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I recently went camping and it was a lot of fun!
I figured I would share with you guys somethings I learned from the first time my boyfriend and I went camping.
So let’s jump into these first time camping tips.
I went camping for the first time | Camping Tips
We went camping at Groveland Oaks which is the best place to go camping. (Keep in mind, I’ve only been camping once but I loved the experience we had at Groveland Oaks.)
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There were so many things that we realized made our first time camping experience great and there were somethings we forgot about too..
So I’m going to share with you guys the must haves for camping!
Buy a pop up tent.
It took us 5 minutes or maybe even less to put up our tent. It was easy, convenient and it kept the bugs out. I recommend it heavily if you plan on wanting the full camping experiencing of pitching a tent.
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Prepare food in advance.
One of the things we did a great job with was planning what foods we were going to be eating for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Make sure to plan out your meals and to even do meal preps so you won’t be stressed out about what you’re going to eat.
We had a little grill thing to cook on since every campsite came with a fire pit, but it’s good to bring a mini grill as well if you have to resort to that.
Bring firewood too.
The campsite we went to had bundles of firewood for sale, but it’s always great to have your own firewood to bring with you for sure.
Bring extra blankets and layers for the night time.
It gets extremely cold at night surprisingly. It would be 90 something degrees during the day, but at night feel like 30 degrees.
Make sure to bring a lot of blankets and even a hat. Or you could just bring an insulated sleeping bag.
We had one little comforter that we brought with us to cover us while we were on our air mattress. We were absolutely freezing.
Bring a hoodie.
I recommend having a hoodie for the night time. It’ll keep you warm if you’re chilling around the campfire.
Make sure to bring towels.
It’s always nice to have a decent amount of towels whether they’re for the shower, for cleaning up spills, or for going swimming.
Bring some games.
We ended up playing card games for the most part, but it was a lot of fun.
Aluminum foil is a must.
Make sure to have some aluminum foil with you for wrapping up food.
Invest in some food covers.
They are great for making sure that bugs won’t get in or on your food. Get some food covers to protect your food.
Bring some sort of foldable table.
In the event that you don’t have a bench present, a foldable table is great just in case you need one.
Invest in 2 coolers.
Have a cooler for meat and other foods if you plan on cooking meat. Have a separate cooler for drinks as well.
Invest in some Off Deep Woods Dry bug spray.
It is the best spray ever. None of us were bitten by any mosquitos. It is an absolute must have for camping.
You could also bring a bug zapper.
It is one of the best investments because bugs will constantly be around in your face. A bug zapper eliminates them if they’re in the vicinity.
A lantern is a must have as well.
Make sure to have at least one lantern so that you can see in the dark. Also bring a flashlight too.
Bring some foldable chairs.
These are great for sitting around the camp fire. I highly recommend having some because you’ll need something to sit on when you are eating or just relaxing.
This is the foldable chair we bought.
If you absolutely need to have your phone active, bring a backup battery bank.
I recommend bringing a backup battery bank or one of those solar powered charger bags.
Bring bluetooth speakers.
We played music practically the entire time we were camping. So I recommend bringing a speaker if you want to heighten the camping experience.
WEAR SUNSCREEN!
So… I ended up getting sunburned and it was the worst thing ever.
Make sure to protect your skin and to bring some sunscreen with you for your trip.
I recommend Black Girl Sunscreen.
Have some shower shoes.
I highly recommend buying some flip flops or pool shoes.
If you visit a campsite and you want to be able to use the showers, then these are a must.
Plus they’re just great for walking in and letting your feet be free.
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Try s’mores with Reese’s.
It is the best creation ever. You won’t be disappointed at all.
Overall, when it comes to camping just make sure that you have a great time and enjoy yourself.
Did you find my First Time Camping Tips list helpful?
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Great advice. I went camping for my first time 7 years ago. My husband couldn’t believe that I had never been before. Since then we have camped a few times per year.
Sounds like you had a great time and got to experience some new things.
Thank you for sharing. I find the most useful item is insect repellent. Somehow I hate those nasty bugs.
My grandparents used to go, and my aunt and uncle did too. Now the next generation (my cousins) all have their campers and they go too. It’s something their kids now love to do too. I haven’t gone for many years, but I do remember loving it.
Camping is so enjoyable activity especially if you are with loved ones. Thank you for these tips. So informative.
I miss camping. My mom would always talk my siblings and me camping each summer. We made hamburgers, smores, and listen to the portable radio while looking at the stars.
Great tips even if the closest I would get to camping would be in a Cabin. My body is just not made for camping, but I encourage my kids to try it.
I haven’t been camping in ages it seems, so a lot has changed probably
This is a great list! They are a definite must-have for camping. I agree with you that if you have the space, it would be nice to bring some extra blankets. Insect repellants is a must-have too.