How to Plan a Camping Trip

June 14, 2022 5 min read

A group of friends playing music around a campfire.

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Your Guide On Assembling The Best Camping Experience For Your Friends

Answer nature's call! Nearly 70% of Canadians have participated in at least one outdoor activity. 44% said they have gone hiking while 24% have gone camping.

If you're interested in seeing the outdoors like never before, you should go on your first camping trip. But don't hurry out the door just yet. You need to figure out how to conduct a safe and fun trip.

What should you do to prepare for your trip? Where can you get a hammock tent and other supplies? How do you stay engaged while you are going camping?

Answer these questions and you can figure out your perfect camping trip in no time. Here is your quick guide to camping.

Choose the Right Company

Camping is a great experience to share with other people. However, you shouldn't invite everyone you know.

Try to pick people you have common interests with, especially outdoor activities. Invite people who can handle uncomfortable conditions on a camping trip like extreme temperatures. You should also find people you'd be happy to spend a few days with without awkward conversations.

Agree on the Date

You can go camping whenever you would like to, including in the wintertime. The key is that you pick a date when everyone is free and can travel to the campsite. Going on a Friday can give you the whole weekend to enjoy.

Agree on How Long the Trip Is Going to Last

A weekend trip gives you plenty of time to perform a few activities and unwind. You can also go camping for a week, especially if you want to go on hikes and long swims. Decide in advance how long you want to stay and communicate to your group about your itinerary.

Choose the Place

A campground gives you plenty of space to spread your belongings out. But campgrounds can get crowded, and it may cost money for you to reserve a space.

You can try camping in a park or near a national landmark. Take a look at a few options in your area and talk to your group about what you want to do.

Set a Budget

Camping is a low-budget activity, but you need to buy camping supplies, including hammocks and sleeping materials. Select a figure for how much money you are willing to spend and stick to that figure.

If you need more money, you can raise money within your group. You can also save money by cutting down on your unnecessary expenses in the days before your trip.

Check the Weather

The weather can make or break your camping trip. You must check the forecast and adjust your plans based on how the conditions will be. If you are going to experience torrential rains at your camping site, you should reschedule your trip.

If the weather forecast isn't great and there might be some light rain, that's still okay. As long as you have proper gear, you're good. There are many waterproof hammocks you can bring with you, you know?

Prepare a Camping Meal Plan

You can fish and forage for food at your campsite. But it is a good idea to bring foods with you in case you can't find safe foods to eat.

Think about a few meals you can prepare on your camping trip, like soup and sandwiches. Pack your ingredients in a cooler and write a schedule of what meals you will cook. If you want to gather wild ingredients, bring a guidebook with you so you know what items are safe to eat.

Take a look at camping recipes that you can make for children and adults alike. Finger foods tend to work best, including roll-ups and personal pizzas. You can also try grilled meat, though you may need to bring your own grill for it.

Always Have an Evening Group Activity

Camping groups often get bored or restless when they come back to the tents at night. Try to think of a few activities you can do as a group after sundown. You can tell campfire stories, play board games, or read books.

However, some people may want to rest after their long day. Don't prepare an activity that requires a lot of energy, and allow your friends the opportunity to rest.

Bring A Hammock!

Yeah, camping doesn't have to include tents, our vote always goes to hammocks and hammock camping. Hammocks can give you more room to stretch your legs than sleeping bags can. You can even sleep in a hammock tent, which lets you rest in the trees.

Consider getting a few hammocks that are not tents as well. This lets you lie down and get a full view of the sky and your environment. You can use a hammock hang calculator to figure out how to hang your hammock.

Hammocking is fun, it keeps you dry in case of bad weather, and lets you sleep like a baby! If you've never been hammock camping before - here's a quick guide on the equipment you'll need. Preparation is key!

Give Everyone a Task

An easy way to keep everyone busy is to assign each person in your group a different task. One person can gather firewood while another person fills everyone's water bottles.

To encourage people to perform their tasks, you can make a game out of them. Whoever does their task the best can win a prize, like a piece of camping equipment they can use for a future trip.

Know What to Bring

In addition to your hammocks and food, you need to bring a first-aid kit in case someone gets injured. You should bring one flashlight per person, though you can also bring lanterns and matches.

You should have maps of the campsite and the surrounding area. You can download these maps to your phone, but make sure you have spare batteries for your device.

Each person can take care of their own toiletries and bring plastic bags in case they need to carry something. They can also pack multitools and pocket knives to use while camping.

Figure Out Your Camping Trip

Planning a camping trip isn't rocket science. You should find some people to go with, then figure out when and where you want to go. Plan a schedule and budget so you don't waste time or money.

Get essential supplies like a hammock tent, a first-aid kit, and toiletries. Then head out and do activities during the morning, afternoon, and evening. You can keep people engaged by giving them tasks and staying together at night.

You don't have to go far to buy essential hammock camping supplies. Hammock Universe provides premium hammocks and accessories. Browse our collections today.