For outdoor lovers like myself, there’s no better way to bond with your loved ones than by embarking on a multi-day family camping trip. Not only is camping just plain fun, but it’s also an unbeatable opportunity for quality time, learning new skills, growing as people, and enjoying new and unique experiences.
This past summer, my niece and nephew were finally old enough to embark on their first camping adventure! As an outdoor enthusiast and type-A personality, I jumped on the idea of leading a family camping trip, and was ecstatic to be the one to introduce the kids to the great outdoors. We planned for a 5-day camping trip on the East Coast at the end of August, with an open invitation to the whole family. No one wanted to miss out on the fun, so in the end, the group included me, my partner, my niece and nephew (aged 6 and 4), their parents (my brother and sister-in-law), their grandma (my mom), and their precious Labrador, Luke. While we had plenty of adults to help with planning, I took the reins as the outdoor enthusiast of the group.
Today, I’ll take you through everything we did to prepare and plan for our 5-day camping adventure, from picking a campground and building excitement, to making a packing checklist and shopping for gear. So whether you’re planning your own family camping trip or just thinking ahead for next year, read on to learn how our crew did it, and discover tips and tricks to make your next outdoor experience as smooth as possible!
Picking a Campground and Building Excitement
The first step to any camping trip is picking the destination. Since we were traveling with younger kids and a dog, it was important to us that the campground was within a manageable driving distance for everyone. This narrowed it down to Mid-Atlantic destinations, particularly within Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, West Virginia, or Virginia. Since the U.S. is filled to the brim with stunning camping destinations, I made the executive decision to pick the location myself in hopes of not overwhelming anyone with the endless options.
Ultimately, I landed at Shenandoah National Park in Northern Virginia. Since it’s a well-established National Park, I knew there would be plenty of kid and pet-friendly campsites to choose from, as well as things to do for the whole family. Plus, the kids need to get a start on their National Park Passports early if they want to hit them all!
Once I nailed down the location, I gathered a list of suitable campsites to present to the family. I wanted to get them excited as soon as possible, and showing them the picturesque sites was a great way to build morale.
Things to Consider When Choosing a Campsite for Your Family
While my partner and I have no problem camping in the remote wilderness with zero amenities in sight, we wanted to make sure the kids had a pleasant first experience outdoors. To facilitate that, I had a few campsite non-negotiables:
- Well-maintained amenities, including running water, bathrooms, and showers
- A site that our car could drive right up to (no hiking in)
- A dog-friendly site
- Kid-friendly activities nearby
- Bonus: great views of the park!
After showing the campground options to the family, we decided on Big Meadows Campground. This campground checked all of our boxes and sits right in the heart of the park. It’s important to note that we handled this phase of planning 6 months before our trip to ensure we secured a spot, since national park campgrounds can fill up fast during peak seasons.
Packing for the Trip
As the trip approached, it was time to start packing. Another fun way to involve the whole family is by teaming up to make your packing list together. Our family made a night dedicated to this phase of planning, with my brother lighting up the barbecue for dinner while the rest of us began brainstorming what we’d need for the adventure ahead. While one adult could easily do this portion of planning alone, tackling it together made it easy for us to bounce ideas off of each other and ultimately know who was bringing what, without the confusion that texting lists back and forth could bring. Our list included the following items:
- 1 family camping tent
- 1 rainfly
- 1 tent footprint/ground poly tarp
- Other tent accessories, like a front porch extension and lighting
- 1 tent stove
- 5 adult and 2 kid-sized sleeping bags
- 7 travel pillows
- 7 sleeping pads
- Extra throw blankets
- 1 pack of earplugs and sleeping masks
- 2 large battery-powered fans
- 7 camping chairs
- 1 8’ folding table with a tablecloth
- 2 firewood bundles with a log carrier and firestarter
- Lighting, which included lanterns and string lights
- 1 sunshade tarp
- 2 tree hammocks
- Various campsite decorations
- Basic camp kitchen supplies
- 5 days’ worth of meals and snacks for the whole family
- Eco-friendly cleaning supplies
- 1 comprehensive first aid kit
- 2 multi-tools, 1 pair of scissors, and 1 rubber mallet
- Navigation supplies, including a park map, a compass, and a GPS
- 2 lighters
- 1 high-power power bank for electronics
- Summer-appropriate clothing and footwear for everyone
- Hygiene items and toiletries for everyone
- Recreational gear and supplies for activities
- Luke’s dog gear, including his dog bed, bowls, food, poo bags, leashes, harnesses, etc.
To get the kids involved, we let them decide what activities they’d be excited to do while outdoors, which helped shape our packing list. My niece loves to fish, for example, so that was naturally her first suggestion of gear we had to bring. Asking everyone’s preferences and wishes for the trip makes it easier to know what to pack and what to leave at home. Overall, our philosophy was to keep it basic, only opting to bring things we knew we’d use often or would make a big difference in our experience outdoors. At the end of the day, everything on that packing list will need to be carried to and from camp, so keep it simple to save yourself!
Shopping for Gear
Once our packing list was crafted, it was time to shop for gear. Since I’ve been camping my entire life, most of the basics were already accounted for. The main thing we lacked was a camping tent big enough for our entire group, which totaled 8, including the pup. Since we all liked the idea of staying in one large luxury tent together, we opted for a canvas wall tent, specifically the 14’ x 16’ Alpha Wall Tent from White Duck Outdoors. Not only was this tent a suitable size for our large crew and all of our gear, but it was also the perfect mix of durability and comfort you need when traveling with kids and pets. If your family prefers a little more privacy, you could also opt to pitch multiple cabin tents with smaller capacities than a wall tent.
If this is your first time camping as a family, or like us, your first time using a new style of tent, you may want to set aside time to practice setting up camp in your backyard. This will help everyone learn the ropes and smooth out any kinks before heading into the wilderness miles from home.
Outside of the tent, we were pretty much all set to hit the outdoors! In the spirit of the trip, we decided to take one last visit to our local outdoor retailer before setting off, where we let the kids pick out new water bottles, one new bathing suit each, and fun camping snacks. Not only did this get them excited, but it also helped them feel included in the preparation process.
Final Thoughts
Preparing for a family camping trip can often be more daunting than the adventure itself. From picking a suitable campsite to packing the right gear, a lot goes into a successful time outdoors. Whether you’re embarking into nature alone or adventuring with your family like us, take the tips and tricks outlined today to prepare for your own experience outdoors. Once you’ve booked your trip and crossed off your packing checklist to-dos, head to the next blog in this 5-day family camping series to get insights on how to make your arrival at camp seamless. See you there!
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