New to camping!

[*JoGo*]

I'm planning to take my boys camping. I found a nice place with a man-made swimming pond and another pond for renting peddle boats, etc. There's a shower house and restrooms. It's only about an hour and a half away, so if things go terribly, we can come home. I want to stay two nights. My brother and his wife are going also... I can't start a fire to save my life!

I have the basics... Tent, sleeping bags, table, chairs, roasting sticks, rope for clothesline... I'm going to get a tarp for under the tent.

What else do I need?

I also need meal ideas. I want to cook over the fire but nothing too involved so I don't mess it up. I also have dietary restrictions- low carb. But I can manage pretty well, I'm more concerned with feeding the boys. I have a small charcoal grill, should I take that? I assume it is easier to cook over than a fire.

I can use all the tips and help I can get!

[2goofycampers]

Happy Camping !

Here is a packing thread and recipe thread to get you started.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1115732

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1064017

[KarenRLongBeach]

Originally Posted by *JoGo*

I'm planning to take my boys camping. I found a nice place with a man-made swimming pond and another pond for renting peddle boats, etc. There's a shower house and restrooms. It's only about an hour and a half away, so if things go terribly, we can come home. I want to stay two nights. My brother and his wife are going also... I can't start a fire to save my life!

I have the basics... Tent, sleeping bags, table, chairs, roasting sticks, rope for clothesline... I'm going to get a tarp for under the tent.

What else do I need?

I also need meal ideas. I want to cook over the fire but nothing too involved so I don't mess it up. I also have dietary restrictions- low carb. But I can manage pretty well, I'm more concerned with feeding the boys. I have a small charcoal grill, should I take that? I assume it is easier to cook over than a fire.

I can use all the tips and help I can get!

We camp all the time, both Tents and RVS. Some things to take are maybe a soccer ball to kick around, first aid kits, Keep the food simple. Take marshmallows for the fire. Plenty of water. Also bug spray and sunscreen. Have a good time

[Jedana]

Easy meals:
heat up chili, pour over fritos, top with cheese, onions and sour cream.

Precook hamburger meat at home, mix in taco seasoning. Reheat at camp and make tacos, taco salads, etc.

Hot dogs, chips, carrot sticks (have to get those veggies in ) Stick the hot dogs and cook over the fire.

foil meals: for first time, use hamburger--less danger if it's slightly undercooked (as opposed to chicken). veggies, potatoes, meat, butter, seasonings, etc.

Baked potatoes. Wrap in foil, cook in fire, butter, sour cream, cheese.

Do a web search and you'll find tons of meal ideas!


A good cooler or two? (I use 3--one for meats, one for perishables/fruits/veggies, and one for drinks.)
Water jug? You aren't going to want to run to the faucet every time you need a drink or to wash a pot.
Lantern (I have 2 coleman LED lights that charge at home or in the car and they work great, plus a coleman propane for backup) and flashlights?

Big pans (or bowls or whatever) to do dishes in, heat water in, etc.
Some way to purify the water if needed (though it sounds like you're camping in a safe area so that may not be a problem).

Water bottles.
Coffee pot (love that percolated coffee in the mornings!)
Cards, in case of rain.

Extra blankets--the ground sucks the cold up into you. Even with our doubled air mattress, I use a sheet on it, and then a big comforter underneath us and another under the air mattress.

Solid tubs w/snap on lids--I have 2 with gear in them plus 1 for food.

When we family camp, we prefer to not have a ton of trash, so I don't take paper goods, I have several sets of the "picnic" plates/bowls/glasses from Walmart--they are cheap, so if they break I won't cry; and they are better for the enviroment. I use some old pots/pans (and some cast iron--best cornbread ever ) and old cooking utensils. We use travel mugs for hot chocolate/coffee/teas.


Don't leave your food out at all. Don't leave any trash laying around camp. I take a lot of small trashbags, and once we're done with a meal, the bag is tied off and hauled to the dumpster (if close by) or set aside until we are going out to hike or fish--and then we detour to trash it. At night, before bed, all trash is removed to the dumpster. Don't want any unwelcome visitors, like bears, raccoons, etc. Remember to pull out the recyclables, rinse the cans and if there isn't a recycle bin at the dumpster area, pack those to take home.

If you are allowed campfires--please make sure to full extinguish it before leaving the site or going to bed. Don't just dump water on the fire--make sure you have a bucket of sand or dirt to use. Stir up the ashes gently, and make sure to put out any hot spots--ashes can stay hot for a very long time, and you don't want a wind to come up and stir those hot ashes into the trees!

Above all, have fun! Camping does not have to be anything big or grand (I've been camping my whole life--first trip I was barely 7 weeks old--and some of the best trips have been spur of the moment).

[*JoGo*]

We had a great first trip!
We are going again in a few weeks, except we've rented a cabin because my parents are going and my mom hates camping. They used to go camping a lot when she was little and she needs her own bathroom.

Last time was very primitive. Bathrooms were about 5 minutes away by car! And after asking my brother several times about putting the trash inside, I ended up chasing a racoon off! That Boy should know by now to listen to me!

We will do more tent camping. Right now we are trying out different parks to find our favorite!

[2goofycampers]

Originally Posted by *JoGo*

We had a great first trip!
We are going again in a few weeks, except we've rented a cabin because my parents are going and my mom hates camping. They used to go camping a lot when she was little and she needs her own bathroom.

Last time was very primitive. Bathrooms were about 5 minutes away by car! And after asking my brother several times about putting the trash inside, I ended up chasing a racoon off! That Boy should know by now to listen to me!

We will do more tent camping. Right now we are trying out different parks to find our favorite!

Glad you enjoyed your first trip.
That was primitive, 5 minutes by car. I'd have to start 6 minutes before time.

[*JoGo*]

We chose the very last campsite, clear on the opposite end of the park from the only bathhouse/restroom. There were porta-potties in the tent camping area but dropping trou in the woods behind our site was preferred (my kids are boys!). The campground called the tent camping "Primitive Wilderness Camping" and it definitely was! But now I feel more confident in my camping abilities. The campground we are going to next has electricity available in the tent area.

I am excited about not having to cook every meal on the charcoal grill or open fire... Need to work on my camp cooking skills! And some of the crockpot meals look really good!

[elaine amj]

we camped in a heat wave a couple of weeks ago. We cheated and bought battery operated fans from the dollar store. i was pretty hot the first night and set it up next to my face. It ran for a few hours until the batteries drained. We replaced the batteries the next day Those fans were so, so useful on hot summer nights.

I'm also a bit of a wuss when camping now. I bring a foam mattress topper (it's huge!) to sleep on. I bring my own pillow and use sheets always - it's so much more comfortable to sleep on sheets - the sleeping bag is a blanket!