If you had told me five years ago that I’d go on a camping trip, sleep in a tent, shower in communal showers and actually enjoy it, I’d have laughed hysterically. But here we are, in the year 2024, and I have been camping three times, and have actually come to enjoy it (okay maybe not the communal bathrooms part).

Eddie grew up camping and taking part in Boy Scouts, something that he holds so dear to his heart and has so many good memories of. So of course, when it came time for Caleb to join Scouts, Eddie was all about it. I was very hesitant the first time we went camping, but since I’m married to an Eagle Scout, I trusted his knowledge. We ended up having a great group, which made the trip all the better. Eddie and Caleb have since been on multiple camping trips, and we pick up something new each time.

Our Setup

This time, our setup was fantastic. We had a tent where the four of us could sleep comfortably, Eddie and I on an inflatable mattress and the kids in sleeping bags on top of sleeping pads. Right outside of the tent, Eddie set up an outdoor rug and a canopy tent, along with a table, our cooler and our chairs.

On one side of our tent Eddie set up another table with a little burner stove where we could heat up water for coffee and additional food we had brought from home. Food can always be a stressful part of a camping trip, but there are so many different ways to handle food, and as long as you are prepared it’s totally doable. We brought food that was pre-cooked for lunch and just heated it up on the skillet, but since were were with such a large group, there were also meals provided and different groups took turns cooking.

Top Tips for Camping

1. Bring slip on sandals. These work for showers and for quick trips out of the tent.
2. KEEP THE TENT ZIPPED UP. If you’re in Florida, there are bugs, no matter what time of year. Minimize the amount of time that the tent door is unzipped, or you’ll have bugs buzzing around you all night. We also tell our kids they are not allowed to go into other peoples’ tents (and we don’t allow other kids to go into our tent).
3. Pack extra garbage bags. When it’s time to pack up, throw pillows and blankets in there for easy access to throw in the wash when you get home.
4. Bring more lights than you think you need. The kids will want lights to do anything in the evenings, and so will you.
5. Batteries, battery packs, chargers. Bring it all. I didn’t spend much time on my phone BUT I was grateful to be able to have it charged.
6. Dress strategically. I dress the kids before bed in whatever clothes they are going to be in the next morning. They get excited when they hear their friends outside the tent, and they don’t want to wait to change. Just cut out a step and dress them the night before. Also, avoid wearing shorts, especially in Florida. Pants and socks covering your ankles will save you from big bites.
7. If it’s your first time camping, maybe try to go with someone who has at least some camping experience.
8. Bring instant coffee. We’ve done coffee in many different forms, but just heating up the water on the stove and doing instant coffee has been the best tasting option we’ve come across.
9. Bring a shower caddy and a waterproof bag that you can use to bring your things to and from the bathroom. You will want to get dressed in the shower stalls, so you’re not walking around camp in a towel. Bring easy to use products that take care of multiple things – like shampoo/body wash combos, and that everyone can use. Body wipes are also helpful if there are no showers or if the showers are gross.
10. Mentally prepare! You’ll never be as comfortable as you are at home and you’ll probably realize you need something while you’re there. You’ll feel weird brushing your teeth where others do and using public toilets all the time, but you will survive it.

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xoxo,