Every year, in the Fall, our family takes one weekend and slips off the grid, to get away with our best friends to go tent camping, in a local, state or National Park, with one another and our growing kids.
In fact, I mentioned last week, HERE in the post, “Fall Essentials – What Is Saving My Life in Fall” that our annual tent camping weekend with friends and family is one of the things that truly is saving my life in Fall.
It turns out?
Our families have been putting this sacred weekend on our calendars for the last TEN years.
For one decade, our family has joined our two best friends and their families for a weekend spent among the trees, exploring hiking trails, sleeping in sleeping bags, nestled inside tents and eating meals by a campfire.
And do you know what happens after you become long time campers that have planned and enjoyed an annual camping trip for a decade together?
You learn a few helpful tricks and camping tips along the way, on not only how to make the most out of a family camping trip weekend, but also how to plan for a smooth experience for a large group, spent in the great outdoors!
Today on the blog, I am sharing a practical camping guide to help you plan your own family camping trip with friends.
Even if you have never camped before, or perhaps you have gone along on a camping trip, but never actually planned your own adventure…
My hope is that by sharing with you all the group activities our family has enjoyed over the years, along with our food menu and packing list, that this little camping guide will provide you the confidence to plan, pack and enjoy your own camping experience.
Because?
It turns out that this family camping weekend tradition has become one of the things our three daughters, Eve, Maci and Livvy, all look forward to the most, every Fall season.
Yes, this camping weekend tradition has proven to be a fun and exciting experience for all of us…
And, one that I am holding close to my heart, especially as our girls continue to grow up, faster than my heart can handle…
Now let’s get to that camping guide!
Follow me friend!
How To Camp With Friends and Family
When we pick our camping weekend, it usually begins with my husband, Shawn sending a group text to our best friends about what weekends are not available and what weekends are available, to book our group camping trip.
Sometimes, the weekend that works for everyone is in mid to late September and sometimes it falls during the month of October.
No matter the month or the weekend, do you know what I have found?
This camping trip always comes at just the exact and perfect time, when our family really needs it.
A brief break and chance to reset from what can be a run and gun season of school and sports and juggling all the extras that tend to pile on our plates in Fall.
Taking time during a demanding season, to simply experience nature, and spend time outdoors, with close friends, has become a rhythm and tradition that our children have definitely benefitted from and all look forward to year after year.
What Are The Benefits of Camping With Friends and Family
budget friendly vacation
Honestly?
A weekend camping trip feels like a cheap vacation!
What we have found over the years, is that “having fun” with friends and family does NOT need to cost a lot of money!
The kids are occupied, by simply re-engaging with nature and the outdoors!
And the adults are happy to simply sit around the campfire, reconnect and talk to catch up on life, without the distraction of house chores!
being outside gives your brain a much needed break
If you’re like us, our schedules have been overpacked and we have spent more hours than we would like in the car, driving to and from sports practices or inside office and school buildings, managing our work loads and assignments.
Spending time outside with friends, taking walks and hiking trails, not only gets the healthy endorphins going it has a way of resetting our minds and our moods in a positive, more lighthearted posture – that tends to welcome – silliness.
And silliness and fun?
Well those things are just good for the soul.
camping with friends helps to build lifelong friendships
I can’t say enough about the benefits our daughters have received by spending a weekend exploring new outdoor places with friends, who they trust and can just be themselves around.
These treasured weekends together have helped to strengthen a connection and bond that sets their friendships apart from any other.
Whether it’s time spent snuggling in sleeping bags, playing a scavenger hunt, or benefitting from a piggy back ride after tired hiking legs give in…
These kids have learned to laugh and let go –
And to just be kids, in a way that is so refreshing, especially the way our world is so technology driven today.
What to Bring On A Camping Trip With Family and Friends
camping tent
While I know camping in a cabin, also known as “glamping” has become more popular over the years. Our girls absolutely refuse to camp in anything other than a tent!!
They absolutely LOVE to pitch a tent and make up our “home away from home” with cozy sleeping bags and blankets!
Shawn ordered our 10 person tent from Amazon HERE and even though, we are only a family of 5 we do love being able to stand all the way upright, when standing inside the tent.
We also love the extra room the 10 person tent provides to spread out our bags and gear.
lightweight waterproof durable tarp
We always put down a heavy waterproof tarp on the ground first, for our tent to sit on top of, it works well as a barrier from the cold or damp ground.
leaf blower & heavy duty storage bin
If you know my husband, then you know he loves his leaf blower. 🙂
I will say it has proven to be useful to bring a leaf blower on our camping trip to help clear away your space.
We always camp in a developed campground, so there is always a designated space for setting up your tent. Sometimes, it is nice to blow off leaves and sticks to make sure you have a clear and clean space for pitching your tent.
Shawn’s newest toy – DeWALT Leaf Blower
We also use a heavy duty storage container for storing our tent and camp gear at home.
We then load that storage container inside our vehicle to easily transport all of the miscellaneous items like sleeping pads, trash bags, and the blue weather proof tarp.
air mattress
The very first year we went camping, I will never forget setting up our tent and suddenly hearing the sound of an air mattress being blown up, in the distance.
It was my best friend Jen, who was on the dispersed camping site next to us, who had the forethought of bringing an air mattress to sleep on top of! Genius!!
Needless to say, I have been bringing a queen size air mattress for Shawn and I to sleep on every year since – talk about a total game changer!!
The girls use sleeping pads and sleeping bags for now, but I do think next year we will add these twin sized air mattresses to our camping packing list for each of them to sleep on.
Our friends, Tim and Jackie like to use these camping cots, and enjoy the fact that they are elevated from the ground.
sleeping bags & Sleeping pads
Sleeping Bags // Sleeping Pads // Pillows
For ten years, our girls have been perfectly content to sleep on top of a sleeping pad and then, they lay their sleeping bags on top of the sleeping pads.
We also bring extra cozy blankets for layering on top, and everyone is snug as a bug! 🙂
pop up tent
It’s always a nice idea to have a pop up tent to literally pop up over the picnic table, or even over your sleeping tent as extra coverage, if the forecast is calling for rain.
camping chairs
Coleman Camping Chair // King Kong Camping Chair // Rocking Camping Chair
Highly recommend having a camping chair for everyone to be able to sit around the campfire!
jackery portable charger power station
Jackery Portable Power Station
I gave this portable charger to Shawn last Christmas, knowing that we were always having to borrow our friends portable power station in order to blow up our air mattresses.
This Jackery is outstanding!! It blew up all of the air mattresses and kept our phones charged all weekend!
first aid kit
Whenever we hike or leave our campsite, Shawn always has a backpack with a First Aid Kit to have on hand, just in case.
handheld mini dustpan & brush set
We have borrowed this mini dustpan and brush set more than once and it has come in super handy for tidying up our home away from home and keeping things neat!! 🙂
how to plan a camping trip with friends
Beyond setting the date for the camping weekend, the rest of the planning really comes down to one thing, can you guess?
That’s right – FOOD!
The biggest part of planning a camping trip with friends is all about planning your meals and coordinating a menu, then deciding which family is in charge of what meals!
plan your meals – camping menu
Borrow our tried and true weekend camping trip menu below!
Friday Night Menu:
Appetizers: Cheese and Crackers
Dinner: Chilli and Cornbread (made ahead of time and warmed on portable stove)
Dessert: Cookies and S’mores
Saturday Morning Breakfast Menu:
Eggs, Bacon, Breakfast Sausage & Hashbrowns, Coffee, Orange & Apple Juices.
For years, we used a table top butane portable gas camp stove, which worked really well!
And then?
You may remember, that I bought Shawn a Blackstone Grill a few years ago, when I shared this recipe, “How to Make Chicken Or Shrimp Fried Rice On The Blackstone Griddle”
And now?
Now, we load our Blackstone grill into the bed of our best friend’s pick up truck and we bring the Blackstone to the campground!
Talk about a game changer, when it comes to cooking food for a large group of growing kids!
Saturday Lunch Menu:
Hot Ham, Turkey and Cheese Sandwiches & Chips
Shawn and I bring all the lunchmeat, cheese, bread and chips and Shawn loves making everyone lunch on the blackstone!
Saturday Night Dinner Menu:
Walking Tacos in a bag are always a hit with kids and adults!
We cook the ground beef or turkey ahead of time and warm it up on the griddle and serve with Doritos or Fritos bags of chips, topped with shredded cheese, lettuce, salsa and sour cream.
The name of the game is SIMPLE when it comes to the camping menu!
Sunday Morning Breakfast:
Muffins & Doughnuts!
Super simple, as everyone is starting to break down the tents and pack up to go home!
How To Enjoy Camping With Family And Friends
In our experience, the best way to enjoy a weekend away, camping with friends is to keep a loose hold on the “agenda.”
In other words…allow yourselves to let go of the schedule, the need to be anywhere at any specific time and just –
Go with the flow!
sit & linger around the campfire
Whether it’s eating your meals around the campfire, or roasting smore’s while telling spooky stories.
The campfire offers an easy place to circle up, connect and enjoy one another’s company in an un-rushed way, that we don’t always experience in our regular rhythms at home.
hang out in a camping hammock!
Our kids all love to enjoy taking a snooze or swinging in these easy to hang camp hammocks.
bring bikes or scooters
Our kids always love taking a group bike or scooter ride around the campground together!
go fishing!
The kids have never met a stream they didn’t want to try to fish in! 🙂
Coloring books for quiet morning activities
Coloring books always came in handy, especially when the kids were younger to keep them occupied and quiet until the rest of the campground started to stir awake!
The kids would color, while the adults sipped coffee and started to get breakfast going!
break out the games & puzzles
We used to call Livvy the “puzzle queen” because she loves puzzling, just like her Momma!
We still break out the puzzles, playing cards and travel checker board!
A favorite new game that we played this year is this playing card game: TACO, CAT, GOAT, CHEESE, PIZZA.
The Mom’s and kids all played and were cracking up!!! Highly recommend!!
walkie talkies for kids
Before the kids had cell phones, they loved playing man hunt and used these walkie talkies to stay in touch with the adults.
have fun with glow sticks
Love bringing glow sticks to enjoy and also helps to see the kids running around, as it gets dark!
carve pumpkins
A favorite fun activity to enjoy while camping is to carve pumpkins and then light them at the edge of your campsite as a way to spread festive cheer for the Fall season!
take a hike on a trail & enjoy the view!
Our favorite camping activity to enjoy with friends is to take a hike, talk and walk and enjoy the view around us!
Don’t forget to stop and take a group picture, one you will cherish for years – take my word for it!
That’s a how to camp with friends wrap friend!
I hope this post helps you to be inspired to find and channel your inner “Happy Camper” Spirit!
If there’s one thing I know…
I know I am so thankful my husband started this family and friend camping tradition ten years ago.
Because, there is something super special that is baked into these camping memories…
If you’re feeling inspired to embrace all that the Fall season has to offer, don’t miss this post from 2022: “How to Embrace The Season of Fall and Find Direction” – I think you will enjoy it!
Living on a prayer,
Heather
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what a helpful list of hints and the chronology of watching the kids evolve is priceless
Thank you so much.