Camping

There are few things better than getting away from the world for a night and enjoying God’s country. Camping is one of the easiest things to do when you want a quick escape. From tent camping to “glamping” and RVing, you don’t need to be an outdoorsman to enjoy a fun night under the stars.

Camping by American State

Camping is all the rage in the U.S., especially in the post-pandemic society and there are a vast amount of sites to choose from. Often people will camp near local attractions to turn a night into an extended weekend trip. For those who love the open road, there are some campgrounds and RV parks better suited for longer term stays. So pack up your car and head out into the wild.

Visit Uncover Colorado for camping in Colorado, featuring a wide array of campgrounds and free dispersed campsites.

Camping by Country

Pitch a tent in countries all over the earth. America’s northern neighbor is a hugely popular spot in the summer. Canada boasts stunning national parks and natural features to discover. Or head south and combine a 5 day trek to Machu Picchu in Peru with a guided tent camping tour. Europe has campgrounds nearly everywhere for travelers. Every continent is on the menu, even the Far East.

Visit Uncover Vietnam for camping in Vietnam, which showcases guided tours throughout the country, including options for mountain, forest and coastal beach campgrounds.

Guide to Camping around the World

“Camping is just being homeless without the change” – Summer Smith – Ricky and Morty. Basically, this isn’t an activity for everybody. No matter how much you think your friend, family or significant other will fall in love with your passion for sleeping in the outdoors, they might not. Alas, there are many ways to camp, and perhaps more luxurious equipment is needed to up it to “glamping”.

There are several different ways one can go camping:

Car Camping

Car camping is the most popular form due to its ease of driving to a location and setting up next to your vehicle. Not only does it save a lot of time with packing and unpacking, but it also gives one piece of mind if certain situations arise like a thunderstorm or a bear wants to come say hi. And you can essentially pack the kitchen sink.

Campgrounds have grown a lot in popularity over the years. Although you take away most of the secluded nature part, the accessibility to and from makes it quite appealing to most. You will often see people at campgrounds who plan on visiting places of interest the following day as the locations of these spots are only miles from civilization.

Nearly all campgrounds require a fee (though you can find free ones) and the biggest perk other than convenient access, are the amenities, usually a picnic table, fire ring and tent pad (clear and soft spot to put your tent), along with parking for your car or traveler trailer/RV. They all have bathrooms, though not all with plumbing, sometimes they are vault toilets (but the latter are sometimes cleaner than the former).

Some have hookups for electric, water and sewer for your RV, and some don’t, sometimes both options are available at the same campground.

Dispersed camping is the other option for car campers. These are free sites often found on national forest or BLM land (Borough of Lan Management) out in the western U.S. It’s much easier to find free campsites out west than on the American eastern coast. And although often more remote than campgrounds, many spots are accessible by 2WD vehicle and provide you with unmatched privacy and space to roam.

Always use existing sites, which are marked by a fire ring made of rocks, and there are usually zero other amenities and facilities, such as a picnic table or toilet (though sometimes you can get lucky and there’s one at a nearby trailhead). RVs and travel trailers can access a good amount of these dispersed campsites, though you’ll be “boondocking” or “dry camping”, meaning there are no hookups for water, electric and sewer.

BYOB water and solar panels and/or strong lithium batteries to keep the party going. Composting toilets are the best option for longterm boondockers, otherwise you’ll only be able to go as long as your black tank (where the poop goes) holds your waste.

Backpacking

Backpacking is another popular form of camping as it allows you to get away from all the other campers and discover your own piece of tranquility. Often you will drive to a location and then hike to your designated area. This form of camping brings you closer to nature and gives a true meaning to being one with nature.

Those go backpacking require lighter camping gear and a minimalist approach. You have to pack out everything you pack in and there’s only so much room in your bag. Sleeping pads are thinner, sleeping bags compress further and cooking equipment is minimal. You’ll likely want to bring a water purifier just in case you run out of on-board H2O.

Canoe/Boat Camping

Canoe/Boat camping is one of the more enjoyable ways to get out into nature. These trips usually go several days while you can enjoy fishing or rafting during the day before setting up shop along the shores at night. Oftentimes, you can arrange these excursions through a local outfitter offering guided tours. They’ll probably even pitch your tent for you.

Common Camping Equipment

At the bare minimum, you’ll need a sleeping bag to stay warm if camping in cooler temps, especially anywhere at higher elevation where it drops significantly at night. Here’s a basic camping checklist to ensure you’re ready for anything:

• Tent or some form of shelter
• Sleep bag
• Sleep pad
• Flashlight
• Axe and/or saw for wood cutting
• Food, drinks and plenty of water
• Cooler for said food and beverages
• Basic cooking equipment such as a grill
• Chairs for around the campfire
• Blanket for cool nights outside
• Trash bags
• Toilet paper and paper towels
• Multi Tool like a Swiss army knife
• Firewood if you aren’t in the woods (or aren’t allowed to collect downed wood)
• First aid kit
• Fishing pole
• Several items of clothing for temperature changes
• Water purifier just incase

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