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Thanks to the insurgence of reality shows that focus on surviving in the wild, camping has become very popular in recent years. Keep reading to find out more about how to have an enjoyable experience that your family will remember for years.
Search out shelter before the sun sets when you are camping. Once the woods are dark, it is very difficult to find firewood, pitch your tent and prepare some food. This is particularly true for anyone accustomed to city living and unfamiliar with pitch dark woods. Avoid this hazard completely, by finding adequate shelter long before the sun goes down.
Use separate coolers for perishables, ice and drinks. While it does not matter if the perishables and drinks go into the same one, make sure to pack your ice separately. This will keep the temperature down so that you will have ice for much longer than you would have otherwise.
Make sure that you avoid any venomous plants. A good way to do this is to stop at the ranger station and ask what kinds of poisonous plants are in the area so you can identify them if you come into contact with them on the trail. Never eat anything while hiking on the trail if you do not know it is edible.
As a courtesy to other campers, don't leave your lighting on overnight, if you are close to others. Pack a timer that you can attach to your lights that will automatically shut them off after a certain time. Leaving lights on overnight is a popular complaint among most American campers!
While a campfire gives off enough light in the general area around it, you want to be sure you take along a flashlight on your camping trip if you plan to venture outside of the campfire's glow. This is a definite safety precaution you don't want to ignore. It can be quite dark out there in the woods at nighttime.
Oranges can be used for insect repellent. Use the peels to rub your body down. It is a low-cost, chemical-free way to keep bugs away.
Pack a bandana. It can be used as a hand towel, potholder or even a gag in a pinch. It does not take much space in your bag and can save the day in many different situations.
Buy yourself some camping pillows for your trip. If you use your bedroom pillows, the humid weather will make them feel hot and sticky. They also absorb moisture out of the air and can mildew quickly. Camping pillows are made with a protective, moisture-proof coating to prevent these issues.
When you are going camping, do your best to get as early of a start as possible. It will be your job to pitch your tent so you have somewhere to rest comfortably, and that will be much harder for you to do once it starts to get dark outside.
Make sure you have a good chat with your children about basic camping dangers before you head away. Go on the Internet together and read about safety, look at poison ivy pictures and poisonous animals.
Consider purchasing inexpensive walkie-talkies to take with you on your next camping trip to provide a way to keep in touch with everyone in your party in areas where cell phone reception may not be available. This can be especially important if you are camping with children and need to keep track of their whereabouts.
Know the climate of your camping area. You will want to have the proper clothing packed for the trip. Knowing how cold the nights get or how hot the days are will help you dress best. You will not want to get caught in the great outdoors with inadequate protection.
Do not take anything that belongs in nature with you when you leave. Have fun and take pictures, but when you are loading up the car, make sure rocks, pinecones and other objects remain where they best canvas waterproofing are. This is one of the unspoken rules of camping. Everyone should have the same opportunity to enjoy these things.
Make a list of the things you need for your camping trip and check each item off once you pack it. Then, make sure you bring each bag to the car. The last thing any camper wants is to reach the sight and find out they forgot something important, like matches or the food.
Make sure that your tent is ready before dark if you don't plan to sleep under the stars. Some camping locations get very dark and this can make setting up your campsite nearly impossible. You also never know when something could go wrong during set-up, such as a broken pole or a sudden tear in your tent.
When you are camping, you should never eat anything unless you are absolutely certain of what it is. There is nothing worse than a strong case of stomach problems when you are far away from both medical attention and a toilet. It is recommended to only eat food that you bring.
Always ensure you have enough clean water. Water is the single most important thing our bodies need. Always carry enough bottled water with you, especially if you don't have access to a spring. You could also try bringing along iodine packets to sanitize the water that you collect from the backcountry.
As previously mentioned, more and more families are now having to forego traditional family vacations due to monetary constraints and instead opt for basic camping trips to the great outdoors. Hopefully, after reading this article, you feel ready to plan the ultimate camping adventure that you and your family will be able to remember for a lifetime.