Every friend group has a planner—the person who takes charge of hosting holiday parties, organizing summer vacations, and of course, planning the best camping trip ever.
If you’ve found your way to this article, chances are that friend is you!
But just because you’re an inherent planner doesn’t mean every little detail comes naturally to you. Luckily, we’ve got the scoop on how to plan the trip that you and your friends rightfully deserve.
Time to set up camp!
Ask Around: Are You Going “Camping” or Camping?
If you’ve ever been camping-camping, you know the difference.
Some of your friends might express excitement over the idea of camping more so than the actual act of camping itself. Make sure you gauge what level of roughin’-it people are actually interested in, and plan accordingly:
- A lakeside cabin with four solid walls, running water, electricity, and a Queen-sized mattress—not exactly camping but still a fun weekend with friends.
- “Glamping” (glam camping; it’s clever, right?) with all the feel of a campsite but none of the bear sightings, deflated air mattresses, or smelly outhouses.
- A rented RV or tent trailer parked at a campsite with certain amenities like communal bathrooms, a convenience store, and maybe beach volleyball nets or boat rentals.
- A tent, sleeping bag, and portable propane barbecue at a lowkey campsite with little to no amenities (but all the natural beauty you could ask for).
- A truly off-the-grid trip that involves hiking to your destination, cooking beans over a campfire, and even sleeping under the stars.
If you don’t get everyone on the same page before you head out for the great outdoors, you’re setting yourself for a miserable camping trip (because not everyone is prepared for what camping truly entails).
Don’t Forget to Bring the Goods
Whatever you first thought of when you saw “the goods” is exactly what we’re talking about (as long as they’re legal goods, because if not, then we’re talking about very different goods). Because, let’s face it, the purpose of an adult camping trip is to have fun with your friends, enjoy the great outdoors, and yes, finally take some time to unwind.
For that, you’ll need the goods.
If you’re looking for some natural stress relief that doesn’t involve campsite cocktails, shotgunning beers, or vaping cotton candy-flavoured nicotine juice, enjoy some CBDfx gummies as your “goods of choice.” You’ll likely enjoy the same mellow vibe while still being able to grill a hot dog and pitch a tent—because someone has to.
To help make things even easier for you, we’ve put together the ultimate camping checklist here.
Plan Ahead for Assorted Activities
You never realize just how much time there is in the day until you’re awoken at six a.m. with nothing important to do for the next 18 hours.
Fill your camping trip with fun and adventure by filling your bags with the right supplies (whatever’s right for you and your friends):
- Deck of cards and a few of your favourite games up your sleeves
- Easy, portable group games like Cards Against Humanity, Boggle, or Scrabble
- Inflatable tubes, mattresses, and loungers for a laidback afternoon on the water
- Hiking shoes for a more rigorous daytime excursion
- A set of bocce balls, a frisbee, a volleyball, or a football to toss around
- Eno DoubleNest hammocks for hanging out (literally)
- Red Solo cups and ping pong balls to play drinking games (woohoo!)
- S’mores and campfire supplies for an evening full of tasty treats and spooky stories
Settle In & Enjoy!
Fresh air, a change of scenery, and unplugging for a while is always good for the soul. The only thing better is when you spend that much-needed time away with great friends (who are hopefully grateful for all the time and effort you put into this trip!). But no matter what goes wrong, just take a deep breath, count to five, and be glad you brought the goods to your best camping trip ever!
