.
You need to carry water that is clean if you will not have access to a safe spring or to clean tap water when you're camping. You can either carry your own water in bottles or bring some iodine with you to sanitize nearby water. You can also use a water filter or boil water for around 10 minutes.
Start setting up camp well before dark. It is much more difficult to pitch your tent after dark. It is possible to see what you are doing by the light of the campfire or with the aid of a flashlight. The process is far easier during daylight hours, and you will be relieved to be finished before darkness hits.
Do not leave your sleeping bag rolled up until right before it is time for you to get some sleep. Lay it out right away so that it can loft up and give you the highest level of insulation. Do the same for any sleeping pads you have brought along.
Since the tent is one of the most important parts of your camping trip, be sure the one you get is appropriate. Figure out how many people are coming on the trip so you can get a big enough tent. Also, make sure the tent you get prevents moisture from getting inside.
If you're outside in cold weather, keep warm by wearing layered clothing. Not only, can adding more layers make you warmer, but you can easily remove layers if the temperature rises later. Multiple layer's trap heat in between each piece, which will prevent you from losing heat. Try bringing thermal underwear, turtlenecks, sweaters, gloves, coats, and boots on your trip.
People who don't pack food correctly risk food poisoning. Bring preserved foods and foods that don't spoil easily. Bring lots of ice to prevent food from spoiling, and remove the drain plug on the cooler so your food stays dry.
Camping is a special time for anyone, regardless of how many heavy duty waterproof tent times they have done it. You can really do some soul-searching and reflection at the same time you are having fun! So make sure you use the tips laid out here to give yourself a special experience and a pleasant time.
