Camping Enjoyment For The Entire Family

Camping can be a wonderful and relaxing getaway for the whole family. If you prepare and plan before your departure, your whole family will enjoy what nature intended.

Choose a camping location that you are familiar with or take along someone who is familar with the campgrounds. If that is not an option, research the area that you want to visit. Take a day trip to drive around the location and pick up brochures prior to your stay. If the area is further away, try a web search to get as much information as posible. Many campgrounds fill their chioce lots quickly and can easily be reserved as little as a week in advance.

If you plan on camping during hot weather or for several days, check on a location that sells ice. Usually ice is sold at the entrance to the campgrounds. Most campgrounds allow you to bring your own golf cart or provide rentals. Always choose the gas powered golf carts over the electric/battery powered ones. The electric/battery powered ones are slow and have low power. Most campgrounds have hilly areas that are almost imposible to climb with a low powered golf cart. The golf cart will provide you with easy transportation to shower houses, campground activities, swimming areas and much more. If you have a golf cart, most campgrounds will let you come and go from the campgrounds without an additonal entrance fee.

When camping in a tent, you must prepare for dew/moisture to settle on the contents of your tent. To prevent wet bedding, place a tarp under the tent and place a box fan inside the tent. Most campgrounds provide electric service at each lot. Don't forget to bring your extention cord. An air mattress provides a bed as comfortable as yours at home. A portable air pump will have it at your desired firmness in a matter of minutes. Hammocks and cots also provide a restful night. To be comfortable, plan on bringing plenty of blankets or a good quality heavy sleeping bag. Even in the hottest days of summer, tent camping is always chilly. When camping during colder months, exponent tents and sleeping bags will keep you warm even in freezing temperatures.

Plan your meals ahead of time. Breakfast can be as easy as disposable bowls, spoons, cereal and milk, donuts and juice/milk, or cooking eggs and bacon on a grate over a fire or on a propane stove. If you are a coffee person, plan ahead and bring a percolator that will make coffee over the fire or a propane stove. Lunch can be an easy lunchmeat sandwich and chips or a hotdog cooked over the fire. Dinner can be barbecue ribs on a grate over the fire with a stock pot filled with water and corn on the cob. Wash up can be easy with a plastic tub and some dish soap. Water service is provided at each lot. You might want to plan on bringing along a garden hose and sprayer. Local businesses frequently deliver pizzas if you plan on meeting the delivery driver at the campground entrance. Usually local businesses also have take out meals that would be easy to pick up in your golf cart. No matter your taste, plan ahead and take the necessary utencils.

Keeping a portable toilet in your tent is a wonderful convience for night time needs. If you are camping with children, a trip to the shower house in the middle of the night is never convenient. If your campground does not provide a shower house, plan to take along a portable shower too. They are discrete and provide a luxury to the wilderness camper.

If tent camping is not appealing to you and you don't own a RV, some campgrounds rent cabins and RVs at a reasonable price. Be prepared to take your own bedding and bath towels. Most campgrounds don't provide more than basic furniture, bathroom facilities, and a small kitchen with limited dishes and cookware. Fireplaces are provided in some cabins. If you are wanting to rent a cabin or RV, reservations are sometimes required several months in advance.

Fishing areas usually require a fishing license. Bring a current license for that area if you plan on fishing. Conservation officers consistantly check these popular fishing areas. Getting caught without a license could ruin a fun family getaway.

Before your next camping adventure, look into what your family would like for an enjoyable camping trip. Planning ahead and taking everything your family needs will make memories to last a lifetime.

About The Author

Suzanne Theriac writes articles for http://www.campingforfun.net.

How to Prepare Meals When Camping

You will find that preparing meals while camping is a little different than when you are at home. While your are out enjoying the beautiful, natural environment, consider that you will not have the local grocery store close by to get more food or supplies. However, by using a few, easy methods while you are packing, you can have what you and everyone else might want to eat satisfying meals.

Meals should be simple, but still flavorful, and easy to clean up after they are over. You will find the most children enjoy eating hot dogs, hamburgers, and other easy foods when they are away from home. Cooking these foods on the grill is very easy and you will be able to serve salads and other foods as side dishes.

Bring a cooler so that you will be able to store cold beverages, foods that need to be chilled, and leftovers. Replace the ice every other day or so to keep the foods cold enough. Most campgrounds have ice machines, but you may want to find out ahead of time, to make sure that your particular campground does as well.

If you want to serve salads, you should prepare them in advance and bring them with you. This will not only save you time, but will also allow you to use the ingredients that you use often so that you will not have to bring any extra items on the trip.

Another way to save time and storage space is to create a chuck box, which can be made of cardboard or plastic. This container will hold all of the campers' plates and utensils, pots, pans, and cooking utensils. This box will keep you organized during the trip and will only has enough room for you to bring essential items.

If you will be staying in a cabin, you should find out which equipment will be supplied for you as some cabins already have pots, pans, and plates for those who are camping. Modern cabins may have additional features that you may want to ask the reservations person about as well.

The few, simple preparation methods mentioned above, may go a long way to help your campground cooking not only be efficient in saving space and organizing, but also let you have more time to enjoy your meals, within the natural beauty that surrounds your campground.

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Tom Straub is a successful author and webmaster of the Best Safe Camping website featuring online guides on over a dozen camping topics.

How to Have a Safe Camping Vacation

Camping trips are supposed to be fun and filled with adventure. Being safe during your camping trip is just as important as bringing enough sleeping bags and cooking equipment.

But there are ways to safe guard you and your family when vacationing away from home. for example, you should also look for information about the types of equipment available that you may need for those who want to go hiking, camping, and participate in other outdoor activities.

Before you set out on your camping adventure, you should bring the following:

- A First aid kit
- GPS tracking device
- Map of state park or area where you will be camping
- Cell or satellite phone

These items are essential in case you get lost or are in need of medical attention.

Being prepared for any emergency will help save those who are with you on your vacation. Many times the biggest emergency you will have will be a scraped knee or a bruised elbow, but for bigger emergencies, being able to call for medical help can be critically time-sensitive.

Cell phones and other technology have made it easier to track those who have become lost in the woods. When hiking, choose trails that are well marked and do not leave them at any time. This will keep you from getting lost.

But if you do get lost, try to call for help. Look at your map and try to figure out where you are. By finding your location, you will at least have an idea of how closeby any help may be to you.

The best piece of advice when in an emergency situation is to remain calm. You will have to rely on yourself, others, and the technology that you brought with you. Keeping your emotional level down will let you to be able to figure out what type of aid your emergency situation may require.

So before leaving on your vacation, try to become familiar with any equipment and supplies that you will be taking with you. Becoming familiar with all the directions and procedures needed to use them properly will help you be prepared for any emergency while camping.

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Tom Straub is a successful author and webmaster of the Best Safe Camping website featuring online guides on over a dozen camping topics.

Camping At The Beach Can Be Great Fun For The Entire Family

Most people think about the mountains or forests for camping. However, camping on the beach can be a great alternative. The sand and water provide plenty of activities for summertime fun. This can be a great bonding experience for the entire family.

Many public beaches do not allow camping, so do some research before making a trek. There are a lot of places where camping is allowed, though. Research the areas you are considering before choosing a place, as there may be some restrictions. Many places have rules as far as what vehicles are allowed on the beach, if any. There may also be restrictions on materials that are allowed. Many beaches do not allow bottles because of the danger of glass breakage. You may also have particular fire restrictions where fires are allowed only in certain places or under specific conditions.

The beach can provide a lot of fun activities. Have a sand castle building contest where the most unique and well-built castle wins a prize.

Swimming is a lot of fun but make sure you are aware of any warning signs that are posted and do not use inflatable floats in high surf. Boogey boarding and surfing are great fun and many areas will have lessons for those who are new to it. Often there are rental stands for jet skis and boats as well. Snorkeling or scuba diving will provide you a view of undersea life. Pack some books of sea creatures native to the area to look up what they are when you see them.

Make sure you pay attention to any posted warning signs. These may caution against tides, currents, sharks or environmental dangers which could endanger your life. Do not swim if there are posted signs and always be aware of your surroundings. Remember that the sun reflecting off the water intensifies the exposure so wear plenty of sunscreen and reapply often.

The temperature near the water drops substantially at night, so even if it is very hot during the day, pack warmer clothes for night time. Be aware of tides and set up camp so that you have plenty of room between your site and the water. Nothing can ruin a camping experience faster then getting awakened by the tide entering your tent or washing away your belongings.

Cooking at the beach is a great time to get out the seafood and grill shrimp, crabs, lobster or fish. Sitting around a cozy fire with the sun setting and the ocean as a back drop is a relaxing and enjoyable time. Be a considerate camper and remember that other people will use the facilities. When you leave the area, make sure you leave nothing behind, all fires are completely out, and everything is cleaned.

About The Author

Gray Rollins is a featured writer for DreamCamping. To learn more about beach camping, visit http://www.dreamcamping.com/beachcamping/ and http://www.dreamcamping.com/campinggrounds/.

Camping Party Planning

Camping parties are normally multiday events. Organizing a party away in a camp environment has its challenges. A camping party is the combination of a destination party and a beach party. It requires a great deal of planning and preparation.

Among other challenges, you have to be ready to train people how to set a tent, make a safe campfire, and more. With all its challenges camping is always going to be a hit with kids and most adults. A camping party is a unique event that can include all the good things of any kind of party and more.

Partying while camping offers an opportunity for not only campfires, but sing-alongs, ghost tales, and lots and lots of fun stuff you would never think of at a party hosted at a private home.

Camping is a lot of fun but it is not without its challenges. If you hate bugs, are afraid of bears, or you can’t live without all of the comforts of your home, camping is not for you. If you don’t enjoy sleeping in a tent, or in an RV, you may reconsider having a party while camping. Public restrooms and showers mean you have less privacy than in your own home or in a hotel room. While many enjoy the break from the comforts of everyday routine, for some it is nothing short of a nightmare.

Camping requires a lot of planning and preparation. The less prepared you are the less fun you will have. If you don’t prepare the necessary food, equipment, spices, and whatever you may need, chances are will have to do without them. Make sure you check with camp management about the rules and regulations, so you avoid unpleasant surprises. Some campground may have rules against dogs, open fires, noise, etc. Make sure you call ahead and understand the rules before committing to a campground.

Before you make a reservation, check with the campground for any dangers you should know about such as bears, snakes, or moving waters.

Popular campsites fill up quickly, especially during popular holidays. Be sure you make your reservations extra early, if you plan your party around some of the biggest holiday dates such as Memorial Day, The 4th of July, and Labor Day.

About the Author:

Party Favors Chocolate party favors for birthday, graduation, birth announcement, baby shower, weddings and more.

Read more articles by: George Meszaros

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Lights For Camping

Recently, flashlights which use light-emitting diodes (LEDs) instead of conventional light bulbs have become available. LEDs have existed for decades, mainly as low-power indicator lights. In 1999, Lumileds Corporation of San Jose, CA introduced the Luxeon LED, a high-power white-light emitter. For the first time this made possible LED flashlights with power and running time better than some incandescent lights. The first Luxeon LED flashlight was the Arc LS in 2001.



LEDs can be significantly more efficient at lower power levels, hence use less battery energy than normal light bulbs. Such flashlights have longer battery lifetimes, in some cases hundreds of hours, although the LED efficiency advantage diminishes at higher power levels. LEDs also survive sharp blows that often break conventional light bulbs.



LED flashlights are often electronically regulated to maintain constant light output as the batteries fade. By contrast a non-regulated flashlight becomes progressively dimmer, sometimes spending much of the total running time below 50 percent brightness level.



A common misconception about LED-based flashlights is that they generate no heat. While lower-power LED flashlights generate little heat, more powerful LED lights do generate significant amounts of heat. For this reason higher-powered LED flashlights usually have metal bodies and can become warm during use.



A headlamp is a flashlight worn on the head for hands-free operation. Powerful headlamps mounted on helmets have been used in mining for decades, but general-purpose ones with fabric straps are now also available.



Sometimes a light is mounted to a handgun or rifle.



Most flashlights are cylindrical in design, with the lamp assembly attached to one end. However, early designs came in a variety of shapes. Many resembled lanterns of the day, consisting largely of a box with a handle and the lamp attached to the front. Some others were made to have a similar appearance to candles. It is possible that future developments of battery and LED technology will bring interesting new designs. For instance, one very small light that exists now in 2004 consists of a few LEDs with a switch, designed to be an end cap for a 9-volt battery.



High-quality flashlights go for as much as several hundreds of dollars. Such flashlights are very advanced, using special batteries, have adjustable brightness levels, dive-depth waterproof ratings, interchangeable optics, and are very bright.



Lantern is another important source of light while camping. Some lanterns are battery-powered and have simple light bulbs, but bright and efficient electric lanterns will employ a specialized power supply to operate a fluorescent type. They are easy to use and comparatively durable, but less bright than propane or liquid fuel lanterns. Depending on the design, these lanterns may use disposable batteries, rechargeable replaceable batteries, or permanently-installed rechargeable batteries and either require battery replacement, or if rechargeable and not constantly plugged in must be brought to full charge every few months by plugging in.



Some rechargeable fluorescent lanterns may be plugged in at all times and may be set up to illuminate upon a power failure, a useful feature in some applications. During extensive power failures (or for remote use), supplemental recharging may be provided from an automobile's twelve volt electrical system or from a modest solar powered charger.

Author Info:

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for http://www.WarGear.info/. WarGear.info carries the best selection of military clothing, war gear, and combat accessories on the market.

The 10 Most Stupid Camping Mistakes In The World

By Steve Henry

What a great thing it is to be man, master of all we survey.

With the new camping season upon us today is just taking some time to reflect on some of the stupidest camping mistakes we have made and which we have heard about. If you would like to share some of your stories for our next book please email us from the web link below.

Remember, these are all actual things we have either done or seen done, they are not urban myths, which just goes to show how even the simple things in life like camping can be eye opening...

1. It is raining or windy outside so let’s start the fire inside the tent.

2. Pitching the tent or swag in a “dry” creek/river/gully bed with a storm coming.

3. Setting up camp below the high water mark on an ocean tidal riverbank. (That actually was pretty funny to wake up with waves washing through the swag).

4. Testing the pan toffee (liquid molten hot boiling sugar in a pan over an open fire, usually eaten AFTER it cools down and hardens) with a finger (I still can’t believe he did that) and the very next day putting an unopened can of baked beans in the fire to warm them up... Mental Note never go camping with this guy ever again.

5. Driving away from the campsite to get some supplies with the tent still set up and roped to the car.

6. Watching with no concern the kids go swimming at dusk, with dogs, in an ocean inlet next to where fishermen are cleaning fish and where signs are posted saying “beware shark infested waters” (When we told the local Police they just shook their head at the stupidity).

7. Leaving dinner meat out to defrost inside a tent in bear/crocodile country and expecting the animal to not tear the tent to pieces trying to get at the meat. At least it was in a plastic bag so the flies wouldn’t get at it.

8. Camping near the edge of a cliff, getting up in the middle of the night to go to the toilet, tripping over the tent rope and over the edge of the cliff.

9. Doing the dinner washing up in crocodile infested waters. Have these people no idea how fast those things are? They can drag grown horses into the water. Oh yeah and then that night going swimming in the same river. They must have had some serious angels watching over them.

10. Using petrol or gasoline to get that stubborn fire moving along nicely in wet weather. I knew it was stupid but thought I would be able to step back quick enough, gee that fireball moves fast!

I know we said 10 but can't go past these last two...

11. trying to hand feed (take your pick we have heard them all) that cute looking possum, baby bear, fox, fruit bat. The claws people, what do you think the claws are for?

12. Too tired at the end of the camping birthday party to clean up the leftover food and woke up in the middle of the night to find every possum within about 30 miles having a fight over the leftover chocolate birthday cake. But wait here is the good bit, when I went outside (in my undies) with a broom to chase them away they ran at me, actually ran at me and tried to bite/attack/slash me!

I had gone from a warm cosy bed to being attacked by possums in my undies in the middle of the night, all to save some chocolate birthday cake.

On that note hope you had a good laugh and hope none of these things ever happen to you.

Another time we will post an article on some of the fishing misadventures we have had and seen and heard about. Please let us know your favourite stories for the new book...

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Winter Camping Can Be Great Fun

Camping is a fun adventure for the whole family. Every camping trip takes a little planning to be sure you have necessary supplies and safety equipment. However, camping during the winter has specific cautions that should be taken. Being prepared for anything is essential during the cold.

Clothing is particularly important during the winter. Whether staying at the campsite or venturing out for a hike, it is important to maintain your body temperature and avoid ill effects of cold weather such as hypothermia. Always wear a hat. Up to eighty percent of your body heat can be lost through your head, so wearing a hat is essential. Dress in layers. Wear several layers of clothing and choose outer clothing that is waterproof. Wear warm, wool socks. Wearing two pairs of socks is advisable for warmth and comfort. Always wear boots that are suited to cold weather and are waterproof. Keeping your feet warm and dry is critical for warding off hypothermia.

Make sure you have a warm fire at your campsite and that tents or sleeping arrangements are properly insulated from the cold. Choose sleeping bags and sleeping mats that are waterproof and have warm linings. Make sure you get into the sleeping bag already warm and dry. Do some exercises and warm up by the fire before entering your tent and going to sleep. If you have wet clothing on, change out of it and only sleep in dry clothes.

You will be less hungry in the winter but do not neglect nutrition. It will help keep your energy level up. Warm drinks will help. Cup of soup or canned soups are great for adding nutrition and warmth to the diet. Stay away from coffee, tea and alcohol if you are feeling the effects of hypothermia as they will thin the blood and actually advance symptoms.

Be prepared for emergencies. It is not uncommon to have a sudden drastic shift in weather leaving you stranded and unable to return to your campsite. It is also possible to have an accident such as slipping on a slippery slope or having a fall through the ice into freezing water. Being prepared for such disasters may mean the difference between life and death. Always have waterproof matches, food and water supplies, blankets, and first aid kits available.

Taking some time to plan and prepare for camping in the winter is essential for staying safe and making the most of your experience. Make sure you have items to stay warm and nourished. Plan for the unexpected and have gear available in case of emergency.

Gray Rollins is a featured writer for CampingEarth.com. To learn more about camping, visit the camping blog and learn about the different types of campers including ones suited to winter camping.

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