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Camping is a great way to reconnect with friends and it is a fun and relaxing activity that lets you do things together that you would normally not have the chance such as hiking or kayaking. It is not an expensive activity since you can all pitch in on most of the expenses such as the food, campsite, and equipment.
The only difficult part when you are camping with a lot of people is that there is more to plan and more things to prepare. Thus, if you are new to camping and you don’t know where to start or if you’ve never been the one responsible for the planning, the essential tips below will help you organize a memorable camping trip for you and your buddies.
Decide on kind of camping experience you want
The first thing that you and your friends will need to decide on is the kind of camping that you want to do. Camping sites nowadays provide lots of different levels of services and you can go for a comfortable experience by picking cabins or resorts that are settled near national parks and fully stocked.
Camping in a cabin lets you be just as close to nature as in a tent without having to deal with the difficulties that are often associated with camping. This is also a perfect choice if you’re camping with couples and they want to bring their kids as well, or if you are camping with a very large group.
Of course, you can also opt for the classic camping experience and bring tents and sleeping bags. Both choices are very comfortable and most importantly, fun. The reason why it is so important to decide on what level of camping everyone wants early on is so that you can know what steps you need to take to make the camping trip a success.
If you want to take an RV when camping, you need to check if the campground has the right space for your vehicle. Similarly, electric hookups, running water and bathrooms are not always a given in campsites and details like this are easy to overlook in the early planning stages.
Once you have determined what type of camping trip you want, the next step is to search for the perfect campground. For this step, you can ask your friends for suggestions or look online for campgrounds near you and call them if you have any questions or concerns that need to be addressed.
Do keep in mind that if you plan to go camping during the busier times of the year such as the summer and the period surrounding the holidays, it is best to book a few months in advance.
Make a list
When camping with friends it is crucial to make a list with all of the questions you want your friends to answer, such as food preferences, allergies, recent injuries, camping experience, what kind of outdoor activities they want and so forth.
These questions can help you organize the trip according to the preferences of the participants. You can also make a camping journal where you can write things that worked well and the ones that didn’t so that you can improve future camping trips.
Similarly, you also need to make a list of the items that you’ll need to bring with you so that you can be certain that you have everything packed. You should also share the list with your friends since they can easily notice if something is missing or if they’d like to add extra items.
This includes food, water, tents, sleeping bags and pads, pillows, headlamps or flashlights with extra batteries, a camp table and chairs, tools and repair items, kitchen cookware, clothing and footwear.
Don’t forget about health and hygiene items, such as hand sanitizers, toothbrushes and toothpaste, first aid kits, prescription medications, and toilet paper. Since people are bound to separate and some may want to stay at the campsite while others may go on a hike, it is crucial to bring multiple first aid kits, flashlights or headlamps, and whistles.
To make your time in the big outdoors more pleasant you should also include sun and bug protection items such as sunscreen, sunglasses, lip balm, and insect repellents. You can find plenty of options available at seedsandmore.net.
Plan fun activities
When camping with a large group of people, it is going to be hard to include everyone in a particular activity and this is why it is best to consult with them and use the information about what they like and dislike to create a list of fun activities for everyone. Some may prefer to do stargazing, others will want to hike, and some may prefer to rest around the campfire and talk.
Thus, it is crucial to prepare multiple activities and to bring some games and think of icebreakers so that you can prevent any awkward moments. Games are great for bonding with the people in the group especially if not everyone in the group may know each other well.
The games you bring should be diverse enough so that everyone can play them and they should be lightweight so that they can fit in random places in your car since the vehicle will most likely already be filled with the commodities we’ve talked about earlier.
Some of the things you can bring include items such as board games, playing cards, books, and media players with music so that you can create a pleasant and relaxing atmosphere near the campsite. You can also bring balls, Frisbees, twisters, limbo sticks and other similar items. Try to avoid things that are large and can break easily in the car.
Set some ground rules
When you’re spending time together with lots of people it is crucial to take the time to establish a few ground rules that need to be respected so that everyone can have a good time together. This can include things such as silence after midnight, chores that need to be done around the campsite, going to the restroom with a partner at night, and respecting other people’s privacy.
You should make everyone aware of the rules before you go camping and once you arrive at the campsite you should have a group meeting right away to remind everyone of the rules that need to be followed.
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