Car camping has become extremely popular in recent years. While it’s not as luxurious as Glamping, there are some car camping essentials you’d never have if you had to pack your stuff any major distance into a campsite.
Car Camping gives you the ability to bring as much stuff as you can fit into your car. Of course, there are things that you should bring camping no matter what, but car camping essentials are always better and more comfortable. While you can definitely follow the standard camping list, here are the essentials for a great car camping adventure.
Cabin Tent
When car camping you want a nice sized tent. Forget about how many people it can hold. You won’t be trying to squeeze 4 people into a tent the size of a double bed, just to save weight. You want a tent that is big enough for at least one queen-sized air mattress, plus space for your stuff. When car camping look for cabin tents, they give you lots of floor space and headroom. This makes it much more comfortable.
Another thing you can bring with you if you already a smaller tent is grab a canopy. This gives you room to lounge under cover from the sun or rain. You can always place your tent under the canopy add a few tarps for sides and get the same size as a cabin tent with more versatility of use outside of camping.
Air Mattress
For car camping, you’ll want to ditch the sleeping bag and cot, for the comfort of an air mattress and even fitted sheets. Grab a nice queen size air mattress and your choice of sheets. This way you can sleep in the same comfort as at home.
However, don’t forget the power inverter for when your campsite doesn’t have an electric outlet. You can, of course, buy an air mattress that uses a battery-powered pump, but they take longer. Plus your car is already close enough that using an inverter is a better option. Not to mention now you have a nice air mattress to use at home for when you have more guests than beds.
Chairs and Tables
Another big car camping essential is having a great chair to relax in around the campfire. Chairs come in all shapes and sizes so it’s really a personal choice. You can even go as far as getting a folding camp rocking chair. Talk about relaxing, rocking in a chair while watching a campfire. Does it get any better than that?
Camping Kitchen
While cooking over an open fire is great, it takes some time and lots of talent. When car camping having your own camping kitchen is a must better option. The first thing you’ll want is a camp stove. There are of course plenty of options there but since you don’t have to carry it far getting a nice Camp Chef Stove is a good start. They have options of griddles and a bag to carry them in. Plus you can run them off a 5-gallon propane bottle. Giving you plenty of gas and heat for all your cooking needs.
On top of a good camp stove, you’ll want to bring in your cast iron skillets and maybe even a few pans depending on your menu. Not to mention having a Dutch Oven for that amazing cobbler you’ll want for dessert. Don’t forget utensils, spatulas and all the other cookware.
Cooler
If you are planning a backpacking trip the idea of having anything is cooler is ridiculous, you wouldn’t want the weight. However, with car camping, you want a cooler. You have a great kitchen set up to cook amazing food. So, of course, you need to have great food to cook.
Just about any cooler will do for a couple of day trips. Even a cheap Igloo cooler will keep food cool for a couple of days with enough ice. Of course, if you want a cooler that will keep your food cold for a week you have to look at buying an Ozarks Trails cooler, as they are every bit as good as a Yeti for half the price.
Don’t forget a simple camping hack for coolers. Instead of filling your cooler full of loose ice cubes. Fill empty 1/2 and 1-gallon jugs with water. Freeze them and put them in your cooler. You’ll get the same cooling effect, with no worries over your food getting wet when the ice melts. Not to mention you’ll have ice water to drink.
Games / Activities
What would a car camping trip be without games to play between gourmet cooking and beautiful campfires? To start you’ll want to have cornhole to play. Because throwing bean bags at a board with holes is way more fun than it sounds. Then, of course, there’s the ladder ball toss game. If that’s not enough for you there’s always the old stand by of horseshoes. Plus you can bring board games, or just play capture the flag
Other stuff
These things are essential for a great car camping adventure, however, there are a few other things you could consider for your car camping trips. Such as camping lights, firestarters, and maybe even a radio or guitar for those musically inclined.
When you are car camping you can enjoy the great outdoors and have many of the comforts of home. It’s really up to how much space you have in your car, and what you want to pack. If you are staying at a campground with electricity you can even grab a portable AC unit and run an extension cord into your tent. Just so you can be cool at night.
Conclusion
The essentials of car camping is being comfortable. Not everyone can own a camper, and renting a cabin isn’t more a vacation than a camping trip. So grab your big cabin tent. Make your bed on a comfy air mattress, and set up a kitchen to rival your home. Then sit back in your chair and enjoy the great outdoors. Of course, you shouldn’t forget the other camping essentials, but car camping gives you so many options of things you can bring.