If you go or have camped for more than a few days can you answer a question or two...

[lynn]

I wish I had brought________________  or more ________________.

 

What is your best camping tips for a week long camping trip.  We are going to the beach for 3 days and Disney for 4 days.

[Critterfixer]

I have a three page list for camping that I keep. Most of it has to do with the camp kitchen. In that list, I'd say the two things I appreciated the most were my oven mitts and the fly swatter. Somehow those things kept getting left behind. Kind of hard to handle a cast iron dutch oven without oven mitts. A tablecloth is also really nice to have. Scissors come in handy. Foils and plastic bags. Sharp knives. Butter knives. A charcoal chimney. A good lighter. A pan for dishes and soap and a rag, and a towel to dry things. For me a cutting board is an essential.

 

On the general list a camp broom and a small flat shovel were always getting left behind and missed. Fire tongs or a poker are on there for moving logs around. 

 

On my food list I was sure to include stuff I needed to cook, but one thing stood out--don't forget the ketchup, mayo, mustard and pickles, any sauces and in my case I gotta have my cheese. At the top of that list is the reminder to make my menu plan and ingredient list to be sure I have what I need. 

 

On the medicine kit list--stuff for burns! Sunscreen is on there, along with bug spray but also to remind me to take things needed for bug bites and stings. Pain medicine is on there, and Benedryl. Toothpaste and toothbrushes used to get left at times, so they made the list.

 

My best tip: Make yourself a list and check it off as you pack. 

[Susan in TN]

Pillows!

[Momof3littles]

Camping in a tent or in a camper?

 

Don't forget flip flops/shower shoes (although with the beach I doubt you'd forget that), I always bring extra garbage bags, fire starter for your fire or grill, clothesline to dry clothes and towels, vinyl tablecloth for picnic table, some basic medicines, headlamp(s), flashlight, a decent knife.  If you'll brush teeth, shower, etc. in a public bath house kind of thing, then consider whether it would be useful to have duplicates of shampoo, conditioner, toothbrush, etc. so that you can have boys and girls showering or brushing teeth at the same time in their respective sides of the facilities.  Or depending on the age breakdown, you might not want to have to share shampoo, etc. if several girls will be showering in their own shower stalls, kwim?  If your kids are young and will be in the stall with you or your DH, you may need fewer bottles of shampoo and conditioner.  I find it is useful to have multiples so my DH can shower with our youngest, while the 10 yo showers on his own, all at the same time DD and I are showering on the women's side, kwim?

[AK_Mom4]

Dog Towel.

We camp with our dogs and I always forget to bring something to wipe their feet before they come in the tent at night and I end up using a sweatshirt.  I always wish I had brought a towel for the dogs.

 

On my Never Go Without List - my camping chair.  Foldable camp chair that is MINE and woe-betide anyone who tried to swipe it.  Has a working cup holder.

[Arcadia]

Are you cooking or buying cooked food. When we camp, we bought cooked food from nearby so the fire pit was just for grilling corn and roasting marshmallows. That way we didn't need to bring a cooler.

I have camp once with friends who brought a big rolling cooler. They brought steaks for barbecuing. Someone drove out from the camp site to buy more ice for the cooler.

 

We do bring more fire starters, charcoal and towels than we might need. Towels never seem to dry fast enough at the beach for us. The wood at the park camp store has too smoky a smell so we rather buy elsewhere. We use those cigarette lighters for the fire starters. My boys tried using scrap paper as fire starters and that didn't work but was fun :)

[StephanieZ]

Best tip for camping at the beach: DO NOT DO IT.

 

I guess it is too late for that? (Sand, wind, bugs, sand, hot, sand, ICK.)

 

Bring plenty of towels (obvious reasons). Also, a couple large water containers (3-5 gallon jugs) and keep them full in case the campground water goes out mid-day. (Yes, happened.)

 

Bring plenty of bug spray and sun screen.

 

Bring EASY to prepare food. Or plan to buy take out or pizza. Really. You don't actually want to spend all day cooking and washing dishes. For a trip such as yours, I'd plan cold cuts for lunches, PBJ for the days away from the cooler, cold cereals for breakfasts, and simple dinners (soup/stew, burgers on the grill, hotdogs on the grill, fish on the grill, etc) Bring your spices and oils/etc as you can run through $50 in a short minute at the convenience store picking up those essentials. Once or twice you could do eggs/bacon/etc or even pancakes if you have a good camp griddle. But, really, if you do it every day, you'll be cooking and washing up all day long. 

 

Be very strict about NO SAND IN THE TENT. Ideally, have your own tent so the kids don't mess yours up. Sleeping bag + sand = misery.

 

If you have a large freezer at home, you can save on ice costs and mess by freezing 6-8 1-2 liter bottles of frozen water plus several full gallons. Take at least TWO coolers. Use 2-3 of the bottles of ice for the "cold packs" for the first cooler full of food. Fill an entire other cooler with the remaining bottles of frozen water (along with a few full frozen gallons to fill the remainder of the cooler). In a couple days, when the first set of frozen bottles are melted, you can swap them out with new frozen ones. The full spare cooler will likely make it so you don't have to buy bags of ice until the last couple days of your trip. (Can easily be $6-10/day in ice.) If you have access to dry ice and are camping in a remote area, you can actually put dry ice into your "spare" cooler and swap the still-full melted and frozen bottles back and forth, replenishing your ice stock for at least a week. Pretty nifty. :)

 

 

 

 

[J-rap]

We went camping recently and wanted to cook all of our own food over the fire (they did have a grill over it).  I went to a thrift store and bought three really cheap pots and pans.  I was so glad I did, because I didn't have to worry about scouring them and keeping them nice.  We just threw them away at the end.  I do remember growing up, we would rub a bar of soap across the bottom of our camp cooking pots and it would keep them from turning black.

 

Bring plenty of matches, a flashlight, your own soap, dishtowels, a sponge, dishsoap, and two table cloths for the picnic table.  Also, we had a camp lantern that was operated by batteries, and that was nice to have after dark. 

 

I'd also recommend a couple jugs of water;  you can keep refilling them. 

 

I love camping.  Have fun!

 

 

[itsheresomewhere]

Don't forget the dish gloves.

[Amira]

I don't think I've ever wished for something, but I've never, ever regretted any food prep I did at home.  

[Lori D.]

Tent camping? Or in a trailer/RV?

 

You can get away with a tent at the beach, but NOT at Disney. You'll want a the extra bit of quiet and privacy that a solid shell trailer or RV provides. We have had VERY sleepless nights tent camping while everyone around us was in a trailer or RV running their AC or heater units all night. :( You do NOT want to go 4 nights with poor sleep for the ENTIRE family, after running around Disney for 10-12 hours straight each day! And honestly? I'd be scrambling right now for a cheap hotel for the convenience of hot showers and actual beds each night -- plus a mini-fridge and microwave! (And a LOT of them include a free breakfast!) I would NOT enjoy Disney in camping mode.  :eek: (And, it's EASY to use the hotel fridge and pack your own lunch and dinner for Disney, or if really close, take 1-2 hours when everything is backed up with lines inside Disney, pop back to the hotel and microwave your dinner, eat there, and then go back for an evening round of Disney fun.)

 

Spend 2-3 days in advance getting everything ready to go, packaged up and organized so during the trip everything is ready to "grab/use/go". Make sure it is a vacation for YOU too! NO laundry, NO meal prep (other than quick reheating), and NO clean-up!

 

sleeping:

- air mattresses, sleeping bags with a sheet tucked in, and a few spare sheets, pillows

- everyone rinse off each night before getting into the tent/RV -- keeps the sand out of the bedding, keeps the bedding fresher longer, and you sleep better if not hot and sticky

 

food:

- simplify -- only pre-preared microwave meals, or are pre-cut up for easy assembly (like sandwiches)

- 2-burner Coleman propane canister stove if you're in a tent and a microwave is not going to be feasible -- again, keep it simple and FAST: "boil-bag dinners", cans of soup/beans, a bag of pasta and jar of sauce, or other family meals you pre-packaged and froze that you warm in a skillet, or in a pot of boiling water -- bag of salad and a bottle of dressing; grocery store tray of pre-cut up veggies or fruit

- be aware that if you have no fridge and are only using coolers, you have to keep finding stores that sell blocks of ice to keep your perishables cold

- drastically reduce clean up -- paper plates and disposable utensils

- don't have ANY meals rely on being able to cook at a campfire (it may rain; there may be fire restrictions) -- and if you do, be sure to bring enough charcoal (or wood), lighter, and matches -- maybe a cheap Dollar Store cookie rack to use as a grate, in case the facility just has an open fire pit and no grate

 

clothes:

- pre-pack a clothing "roll" for each person for EVERY day (so, no laundry until you get home!): shorts/pants, shirt, underware/bra, sox, all tightly rolled up with the largest item on the outside and secure each with a big rubberband; each person gets a bag with their clothes rolls, plus throw in a few extra sox, underware and shirts for each person in case of emergency

- take at least one sweatshirt per person; use as layers for warmth

- take at least one pair of extra shoes that are good walking shoes per person (Disney)

- take a rain jacket or rain poncho for each person (Disney -- some rides are wet)

 

extras:

- lots of flashlights, batteries, and a lantern

- toilet paper, paper towels, roll of foil (it's amazing all the ways you can innovate cooking with foil!)

- feminine hygiene products

- lots of bottled water -- chlorinated water tastes terrible and it's easy to dehydrate quickly

- extra towels (beach)

- water shoes (beach)

- liquid soap; store in a ziplock bag in case it opens up (for showers, for hands, for dish washing, for emergency clothes washing…)

- rolls of quarters for taking showers at the camp site bathroom/shower -- they are all coin operated

 

 

If possible, alternating a day at Disney with a day at the beach could be super nice! A day of "down time" at the beach is a great way of recovering from hours of overload at Disney, and then you're rested and ready to fully enjoy another Disney day after a day at the beach...

[chocolatechip]

Shoes (easy to take off/on) to get wet, and shoes (also easy to take off/on) to not get wet. EVER. DURING THE COURSE OF THE WHOLE TRIP. 

 

Don't even THINK about getting your feet in the water if you have the Not Wet shoes on.

[EndOfOrdinary]

Toilet paper. Lots of toilet paper. I do not know it is possible for my son to go through toilet paper, but he does! Popular campsites often run out as well or are not checked as frequently because the camping managers are busy elsewhere.

 

 

Cooler and food for sandwiches, bagels, and veggies/fruit. We have saved mountains of cash by packing our own food rather than fast food on the road, and we just feel better. The first day or so it is fun to do junk, but then it just starts to make us feel sluggish and icky.

[LucyStoner]

Bring a clothes line if there are trees to string it between or some sort of drying rack.

 

I cook 2-3 meals a day while camping and am not cooking and washing all day long. Not even close.

[mommymonster]

Pillows. Coffee. Dish towels. Flashlights for the bathroom at night. Towels for showers and swimming. A clothes line and clips. 

 

I've forgotten all of the above in the past year. The coffee was the most horrifying. Don't forget coffee.

[Lori D.]

Ug. And if you are tent-camping, how do you keep people from running off with all your stuff (including your tent!!) while you're down at the waves or over in Disney?? Does that mean you pack everything up each morning and lock it back in the vehicle, and every night you come back and re-set up everything?

 

 

And if tent-camping be sure to have a good rain-fly, AND set up a tarp or two (an extra one suspended ABOVE the tent to help ward off rain, and place one on the ground UNDER the tent, to avoid damp from seeping up into the tent.

 

Also, things for entertainment in case of rain -- books, board games, something like an i-pad with movies pre-loaded, OR a back-up plan of an indoor location to visit for the day, in case of a full day of rain...

[Ravin]

Rain gear, including mud boots for all children.

[skimomma]

We camp a lot.  Both tent and in our "RV" which is really just a tent on wheels since it is an ancient pop-up with no bathroom, fridge, or indoor water.

 

We have our routine down pretty well.  I do cook all three meals every day.  We are almost never near places to buy any food so it all has to go with us and be cooked while camping.  It is not really that big of a deal.  I try to pre-prep as much as I can when I have the time.  The two things that have really helped the cooking situation are:

 

1.  A drying rack.  This made washing dishes a millions times easier and I cannot believe it took me decades of camping to go to a thrift store and buy one.  

 

2.  A shelter tent.  We have a simple REI deal with removable rain walls.  We usually keep the walls off and only put them on when it is raining.  In fact it often does not even get set up if the forecast is clear.  But it is nice to have when we need it.  Gone are the days of frying eggs with an umbrella.  Again, decades.....  

 

I am more of a minimalist when it comes to camping.  If I spend more time prepping than I do camping, I know I have gone too far.  We also have a small vehicle so are limited in what we can bring.  People are adaptable.  I would rather wish I had something I forgot than pack and unpack far more than we need.

 

A word about ice....  I am cheap so I hoard the ice from our maker for a few days before a trip.  I just bag it up so the ice maker keeps making more.  I also have some square and rectangular rubbermaid containers that I will use to freeze blocks.  We usually still have to buy more ice if it is hot and we are gone more than 5 days, but there is usually at least some remains of those blocks at the end of every trip no matter what.  I also usually bring two coolers for longer trips.  One for the meals and another for drinks and snacks.  The drinks and snacks are OK if they are not really cold but I keep the meal cooler very well-iced the whole time.

[lynn]

Thanks ladies.  Keep the advice coming, I have a list going.  My goal is to avoid Walmart and Publix as much as possible.  We have a travel trailer., a small one but it gets us off the ground and has many modern conviences, I can't live without.

[mom2scouts]

Ug. And if you are tent-camping, how do you keep people from running off with all your stuff (including your tent!!) while you're down at the waves or over in Disney?? Does that mean you pack everything up each morning and lock it back in the vehicle, and every night you come back and re-set up everything?

 

 

And if tent-camping be sure to have a good rain-fly, AND set up a tarp or two (an extra one suspended ABOVE the tent to help ward off rain, and place one on the ground UNDER the tent, to avoid damp from seeping up into the tent. Something like an i-pad with movies pre-loaded for tent use, OR a back-up plan of an indoor location to visit for the day, in case of a full day of rain...

 

We've tent camped for years at the beach and at campgrounds and we've never had anything stolen.  We clean up a little, zip up the tent, and lock any valuables in the car.

[skimomma]

Ug. And if you are tent-camping, how do you keep people from running off with all your stuff (including your tent!!) while you're down at the waves or over in Disney?? Does that mean you pack everything up each morning and lock it back in the vehicle, and every night you come back and re-set up everything?

 

 

And if tent-camping be sure to have a good rain-fly, AND set up a tarp or two (an extra one suspended ABOVE the tent to help ward off rain, and place one on the ground UNDER the tent, to avoid damp from seeping up into the tent.

 

Also, things for entertainment in case of rain -- books, board games, something like an i-pad with movies pre-loaded, OR a back-up plan of an indoor location to visit for the day, in case of a full day of rain...

 

I don't know about Disney (never been there) but we have camped all over the country with tents and have never had anything stolen unless you count by bears and raccoons.  I am sure it happens but it is not common enough that I have ever heard of it happening to anyone.  Lock up anything super-valuable in your car as a precaution but we often do not even do that.

 

Also, I have watched with great amusement at other tent campers doing the whole tarps-all-over-the-place thing.  I do not get it.  A good tent does not need a tarp under or over it.  And usually the people who do this do it is a way that is completely ineffective (like the under-tarp sticking out do rain can just roll under or the top tarp that collects rain into a waterfall that dumps right on the weakest part of the tent).  If the tent cannot hold up to a rain storm, don't use it!  A few quality moments in the back yard with a hose will tell you if your tent falls into that category. I have even watched people completely entomb their tents in tarps.  I don't know how they BREATHE.  I just got back from a camping trip.  It was 35 degrees and rained very hard one night.  Not a drop in my 20 year old tent with no tarps. 

 

I did think of another must-have.  Ear plugs.  It never fails that my blissful plan to sleep in late listening to the waves of a big lake is wrecked by someone's dog yipping at 6am.

[Lori D.]

We've tent camped for years at the beach and at campgrounds and we've never had anything stolen.  We clean up a little, zip up the tent, and lock any valuables in the car.

 

We've mostly been lucky. Once or twice we've come back from a hike to find the lantern and some smaller/portable kitchen items gone.

[Lori D.]

... I have watched with great amusement at other tent campers doing the whole tarps-all-over-the-place thing.  I do not get it.  A good tent does not need a tarp under or over it.

 

Glad you've stayed dry! :)

 

We live in a monsoon area that DUMPS when it rains in summer, so even the best tent will leak. DH just suspends one tarp at a slant (so water drains off the tarp and away from the tent) about 12 inches above the tent, and it is invaluable for keeping not only the tent dry, but the ground right in front of the door and the entrance carpet strip dry. :)

[Lori D.]

… We have a travel trailer., a small one but it gets us off the ground and has many modern conviences, I can't live without.

 

Whew! That will help a lot towards making it a pleasant vacation! :)

[datgh]

Tarps and rope or anything that you can put up so you have an area to hang out and cook under in case of rainy days.  We have a pop up but it gets really old being all couped up in there when it rains.

[StephanieZ]

Ug. And if you are tent-camping, how do you keep people from running off with all your stuff (including your tent!!) while you're down at the waves or over in Disney?? Does that mean you pack everything up each morning and lock it back in the vehicle, and every night you come back and re-set up everything?

 

 

And if tent-camping be sure to have a good rain-fly, AND set up a tarp or two (an extra one suspended ABOVE the tent to help ward off rain, and place one on the ground UNDER the tent, to avoid damp from seeping up into the tent.

 

Also, things for entertainment in case of rain -- books, board games, something like an i-pad with movies pre-loaded, OR a back-up plan of an indoor location to visit for the day, in case of a full day of rain...

 

I've camped for hundreds of nights in campgrounds all over the US and Europe and never had anyone mess with my stuff. When I backpacked through Europe as a college student one summer, mostly staying in urban or other train-accessible campgrounds, I did use a little "luggage" combination lock on my tent zipper door for extra security. Obviously, someone could cut through the nylon if desired, but there are plenty of other tents to rummage through if they were determined. And, in those campgrounds, I was leaving all my valuables (except passport/$) in the tent daily, for 10 weeks. No one has ever messed with my stuff at a campground. In fact, 3 summers ago, we accidentally left our LOADED minivan unlocked at a trailhead in Utah for 5 nights. 2 laptops, a new iPad (back when they were $1000), purses, etc, all in plain view. Unlocked. No one touched a thing, even after some campers there noticed it was unlocked wince we'd also left our headlights on, and after a few days of feeling sorry for the poor suckers who did that, someone tried the door, found it open, turned off our lights . . . 2 days later, we returned (and someone on the trail near the trailhead told us  about the lights) . . . and left it all there. No one touched a thing. Not even the precious bag of peanut m-n-ms on the passenger seat. So, anyway, I'd not worry much about safety tent camping. I'm guessing you're pretty safe. But, a luggage lock on the tent zipper isn't a bad idea if you are in a crowded camp ground. It'll make your particular tent less attractive to any potential n'er do well.

[Critterfixer]

One thing that I like is a flashlight that doubles as a nightlight. The boys don't need it as much as I do. It lives in the camper, so I don't think about it, but I'd miss it if it wasn't there. 

One thing you might consider is a strict no shoes in the camper rule, and keep most of the sand out. We keep an old plastic rug just below the door for our shoes. Of course we are mostly camping in the woods, and let me tell you, nothing keeps the leaves out!

[catz]

Have the flexibility NOT to eat in camp if the weather isn't good or you're just all really tired and back up plans to get out of camp in bad weather.  Reading lights for everyone.  Real pillows are nice to have on longer camping trips (on shorter trips we put dirty clothes in our sleeping bag stuff sacks).  We have no shoes in the tent policy too.  We bring a rubber mat to lay right outside the door (our tent has a cover that extends over the door and can be zipped).  Lots of non-perishable snacks. 

 

We lock valuables in the car.  We camp in many bear areas that require everything put away anyway. 

[Pawz4me]

Ug. And if you are tent-camping, how do you keep people from running off with all your stuff (including your tent!!) while you're down at the waves or over in Disney?? Does that mean you pack everything up each morning and lock it back in the vehicle, and every night you come back and re-set up everything?

 

We've traveled extensively in our RV from Key West to Nova Scotia, and theft has never been an issue.  We leave our RV all the time with things sitting out.  Most of the people who frequent campgrounds and RV parks are either families or retired couples, an overall fairly honest demographic.

 

As far as the original questions -- For only a week long trip you shouldn't have much of a problem.  Do you normally just do weekend trips?  If so, just think of what you need for those.  Extra nights don't make much difference in the basics you need.  For beach camping sand will be an issue no matter what you do (shoes off, etc.).  You'll definitely need a broom or small stick vac to keep up with it.

 

Most of the things already mentioned are things we routinely keep stocked in the RV.

 

I agree with doing all the food prep you can ahead of time, and keeping meals simple.

[Okra]

 In fact, 3 summers ago, we accidentally left our LOADED minivan unlocked at a trailhead in Utah for 5 nights. 2 laptops, a new iPad (back when they were $1000), purses, etc, all in plain view. Unlocked. No one touched a thing, even after some campers there noticed it was unlocked wince we'd also left our headlights on, and after a few days of feeling sorry for the poor suckers who did that, someone tried the door, found it open, turned off our lights . . . 2 days later, we returned (and someone on the trail near the trailhead told us  about the lights) . . . and left it all there. No one touched a thing. Not even the precious bag of peanut m-n-ms on the passenger seat. So, anyway, I'd not worry much about safety tent camping. I'm guessing you're pretty safe. But, a luggage lock on the tent zipper isn't a bad idea if you are in a crowded camp ground. It'll make your particular tent less attractive to any potential n'er do well.

 

That is a great story!

[Hannahs4]

Air conditioner. Last time we camped at disneyworld the people next to us were tent camping with an air conditioner goling full blast. Their microwave looked handy too. Certainly explained the site fee.

Hilarious!

[FriedClams]

Ear plugs

Good ground pad

Towels

Laundry soap

Shower shoes

[Hannahs4]

A clothesline and clips... Drying swimming clothes/ towels. Good coffee, and a French press.

Easy food for hikes like trail mix. Then you aren't making sandwiches or whatever to lug around.

Baby wipes! For cleaning hands and faces on the fly. So convenient.

Lots of sunblock

[Snow]

Subbing (on my phone). Great fabulous ideas in this thread!

[LibraryLover]

I'm not a big camper. ;)  <------- Understatement.

 

But I like to use large covered plastic bins for our 'kitchen' items. Paper towels, silverware, plates, cups, sponges, soap, towels, non perishables. You can also use bins for food. Freeze some jugs of water or milk as the coolant. Put the condiments etc in the cooler.

 

They are also good for bedding etc.

 

They can be stacked, which keeps the areas tidy. They work for dirty items as well.

[hornblower]

 clothes pins, diaper wipes - for everyone ;)  , binoculars, and antibacterial hand gel


Ever since dh & I've been together (which for many years was when he was my bf) we've camped at least once every year.

For car access camping, we keep all our camping stuff in several large rubbermaid bins which double as our emergency prep supplies. Dishes & cutlery & pots plus roll of paper towels in one. Rope, lanterns, flashlights, collapsible plastic water bag in another. More rope, clothes pins (for the drying line), knives, tarps & propane fuel in another. The stove lives on a shelf right beside the bins.
Tents, sleeping bags & thermarests are all in a huge hockey bag.

The bins of toiletries, first aid supplies, & meds we pack fresh each year. 
Another bin gets towels.

Tarps. The year you don't have enough tarps is the year it will rain, and then the wind will come an rip apart the tarps you did bring...

This year I had an aluminet sunshade tarp & that was very nice  for making cool spots for my dogs. (dh is all what about me overheating? but I told him firmly it's for the dogs!)

I ditto making a list & adding to it while you're there so that each year you can perfect it. 

 

[elfgivas]

i was going to say we camp all the time, but what we do sounds way simpler than what folks are posting.  

 

we have two tents, two footprints/ground tarp.  we have one foamy per person + extras if wanted (especially good for water play ;)

one sleeping bag per person.

 

one water bottle per person.  two pocket rockets, two pots, one plate, one cup and one bowl per person (or if backpacking just one cup per person).  cutlery.

one large water jug if car camping; one water pump if backpacking.

biodegradable soap for dishes, a dishes brush, two tea towels, one small plastic bin for washing dishes in if car camping.

 

sun screen, hats, bathing suits.

clothes, fleece, gloves (if at altitude), down.

long johns.

 

cards, books, drawing stuff, camera, musical instruments, sudoku, aerobies.

info books (trees, flowers, birds, geology of area, etc)

topo maps.

 

one camp chair per person.

one axe, one awl,  + one fire starting kit (flint and steel) per person

 

one large flashlight per tent + one small flashlight per tent

toilet paper in a large ziplock baggy (because i get grumpy if my tp gets wet ;)

a medicines bag.  

 

we cook from scratch, so take lots of fresh veggies, eggs, etc.

we don't do coolers, but do use trader joe's insulated bags.  that means we buy any meat we might eat on site, or take it canned.

 

only for special occasions do i do food prep beforehand.  (eg. for thanksgiving, i make the pie dough and filling at home, and then bake it in the fire there).

 

its supposed to be fun, so whatever works best for you is likely the way to go.

 

hth,

ann

[elfgivas]

hornblower, this sounds a lot like what we do.  we can go camping on less than an hour's notice because stuff is stored in bins/duffles, and is easy to "grab and go".

[Jenny in Florida]

Ug. And if you are tent-camping, how do you keep people from running off with all your stuff (including your tent!!) while you're down at the waves or over in Disney?? Does that mean you pack everything up each morning and lock it back in the vehicle, and every night you come back and re-set up everything?

 

I think we all get that Lori doesn't love tent camping. ( :lol: ) However, I've done a lot of tenting, and I've never had anyone walk off with my stuff as long as it was neatly tucked into a zipped tent. Obviously, it's not good sense to leave anything valuable lying about in plain sight, but especially on Disney property, regular camping stuff is likely to be pretty safe.

[hornblower]

The only time I felt any gear was at risk was at a Parks Canada camground in Lake Louise when I was 6 months pregnant with my 1st.
I had a hard time getting comfy - thought it was back pain, turned out later to be kidney stones LOL - so I was wide awake at night. I heard someone come into our campground and gently try the handles on the door of our car. It was a really unmistakeable sound. Our car was locked but I wonder how much stuff they got out of other people's cars!
I made a bunch of noise - mostly trying to wake up dh - & they ran.  They tripped on the tarp & tent guy ropes so their exit was pretty loud & undignified.

 

ps. we always sleep with the axe and the bear spray in the tent ....

[hornblower]

Yup! The only thing that slows us down is playing Tetris with the bins and 3 large dog crates. I keep meaning to take photos of how we finally get it all to fit nicely in the cars but never do LOL. It did get easier when we started going in 2 cars....

[Lori D.]

I think we all get that Lori doesn't love tent camping. ( :lol: )

 

Actually, not true at all! Love camping when we're up in the mountains pretty much the only ones there. The tent camping we did on a beach was very hot, crowded, and that's when we couldn't sleep with all the RVs running generators and AC units. And as aggravating as it was to have someone walk off with some of our stuff, I do think that was an anomaly, because usually other campers and trailer/RV people are quite friendly and helpful. :)

 

I just would not want to do Disney in a tent. We have a great routine for staying right across the street that streamlines our finances, time, food, "stuff", and effort -- so it truly is a great vacation for ME, too. :)

[foxbridgeacademy]

bungee cords to secure the cooler lid, hang the bag of non-cooled food.  There are not only raccoon and possum in FL, there are also bears and all three will dig through EVERYTHING, doesn't even have to smell like food.  We were camping at Ocala and they trapped a bear about 200 yds from our tent. Another time (don't remember which park) a mother and her 2 cubs had a den set up around the bend of the river. I have so many "middle of the night raccoon raid" stories I couldn't even begin to tell them all here.

 

For camping  at the beach- a spray bottle to spray your feet off and a mat to leave your shoes and hopefully the sand outside.  Camping at the beach has always been something I do with dread.  After the last time with the torrential downpour one day, blazing hot sun the next, 1000 mosquito's per sq. ft, bees, and PMS, I swore never again. A screen tent would have been a really good idea.