A camping primer

Basic tips to make your outdoor adventure a blast

By Emily Kimber

The checklist
Packing is usually the most stressful part of any trip -- most of us haven't yet mastered the ‘bring three items and alternate combinations' theory of packing. Luckily, you don't need ensembles for your outdoor vacation, just layers. Make sure you bring:

• Sweatshirt and jogging pants -- for sleeping and sitting by the fire at night
• Comfortable pants and shorts
• Wool socks, cotton socks and underwear
• Lightweight rainproof jacket
• T-shirts, long sleeved shirts
• Sneakers or hiking boots
• Flip-flops to wear in the shower
• Toiletries such as shampoo, conditioner, soap, toothbrush and toothpaste
• Sunscreen and insect repellant
• Travel wipes

Don't forget
• Camera
• Deck of cards
• Flashlight (and extra batteries)
• First-aid kit
• Tupperware container of matches
• Towels

More camping tips
• Remove rocks from the ground where you'll pitch your tent, otherwise you'll be sleeping on them.
• Don't eat food in your tent and NEVER leave food unattended in your tent.
• If you're bringing children, pack an 'activity box' full of ways to entertain them during afternoon downtime (ie: books, art supplies, travel board games).
• Research campgrounds in your area using the Web, and ask friends for advice. A great campground will make your trip.

See? Not so scary after all. If you're properly prepared, your camping trip will be a blast. Learn from those camping horror stories, but don't let them deter you from tackling the great outdoors this summer.

Read more:

How to camp safe

Campfire Crumble recipe

Campground checklist

« Previous

Read more:
Budget travel: How to score good deals
Travel idea: Hiking the West Coast Trail
6 ways to keep everyone happy on group holidays

Check out:
CanadianLiving.com Travel
CanadianLiving.com Life


For inspired articles and ideas when you're on the go, get Canadian Living Mobile!
Access Canadian Living's smart solutions for everyday living anytime, anywhere -- and best of all, it's FREE! Get it now: visit m.canadianliving.com on your BlackBerry® or iPhone™.

Your Comments

Comment reported

Thank you for reporting this comment as inappropriate.

Back to Comments »

Add your comments

Please fill in all required fields (*).

Back to Comments »

Advertisement

Featured Menu







Our Partners




Our Contests