Do you love to camp? Sell me on the idea

[mommyoffive]

Ready set go

 

Sell me on the idea of camping.

 

 

I haven't ever taken the kids camping.  I feel as if I should.  I should embrace it sometimes, because it would save us a lot of money on trips.

 

What do you love about camping?

How do you make it easier? 

 

[Guest]

Sorry, I can't help you. God invented hotels for a reason!

[SparklyUnicorn]

I like camping, but the prospect of tick (and now mosquito) born diseases has completely ruined it for me.  I think half the people I know had Lyme's.  I'm absolutely not exaggerating about that.  The ones who caught it early it wasn't a big deal, but those who did not (and it is hard to catch a lot of the time) it was years of misery. 

 

If that's not an issue great.  I love hiking around, swimming, playing with the fire, eating camping food, roasting marshmallows, the smells, the just doing whatever and having fun.  Some camp places have activities too if you think your kids would be into that.  I've been to some places that show movies. 

 

And it is a relatively low cost vacation/outing. 

[hornblower]

Dh and I have camped at least once a year every year we've been together - which I think is about 30 years? Which means I have camped while pregnant and while nursing little ones and obv my kids have camped every year of their lives too. We have camped in snow, in rain, in thunder and in heatwaves.  

I like sleeping outdoors and sitting around a fire and having meals that go on forever because there's only one pot so you can only cook one thing at a time and then you wash and make the next thing :D  

 

For a long time we were minimalist campers and had absurdly small tents and very little gear.  We upgraded a few years ago to a propane Coleman stove - decadence, I tell ya! TWO whole burners!!! 

 

Have a good tent and a good sleeping mat and a good sleeping bag.  Bring insect repellent.  In the winter, camprounds which have hot showers make life a lot nicer. 

If you've never been, see if you can borrow some equipment from someone who has good gear rather than buying. 

Practice setting up the tent at home. You don't want to arrive somewhere late at night and be fumbling in the dark with a tent you don't know. 

 

[mommyoffive]

I like camping, but the prospect of tick (and now mosquito) born diseases has completely ruined it for me.  I think half the people I know had Lyme's.  I'm absolutely not exaggerating about that.  The ones who caught it early it wasn't a big deal, but those who did not (and it is hard to catch a lot of the time) it was years of misery. 

 

If that's not an issue great.  I love hiking around, swimming, playing with the fire, eating camping food, roasting marshmallows, the smells, the just doing whatever and having fun.  Some camp places have activities too if you think your kids would be into that.  I've been to some places that show movies. 

 

And it is a relatively low cost vacation/outing. 

 

 

See ya that is always in the back of my mind.  

[6packofun]

We LIKE camping a lot...LOL  One tip I have for newbies, and we're barely out of the newbies stage, I guess, is to go to a nice park that has a LOT of features to ease your way into the whole thing.  Decent showers, for me, can be the difference between wanting to leave after day one or tolerating my family a bit longer.  :P

This may sound pretty basic, but I've known too many people who chose someplace with cheap primitive camping, no activities or trails nearby, and they were bored senseless and wondered what to do the whole time.  Ask *everyone* who is going what they think would be FUN about camping.  When they think of camping, do they think of hiking and swimming and basically just sleeping/eating at the campsite OR do they want to be sitting around a fire half the time or playing family games near the tent, etc.  Just ask so that you can realistically plan!  And go somewhere within an hour or less the first few times in case you have an emergency or forget something really important!

[SKL]

I loved it as a kid.  Nice to be so close to nature.  Going to sleep and waking up to the sounds of nature is nice.  Meeting people but knowing you'll never see them again (so who cares how your hair looks) is nice.  :)  It's great to see the kids doing old-fashioned hands-on kid things.

 

My back didn't care where I slept when I was a kid.  That has changed.  On the other hand, outhouses have improved a lot since then.  :P

 

I did find some easy-to-transport self-inflating air mats (the size/shape of a sleeping bag) to make sleeping on the ground more comfortable.

 

I really just like a change of scene.  Whether it's in a hotel room, cabin, or tent doesn't matter.  As long as there's some way to get coffee in the morning!

 

FTR I haven't camped with my kids much.  I did one night in a small tent with them for scouts (so far), and we've stayed in a range of less primitive accommodations.  I used to feel guilty about denying my kids this experience that I so enjoyed as a kid.  But now they've done it a few times, thanks to scouts and an auntie who let them pitch their tent in her backyard.  :)  The reason I don't make an effort to camp more is work demands.  Is it worth being disconnected for that much time?  For me it just causes more stress, so it's not quite the get-away its supposed to be.

[SparklyUnicorn]

See ya that is always in the back of my mind.  

 

I feel bad for bringing it up. 

 

We did go camping a couple of years ago (in CT even).  Nobody ended up with a tick bite.  We took lots and lots of precautions that seemed to pay off.  But then one of mine got mosquito bites that swelled up to a scary level that then became infected needing treatment at a walk in clinic.  And I doused him in the strongest anti bug stuff I could find.  So that put a damper on things.  Guess we are just a sensitive bunch!

[Wabi Sabi]

There is an initial start up cost, of course, but once you have the gear it is such an affordable way to travel, plus we are people who prefer national parks, state parks and other natural areas. 

One thing I very much appreciate about camping? You don't have to worry about bringing home a bedbug infestation! 

ETA: I've gotten soft- when camping now I insist upon a super comfy air mattress with real sheets, pillows, and blankets from home. Makes all the difference! 

Edited July 25, 2016 by Wabi Sabi

[SparklyUnicorn]

 

ETA: I've gotten soft- when camping now I insist upon a super comfy air mattress with real sheets, pillows, and blankets from home. Makes all the difference! 

 

Oh heck yeah.  I'm too old to lay on the ground.

 

We rented a cabin with beds which probably sounds cushy, but the beds were harder than the ground.  I was in dire pain!  Next time I'm bringing something to put on top of it! 

[Chris in VA]

We camped a few times with our sons, but my dd has never gone. Hopefully we will rectify that before she leaves for college.

 

I remember camping one night without my dh. I put up the tent, and the boys were big enough to help with everything. We were at a two night camp out for Cub Scouts, for their Wolf ceremony, so no problem with food, things to do, etc.

 

It came time for bed, so we got into our comfy clothes and got into our sleeping bags. I held the flashlight and told them little stories right before sleep. I have forgotten what we talked about, but we were all filled up with the stars and the fire, and the love we felt from my husband (their daddy)--he had driven out 2 hours as a surprise and attended their ceremony after saying he couldn't make it because of work, and had left to drive all the way back home so he could attend something else the following morning. Anyway, we lay there together, all so aware of the almost-sacred separateness of this time and space, and felt a deep connection to each other.

 

Camping brings that out, I think.

 

Another time, my eldest was ahead on the road with his dad, and my second son and I were walking a good bit behind up the hill  to the showers--all of the sudden, in a swift but oddly silent moment, a herd of does came leaping across the road, almost close enough to touch. They bounded into the woods, and, startled, we shone our flashlights and found all their eyes, and Peter and I looked at each other and barely whispered our amazement at being present in such a moment. We still talk about it, like some mystical shared experience that bonded us.

 

 

[MEmama]

We used to backpack and camp a lot--and in all seasons including winter backpacking on snowshoes in Minnesota--but in recent years we've been very few times. I'm with Sparkly on the tick thing since DS got Lyme, and quite frankly the whole thing is just.so.much.work.

 

We have top notch gear and we are plenty experienced so that's not an issue, but the cooking and the uncomfortableness of it all has really turned us off lately. I could easily get rid of all our camping stuff and never miss it.

 

No words of advice, really. Either you and your kids will love it, tolerate it, or loathe it. Might as well try and find out! :)

[shawthorne44]

There is an initial start up cost, of course, but once you have the gear it is such an affordable way to travel, plus we are people who prefer national parks, state parks and other natural areas. 

 

One thing I very much appreciate about camping? You don't have to worry about bringing home a bedbug infestation! 

 

ETA: I've gotten soft- when camping now I insist upon a super comfy air mattress with real sheets, pillows, and blankets from home. Makes all the difference! 

 

Yup.  And DH used to be really into Primitive Camping.   He even used to be a Primitive Camping counselor at one of the big Boy Scout Camps.  But, I NEED an Air Mattress, and DH NEEDS his sleep machine.   Or more accurately, I and everyone else in the campground needs him to have his sleep machine.  Nice thing about the sleep machine is that we can leave the blower at home and use his sleep machine to blow up the air mattress.   Then Air Mattresses get cold, so we need an electric blanket.  

 

I love our trips, though.  DD can run around in nature while I sit on a camp chair.  

 

You can get a fabric spray that kills mosquitoes and I think ticks on contact.   it starts with a "P".   Keeps the mosquitoes from climbing under your clothes.  

[SemiSweet]

We enjoy camping and usually go once or twice a year. We have a very nice large tent, a good air mattress, a screen tent/canopy thing, and a propane stove. Good equipment makes all the difference. In California and Hawaii when you camp, the campgrounds are all dirt or sand, which I HATE because no matter how much I shower or try to keep it out of the tent, nothing ever feels clean. We recently camped in upstate NY on grass, and it was heaven, there was almost no dirt. Usually by day 3 I am over it, but I made it to day 4 without even getting a little grouchy. I hate being dirty, so I'm pretty sure I'll never camp on dirt/sand again now that I know about grass sites.

[thessa516]

The peacefulness of nature. It's easier to unplug from screens and mobile devices. 

 

Listening to the sounds of nature. I used to always hear whippoorwills when I was a kid (one of the few birds I can identify by sound). It was fun re-living those memories and teaching my kids to listen for them, too.

 

Watching your kids run around and expend their energy while you sit next to the campfire and enjoy your cup of coffee. At this point in my life, I appreciate the downtime! 

 

They learned the lifestyle (ETA: life cycle, but I'm totally leaving lifestyle because it's hilarious) of toads while camping at the same area throughout the year. 

They've recreated battles and acted out scenes from their favorite books. Sticks make great swords. 

They like to pretend they're explorers and traipse around the campsite.

I love the excitement they get when they spy the first bat of the evening. 

The whisperings at night while they gaze at the stars. The conversations with the kids are precious.

Edited July 25, 2016 by thessa516

[Guest]

There's something to be said about waking up in the brisk early morning air, communing with all that nature has to offer you. Your life is put into perspective as you ponder the sunrise, the early call of the birds, and see deer or moose grazing by the river as you sip your morning coffee or tea brewed over an open fire. You realize how little is needed to survive in the wild, if for only a few days. Your life is put into perspective as you hike a mountain trail and stop to peer over the edge of a precipice, knowing death could be so close. Your body is pushed in ways you didn't think you still could go, and you realize your mortality. The closeness your family feels as these experiences are shared is priceless. As the day ends, you all sit in silence underneath the Milky Way, bodies worn and tired (in a good way), sharing your pot of hot cocoa as you listen to the chirping of crickets, just before falling into a deep, deep sleep.

 

Totally worth it.

Edited July 25, 2016 by Kinsa

[Outdoorsy Type]

Maybe start with a KOA type cabin with your own belongings somewhere with lots of hiking (Colorado!)

[DawnM]

Camping, I love camping!

 

Make sure you get a pool view with a balcony!

[SparklyUnicorn]

I like the sounds.  Or the lack of sounds.  I live in a city and there is that hum, but with camping you hear insects and birds and no machine hums.  The air smells nice. 

 

 

[lllll]

nm

Edited November 9, 2016 by cathey

[bettyandbob]

I camped with my family as a kid. It was fun. 

 

As an adult, dh and I took the kids together a couple times. I think dh decided it was too much hassle. My oldest has sensory issues that make camping kind of difficult too. So, as a family we stopped. We also stopped going any place for a while. 

 

Then, I came to the realization that just because dh and oldest didn't want to go anywhere didn't mean I couldn't go places with the other two. We like the beach. Oldest and dh hate the beach. I also felt like hotels at the beach were expensive. So, we started camping again. Once a year at the state park we camp. The sites are wooded and feel private. Many sites are available with water and electric. There is a nice path from the campsite to beach. The state park beach is adjacent to the tourist area and yet never feels crowded. I do mean never--I was there July 4 this year. 

 

Aside from being cheap (borrow equipment to start and acquire what you need over time), it's a great slow pace vacation. State parks are hidden treasures. There are nice trails to walk/hike. If you are tapped out on figuring out entertainment for the kids look up their ranger programs. Some states and the national parks have "passport" type programs where you get a stamp or a patch everytime you complete something in that system's park. So, you have a built in plan for what to do with the kids if you don't want to figure it out. 

 

You can just kick back and disconnect 

 

If you try it out, include air mattresses or sleeping pads and car camp at a park not far from home that has some activities to do (that you can choose not to do once you get there). 

[skimomma]

We love camping.  We spend at least 30 nights a year camping and there was one year when dd and I had an 8-week string where we camped every weekend.  We have a very small and OLD pop-up that we use about half of the time and the other half we tent camp.  Both have their merits.  The pop-up is more comfortable and makes everything from cooking to changing easier but tent camping allows us to camp in more secluded or hard-to-get-to places.  We particularly enjoy camping on beaches. 

 

We find that we enjoy all sorts of camping.  We like busy campgrounds with lots to do and people to meet but also like being where there is no one else and we do absolutely nothing the whole time.  For us it is just a super inexpensive way to "vacation".  We have lots of camping available near our house so we can camp at night but still go to work/activities during the day.  Insects can be a bother so we try to avoid the worst weeks.  But bug spray usually works well enough and we live where it is cool enough to cover up, even during the day.  The only thing that we will cancel a trip for is severe weather.  After "The Summer of Two Tornados," I now have a new appreciation for extended forecasts.  There's nothing quite like hunkering down in your car hoping you won't land in Kansas.  We do also tick check every night.

 

To summarize, we like the sounds of nature, the feeling of living in the elements, being dirty, eating camp food, relaxing, sleeping to the sound of waves/leaves/animals/etc, feeling cozy in our tent during a rain shower, and letting our kid (and her friends) go feral for a few days.

[MEmama]

I think part of the loss of camping love is that we live in a small town surrounded by nature. We don't need to sleep outdoors to smell the ocean air, watch wildlife, or enjoy the silence. So that's different from when we lived in cities and wanted to escape TO those things. Now they are just everyday, within the comfort of our own beds (and a bathroom across the hall).

 

 

DS tolerates camping but he's in no way in love with it. And none of ever just wants to "do nothing", especially on vacation. So when we camp it's really just for sleeping.

[MercyA]

When I think of camping, I think of mosquitoes, ticks, humidity, heat, allergens, dirt, public bathrooms, other people being noisy, and lots of extra work for me.  I'm obviously no help.  :D

[TravelingChris]

 I like camping though I used to do it more often.  We live in an area where camping in a tent in the summer is really too hot.  In the winter, it is too cold.  So that leaves fall and spring.   We have a large tent when we used to have five of us sleeping in it.  We are planning on camping this fall.  We have a very good inflattable queen air mattress which has really made camping much more comfortable now.  Having a camp stove is very usefull along with a lantern or two and chairs. We like camping in state parks with nice showers and electricity.  

[hornblower]

I'm LOL'ing at all the people with the air mattresses. Dh got one for me the first year I was camping with a nursing baby. The idea was that baby & I would be all comfy and snug and warm. The darned thing leaked, and I sank to the center of it, with child attached to boob. Dh was blissfully sleeping on his thermarest off to the side, and snoring like crazy but I couldn't reach him to hit him because I was essentially enveloped by the sides of the air mattress. My hip was freezing since it was right on the ground, the kid would fuss if I tried to move to much, and dh snored while I tried to throw things at him in the dark.  I was pretty cranky in the morning. 

He suckered me in again the following year. Leaks all sealed! It's fine now! Yeah, no. 

Never again. I get the thermarest now. He got himself a new air mattress which he tops up every night. He also spends a lot of time trying to convince the dogs that they can't share it with him.... :P 

I do bring my memory foam orthopedic pillow though. 

[J&JMom]

We are a Boy Scout family. When my boys were cub scouts, I would spend upwards of 16-18 night in a tent (5 nights the longest, 2 the average).  We loved it so much we go family camping, too.  Haven't traveled to camp - at most 3 hours away and always car camp. I have a huge 8 person Coleman insta-tent the houses us four with cots, a table, and ample head room. I have a Weber tailgate grill (no camp stove for me), portable picnic table, and an SUV to haul it all. Now that both boys are Boy Scouts, I don't camp as often and don't need to haul cooking gear when I do since the troop provides that equipment while the boys do all the work (love that part).  But I did spend 6 nights in a canvas tent and cafeteria meals in the 100-degree heat this summer (my 5th year doing so) while a dozen or so boys earned merit badges at camp. I also have a 'polar bear' patch for camping in sub-freezing temps to even things out.  I like camping :)

BTW - I HATE air mattresses as they always leak.  I only use them in my 3-man tent for Boy Scout weekends otherwise I am on my super-sized cot in my Coleman "spider" tent. (insta-tent)

 

Edited July 25, 2016 by J&JMom

[skimomma]

I also say nay to big air mattresses!  Thermarests are just as comfy and much more durable and space-efficient.

[Wheres Toto]

Dh has 50 years worth of camping equipment.  We've upgraded a few things over the years (air mattresses instead of foam, a new tent and stove).  We don't exactly rough-it even though we are sleeping in tents.  We camp at campgrounds that have water and electric hook-ups.  We bring a coleman stove and lately, a dorm size refrigerator so we don't have to keep buying ice for the coolers. 

 

Our most recent trip was near Cherry Springs State Park in PA for some star-gazing.  We had quite a few people comment on how nice our set-up was and that we obviously were experienced (one of my most recent blog posts in about that trip). 

 

We used to go 3-4 times a year when the kids were littler.  We've gone slightly less the past couple of years due to a variety of reasons but we're hoping to get back into it again. 

 

ETA:  I just realized I have a "camping" tag on my blog.  I guess that would show you most of our trips, at least those I remembered to tag.

Edited July 25, 2016 by Where's Toto?

[Zinnia]

I got a cot this year.  A bit bulky, but I love it!

 

We like camping ultimately because we are cheap.  We like simple, easy vacations, and I am happy for any, any, any change of pace.  Like I can't identify with that article that goes around facebook saying that vacations with children are "trips" and not as fun.  For me, any time I get to step away from real life, I love it.

 

My baby is 3.5 now, and it is a lot easier to camp this year.  She is not at danger of running into the fire accidentally, she doesn't need to be contained while I'm cooking, and it's just generally simpler with the logistics.  I appreciated all of that a lot.  Toddlers under 3 (and I had one for 8 years)  are a whole lot more work while camping unless you have extended family/friends to occupy them.  Even still.  Probably a lot of extra work.  

[Spryte]

I come from a family of AT thru-hikers.  I grew up camping, and long distance trekking.  I camped (primitive) through college, and when I worked in my field (arhaeology).  I collected mountain ranges.  :)

 

Then ... Lyme and co-infections.  

 

I'm not really a camper any more, but still have fond memories.

 

If you camp:  please use DEET, treat your shoes and gear with permethrin, and do your tick checks.  Especially if you're in an endemic area.  

[Ravin]

No ticks anywhere near where I have gone camping since I got out of Florida.

 

Camping in Florida is for the young and foolish and possibly crazy.

 

I love camping in the desert. 

[Gentlemommy]

I LOVE camping'...in my camper lol. Not so much in a tent. I have gone in a tent, pregnant, nursing a two year old, and with my five year old. That was madness. 😳

[MedicMom]

I absolutely love camping.

In my 32 foot camper where the kids have a seperate bedroom and I have a shower and toilet.

I love sleeping on the pillow top mattress I bought for the camper that is super comfy and the nice silk sheets.

 

We bought the camper pre-kids. One of the best investments we ever made. Every now and then we discuss selling it to pay down some medical bills, but the kids absolutely love campgrounds and it's about the only thing we do as a family. Us and 3 kids and 2 golden retrievers.

 

I'm probably of no help.

[Sk8ermaiden]

We camp 4-6 times a year and really enjoy it. It IS a lot of work, especially since my husband became disabled and so EVERYTHING is on me. This means I've made a few changes so as to not go insane. 

 

We cheat ALL the way. We car camp, and DH and I use an air mattress. Now that I have to do it alone, we only do one of two things - two nights or less and we go somewhere with screened shelters and just sleep in the shelter, or stay 4 or more nights and I'll put up the tent. I find the day of arrival and the day of departure to be pretty unenjoyable for me, but I've taken steps to mitigate that and it's getting better. The days in between are pure bliss and why I love to camp. I love that all of us are totally unplugged and just enjoying each other. We take our favorite games and play them in the mornings while the sun comes up. The state parks here often have really great programs, and the kids like earning their Junior Ranger pins at every park. 

 

I've also gotten much smarter about cooking. Unlike Hornblower, I HATE being stuck cooking when I could be relaxing or playing with my kids. I plan the EASIEST meals possible now, and while we try to cook over the fire a few times a trip, every last thing we bring can be made with an electric kettle or an electric skillet. (On yeah, we also camp with electricity (and usually water.) E&W sites are offered at almost all our state parks. 

So I guess it's not about roughing it for us, as much as it's about leaving the distracting gadgets at home and making family memories. And if we could afford to make those memories in hotels in far away locales, we probably would, but we can't, so camping provides us valuable uninterrupted family time we can afford. For our most recent camping trip, I had to change it last minute because of flooding, from the most beautiful park in the Texas system, to one of the most boring. And as we're leaving on the last day, I'm watching my kids, sunkissed, filthy, and exhausted, exclaiming that it was the Best! Trip! Ever! Can we please stay?! I just wanted to bottle the moment, because it's exactly why I go through all the trouble.

The key is really being honest about yourselves. I would love to say my kids were all into nature and would hike and catalog bugs all day, but really they're not. DD wants to ride her bike. All day. We live on a busy street, so camping is her time to have some independence and she lives on her bike. I look for water and electric campsites, with screened shelters if possible, with swimming (typically lake), a quiet camping loop for biking, a playground, and hopefully boat rental. Because that's what makes a successful trip for us. 
 

We also usually camp with another family or two. Makes it way more fun for everyone!

If you decide to go for it, look on Craigslist for equipment. Lots of people outfit themselves and then go once (or never). You benefit!

[momacacia]

I didn't like camping as a kid and hate it as an adult. I value my sleep too highly. Sorry, guess I'm bombing your thread. ;)

[KungFuPanda]

I love camping. It's nice to unplug and just be in the woods for a few days. For a first trip with the kids, I'd get a rustic camping cabin. It's like a shed with beds. Also, borrow a camp stove. Those two things will make it easier; no sleeping on the ground or relying on the fire to cook your meals. Let the kids pitch a tent if they'd like, but there's no pressure to sleep in it. Let them build a fire for s'mores. Leave the electronics at home and just chat around the fire at night and take hikes during the day.

[madteaparty]

I don't have to love it to do it?

Sorry that's all I got :) going camping this weekend :)

Edited July 26, 2016 by madteaparty

[regentrude]

I do not like camping for camping's sake - there is nothing intrinsically appealing about sleeping on a hard pad, having a primitive or no bathroom, cooking meals on a one flame stove. 

But I love camping as a means of getting somewhere where I could not otherwise get: camping at a trail head to enable a long hike, or even better, backpacking in a remote wilderness that is only accessible on foot. I put up with the inconveniences because it allows me to explore fabulously beautiful nature with no, or few, people around.

Also, I enjoy camping as a cheap, or often free, way of housing; it drastically cuts down the cost or travel and thus allows us to travel longer than if we had to pay for hotels.

Lastly, camping is a great way to get away from electronics and news and to just get immersed in nature. You don't have the same effect if you sleep in a place that has electricity, wifi, or TV. There si something very restorative about being forced to unplug completely.

 

For my children, even camping for camping's sake was appealing: sleeping in a tent was an adventure; staying outside all day, playing and exploring; making a campfire; watching the stars far away from any settlement and light pollution.

Edited July 26, 2016 by regentrude

[LucyStoner]

Camping is fun for us but it's not everyone's cuppa and that's ok.

 

Reasons we camp:

 

Family tradition

Letting the kids get out and explore places more expansive than a city park.

Grilling and making s'mores as the light dies out and the kids are either passed out or the older ones are giggling and enjoying being able to stay up and listen to the chatter of their parents, uncles, grandpa and close enough to be family type friends.

No godforsaken cell phone reception. No work calls. No interruptions from the very important task of doing exactly nothing.

The lovely sensory peace of not being in the middle of a densely populated place.

 

We reset all our camping gear when we get him so the next trip it's all ready to go. I have bins for the smaller stuff. We have a system for where things go in the vehicle.

 

Also, on our budget just now camping means we can maintain an annual longer vacation and a few shorter weekends away. If we were staying in hotels and restaurants we'd only be able to vacation e/o year or less. That said, before I started staying home we did have the money for annual hotel based travel and we still also camped at least once a year.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I also say nay to big air mattresses!  Thermarests are just as comfy and much more durable and space-efficient.

 

Although Thermarests are air mattresses.  They aren't as thick no.  And they are also quite expensive.

 

Air mattresses are sucky though.  I'm talking about the bigger ones.  They tend to get holes in them easily and good luck figuring out where half the time. 

[kewb]

If by camping you mean my hotel room has a view of the woods, then sure, I'll go camping.

 

 

I went camping in a tent once in my 20's with my dh and some friends.  Yes, I had fun with our friends but I did not enjoy sharing a groddy bathroom, the mosquitos, the mosquitos, the mosquitos, the humidity, the clean up after a meal, the mosquitos.

 

Cabin with indoor plumbing, hot and cold running water, electricity, and window screens is acceptable.  Does not need to have wifi, cell service, or air conditioning.

[bettyandbob]

Although Thermarests are air mattresses. They aren't as thick no. And they are also quite expensive.

 

Air mattresses are sucky though. I'm talking about the bigger ones. They tend to get holes in them easily and good luck figuring out where half the time.

That's why I think people starting out should borrow equipment to start. I think my thermorest pads were as expensive as my tent. We did air mattresses a few times and they get leaks. Plus you can get more pads in a smaller space. We have three XL thermarest pads which take up less room than two air mattresses. We slept well on those pads.

 

The main reason we started camping again is cost. For that reason I've acquired equipment slowly. If you buy everything you want new, that first trip could cost the equivalent of a luxury resort.

 

If you like camping it might be good to join a rewards program at a place like REI. Once you decide to camp regularly, you'll find yourself adding and trading up equipment. That's true if you are a backpacker or a car camper.

[Granny_Weatherwax]

I love camping! I've done lots of tent camping and DH and I just purchased an old popup (PUP) to refurbish and use instead of stopping at hotels.

 

My favorite kind of camping is backpacking with minimal supplies. There's nothing better than getting away from people and waking up to nature.

 

 

We took the popup to a local campground last weekend for it's inaugural trip. While having a roof and a bed was nice, I didn't like waking up to 100 other campers/trailers and the myriad of people packing up and emptying waste tanks. We're going to take the PUP to CO in a couple of weeks and I am hoping we'll be able to find campgrounds with more privacy and not feel like we're in a trailer park.

[skimomma]

Although Thermarests are air mattresses.  They aren't as thick no.  And they are also quite expensive.

 

Air mattresses are sucky though.  I'm talking about the bigger ones.  They tend to get holes in them easily and good luck figuring out where half the time. 

 

They are air mattresses with foam in them.  They come in all thicknesses.  The thinnest ones are comfy enough for me.  I actually find it more comfortable than my bed.  Dh uses a thicker one.  They are expensive but last forever.  Ours are 20 years old and have been sorely abused.  They have been jumped on by slumber parties, and used as a dog bed.  We have even used them as rafts in the water.  I have a patch kit that we keep with us but have never used it.  Another issue for us is that we spend over 50% of our camping nights without electric so no good way to fill an air mattress.

 

REI rents a lot of equipment including tents, sleeping bags, and thermarests so there are ways to try out good equipment before buying.

 

We have never camped with the big air mattresses but we need one or two for guests in our home.  I have spent FAR more on those stupid mattresses because it seems that they spring a leak after just a handful of uses and I can never find it to patch.  At this point, we just give our beds to guests and sleep on our thermarests....just to save the hassle of pre-testing for leaks.  

[shawthorne44]

One thing that really helps my love/like of camping, is that the work involved isn't a mommy-thing.  The work is either a Daddy-thing, or a Daddy-teaching-Daughter thing.   I do work, but I don't have responsibility.  I'll slep stuff, I'll follow instructions, I'll assist, I'll wash dishes.   I will also pre-make food before we leave.  But, the Responsibility is DH's.   So, a true vacation for me.  I spend lots of time sitting in a camp chair reading.   Or in the tent, in bed, reading.  

 

[Ravin]

I had the exact same experience as Hornblower with an air mattress while camping, with DD when she was about 3 months old.

 

Since then we've slept on cots. When I camped with DS when he was a night nurser (though quite a bit bigger than 3 mo.), I lashed 2 camp cots together with zip ties, laid a full sized slat bed on top of them, and topped that with the mattress I usually used with the slat bed. For a full week of camping it was worth the effort.

 

Most of our camping is for SCA events; this coming year we may go to some religious gatherings that involve camping.

 

I like cooking breakfast in camp; if nothing else, I want to be near the stove/fire when it's cold, and having little kids inevitably I'm up early when camping. I therefore do my best to arrange that I am camping with a group so that once I've cooked breakfast, someone else is around to do cleanup, and to cook the other meals.

 

 

[Momto6inIN]

We love camping too ... in fact, heading to the Rocky Mountains on Friday woo hoo!!!

 

I didn't start out loving it though. I started out tolerating it because DH loved it. And because we were too poor when we got married and started having kids to afford any type of other vacation, and it was either camp or stay home. LOL

 

What tipped the scales for me was the fact that, like someone upthread mentioned, DH does all the "work" while we camp. I insisted early on that if I was going to have to wash and pack everything and make sure we didn't forget anything and then unpack it all and wash it all again when we got home, he was going to have to be in charge of meals and dishes when we're gone, because it's not a vacation for me if I still have to cook and clean. Which he was all too happy to do, because it involves fire and rigging up Macgyver-ish solutions to problems. :)

 

And then what really made me love it is seeing the joy (and the dirt) on my kids' faces and how much they love being out in nature and how somehow it's just easier to let go of all the "stuff" in my brain when we're camping in a way that I don't really do when we're in a hotel or a cabin somewhere.

 

It's not for everybody, and you do have to just mentally resign yourself to a lower level of cleanliness and order than you're used to, but it really is an unforgettably good bonding experience for families.

[MeaganS]

For me, camping is mostly a means to an end. I like being able to travel a lot, but don't have much money. Camping makes traveling possible. It doesn't help that I am almost always solo-parenting on any trips we take, so if I camp, I'm camping alone with 4 kids, including a baby. But that doesn't stop us. This year we camped 3 nights in Yellowstone and 2 nights at Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Once you have the gear, it can be a really cost effective way to experience nature.

 

When we camp, I try to keep meal prep to a minimum. I even try to avoid the need for coolers. We may or may not have a fire for fun, depending on what else we do that day. It does take a huge amount of work for me as my kids are mostly too young to help, and I have to take care of everyone. I'm usually exhausted when we get home, but I always go back. The trip to GSM was last week. I was sitting there doing school with the girls that morning and I thought to myself, "It would be really awesome to go see it. In the mountains, I bet it wouldn't even be that hot. And it is only like 3 hours away! So it shouldn't even cost that much to get there. Dd7 has a national parks access pass so we can camp at them for half off, making it incredibly cost efficient." So I texted dh to make sure he was cool with it, packed up the girls and our gear in about an hour and after a quick trip to the grocery store, we were on our way. We had a blast earning Jr. Ranger badges, chasing fireflies, and playing in the mountain streams for 2 days. All for under $100, including gas. Without camping, I couldn't have afforded to do that on a whim. I couldn't have done Yellowstone either, at $200/night or more for a cheap hotel, but for $10/night, it was completely doable.

 

Growing up, we had a pop-up trailer that we towed everywhere. I could count on one hand the number of times that my large family stayed in hotels. It was an obvious part of road trips for me, and doesn't scare me. It isn't my favorite and most of the time, I'd prefer a hotel, but still, it certainly has its place. I'll probably take the girls on one more trip this summer. Maybe to the beach. :)

Edited July 26, 2016 by Meagan S

[LucyStoner]

I'm LOL'ing at all the people with the air mattresses. Dh got one for me the first year I was camping with a nursing baby. The idea was that baby & I would be all comfy and snug and warm. The darned thing leaked, and I sank to the center of it, with child attached to boob. Dh was blissfully sleeping on his thermarest off to the side, and snoring like crazy but I couldn't reach him to hit him because I was essentially enveloped by the sides of the air mattress. My hip was freezing since it was right on the ground, the kid would fuss if I tried to move to much, and dh snored while I tried to throw things at him in the dark. I was pretty cranky in the morning.

 

He suckered me in again the following year. Leaks all sealed! It's fine now! Yeah, no.

 

Never again. I get the thermarest now. He got himself a new air mattress which he tops up every night. He also spends a lot of time trying to convince the dogs that they can't share it with him.... :P

 

I do bring my memory foam orthopedic pillow though.

So true.

 

I find air mattresses too cold and too hot at the same time. The boys use the 3/4 length thermarests my husband and I get before we got married. I bought a pair of the super thick REI branded version of thermarest/air cell self inflating pads for my husband and me about 5 years ago because car camping means we can. My brother gave us an air mattress and a frame for said air mattress sometime after we got married. I do not have words to describe my loathing for that thing. It is long gone.