I have been camping pretty much my whole life.  However, I am neither the backpacking type with only my pack and a bag of trail mix nor am I the diva "glamper." I fit somewhere in the middle and I am here to tell those of you, "no way/ no how with I ever camp" folks, there is a magical place in-between.  This place allows for you to actually relax; unplug (literally) and experience nature in a whole new perspective. Before I start,  I will let you in on a little secret; the big difference between the survival training- bring only trail mix camping and diva "glamping" comes down to only one thing; stuff.

In our twenties, my husband and I started out simple; we had a tent, two sleeping bags, a cooler and a bin marked “camping stuff.”  As we got older we realized, there is nothing fun about camping on the cold hard ground so we started to upgrade to two bins, an air mattress, a camp stove and a larger cooler.  Fast forward a few more years, we added two carseats in the back along with enough stuff to fill a small apartment.  In addition, we had become self proclaimed, “foodies and wine snobs," so the menu required endless ingredients, prep, storage and a whole lot of work.  (BTW- we now know we are NOT foodies nor wine snobs). 

It all came down to STUFF!  So much stuff and in case you don’t know, when you pack a car with stuff, especially to go camping, you come home with a whole lot of stuff to put away.  However, unlike a normal vacation, all of that stuff, including your car smells like campfire smoke and it has a layer of dirt that doesn’t always go away in the first wash.  

Needless to say, camping became exhausting from start to finish.  

I've really sold you now. LOL- bare with me.  

The truth is camping does not need to be like this! Camping is intended to unplug (leaving the video games, laptop and Keurig behind), explore, discover and just breathe. It is an escape and an inexpensive one at that! But, you have to be smart and frugal about what goes and what stays behind.  My sister and brother-in-law taught me this and it works! When it comes to camping, as you pack and prepare each and every item, ask yourself, “should it come along or stay behind?”  Less means less to deal with, clean and put away! 

So let’s discuss the basics to achieve this magical “in-between”…

Location: Keep in mind, like hotels, campgrounds range from 5 star down to 1 star, figuratively speaking. Determine what your comfort level is and what scenery you want to experience. If you are looking for super clean restrooms and a hot shower, don’t look for the remote campground that doesn’t require a reservation. (however if you find one, please share!) If you seek solace and a room (tent) with a view in the woods to star gaze or you want to meet up with 10 families close to home for the weekend, there is a place out there for you! You just have to look and sometimes plan ahead!

Food: I find it so funny when you look at the camping food blogs and find things like tacos, breakfast burritos or hobo stew. Delicious of course and I love them all, but this is so much prep to chop, dice and store. Save your sanity and think simple!!! For dinner, think grilling. Consider a nice cut of meat and a veggie. For breakfast, skip the frittata and go with bacon and eggs (already whisked and stored in a jar). If you seek fancy, just think quality over quantity! That’s it. All in all, if it has more than 3 or 4 ingredients without spice, it’s too complicated for camping unless it was prepared at home. Just remember space and time is of the essence when camping! In addition, always bring a good sturdy cast iron pot or pan, bbq tools and a pot holder. Your pan will most likely be on direct flames so it needs to be able to withstand crazy heat.

Sleeping Quarters: Enjoying the outdoors can be a little hard at night, especially if you live in a busy city. The absolute quiet and pure darkness can be daunting, to say the least. Add in the noise of a mosquito, a rustle in the tree, an animal call in the distance; freaky! So, it is an absolute must to have a comfortable sleeping bag or blankets that are weather appropriate, a pillow and some sort of comfortable mat to avoid the achy back in the morning. It is also key to remember, all of those sounds belong to your surroundings and those creatures want just as little to do with you as you want with them. The only caveat is this: put your food away properly. Leaving food out or easy to access is like offering room-service to hungry critters.

The Unknown: Yes, there needs to be the emergency kit with a few little extras “just in case.” Make sure you have plenty of water, matches or a lighter, extra batteries for the flashlight, a first aid kit, dry food like granola bars, toiletries including TP and utensils like a good knife and a wine opener (super important). Also, make sure someone back at home knows exactly where you are and your whole itinerary. If you loose cell service, someone needs to know where to find you and help!

Are you ready to camp?

I will never tell people camping is easy. It’s dirty, it takes some work and often times, careful planning. No, camping is not a weekend at the Ritz but it’s not supposed to be. Instead, camping offers a front row seat to some of the most spectacular places, untouched, quiet, and beautiful places. It usually is inexpensive too!

So when you are ready for the adventure, just be sure to pack light; take only the essentials. Be sure to pack the right food, the right bedding and make sure you don’t forget the wine opener!