Car Camping Guide: Tips & Essential Gear List
Car camping is a great getaway that’s easier than backcountry hiking. Whether you’re looking for an easy way to get into camping or just want a simple, quick weekend trip, car camping is a fantastic way to relax.
What Is Car Camping?
Car camping is any camping that uses your car as a base. This is usually done at dedicated campsites, where you can drive right up to a designated space and use that as your campground. You don’t have to sleep in your car (though you can if you want). Most people park at (or near) their campsite and pitch a tent close by, which is more fun and more comfortable for most people.
Car Camping Benefits
Having your vehicle close by means being able to bring more gear, and keeping that gear secure. It also means flexibility to travel when and where you want over the course of your trip, however long that trip may last.
Bring More Gear
Car campers can bring more gear, because they have more storage space. Torn about whether to bring that camp grill with you? It’s a much easier choice when you know you don’t have to make room for it in your pack. Want a roomy, luxurious tent that can fit the whole family? Go for it! You have room to spare. Do you want to get in some lake time while you’re camped out? Nothing’s stopping you from bringing a fully-loaded fishing kayak. With your car doing the heavy lifting, you don’t have to worry about packing strategically. You can focus on what you want to bring, instead of what you’re able to bring.
Lock Up Your Gear for Safety
Good camping gear is an investment. Protecting that investment makes sense. One big advantage of car camping is being able to lock your gear away when you aren’t using it. Whether it’s your prized collection of fishing tackle, a portable solar charger, or your favorite sleeping bag, you can keep it locked up when you can’t keep an eye on it. (If you do go hiking, make sure to keep your keys somewhere safe. You don’t want them falling out of your pocket “somewhere” along your 5 mile hike.)
Cover More Ground and Explore New Places
Hiking from campground to campground is an invigorating, fun challenge. But if you want to see a lot of different sites quickly, driving from campsite to campsite definitely lets you cover more terrain. If you’re working toward a specific goal, like hitting up all of the best waterfalls in the Pacific Northwest, driving from campsite to campsite can let you do more and see more in one trip.
Make Plans on the Fly
Another upside of staying close to your car is that you’re flexible. If you make some new friends who are heading out to a different campsite, or learn that the sunset’s better on the other side of the canyon, you can just hop in the car and take off. You still get to explore nature; you’re just not bound to one trail or one campground. (You should still always make sure someone back home has your itinerary and knows where you are, so let that person know if you change plans.)
Leave Any Time
The other side of that flexibility is that you can leave whenever you want. If someone back home gets sick and needs your help, or if you just don’t get along with the people at the next campsite, it’s no effort to pack up and head out—either to a different campsite, or back home.
Car Camping Gear - What to Bring
It’s important to be prepared whenever you head to the campsite, and with the extra room your car gives you, there’s no reason not to. Even if you can just drive to the store in a pinch, the 10 camping essentials are still essential. Bring them with you, along with anything else you may need or want. Take advantage of the space you’re giving yourself.
Personal Gear
Bringing personal gear along is always a good idea. This includes things you’ll want for safety and convenience. Firestarters, headlamps, pocket knives, rain gear, and similar equipment are always smart to have on hand. A good first aid kit is a key part of any excursion. And while you may not be sticking to campsites for the most part, having a navigation method like a compass or GPS is a good idea. (So is toilet paper. Even if you’re not heading to the backcountry, you can never be too careful.)
Tent
Your increased carrying capacity means that you can get a larger, more comfortable tent. It also means you don’t have to worry about tents being super light. Since lighter gear tends to cost more money, you can save on weight while getting the size you need. Camping tents like the Copper Canyon or Space Camp are great for car camping. They have a roomy footprint, so you can get the whole family in on the fun. The walls are tall enough that you can put cots inside, if you want. That’s not always an option with more economically-sized tents. A tent finder tool can help you get exactly what you’re looking for.
Sun Shade and Rain Tarp
While you’re enjoying the great outdoors, you’ll want some protection from the sun. If you’re spending most of your time at a campsite, that can mean more than just “sunscreen” or “a big hat”. If you want protection from sun, wind, and rain, you might consider a light shelter. This isn’t the same thing as a tent--rather, it’s a light covering meant for keeping out bugs and other elements while you stare at the beach, take in a mountain view, or even throw a picnic.
The Nobugzone 3-In-1 Shelter combines a tarp and a bug mesh for versatile protection, while the Northern Breeze Screen House can keep the sun (and insects) away from your gatherings, with a footprint large enough to fit a picnic table inside.
Sleeping Bag and Pad
You’ll want to sleep as comfortably as you can, and there’s no reason not to. Since pack weight isn’t an issue, you can get the biggest, coziest sleeping bag you want. And your wallet will thank you. Larger bags are more affordable than sleek, highly-engineered bags that offer a higher warmth-to-weight ratio. You’ll also want a sleeping pad for comfort and insulation. And since comfort is the name of the game here, you may even want a camp cot for your tent, to get you off the ground and nestled in for a good night’s rest.
Camp Stove and Cooking Accessories
One of the best parts of car camping is the cooking. You’re not restricted by hiking considerations. You can bring as large a stove or grill as you want. And making the meals you want, when you want, is easier when you can keep ingredients like butter in a cooler instead of wondering how far you can hike before they give up on you.
Your camp stove doesn’t have to be huge, or ornate. But you might as well take advantage of your storage space. If you’re camping with your whole family, get a grill that can make enough for everyone, instead of cooking in shifts. Find the camp stove that suits your needs, whatever they are. And while you’re letting yourself experience the joys of cooking, don’t skimp out on the joys of coffee. A coffee maker like the Camp Café can get the perfect pot brewing for you and your whole crew.
Food and Drinks + Storage
Healthy food and snacks aren’t just enjoyable, they’re important in fueling you for the things you want to do. Getting calorie-rich nutrition with lots of protein can help you power through, whether you’re day-hiking, kayaking, or playing volleyball at the campsite.
Car camping means you don’t need as much forethought or ingenuity in your meal prep as you do when you’re camping. But there are still plenty of ways to make cooking easier or faster. Doing meal prep at home to reduce cook time at the campsite is always a great idea. But if you want to really take time, luxuriate in the act of cooking, now’s your chance. Either way, the option to bring a cooler means that you can use ingredients that wouldn’t last long on the trail. Now’s the perfect time to perfect all the camping recipes you want, in a low-stress, low-stakes situation.
Camp Furniture
Another way to make the most of a car camping trip is to give yourself time and space to just relax. Camping chairs can help you get the most comfort out of an evening campfire, and camping tables are great for preparing and serving food and coffee. In the backcountry, you usually make do the furniture nature provides. But when you’re staying at a campground, there’s no reason not to make it a home away from home.
Camping Games
Don’t forget ways to stay entertained! Games like horseshoes or bags/cornhole are great for a lazy afternoon at the campsite, and a deck of cards is a classic. You may also want to bring a net for volleyball or badminton, or bring a disc for disc golf or Ultimate.
Toiletries and Hygiene
Don’t forget to bring your toiletries! Having soap and toothpaste on hand just feels nice, and your fellow campers will appreciate it as much as you do. Bringing toilet paper along isn’t a bad idea, either. Many campsites have toilet facilities, but it’s best to be prepared.
First Aid Kit
You may already have a first aid kit in your car. It’s a good idea to have one, even if you aren’t a camper. But if you don’t keep one already, you should definitely pick one up (or put one together) for camping trips. From preventative measures like insect spray and sun lotion to essentials like bandages and hydrogen peroxide, a good camping first aid kit means you’re ready for anything, even if you don’t need it on your trip.
Camping Checklist
Everyone’s needs are different, but consulting a good checklist can help you make sure you don’t forget anything. Even if your own checklist is slightly different, taking a look at someone else’s is a lot easier than making one from scratch, and it might even remind you of things you meant to bring. While this camping checklist is slightly geared more towards backpacking, it’ll cover most of what you need for car camping. Just remember that you can afford to be a little freer with your gear, since there are no pack weight concerns.
Pack the Car and Go Camping!
You may be a beginner hoping to learn more about camping. Maybe you’re trying to take your kids out into the wilderness for the first time. Or maybe you’re a seasoned camper who just wants a slow, easy trip to catch up with friends. Whoever you are, car camping gives you a special opportunity for a getaway full of spacious tents, good food, and great memories.
