Your family has probably been asking to get away from home for a vacation. You can do this even if you are on the tightest budget. Camping could be the answer to your problems. Below, you will find some tips that will make your camping experience as enjoyable as possible.

If your canteen is beginning to smell musty, you can give it a good cleaning with baking soda. Place a little bit of water in your canteen, and then add three tablespoons of baking soda. Shake gently, let it sit for sixty minutes, and then rinse with water. Your canteen will be refreshingly clean!

If you have special drinks that you like, take them with you camping. It is easy to forget things like green tea, hot cocoa or your special blend of coffee. You can even take wine if it is a romantic camping adventure. Just don’t forget to pack a corkscrew.

Research the area you are planning to camp in and familiarize yourself with its particular dangers. This refers to things like dangerous fauna, geography and climate. Make sure you take these dangers into consideration before you leave.

When kids are in your camping party, it is important to let them know what the rules are as soon as you get there. They must have strict guidelines to follow, or they could get hurt or annoy others. For example, talk to them about screaming and how their voices could disturb others. It is much harder to enforce rules after you have been there for a few days, so get going early.

When you are camping, you should never eat anything unless you are absolutely certain of what it is. There is nothing worse than a strong case of stomach problems when you are far away from both medical attention and a toilet. It is recommended to only eat food that you bring.

Take some time to find the right sleeping bag for the climate conditions at your campsite. If you are camping in a colder climate, purchase a heavyweight sleeping bag; people who camp in warm weather should use a lightweight sleeping bag. If you are staying in a tent, use a sleeping bag that fits to the contours of your body in order to maintain your body temperature.

Pay attention to where you’re setting up camp. You have to figure out a spot that doesn’t have too many insects or problems with any animals. If you’re near lots of vegetation, you should wear long sleeves and pants to protect your skin from insects. This way you ensure your safety as much as possible.

For easier food preparation on a camping trip, prepare ingredients at home, and pack them in plastic zipper bags. You might want to chop, and other ingredients can be cooked quickly and easily when the prep work is done ahead of time. Throw a few bags of vegetables and meat into a pot over a fire, and you have soup or stew!

Make sure you have a charged phone somewhere near you, like in the car. The best thing to do is bring some backup batteries. A cell is the most important tool you have in an emergency, so be sure it works.

Make sure you always have a source of clean water with you. When camping, you can’t always trust that a natural water source is clean enough to drink from without boiling the water first. So keep a canteen filled with water at your side during any daily adventure. In the evenings, boil any spring water for ten minutes to create clean water reserves for the next day.

Always check the weather forecast before you go camping so that you know what kind of clothing you will need. You could be very cold if a front blow through, and you did not pack jackets and blankets. In addition, consider packing some rain ponchos in case any storm’s blow through.

If you are interested in camping but are not sure if it is the right choice for you, you may want to start out with something a bit easier, like staying in a cabin or renting an RV for a weekend. If you enjoy nature with this convenience, then it may be time to up the game to a tent.

When it comes to tents, you should understand that bigger is not always better. Keep in mind that you are going to have to drag your tent to the campsite. To make sure that your tent is not too large for you to haul and set up, test it out at your home first.

Start your camping trip off the easy way with a precooked meal that can be kept in a cooler. There are many things that must be done on the first day and knowing that you have a delicious meal already prepared can make the end of the day relaxing and more enjoyable.

Shower curtains make a great replacement for a tent tarp; keeping you dry and for a fairly cheap price. It can also be used for a washing area or cooking area base since you can control the run-off. Rather than getting rid of a shower curtain, wash it with your laundry and use it the next time you go camping.

Think about how aggravating it would be to go to a campsite, only to find out that you have to clean up someone’s mess in order to get started. Make sure you clean up your mess. You will have a much better experience if you clean up after yourself as you go along anyway.

Whenever you are near any type of plants, always wear clothing that will cover you from head to toe. Doing this will help prevent you from breaking out during your camping stay. Although this may only be a mild breakout, you could be allergic to certain plants, which could put you at serious risk. Wearing clothing will prevent this from occurring.

By doing some planning and some research, you can take an ordinary camping trip and turn it into something truly special. Take the time to use these tips to plan your next family camping trip and everyone will have a great time. Create the memories that last a lifetime this year!