5 Camping Common Sense Mistakes to Avoid

Camping is a great way to spend a vacation and create memories of a lifetime. To help you make the most of your camping experience, here’s a list of the top 5 mistakes to avoid.

1 - Wrong place
Where you go camping is an important detail to tend to. If you want to be able to hike while camping then pick some place that has ideal hiking trails. If you have young children, you may not want to be camping alongside the river bank. Also, campgrounds have different amenities. Some campgrounds have hot showers, electrical hookups, structured activities for families, swimming pools, bbq grills, stocked lakes and even completely furnished cabins. Make sure the campground you choose has everything you want and need.

2 - Wrong Time
Timing is everything. Plan ahead to make sure you pick the perfect time of year for your camping experience. If you are choosing an area that is prone to hurricanes or other inclement weather, check ahead of time to make sure the weather will be good. If you have an aversion to mosquitoes, the Summer might not be your best season to camp. For the snow lovers, maybe a Winter camping trip is right for you. To choose the ideal time, find a date that matches your weather preference, has clear skies and meets your temperature liking. Then make sure it fits your schedule.

3 - Going the distance
Along with choosing the dates comes choosing the distance. It doesn’t make much sense to go camping for3 days when you have to drive one full day to get to the site. There is something to be said about traveling to a location and the excitement it builds, but be mindful of how long you are going to travel coming home. Always think of how tired are you, and your traveling companions, going to be traveling back home. Not to mention, if you are choosing a campground with no amenities, you will be traveling in a car with some ripe-smelling bodies. How long of a trip do you want to make with them? If traveling is no issue, then pick a spot that meets your needs and will treat all your senses with the welcoming beauty of mother nature. Knowing your limitations can lead to a great trip to some of your state’s greatest backyard spots.

4 - Check, check and double check
Make sure you take the time to check all your equipment ahead of time. When you are 6 hours from home and 4000 feet up on a mountain is not the time, nor the place, to find out you are missing tent pegs, or your camping stove doesn’t work. Making a checklist is a fantastic common sense plan. The checklist will help you to know you have everything you need and it’s all in working order. When the trip is coming to a close and it’s time to pack up, you will have a checklist tell you that nothing was left behind. Save your checklist and add to it for next time and you have already saved yourself time planning your next trip.

5 - A Hard Night’s Sleep
It may sound like taking the easy way out, but how do you really feel about sleeping on the hard ground? Today, there are many modern conveniences that we can take advantage of. These conveniences can be egg crate mats, air mattresses, cots and a plethora of sleeping cushions. Roughing it doesn’t have to be hard on the body. This doesn’t mean you have to pack up your mattress from your bed. There are loads of options available to you that are relatively inexpensive. If you are planning on bringing along an air mattress, make sure you have a way of inflating it. You can find hand pumps, foot pumps and even pumps that plug into your cigarette lighter.

Camping can be a terrific experience. It all comes down to planning, thinking ahead of the return trip, checking everything out ahead of time and knowing your limitations. Take the time to plan your trip. Use your common sense and personalize your trip to suit your level of comfort. These tips will ensure you have the best camping experience.