How to Plan a Camping Trip! (Our step by step process)

Want to go camping, but unsure of where to start with planning? In this blog we’re sharing a step by step process to plan a camping trip, based on our years of camping experience!

Nothing beats a night outdoors under the stars. Pitching a tent with an epic view (or rolling up in our van), watching the sunset, hearing the sounds of nature, hanging out by a fire, sleeping on the ground (okay, that part can be rough), and waking up to hot coffee with the sunrise is one of our favorite outdoor experiences.  

However, growing up I (Kathryn) hated being outdoors. I didn’t like bugs and I also didn’t like sweating. And I remember early on in our relationship, Adam suggested going camping and I was sort of dreading it. But clearly a lot has changed, as we now live full time in our self-converted Sprinter van and camp in our van every single night, plus have quite a few nights of tent camping per year. And we wouldn’t have it any other way! 

While I grew to love camping, it can be a daunting experience if you have never gone before. There is a lot to think about beforehand in order to have a safe and fun experience and if you’re not prepared, camping can be downright miserable. But we’re here to help make your experience amazing!

In this blog post, we’re sharing a step by step process to plan a camping trip. If you’re new to camping or just wanting some additional tips to make your camping trips go smoother, we hope it helps you plan the perfect camping trip!

Step #1: Pick your destination

The first step to plan a camping trip is typically the most fun: where do you want to go? The world is your oyster! Do you want to stay close to home or go across the country to a new destination? What type of scenery do you want to be in?

While this is a fun part of planning, as there are so many great camping destinations in the USA (and around the world), it can also be a bit overwhelming trying to decide.

One good thing to think about beforehand is what time of year you’d like to camp, as some destinations are better in certain seasons. For example, the Southwest can get VERY HOT in the summer and may not be ideal for camping, but is glorious in the fall-spring, while the Pacific Northwest can be rainy in the winter and is gorgeous in the summer.

We have camped in 30+ states in the United States and have a few spots that we especially love to camp at, if you’re looking for some ideas to get you started, here are some of our favorite camping destinations in the USA!

Southern Utah 

Best time of year: Late fall-early spring

Southern Utah is the perfect location for camping, especially free camping! With five national parks, all within a few hours of each other, plus other amazing areas and hikes outside of the national parks, and tons of free land, it’s an outdoor lover’s paradise!

For some itinerary options and things to do, check out:
10 Day Utah National Parks Road Trip Guide
The Best Things to do in Moab (+ where to stay & eat!)
Things to do in Kanab, Utah (+ where to stay, when to visit, & more!)
Things to do in Arches National Park (+ itineraries)
The Best Things to do in the Needles District at Canyonlands National Park
Visiting Island in the Sky at Canyonlands National Park (best things to do + 1 day itinerary)
The Best Things to do at Capitol Reef National Park (+ 1 to 4 day itineraries)
3 Days at Zion and Bryce National Parks

Pacific Northwest

Best time of year: Summer or early fall

The Pacific Northwest is our happy place. We lived in Seattle for three years and were able to explore so much of the region’s beauty. There are tons of areas to explore in the Pacific Northwest, but we especially lean towards the North Cascades, Mount Rainier, the Olympic Peninsula, Bend, and the Oregon Coast for camping!

For some itinerary options and things to do, check out:
The best things to do at Mount Rainier National Park (+ where to stay & park tips!)
Olympic Peninsula Road Trip Itinerary
A Weekend in the North Cascades Itinerary
20+ Amazing Things to do in Bend, Oregon (+ tips & itineraries for any season!)
3 Days in Bend & Crater Lake National Park
The Best Things to do in Cannon Beach on the Oregon Coast!

Southwest Colorado

Best time of year: Summer or early fall

Southwest Colorado is hands down one of our favorite areas in Colorado, as well as in the United States! With epic mountains, blue lakes, cool mining history, scenic drives, and fun towns, it’s a perfect basecamp for outdoor adventure. We were lucky enough to spend two months there in 2021 and fell madly in love with it!

For some itinerary options and things to do, check out:
12 Day Southwest Colorado Road Trip Itinerary

Arizona

Best time of year: Late fall-early spring

Arizona is a classic Southwest destination, with insane canyons, red rocks, tons of cacti, delicious food, and really cool cities and towns to explore. We LOVE going to Arizona in our van (and tent camping)!

For some itinerary options and things to do, check out:
The Best Things to do at Saguaro National Park West
1 Day in Page, Arizona Itinerary
1 Day at the Grand Canyon South Rim Itinerary
2 Days in Sedona Itinerary
2 Days in Scottsdale, Arizona Itinerary

South Dakota

Best time of year: Late spring through early fall

We visited South Dakota for a week long road trip back in 2020 and it is still one of our biggest surprises! The western part of the state is insanely gorgeous, with rock spires, waterfalls, mountain peaks (the highest east of the Rockies!), Native American history, and badlands. In just a 1-2 hour area, you can experience SO much in South Dakota!

For some itinerary options and things to do, check out:
7 Day South Dakota Road Trip Itinerary: Black Hills to Badlands
The Best Things to do in the Black Hills (hikes, towns, food, & more!)
The Best Things to do in Badlands National Park (+ where to stay & itineraries!)
The Best Things to do in Custer State Park (+ where to stay & itineraries!)

Maine

Best time of year: Late spring through early October (Note: we noticed a lot of campgrounds shut down in Maine in mid-October, so plan to visit before then for the best camping options!)

Maine is an incredible state for outdoor adventures! With mountains, lakes, a national park, and a rugged coastline, it offers a wide variety of scenery to enjoy on a camping trip! We spent a couple weeks exploring some of the coastline, including backpacking, and loved every second of our time

For some itinerary options and things to do, check out:
The Best Things to do in Acadia National Park (+ itinerary options!) 
How to Backpack the Cutler Coast in Maine
12 Day New England Fall Road Trip Itinerary (Vermont, New Hampshire, & Coastal Maine)
The Best Things to do in Acadia National Park (+ itinerary options!)

Minnesota’s North Shore

Best time of year: Summer or early fall

Minnesota’s North Shore is a GEM! We often say it’s the most underrated place we have visited because it completely blew us away! With the gorgeous Lake Superior, tons of state parks, waterfalls, beaches, an epic canoeing route, and cool towns, it has so much to offer. It reminded us a lot of the Pacific Northwest as well, so it’s a great choice for those who live in the Midwest and want that PNW vibe!

For some itinerary options and things to do, check out:
Visiting Minnesota’s North Shore (the best things to do + road trip itineraries!)

White Mountains in New Hampshire

Best time of year: Summer or fall

The White Mountains were probably our favorite area we visited in New England! These granite peaks are unlike most of the mountains on the east coast and we were completely in awe of the views just driving through this area, as well as on hikes! There are lots of camping options here, plus towns to explore and a wide range of hikes!

For some itinerary options and things to do, check out:
The BEST things to do in the White Mountains in New Hampshire (+ where to stay, itineraries, & more!) 
The Ultimate Guide to Driving the Kancamagus Highway in New Hampshire (tips, best stops, & more!)
12 Day New England Fall Road Trip Itinerary (Vermont, New Hampshire, & Coastal Maine)

Step #2. Choose your camping experience

When you think of camping, you may think of sleeping in a tent, but there are quite a few ways to camp. After choosing where you want to go, we’d suggest weighing the options to decide what experience you want to have before picking a campsite. Here are some of the options!

Tent camping

Tent camping is the classic way to camp! Putting together your own shelter for the night is a pretty cool feeling and allows you to be relatively exposed to the elements, making camping a more immersive experience. The downside of tent camping is that if it’s windy or rainy, it can be a tad brutal and sometimes sleeping on the ground, even with a sleeping pad, isn’t very comfortable, but it’s all part of the adventure!

Car camping

Car camping is when you sleep in your car at either a campground, rest area, or on free land. Before van life, we would do this occasionally at rest areas (where sleeping in a vehicle is sometimes allowed) to save money on road trips.

We’d put down the back seats of our SUV and sleep on our sleeping pads and in our sleeping bags. If you want to experience camping, but be a bit more protected from the elements, it can definitely be a good option. Some people even convert their SUVs to be the ultimate camping vehicle!

RV + Van Life

RVs and vans are the most luxurious way to camp and we will admit, ever since moving into our van, sleeping in a tent feels extra uncomfortable. Nothing beats having your own bed (or a bed in general) when sleeping out in nature, as well as a (mostly) full kitchen, fan, toilet, and for us, even a shower. While this may not be roughin’ it, it is a great way to combine the comforts of home and nature at the same time.

Don’t have a van or RV? You can rent one with Outdoorsy!

Backpacking

While we LOVE our van and its comforts, our favorite way to camp is to go backpacking! We consider backpacking to be any camping trip that requires you to hike into a campsite, carrying your gear with you. It’s incredibly rewarding to carry everything you need to survive on your back and provides for a much more remote, peaceful camping experience, as backpacking campsites are usually away from roads and crowds.

Step #3: Find your perfect camping spot

Just like choosing where to go and how to camp, there are also a lot of options when it comes to the type of campsites you can pick!

Do you want free or paid?

Depending on where you’re going, you may have the option of free or paid camping. Free camping is much easier to find out west, especially in more mountainous or desert areas. In the midwest and east, it’s pretty rare to find free camping, as there isn’t as much public land.

The pros of free campsites is that they are FREE (who doesn’t love saving some $$), but the downside is that they are usually first-come, first-served, so you will be taking a risk with getting a site. We personally try to free camp as much as possible, but there are definitely perks to paid campgrounds!

While paid campgrounds do cost money, you can sometimes find them for a good price (national parks, state parks, and national forest campgrounds tend to be much more reasonable than private campgrounds) and they are a guaranteed place to stay and usually offer some amenities. 

What type of hookups do you need?

Speaking of amenities, not all campgrounds are created equal! At the broadest level, there are three types of campsites: Campsites with full hookups, campsites with partial hookups, and boondocking. Here’s a quick rundown of each!

Campsites with full hookups

These campsites are the most expensive and will offer electrical and water hookups, plus sewage at the campsite. These are best for those in an RV or even a van (we do not need sewage) and will be a bit overkill for a tent camper.

Campsites with partial hookups

These campsites typically have electrical and/or water hookups at the campsite. This is what we usually shoot for if we are paying for a campground, as it gives us unlimited power to the van and it is also convenient to fill up water. For a tent camper, this may not be fully necessary, although power can be helpful to charge devices. Many campgrounds will have potable water spigots around, so you do not necessarily need water at your site.

Boondocking

This is what we do 90% of the time! Boondocking, also known as dry camping, is camping in a place that has zero services, so there are no hookups of any kind and sometimes not even a restroom, although many may have a pit toilet. It also may not have a trash can, so you must take your garbage with you. Free camping and popular boondocking spots are often closed periodically or for good when people don’t treat them with respect and leave trash. Please do not be a part of the problem!

You may also hear the term dispersed camping along with boondocking. This typically refers to boondocking in an area where there are no designated sites and campers are more dispersed among land. Boondocking can either be dispersed (no specific sites) or it can be actual designated campsites at a campground (free or paid). If paying for a boondocking site, it will be the cheapest option out of the three listed.

Other amenities

Beyond hookups, some other amenities that campgrounds may offer are: hot showers, pit toilets or flushing toilets, laundry, WiFi, playground, swimming pool, store with essentials, firewood for sale, and a dump station. The more amenities a campground offers, the more expensive it tends to be, but depending on what you want or need, it may be worth the extra money.

Tools we use to find campgrounds

If you want to camp for free, check out our detailed blog post all about free camping, including the apps we use, what is legal (and what is not), and important rules. Two of our favorite free camping apps are Campendium and freecampsites.net.

For paid camping, we tend to Google the area and see what campgrounds pop up, as well as check recreation.gov or find the local state park camping reservation tool to find campgrounds to stay at. Another cool tool is Hipcamp, which is where people can list land to camp on, similar to Airbnb, but for camping. We have done this before and stayed at an EPIC campsite in Washington along a river.

For both free AND paid camping, one app we love to use is The Dyrt! The Dyrt is a great resource to not only find campgrounds around the USA, but also to read reviews, look at photos, and see cell service reports. 

And with The Dyrt PRO, you can also download offline maps to find campgrounds without cell service, see map layers for BLM and national forest areas (to find free camping areas), and even get discounts (up to 40%) at select paid campgrounds!

Want to try The Dyrt PRO? Sign up for a FREE 30 day trial using our code AplusK! 

Other things to consider when choosing a campsite:

A few other things to keep in mind as you check out different campgrounds and campsites:

• Make sure to look at length requirements if you are taking an RV, as some campsites will be too small for an RV or even a van.
• Check the fire regulations, as fires may not be allowed.
• Look at the conditions of the road to the campground. This can especially be an issue for free camping. Tools like Campendium, The Dyrt, and Freecampsites.net provide good info on the conditions!
• Do you need cell service to work? Since we work full time on the road, this is a big consideration for us. Apps like The Dyrt PRO (which has cell phone map layers, plus cell phone service reports) and Campendium are good for figuring out if you’ll have service.
• Look at campsite photos to see if the site seems private. We try to book campsites at the end of a row if we can, that way one side is neighbor-free, as well as choose sites that do not have a site that backs up to it. We also like to pick campgrounds with lots of trees between sites!
• Some campgrounds offer walk in sites, where you park a specific distance from your site and walk in. These usually aren’t long walks, but it’s something to take note of in case you are not up for that.
• If you plan to camp with a dog, make sure they are allowed! Even though dogs are not allowed on most trails at national parks, they tend to be allowed in national park campgrounds.

Step #4: Plan your camping itinerary 

Now that you have a good idea of where you want to go and how you want to camp, it’s time to plan out your itinerary! A few questions to ask and think about:

• Do you plan to camp for multiple nights?
• How long is the drive to where you’re going?
• Are you going to be road tripping and need different campsites for each night?

Even if you plan to wing it a bit with free campsites that are not guaranteed, we still recommend making a list of your ideal spots per night to have handy!

This is also a good time to figure out what else you want to do during your camping trip. Do you want to go for hikes? Kayak? 

If you need a way to organize your information, we have a travel planning document that you can download and customize for your trip! We also suggest using The Dyrt PRO‘s trip planner tool to create your route, save campgrounds along the way, and even save gas stations!

Step #5: Make campground reservations (if applicable)

We have found that over the last couple years, more and more people are getting outdoors and camping, so it’s harder to snag a campsite last minute. If you decide to camp at a campground with designated sites, make sure to make reservations in advance (if applicable)! While not every campground accepts reservations, we have found that the ones that do tend to book up well in advance.

We suggest planning a camping trip at least a few months ahead of time, with even more planning time if you want to go in the summer (some campgrounds accept reservations six months in advance). Also, try to be flexible on the dates if you can. Weekdays will be the easiest days to secure!

One perk of free, dispersed camping, especially in more wide open areas with ample space, is that we can almost always find a spot and can decide to go somewhere last minute, but for the more official campgrounds with amenities, you need to plan ahead.

Step #6: Make your travel plan

While you may be camping close to home and can just hop in the car after work and head to the campground, if you’re planning on visiting somewhere further from home, make sure you have your travel plans sorted out, including if you need to book a flight to get to your destination, as well as a rental car. Or if you will be driving a long distance and need to book any accommodations along the way before you get to your major camping destination.

Note on rental cars: if you do need to rent a car to get to your camping destination, make sure you rent the right kind! Some boondocking spots may require 4×4 to get to, but most traditional campgrounds are fine in any vehicle.

Step #7: Figure out what camping gear you’ll need

As you plan your camping trip, it’s a good idea to take inventory of what camping gear you have already and what you may need. We have a blog about all of our backpacking gear + a packing list (which works well for regular camping as well!), but here are a few specific items to make sure you think about beforehand.

Camping gear

Some of the basic essentials you’ll need are a tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad (or you can go all out with an air mattress!), and a pillow. Chairs are also nice to have!

If you do not have camping gear, REI rents out a bunch of different items and there may be a store near where you’re going that rents as well! 

Ten essentials

We always recommend having the 10 essentials on you when exploring outdoors. Not sure what the 10 essentials are? Learn how to make a 10 essentials kit.

Trash bags

Make sure to bring bags or something to put your trash in so you can pack it out (if there are no trash cans) or store your trash to throw away at the campground.

Cooking gear

At the minimum, we recommend a backpacking stove, propane, kettle, bowls, some sort of pot or pan, and silverware, but for fancier camping, you can bring a multi-burner Coleman stove and other fun kitchen gadgets (we love our instant pot in our van!). 

We suggest bringing aluminum foil as well. We try to cook on foil over the fire grates, as they can sometimes be a bit gross. Cast iron pans are awesome for cooking over a fire too!

Water

While some campgrounds have lots of potable water spigots, boondocking and free camping may not have any water, so make sure to bring plenty of water for both drinking and cooking, plus any hiking you may do. We also love having a water filter on us in case we need to fill up from a river or lake!

Power banks

Since you won’t have access to power at free campsites, make sure to bring some power banks to keep your phone charged in case of an emergency. We like this Anker power bank, as it’s thin and can charge multiple devices at once.

Level blocks

Campsites can often be unlevel, so if you’re bringing an RV or van, keep this in mind. While we are pretty used to sleeping slanted, being able to level yourself a bit will improve your quality of sleep. We just use some wood to level our van, but level blocks work great too!

Bear safety 

A fed bear is a dead bear! If camping in an area with bears, be very mindful of cooking near your tent or leaving any scented items or food scraps out by your site. For tent camping, please put any scented items and trash in your vehicle at night or in a bear canister. Some campgrounds will also have food storage lockers to keep your scented items in. We also carry bear spray on us for safety!

Step #8: Plan your meals for the trip

We highly suggest planning meals in advance to maximize your camping and adventuring time and avoid having to run in and out of town during your trip.

Our favorite camp meals

For super easy meals when camping, we love bringing backpacking meals! These only require some hot water, so they are very easy to make on a trail or at a campsite. Some of our favorites are Wild Zora, Backpacker’s Pantry Pad Thai, and Peak Refuel Chicken Coconut Curry.

For campfire meals, Fresh off the Grid has soooo many recipes for campfire cooking! We also love doing campfire foil packets, campfire pizza, and just cooking up steak or burgers on a cast iron over the fire! And you can never go wrong with s’mores! Our favorite way to eat s’mores is with Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups instead of plain chocolate…it’s life changing.

And don’t forget coffee! We love Kuju coffee for quick coffee while camping, but on a daily basis in our van, we grind our own beans and do a simple pour over style coffee.

Storing food

To store food items, bring a cooler! We have a YETI Tundra 45 Cooler that we used a ton before van life and it kept items cold for days! We even brought this cooler on an airplane (as checked luggage) for a Utah trip and not only did it act as an extra suitcase to store items, but it helped us be able to camp much more easily and not rely on the low quality styrofoam coolers you get at the grocery store.

Step #9: Look for amenities nearby

One thing that is especially important for us, being full time van lifers, is looking at the areas we are camping to figure out where we can get specific amenities we need. While this may not apply to every camper, depending on how long you’re going, if you need to work at all during your trip, or have chores to do, some amenities we suggest looking for are:

Grocery store + restaurants

If you anticipate needing some supplies or if experiencing the local restaurant scene is a priority when camping, make sure to check into what the different grocery store options are, as well as find any restaurants that you want to try! We tend to use Google reviews and YouTube channels + blogs (like ours!) to find places to eat when we travel.

Internet

Since we work full time on Adventures of A+K on the road, we are always in need of internet to not only get basic tasks done, but to also upload YouTube videos. Sometimes we get lucky and get campsites with good cell service and can use our hotspot devices, but other times we have to rely on places in town to get internet.

Some of our go-tos are libraries (FREE!), coffee shops, and if we are closer to a bigger city or town, Whole Foods. Fun fact: Whole Foods tends to have some of the fastest WiFi out there and is our favorite place to upload YouTube videos, as they upload super quickly.

Laundry

Many people ask how we do laundry on the road and the answer is…laundromats! Laundromats can usually be found in any town or city (quality may vary) and for about $10 per trip (two washing loads + one drying load), we are able to keep our clothes clean. While this may not be needed for a short trip, if you’re going for a longer camping adventure, laundromats will be your go-to, unless you are staying at a campground with laundry.

Don’t forget some quarters! Most laundromats are still coin operated, although we have found some that do take cards. Some also take laundromat specific cards, which are cards that only work at that laundromat. Be careful of these! You have to preload them (sometimes it requires a minimum of $20) and if you don’t plan to go back to that laundromat, you’re out that money.

Water-Fill Up + Dump Stations

If you’re traveling in a van or RV, you may need to fill up with potable water or empty any black or grey tanks at a dump station. While some campgrounds have these services, others do not, and we rely on Campendium, iOverlander, and Sanidumps to help us find places to do this.

If you are camping in a very remote area and will not have access to these amenities, make sure you plan for this!

Fuel

If you plan to drive around a lot or are going on a camping road trip, make sure to look ahead of time to see what your fuel options are, in order to not get into a tricky situation in a remote area.

We love using GasBuddy to find the best fuel prices and we also are able to save money on fuel by using reward programs. We use Shell rewards, which saves us 5 cents a gallon, as well as Safeway (a grocery store) rewards, which over time can build up and can save us even more than that!

Step #10: Review Leave No Trace Principles

Before you head out, PLEASE review the Leave No Trace principles to ensure you leave every place better than you found it, so that others can enjoy these beautiful places for many years to come!

These seven principles include planning ahead and preparing, hiking and camping on durable surfaces, disposing of waste properly (pack out what you pack in!), understanding campfire rules and always fully extinguishing your fires, respecting wildlife, and being considerate of other visitors.

Step #11: Check the weather

A couple days before your camping trip, make sure to check the weather! As the saying goes, “there’s no such thing as bad weather, only improper gear,” so if it’s going to be cold or rainy, you’ll want to make sure you bring any extra items to stay comfortable.

For rainy camping trips, make sure to bring a rain jacket, backpack covers to keep your packs dry if you plan to hike, and even a tarp to go over your picnic table and fire ring area so you can still enjoy the outdoors, even with precipitation.

For the cold, bring hand warmers to have in your tent at night. It makes it a lot more comfortable!

Step #12: Download offline maps

As we mentioned earlier, many campgrounds (as well as hiking areas) do not have the best cell service. We always download offline Google Maps before we travel to an area, so we can navigate to the campground and other areas we plan to explore without service. This also enables you to look up anything you may need, like fuel or groceries, even if you do not have cell service.

We also suggest using The Dyrt PRO to download offline maps to find campgrounds without cell service. This will be especially helpful if you plan to free camp and don’t have set campground plans.

Lastly, make sure to download any hiking trails on AllTrails! We use AllTrails for all of our hikes to not only research and find hikes to do (plus read reviews), but to navigate on trails without service to make sure we do not get lost.

Step #13: Pack for your trip

Packing for a camping trip can be a bit overwhelming, so we suggest starting to pack a few days before to ensure you didn’t miss anything. When it comes to packing, make sure to pack the items we mentioned in Step #7, plus items we mention in our backpacking packing list and 10 essentials kit list, but here are a few additional items to not forget:

Firewood

The best practice with firewood is to purchase it close to where you’re camping. If you plan to drive across state lines, try to wait until you’re near your campground to buy firewood. This is to help prevent the spread of invasive species. Some campgrounds do sell firewood, but make sure to check in advance (and have cash on you!)

Make sure that where you’re camping is currently allowing fires though. There are often fire bans out west in the summer due to wildfire risks.

Ice

If you plan to bring a cooler with food, make sure to get ice! You can usually find this at any grocery store and most gas stations.

Permits + Reservation

If you need a permit to camp (or a pass like the America the Beautiful pass), make sure to bring it with you! We also recommend printing or screenshotting your reservation confirmation in case you’re unable to access your email when you get to the campground.

Entertainment

Whenever we go camping or backpacking, we try to download podcasts and Netflix to bring with us so we have something to watch or listen to at night in the tent. We also like to bring games, cards, or a book to enjoy by the fire!

Step #14: Tell someone your plan

Even if you are traveling with a group, it’s a good idea to tell someone outside of your group your travel plans, including where you’ll be camping, the dates, and where you may be hiking, just in case you run into an emergency situation. 

We carry a Garmin InReach Mini on us at all times, which allows us to communicate with loved ones if we do not have cell service or use SOS in case of emergencies (thankfully we haven’t had to). It does require a monthly subscription, but it can be as low as around $10/month.

Step #15: Have a blast!

And now it’s time for the final (and best step)….going camping! We hope that this guide helped you plan a camping trip and that you have a BLAST! Make sure to eat an extra s’more for us!

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