3 Tips to Get a Head Start Planning Your Outdoor Adventure
Whether it's your first time camping or you’re a seasoned pro, it’s never too early to start planning your outdoor adventure. Getting a head start can help answer many questions and prevents issues you hadn’t even though about from occurring. Everything from the weather to amenities at the campground can be anticipated prior to your trip. This gives you more flexibility and options when you’re traveling and will help you decide what to bring camping as you prepare for your trip.
1. Do Your Research
Start by deciding where you want to go and how you’re going to get there. Some helpful questions to ask are:
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Will you be traveling in an RV or tent camping?
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Will you be traveling with a group?
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Are there limited days you can travel?
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What amenities do you need?
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Are there specific excursions you want to take or activities you want to do?
You also might want to research fun things to do along the way or while you’re at your destination. Keep an open mind! This can look like fun roadside attractions, interesting places to eat, places of historical interest, or bringing the right games and outdoor adventure gear that’s sure to make your trip memorable.
Reading the campsite reviews and looking at the photos of the area will be helpful too. People love to share their experience by giving first-hand accounts of what their trip to your destined location was like. There's so much inspiration available out there, that you should be able to get a good idea of what to bring camping and what to expect.
Finally, look up all the best maps and hiking trails before you embark on your trip. Knowing everything such as the potential length of time and visual landmarks makes it much easier for you and your travel companions. Proper preparation and planning will help you have a much better trip overall.
Tip: Mobile Apps like All Trails can be handy, but also be sure to have a printed guidebook on hand in case you don’t have cell reception.
2. Make Reservations Early
With so many more people visiting in a season, parks are put in a unique situation. While they don't want to compromise the experience of their guests, there also can be dangerously high numbers of visitors, which may put the park at risk.
Try looking for alternative opportunities off the beaten path and plan your trip well in advance to have the vacation you've always dreamed of. Because of their natural beauty and affordability, national parks are now topping the vacation destination list for many people.
Tip: You can book National Park campsites up to 6 months in advance. If you’re planning on visiting multiple National Parks, a U.S. Park Pass may be the way to go!
3. Getting Organized
From meal prepping to planning excursions, there seems to be endless things you can do to pack and plan for your outdoor adventure. The last thing you want to do is get there and realize you forgot an essential piece of camping equipment.
The key is making sure you have a way to keep your camping equipment organized to avoid the frustration of unpacking and realizing all the contents have shifted and buried an essential item you need.
Many people recommend using clear plastic tubs or some kind of camping box and create specific kits out of each tub to store all their camping accessories. For example, a kitchen kit, first aide kit, sleeping kit, etc.
Ultimately, your goal should be to spend less time packing your camping equipment and more time enjoying the outdoors.
Tips: A portable storage solution like this Out-In-About Box™ is a simple and compacted way to store all your supplies and equipment for your outdoor adventures.
Before you decide how you're going to organize you should know what you're going to bring.
Download the Essential Camping Checklist to be sure you know exactly what to bring camping.
