With the hottest part of the summer finally behind us, camping (or at least spending the day out and about in national parks) doesn’t sound like such a tortuous idea anymore. Camping is a frugal activity in the first place; compared to going shopping or heading to the movies or even going on vacation to the beach it’s practically free. Just imagine if you stepped away from the computer you’re sitting at right now for a moment and found yourself outdoors. Imagine the space, the quiet, beautiful nature scenes…but if you aren’t careful, also hundreds of dollars of camping...

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It is fun to get out in nature with the family. It provides some quality alone time and a good dose of important exercise. Hiking with your children is a wonderful thing. However, hiking with children can have some serious drawbacks. Below are five tips on how to have a safe and enjoyable hike with children. Hiking with Children Tip #1 Proper Clothing and Shoes All members of the family should wear proper clothing and shoes on a hike. For short hikes, sneakers or cross-trainers will probably suffice. For longer hikes, however, both adults and children will benefit from properly fitting hiking...

by Jimmy Downson When you’re going camping – and I mean real camping, out in the middle of the woods – finding a good campsite can sometimes be a bit of a problem. Although you won’t be spending all of your time at your campsite, it does serve as your “home base” for your trip and it makes sense to select one carefully. But how do you decide on a campsite? Let’s take a look. The most important thing to look for in a potential campsite is a reasonable stretch of level ground. How large it needs to be will depend on a few factors, but try to find a spot that is...

by Joel Fremont Every year people tend to look forward to the summer, because summer means more free time, relaxing at the beach, swimming at the local pools, barbequing, watching baseball games, time off from school, and of course summer vacations. This year however, more and more people seem to be opting out of the vacation due to the state of the economy and their personal financial situation. There seems to be so much negative surrounding today, with the hope for tomorrow; and, this does not need to be the situation with your vacation. Don’t put off your vacation – take advantage of the...

by Alexandra Vrugt Summer is the perfect time to head out on a family camping trip. But, many families are trying to figure out how to squeeze in a good camping trip without doing major damage to their budgets and bank accounts during this economy crisis. There are definitely ways that families that are concerned about saving, cost-cutting, and getting more for less can enjoy a camping trip that they will remember for a lifetime. Here’s how: Don’t let the equipment cost you a mint. Buy for cheap all of the equipment that you need for a great camping trip. Look in places like thrift stores,...

by Steve Thibeault A camping trip should be a lot of fun and whilst you need to be sure that you have all the essentials that you will require, you also don’t want to feel as if you’re being tired out by all the stuff that you have to lug around. A trip into the great outdoors should be enjoyable from start to finish, but it won’t be if you feel tired out after only the first few miles. When most people think about a camping expedition, the first thing that comes to mind is where are we going to sleep at night? This is of course a fundamental worry as our bodies and minds are used to...

Every campground has their share of obnoxious campers. Someone said, look to your left, to your right, in front of you, behind you, if you don’t see an obnoxious camper, you may be it. If you want to make sure you are that obnoxious camper, just follow these ten trusted and proven tips: 1. Arrive at the campground very late after everyone’s asleep. Drive around the entire campground with your headlights on so you can inspect each potential campsite fully. The blinding light may also serve to wake campers to make shadow puppets inside their tent if they want. 2. While you and your family carefully...

Nothing is more miserable than trying to sleep when you are cold. Sleeping warm during winter camping requires following a short list of basic tips to eliminate moisture and keep your body heat stable. Following is a list of cold-weather camping tips to make you more comfortable on winter camping trips: *Buy a quality sleeping baga mummy bag rated for 10 degrees or lower with quality fill material, zipper baffles, and drawstring hood. *Vent the tent at night. This prevents condensation from your breath from forming on the inside roof of the tent and dripping on you and your sleeping bag while...

To me, a vacation consists of: getting away, resting physically, mentally reflecting and having an adventure. This is camping! Get away~ there is no vacation more flexible than camping. It’s possible to camp on a mountain, along a river, on a beach, in a desert, in the woods, or on a gravel pad. The travel involved can be part of the experience. The best part of camping is really being away from houses, buildings and other “real life” reminders. This is truly getting away. Physical rest~ camping doesn’t have to be work! Keep it simple. Bring prepared foods, a pop-up...