Camping is sometimes a hit and miss endeavour. You never know what the weather is going to be like or maybe you’ll end up next to that one strange camper with the twenty cats inside. The point being is that you can’t account for everything that will happen on a camping trip, but you can plan for a perfect camping trip!
And fortunately, planning for camping isn’t as arduous or challenging a task as planning a major bank heist . . . but it’s close. With that in mind, we have a few pointers to help you get your master plan underway before hitting the road . . .
1) Reservation for Two, Please!
All campgrounds and RV parks offer some sort of reservation system. Many provincial parks fill up extremely quickly, before the season is even in full swing. Private parks usually have a little more wiggle room. Either way, it pays to plan ahead. One good bit of advice is to spend a little time earlier in the year deciding where you’d like to camp, find out when registration opens, and make sure to set reminders so you don’t miss registration open dates. While a lot of people prefer to ‘camp by the seat of their pants’, there’s always a chance you’ll end up parked in a Walmart parking lot for the night when a bit of planning could have landed you at a nice RV park instead. For a comprehensive list of camping and RV sites check out: https://www.campingrvbc.com/camping/
2) What a To-Do!
Lists are a wonderful thing. They keep you on track, organized, and there’s a certain amount of satisfaction when you get to cross something off your list. In this particular case, it’s good to keep a to-do list of everything you want to accomplish in preparation for your trip. Does the RV have a full tank of gas? Are the tents packed? Did you air out the sleeping bags? Do you have enough ice for the cooler? Did you pack the wine? Is there enough wine? Make note to pick up more wine. Etc.
3) Clothing Not Optional
Unless you’re heading to a nudist RV camp (they do have them, I Googled it . . . I shouldn’t have) you’ll want to ensure everyone’s clothes are packed. And not only packed, but that you’re packing for different kinds of weather as you never know what you might run into on the road. More non-essential items can be vacuum packed for easy storage in your RV, with your main items remaining close at hand. Some RV parks and campgrounds have a laundry facility, but many do not. Sometimes more is better when it comes to packing clothing. Also, swimsuits! It’s shocking how many people forget swimsuits . . . and then use that as an excuse to visit a nudist RV camp (don’t Google it!).
4) Day 1 – Arrive, Day 2 – Bungee Jumping!
There’s something to be said for hanging the hammock, pouring that glass of wine, and relaxing with a good book once you’re settled in to your campground. However, particularly if you have kids, you’ll likely want to plan some activities. Lots of RV parks, such as Mabel Lake in Enderby, and Cultus Lake in Chilliwack have a number of fun on-site amenities to take advantage of. Other parks may require a bit more searching to find local amenities and activities, so it may be a good idea to do this before you head out there. If you have young ones who are full of energy, you may want to target parks that feature more on-site activities.
5) Gear Up!
Time to re-employ that handy to-do list. Make a list of everything you’ll need for your trip, from clothing to camping gear, to supplies, food, bedding, cooking pots and utensils, and everything in between. And then start packing it in! Don’t forget the kids/pets! Some people find it helpful to lay everything out in one room or in the driveway, or on the lawn to make sure they have everything before starting to pack. This way you can be sure you have everything without wondering if you packed the rice maker or not.
6) Omnomnom!
Food! Everyone loves food! And there’s nothing worse than running out while camping. The best way to plan for camping food is to work meal by meal. That way you can shop for what you need and your meals will already be planned out. For great camping recipes, be sure to check out the Rosman RV Facebook page as we share new camping recipes on a regular basis. Also, don’t forget the wine!
Happy Camping!
