Family Camping: 3 Best Tricks for a Better Stay

Family camping is on the rise as people are adapting to COVID-19 impacts by getting outdoors more. According to the 2021 North American Camping Report, there were 94.5 million camper households throughout North America, 48.2 million households in the United States camped at least once, and 10.1 million households camped for the first time. The second figure (households camping at least once) is up over 8 million from the 2017 American Camper Report.

With the number of 1^st-timers projected to increase, we wanted to share our family camping experiences in hopes of encouraging families to enjoy the outdoors. Therefore, our goal is to ease your planning and provide resources that will improve your trip. While we do not claim to be experts, our family camping experiences stretch from Slovenia’s Triglav Valley and Germany’s Black Forest to the mountains of Big Bend National Park, along the Texas Gulf Coast, and the swamps of Louisiana and Florida.

We just got back from a whirlwind adventure to Walt Disney World. During the road trip, we camped over half of the nights. This was a huge feat and an even bigger accomplishment since it was our first with an infant. Little 7-month-old Adrian kicked butt! This was thanks in no small part to our super helpful 8-year-old daughter, Sarah Belle. Keep scrolling to learn how you can improve your next family camping trip!

1) Choosing a Tent

What kind of tent should I buy? How do I know how big my tent should be? What is a rain fly, and is it necessary? What is a tent footprint?

This is a biggie! Choosing the right tent will likely have the biggest impact on your family camping experience. The rest of your plans will be completely derailed after a restless night in a leaky tent.

There are tons of resources out there which will go into explicit detail about pitching a tent. Here is our experience:

Chasing Our Tent

Our first family tent was the Coleman Evanston 6-Person Dome Tent. This beast had room for days! If you are imagining the Stepbrothers’ bunk bed scene, you are not alone. Believe me, this tent gives you so much extra space for activities! Add in the sturdy detachable rain fly and porch and you have got yourself the best buy, right?

WRONG!

The “15-minute set-up” turned into just over an hour in the pouring rain after arriving in Bohinj, Slovenia just before dark. The situation was no better while fighting the rocks at Chisos Basin or battling the winds on Padre Island National Seashore. The big green monster kept us dry, and we could fit everything inside without hurting for space. However, save yourself the heartache and stick with a tent that fulfills your basic needs for space and protection.

Luckily for us, we were forced to find a new tent after chasing ours down the beach at 2 a.m. After the stakes and guidewires failed to withstand the winds, Amanda and I pursued our polyester tumbleweed while Snickers (our one-eyed rescue pup) explored the dunes and Sarah slept through it all in the car!

Pop-Up Tent

We are HUGE advocates for the pop-up tent concept. After we finally gave up on repairing the green monster, Amanda got me the QOMOTOP 4-person Tent with Rainfly for my birthday. This tent is a dream!

The pre-attached telescopic poles unfold quickly and set up was complete in less than 5 minutes. This included the rainfly which protected us from some pretty gnarly storms in Louisiana. Tear down was equally quick, and the four windows increased airflow throughout the interior.

We HIGHLY recommend the QOMOTOP 4-person Tent with Rainfly for your next family camping excursion. You can also get it in 6-, 8-, and 10-person versions.

Pro Tip: Set up your tent in your yard or living room before you go. Practice makes perfect.

2) Family Sleeping Arrangements

Space is important for families, regardless of your location. You should certainly consider this when determining your sleeping arrangements.

When we traveled only with Sarah, this was not much of a concern. However, with an infant, we learned that space quickly becomes a key issue. Should we set up a pack-n-play? How do we ensure no one rolls over the baby? What about nighttime potty breaks?

The QOMOTOP 4-person Tent with Rainfly satisfied our needs.

The floor measured 8×8 feet with a central height of 59 inches. All in all, this was plenty of space for two adults, a child, and an infant. While it may be a bit tight once both kids are older, it would certainly suffice for side-by-side sleeping.

Camping with an Infant

We suggest using sleeping mats of some sort. Our budget foam mats started wearing on us toward the end of our last trip, so we are considering moving up to air mats. Sticking with mats over air mattresses conserves space and eliminates any concern of the baby rolling off.

When it comes to sleeping bags, Dick’s Field & Stream Recreational Sleeping Bags are perfect for family camping. The cushion proved comfy for little Adrian who enjoyed co-sleeping between us and Sarah. There are many options for infant tents but we found most of them to be either too short or simply inconvenient for the space. The tradeoff was not worthwhile.

Choosing the right sleeping bag/mat combination will pay off during playtime, as well. Multiple times we tossed out all of Adrian’s toys and the kids entertained themselves while we checked off other tasks.

Pro Tip: Do not skimp on the pillows! Rolled-up jackets will not do for long.

3) Comfort & Convenience

Comfort typically is not a word that comes to mind when planning an outdoor excursion. However, when it comes to family camping, you MUST remember that kids smell, food gets everywhere, clean clothes are always fleeting, and electricity is key to charging those child-distraction contraptions.

For this reason, we opted to stay at KOA (Kampground of America) sites during our roadschooling adventure.

If you have never stayed at a KOA, it is worth your time to consider if you are embarking on a family camping trip. The campsites are managed locally with controlled access to many of the facilities (i.e. showers, laundry, pool, etc.). This eliminates many safety concerns that are coupled with traveling with kids.

When staying at a KOA, you will have access to washers and dryers (for an additional fee, bring quarters), showers, restrooms, pool (not all), playground (not all), and various other amenities. You can choose between improved sites with electric and water, and primitive sites for a reduced rate. Depending on availability, you may get a free upgrade like we did at Lake Charles East / Iowa KOA Journey.

A Clean Family is a Happy Family

Wherever you stay, we suggest that you pack less clothes than you think you will need and plan to do laundry along the way. We successfully managed with 3-4 days of clothes, and ultimately did laundry three times in 16 days.

As for the showers, shirk any misconceptions of “roughing it” for your next family camping adventure. The “roughing it” comes with your normal daily life of wrangling children. Ensure you pack a toiletry bag, flip flops/shower shoes, and towels. That way you will be refreshed and prepared to handle whatever crazy yet enjoyable experience is to come.

Pro Tip: Purchase a rechargeable clip fan for use in the tent and on the stroller. There is a storage net on the QOMOTOP 4-person Tent with Rainfly where you can clip the fan for great circulation!

NExT Chapter

I hope you found this brief discussion useful and that you are inspired to embark on a family camping excursion. Every camping trip we have taken has been enriching and memorable. I would argue that some of the best experiences have come while living the tent life. We have stories for years to come. And it is those very stories that bring our family closer.

As we emerge out of a global pandemic, let us look outward beyond ourselves and beyond our homes. Reach out to nature. Gaze up at the stars. Listen to the world around you. We are uniquely set up to show our children a brave new world.

So, whether you are a family camping veteran or a first-timer, we encourage you to try something new and experience the world in a more purposeful manner. Camping is a vehicle to mindfulness.

Before we go, we ask that you let us know how we are doing in the comments below or contact us. We value your feedback and want to give you useful content. Spread the word and share our message. Together, we can change the world one nameless stranger at a time.

Until next time…

Think big, act small, travel with purpose.

Happy (Mindful) Travels!

Michael

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~ Change the world one nameless stranger at a time. ~

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