Camping Tips
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The Best Glamping Resorts for Families Across the U.S.
I have shared so many resources for camping, along with tons of information about my favorite campgrounds. And I constantly get feedback like “this looks amazing. I wish I liked camping,” or “I wish my spouse would go camping.” If this sounds at all like you, you might be happy to know that there are many glamping resorts that may be more along the lines of what you’re looking for. Glamping (glamorous camping) is the perfect middle ground between “pack the tents” camping and “book a hotel.” For families, it means fresh air, big skies, and easy access to nature — without sleeping on the ground or lugging a giant…
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How to Stay Cool While Camping
We just got home from a late-August summer camping trip at Dos Picos County Park where it was hot, hot, hot. Even with shade and a nice breeze, camping in certain areas and during certain times of year can be downright toasty. But, if you’re like me, you need to make the most out of your summer because that’s when the kids are out of school and when the weather is typically decent. You just need to know how to stay cool while camping. Also, when it’s hot out, the last thing you want to be doing is spending hours in front of a hot bbq or grill making dinner.…
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How to Have an Outdoor Movie Night While Camping
One of our favorite camping traditions is having an outdoor movie night on at least one of the nights we are camping. I know, I know. Camping is supposed to be a time to unplug and take a break from screen time, but there is something about gathering the kids together, breaking out the glowsticks and sugary treats, and enjoying a movie under the stars. In fact, often times, kids in other campsites will bring a chair over and partake in the fun. Our outdoor movie nights have evolved quite a bit. We used to use a white sheet and projector, but over the years, we’ve upgraded our set up…
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Camping for Newbies: Camping Basics
If you are new to camping, it might feel super overwhelming (and expensive!) to start thinking about everything you need for a successful camping trip. You might have no idea where to start. Fret not. I’ve compiled a list of must-haves and a few nice-to-haves for newbies to camping so that you can get started. Please note, technically you don’t NEED anything to camp–just pull up, sleep in the vehicle and rough it. But these items will make for a more family-friendly camping experience. And, if you need ideas for some easy camping meals, I have you covered. Check out these easy dishes for camping that the whole family will…
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Best Beach Games for Families
Every year, for my entire life, we have done a week of beach camping in July with a large group of family and friends. Each year, we set up camp, and pretty much park ourselves in the sand for long beach days filled with the best beach games for families. We’ve gone through the progression of activities with the kids–from simply digging holes and building sand castles, to boogie boarding and surfing. One thing doesn’t change though–they love a good competition. When they see the adults get the beach games out, they come out of the water, they stop digging their holes, and they are right there ready to get…
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Camping Near Lake Vs Beach
I had someone ask me yesterday if I prefer camping near lake or beach more. That’s a super tough one–I love them both! And I grew up beach camping every year, so for most of my life, that was all I knew. There are pros and cons to both, but mostly pros in my opinion. If I had to choose only one to do for the rest of my existence, I think I would have to choose camping near lakes. However I know my husband would choose beach camping without hesitation. Here’s what I feel are the biggest pros and cons to both. Beach Camping Pros Relaxing – I’ll start…
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Motorhome Essentials: What You Need
Things you need for a motorhome that you might not have thought of We just recently bought our Thor Ace 30.2 motorhome. Before we had that, we had tent camped for many years, so we already had all of the camping basics. We had cooking utensils, pots and pans, plates and silverware, which we just moved from our camping bins into our motorhome. We also purchased sheets, pillows, towels and toothbrushes that would live permanently in the motorhome. But there were a lot of motorhome essentials that we didn’t think of until our first outing in the RV. Here’s a list of motorhome essentials we ended up purchasing after our…
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Cracker Barrel RV Parking – Our Experience
A lot of people have heard about staying overnight in Walmart parking lots for free, but did you know that you can stay at a Cracker Barrel for free as well?! It’s true. Cracker Barrel RV parking is allowed over night, and we experienced it firsthand. For even more options, check out this list of other places that allow free overnight RV parking as well. As we were gearing up for our 8-hour road trip to the Spring Cove campground at Bass Lake, we thought it would be nice to get on the road a day earlier and break up the drive. Many campgrounds on our journey were already booked…
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Thor 30.2 Ace Motorhome – Our New RV
Prior to purchasing our Thor 30.2 Ace motorhome, my husband and I had been tent campers our whole lives. When I was a child, my family actually bought a motorhome, but it was a punishment for us kids to have to sleep in it. We all had our tents and we loved sleeping in them, so we only slept in the motorhome if it was raining or if we got in trouble. I still genuinely enjoy tent camping. There’s something special about sleeping in a tent. But there’s obviously a ton of prep work, packing and loading that goes along with tent camping. After 11 years of tent camping with…
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How to Make Ice Last Longer in a Cooler
An ice chest is an important camping essential. But when you’re camping, the last thing you want to be doing is making an ice run every day. It’s important that your food stays cold, but there are things you can do to avoid extra ice runs, and many won’t cost you a penny. These simple tips on how to make ice last longer in a cooler will help you to spend less time and money on ice during your camping trips. How to Make Ice Last Longer in a Cooler: Invest in a Good Ice Chest If you feel like you’re going through ice too quickly, it might be due…
