Our First Time Camping

On July 21, 2018 we set out on a journey from our home in Indiana all the way to Maine, while stopping in at every state between. This road trip was going to be much different than the last because we were going to camp, which was something completely unknown to us. We decided to camp instead of renting hotel rooms because at that point we didn’t have a lot of extra money to spend on the trip. The week before we left, we made sure we had everything we needed which included all of our usual road trip gear along with some extra gear for camping. We brought the following for camping specifically:

• Small tent that fit my husband, two dogs, and myself
• Waterproof tarps
• Mattress topper to sleep on
• Blankets and pillows
• Handheld light (larger than a flashlight)
• Extra wipes/personal hygiene products

We didn’t bring any food to make because we were staying at campgrounds that had restaurants close. The campgrounds also had running water, toilets, and showers. Some sites were MUCH cleaner than others. We only stayed at one campground that charged for showers, but I have heard this isn’t uncommon. Unfortunately on our camping trip, it rained more days than it was sunny. We got used to sleeping somewhat damp and listening to the rain fall on our tent as we drifted to sleep. We were very thankful that we brought waterproof tarps to lay below our tent and one covering our tent for an extra layer of water protection. We also got used to bugs trying to get in and were glad we are always prepared with bug spray. 

The pups seemed to enjoy camping more than my husband and I. They typically like being muddy and smelly, so this was fun for them! Even though we all had a blast figuring out the ways of camping, we were all thankful for the last night of our road trip being at a hotel. We all got much needed showers and loved sleeping in a big fluffy bed. We all were thankful for what we had that night.

Camping was a great experience for us, and we will probably do it again, but only if it is to allow us to visit some more remote beautiful places. We likely won’t camp again just to reduce costs since none of us really enjoyed not being able to fully relax at the end of a tiring day. We love being outdoors and hiking, but we also love retiring to a comfy bed once we are tired from being outside all day. I recommend camping if you are trying to cut costs drastically. We only spent about $35 per night for a camp spot and all had running water. For us, spending the extra money to have a hotel room is more important, but if we need to spend as little as possible, we will camp again. Have any suggestions about camping with pups? Comment below!