Camping can be one of life’s great pleasures! There’s nothing like relaxing around a campfire and spending time in communion with nature. But make no mistakes – car camping can be a grueling experience if you fail to prepare yourself as well as your car!

So if you’re serious about having a good time outdoors, why not start by planning ahead, making all the arrangements and getting all the supplies? Here’s a quick checklist to get you started.

Booking a Campsite

Even though it’s called car camping, the concept does not actually involve sleeping in your car… doing so would get old really quick. You’ll need a good place to lay out your tent so you can get a good night’s sleep! Since typically you won’t be allowed to camp out on the great outdoors randomly, it means you have to find a suitable campsite. Not only is it safer than camping out in the wild, but you’ll get access to some interesting luxuries such as shower, toilets, and tap water. Since most commercial campsites might be full during the hot seasons and because searching frantically for the nearest campsite is simply not fun – you should make sure to book your campsites in advance. Doing so you will often get better prices, guarantee a spot for your camping, and you will automatically plan an itinerary as you book different dates across different campsites.

Camping Essentials

One of the best things about car camping is how you can easily carry all the camping essentials and even some superfluous comforts if you feel like pampering yourself. So what exactly are the camping essentials, you may wonder? Asides from a good tent, sleeping bags and camping mattresses, you should make sure to carry enough clothing to around. And never underestimate the chilliness of some summer evenings! It’s always a good idea to pack a sweatshirt or wind breaker, just in case. Moving on to the cooking department, you will need a portable stove, cooking utensils, and of course… food! Make sure to pack plenty of non-perishable and canned goods to fill up your backup stock – then avoid using it and instead aim to source local fresh foods whenever possible. As far as your personal hygiene goes, remember you could go long periods without running into a store – so you must make sure to pack as many toiletries, cleaning supplies and insect repellents as needed. It’s also a great idea to carry a first aid box, because accidents tend to happen most when you’re least prepared.

Other Things to Pack

If you’re looking for more sophisticated gadgets that may add a little comfort to your enjoyment of nature, here’s a useful review of 12v refrigerators for camping. While this may sound like a needless luxury if you’re new to camping, you can’t overestimate the importance of having fresh drinks along with a place to preserve food in the scorching summer sun. You may also want to take some solar chargers to keep your gadgets off the grid and out in the wild, if you foresee you’ll want to use them.

Final tips to make your camping experience a positive one

Car camping can be extremely fun and rewarding when you plan everything right! It’s so much easier to relax in the great outdoors when all your needs are provided for. Since no shops will likely be around and assuming your survival skills are not epic, it follows naturally that having a positive camping experience is all about planning and preparing everything before you leave! Keep this advice in mind and you will have a great time outdoors.