As the calendar turns to June, kids get out of school and summer hits in full force, there’s nothing better for families to do than to pack the car and go on a family vacation.
Everyone loves vacation—95% of U.S. workers say vacation time is important to them and 37% of families say vacations make them happy. But what sort of family vacation should you take? If you’re looking to get away from the traditional tourist traps, one good idea is to take a camping trip.
Between the beauty of nature and the chance to take many a fishing trip or hiking trip, there’s all sorts of fun to be had while camping in the great outdoors.
If you’re planning on a family camping trip, doing some prep work ahead of time and can things much easier (and less stressful if you’re traveling with young kids). This step-by-step guide can help you plan the perfect family camping trip:
- Figure out where you’re going: Before you plan the particulars of your camping trip, you need to figure out where the heck you’re going. If you’ve got kids, you’ll likely want to stay somewhere that’s got easy accessible public bathrooms and showers. Most camping (about 70%) is done on public campgrounds. If you’re looking for a new area to visit, consider Summersville Lake WV.
Summersville Lake WV has plenty to see and do with state parks to camp in and wineries, beaches and touring opportunities available, not to mention the chance to get out in nature. - Test everything out: Before you hit the road, it’s important to test everything out. If you’re going to be camping in a tent, it’s extra important to test everything because you don’t want any surprises as you’re setting up after a long drive.
If you’re camping with kids, you can get them involved in the testing processing. If you’re a veteran camper, you know there’s a lot of equipment involved in camping and it’s important to test it all out. Pull out the first-aid kit and make sure it’s fully stocked; set up your tent and make sure it’s still in working order (and not moldy from last year’s rain); pull out your flashlights and headlamps and make sure you’ve got fresh batteries in them; make sure you’ve got insect repellant and sunscreen that’s not expired; pull out your camping stove (if you plan on cooking) and make sure that still works and make sure you’ve got full canisters of camping fuel. - Pack: When it comes to a camping trip, packing is always one of the hardest parts. You want to make sure you have everything and have enough of the essentials. Packing is another good way to get the kids involved. Give them a list of things to pack and let them pick some of the essentials (for example, when it comes to picking jackets, have them pick the one they want to take). Once you think you’ve got everything you need, double and triple-check your list.
- Figure out how to get there: Let’s say you’re going to Summersville Lake WV. Once you figure out how you’re going to get there, you can plan where you might stop along the way. Find spots where you can stop, go to the bathroom and take a few minutes to walk around. Look for fun family activities you can do before you actually reach Summersville Lake WV. This will help build some excitement for the trip among your kids.
- Plan fun activities: If you’re an adult, there’s no shortage of things to do while you’re camping. But when it comes to keeping the kids entertained, plan some activities so you don’t hear “I’m bored.” Pack some board games and books in case it rains; plan a scavenger hunt around the campground; pack fishing gear so you can hit the lake; buy a stargazing kit so you can look at the stars at night.
A family camping trip can be a blast. By taking time to do some planning before you leave, you can focus more on having fun once you hit the campground instead of worrying about where everything is or what you need to go get.
