8 Steps in Planning the Perfect Camping Trip

A Truly Beneficial Guide in Planning Out Your Next Camping Trip.

Why do you need to Plan for a Camping Trip?

Being on a camping vacation means you gifted yourself the chance to get away from your day-to-day life. You are cashing in on all that hard work you have put in and allowing yourself the opportunity to, “Just Be”. Planning a camping trip or vacation doesn’t have to be a grueling task. In fact it can be just as exciting as the trip itself. Especially when you do it the right way. With following the guided steps, you are starting the process of ensuring that your camping vacation is truly going to be that magical adventure that re-charges your batteries.

Here are the steps to follow. Be sure to really read over each section. As each section contains helpful insights that will help guide you to get in the state of mind that will ensure the planning process is easier and more enjoyable.

8 Steps in Planning The Perfect Camping Trip

Decide you want to go camping:
Visualizing your perfect camping trip:
Checking Your Availability:
Finding the Right Campground:
Narrowing Down Your Campground List:
Check for Availability at each Campground:
Setting up a Reservation:
Start a Camping Trip Planning Folder:

Step 1:

Decide you want to go camping:

The first thing you must do is simply say. “You WANT to go camping”. Easy enough, but you need to be serious. You must really mean it. It should not be like when you see an old friend or family member where both of you agree that you should meet up more often, then never talk to each other again. You should take the time to convince yourself that going on a camping vacation is a “MUST” or you “Need” to go. After all, you have been busy managing yourself at work, at home, with family, with friends, dieting, exercising, cooking, cleaning, being bombarded with all sorts of news from the media. Whatever you need to do to convince yourself you NEED to go camping. For me, as soon as I even think about going camping, I’m all in.

- - NOTE: If this is going to be a family camping trip or group trip, I will be writing, “Planning a Group or Family Camping Trip”, which will have additional tips, tricks and guides. Including “How to get your kids involved in your camping trip from start to finish.”. So please be sure to check back periodically for those guides. Until then, these steps will be a helpful guide for you in the meantime.

Step 2:

Visualizing your perfect camping trip:

The next thing you need to do is picture in your mind how you want your camping trip to be. Most people like to go camping during the summertime. It is warmer, and there are more activities you can do outside. So, take a minute and daydream of what your camping trip will look like. Don’t worry at this time about how you are going to accomplish everything or how it was going to come about, just let your mind wonder and think of the best camping trip you can imagine. This step will help you out in accomplishing the rest of the steps to make your dreams come true.

Pro Tips: Have some paper and a pen available. Title a page “My perfect Camping Trip” or something like this. It will help keep your mind on track. Write down quick notes while you are doing your daydream visualization. This way you have something to refer to later.

Note: This Pro Tip is especially beneficial if you are like me, and your “Monkey” mind takes over and next thing you know, you forgot what you were doing.

Step 3:

Checking Your Availability:

The next step in planning a camping trip should be getting your calendar out and figuring out dates that can work out for you. Try and come up with at least three or four different dates. List them out in order of preference.

Keep in mind all of the dates that may conflict with your initial planning. Like National Holidays, Work functions, Personal Anniversaries, Weddings, Birthdays, Kids school schedules and any other events that you may have to work around.

Pro Tip: Try and start planning your trip out at least 3-4 months out. Especially if you want to go camping during prime camping time. There are some campgrounds that take reservations 1 year out for certain weekends. The best you can do is call and ask.

Step 4:

Finding the Right Campground:

Now that you have your list of available dates handy. It’s time to start figuring out where you would like to go camping. Remember that visualization exercise of your best camping trip ever? Remember that sheet of paper you scribbled down some notes of your daydream on? Get that sheet out and re-fresh that picture in your mind for this step. This is a fun step. You get to start searching around, checking out campgrounds that you would like to go to. If that visualization was to go camping out of state, on a beach overlooking the ocean, then to search for that. Or perhaps you wanted to go mountain biking through the Giant Sequoias in Washington state. Then search for that. Let your visualization daydream help point you in the right direction of what to search for.

More than likely your searches will direct you to thousands of campgrounds that match your needs. From here, dive in a little deeper into what each campground really offers. Don’t forget to also see what attractions or accommodations are near the campgrounds. Sometimes there are fun things to do outside near neighboring towns as well. This might help you to build upon your initial vision. Revealing new possibilities that you might not have thought of yet.

Don’t forget to have another sheet of paper and pen ready to write down information about the campgrounds you found that caught your eye. For Example, be sure you write down…

The Name of the Campground/State Park:

In Addition to the name write down…

What caught your eye about this site? Was it…
- The Amenities
- Does it accommodate your vision activity, (i.e. Hiking, Biking, Swimming…)
- The overall appearance of the sites.

What ever initially made you think to yourself, “This would be nice”.

Location:

Write down a rough idea of where it is. For example, write the name of a nearby town.
Or if possible write down approximate distance or time it would take to travel there.

Cost:

How much does it cost to stay, Per night? Per Weekend? Per Week?
Make a note if it is a flat rate, or is there a different cost for Tent, Camper, or RV?

Whichever style of camping and however long you are planning on staying. Writing the cost down might make it easier for you when you are choosing between sites or creating a budget for your camping trip.

Note:) Don’t get too caught up into doing intensive, in-depth research of each campground. Just skim over what each have to offer. Write down the above-mentioned items. Don’t think much about them now. They are just a helpful reference for the next step.

Step 5:

Narrowing Down Your Campground List:

After you have done some research and hopefully came up with a long list of campgrounds that seem to fit your needs, now it’s time to narrow it down to the top three or four.

Seeing as though you are the one with the initial vision of your camping vacation, plus you were the one who did all the initial research. Only you can truly look over the list you created and carefully weight all the options that is right for you.

For example)

One campground may be so far away, that you’ll end up paying more for gas getting there then actually staying there. However, if it caters more to families with kids, and is on a lake, rents boats, and there’s several swimming areas. Which matches your vision better than another campground which is closer and cheaper, that’s near a lake, but it is located next to train tracks, doesn’t rent boats, and there’s no swimming however it is closer to several water attractions that you may want to visit. Which isn’t ideal to your vision, but may be a compromise with distance and cost.

These are the things only you can answer from the list you created and the vision you have for your camping trip. Take your time, weigh your options, even listen to your gut. Just don’t let one thing like cost or location play a key factor into deciding your top three or four selections. If there is a tie between two sites and it will push you over the limit. Just write them both down. The next step may just make the decision for you.

Step 6:

Check for Availability at each Campground:

Here you will need the list of campgrounds that made the cut. Plus, the list of available dates you created earlier on. You can either call or check on-line to see if they have any vacancies that match the days you want to go camping.

Some campgrounds with a good on-line presence might even be able to let you see which campsites are already booked and those that are available. This comes in handy if you prefer to have a campsite close to a bathroom, playground, beach front, wooded, or open areas.

However, you may have to just have to be adaptable and accept what you get.

If luck has it, where each of your top campgrounds with your preferred site location are available, on the dates you wanted, then you must choose what is best for you. Which ever one matches your vision best.

Step 7:

Setting up a Reservation:

Once a decision has been made on when and where, and confirmations of availability have been verified, you should…

1. Go back over this process.

Double check yourself to make sure you didn’t miss anything.

Do you still want to go camping?
Visualize yourself camping at the campground you have chosen.
You are in fact, available on the dates you picked.
The location, cost & all available amenities are acceptable to you.

2. Read the rules and guidelines the campground implements for the reservation process.

Ask Yourself…

Do they require a deposit?
Do you get the deposit back, or does it go towards your final payment?
What are their rules for cancelations? How much notification do you have to give them if you need to cancel?

Pro Tip: Find out, Read and Understand as much as you can. You may not need it, but knowing this, (even printing out a copy), may save you lots of money, time and aggravation.

After you have done the above mentioned and everything is acceptable to you…

Make the Reservation!

Wait! You are not done yet.

This last step should be a must, but most people don’t do this. Don’t worry it’s super easy.

My Perfect Camping Trip

Step 8:

Start a Camping Trip Planning Folder:

Get a folder, any folder, and take everything you have created so far and put in…

- Your visualization notes.
- Your list of available dates.
- The list of campgrounds that made the final cut

and now

- All your reservation information in the folder.

Keep the folder in an easy to get to and easy to remember location.

The reasons for doing this are simple. It is natural and beneficial for humans to forget details over time. (Unless you have an incredible photographic memory). Keeping all the details of everything you have done so far, at the front of your mind, would be very time consuming and would prove difficult to continue with your day-to-day living.

Creating the folder makes sure you have all the information you have done, and will gather, in one location. So you don’t have to remember everything. In addition, if an event arises where you find yourself unable to go on the camping trip you have booked, you have all your reservation information, back up campground list and dates available, ready and handy. Making your cancelation less stressful, and re-planning your much needed, much deserved camping getaway that much easier.

Let’s recap what it takes to planning your camping trip.

Cliff Notes on Planning Your Camping Trip:

Decide you want to go camping. Really! Make a firm decision to go.
Visualize your perfect Camping Trip.
Determining when. What dates work for you?
Find the Right Campground to fits your visualization of your perfect camping trip.
- Do your research!
  - Compile a long wish list.
    - Narrow down that wish list.
Call or check on-line for availabilities.
- Circle or check the ones that match your preferences
- Strike through or cross off the ones that are not available
- Make the best decision right for you
Solidify or Book your Reservation.
Start a Camping Trip Planning Folder.

Congratulations! Following these steps in planning your camping trip ensures you are well on your way to having a great time.

Get Excited! You are going Camping!!

Authors Note:

Many feel that these steps are all common sense. That taking the time to write everything down, making lists and doing visualizations are un-necessary. Which is ok. I understand that many people have their favorite campground, favorite campsite, blocked off annual dates, and have been doing this for years. Going through these steps might not be for you. My goal is to help those new to camping, looking for ways to be more efficient, and those who are wanting to explore new locations. Campgrounds are just like any other business, they are continuously changing and upgrading to meet with consumer demand. So, in following these steps, new and exciting camping adventures may be discovered. Sometimes even in your own Hometown.