Camping Tips For the City Slicker

Everyone likes to think they could live out in the wild, eating off the fat of the land. The truth is, not everyone is cut out for it. Some of us were born in the city, live in the city, and aren't meant to leave the city. For those of us who insist on going camping, here are some tips that will hopefully make the experience tolerable.

A decent sized tent

If you're going to be camping in a tent, make sure it is of reasonable size. A 2-man tent may look like its plenty on the package, but we all know once it gets setup, its going to seem a whole lot smaller. Its better to go a little bit larger and spend the extra $30 than to get to the camp site and realize you're going to be sleeping in a glorified sleeping bag, which brings use to our next point.

Sleeping bag

Don't pull out that sleeping back you used to use on your boyscout camping trips. Get something by a reputable company that is going to be big enough to fit in. Depending on the time of year, it may be very cold at night. If you're too cold at night, you won't sleep well and your trip will not be enjoyable. You may want to think about bringing a small space heater to keep your tent warm.

Food

Bring food that won't spoil if left out or isn't kept cold. If you must bring food that has to stay cold for several days, bring plenty of ice or be near to a store where you can purchase ice when needed. Generally, you can get away with eggs, bacon, pancakes, etc for breakfast. Steaks or tri-tip will work for dinner if you bring a small grill. If you're at a campsite with utilities, they will usually have grills over the fire pits for your use.

Entertainment

The outdoors are great to enjoy, for a night or two. But lets face the facts, people get bored. If its cold, and fishing season is not in, you might get bored. Bring a couple decks of cards and some board games (bored games?) to play when there is down time. You may not feel like hiking every day, so make sure you have options. Of course, if you're tech-proficient, you can always bring a portable DVD player to watch movies at night.

Firewood

BRING WOOD! If you're camping in a national park, you are not allowed to chop down the trees (and you probably don't want to, anyway). So be sure to stock up on firewood before you get to the campsite. No doubt, there will be wood for sale, but they'll charge you an arm and a leg. Stock up before you leave and buy more than you think you'll need. You'll use it.

Enjoy yourself

Though you may be a city slicker, its always nice to get away from the hustle and bustle of every day life and take a break from the office. Don't bring the laptop or the internet-capable cell-phone (or at least don't use it). While it make be a shock to be away from the comforts of home, thats the reason you go camping. Explore nature, not a lot of it exists anymore. Enjoy it while it lasts. Use the time to bond with your friends and family.