Tent Camping 101
When you first get into camping it can be super overwhelming. Here is a simple guide to get you up and running on your adventure.
Packing List
Tent with rain fly
Tarp to place under the tent for extra waterproofing
Lantern (we use a battery-operated Coleman one)
Overhead hanging light to see inside the tent at night (straps onto the ceiling of the tent)
Chairs for sitting by the campfire
Cooler with side spigot for easy drainage
Mini charcoal grill / gas grill with extra propane / jet boil (handy for dispersed camping)
Toiletry bag you can easily find/ bring to bathroom
Ice for cooler
Cash
Firewood (get at campground)
Some sort of fire starter
Lighter
Aluminum foil
Cutting board
Knifes / potato peeler ?
Seasonings, condiments
Paper Towel
Tablecloth and table clips
Garbage bags
Smaller plastic bags (grocery store bags)
First-aid kit - bandages, Tylenol, gauze, antiseptic, anti-itch cream
Hand sanitizer
Bug spray
Sunscreen
Aloe Vera gel
Appropriate clothing
Easy slip-on shoes/sandals
Outdoor activities equipment : Hiking backpack, water bladder, bear spray, kayak/paddle board, life jackets, oars, swim suit, towel, water shoes, etc.
Food Ideas (our usual go-to’s)
Hobos - You can choose whatever protein and veggies you want. We typically use ground turkey, potatoes, carrots, onions, seasoned salt and pepper. Wrapped up and cooked in foil.
Pudgie Pie - On our most recent trip we made quesadillas in the pudgie pie makers - Delicious!
Burgers, hot dogs, sausages
Smores!
Sandwiches - You can premake these at home to bring less ingredients with you, as long as there isn’t anything that will make the sandwich soggy, like tomato. But if you plan for burgers, you can bring the lettuce and tomatoes with you and get lots of use out of them! PB & J is easy and doesn’t need refrigeration, so it’s great to bring along on hikes!
Bring Ziploc bags with you if you want to pack snacks to bring with you hiking or to the beach. You can use them for garbage bags afterwards, too.
Reservations
The earlier you can book a site at a popular campground, the better. If you wait until May or June in Wisconsin to get into Devil’s Lake for a summer weekend…well, you may not get in! If there’s a campground you really want to camp at but there are no openings for the dates you have selected, you can set a notification on your phone to be notified in the event of a cancellation. We have gotten a couple last-minute campsites this way.
Most state camping websites will allow you to see pictures of the campsite when you go to book, so you can make sure it is what you want. To us, an ideal campsite not only has a fire pit and picnic table, but it is FLAT and grassy…not too enclosed with trees (think mosquitoes), and close but not right next to the bathrooms.
Warnings
Note: Our experience is mainly in Southeastern Wisconsin.
-Beware of ticks, especially in May! We usually have less of a problem with them the later the summer goes.
-When you come home, leave your bags and equipment outside on the porch/garage for a day or so to prevent carrying a bunch of ticks inside your house. Unpack outside as much as possible.
-If your tent or other equipment was wet when you had to pack up, set it out to dry in the sun before storing away
-Keep water bottles and bladders inside the tent at night. Racoons can get into and destroy anything, trust us.
