The Ultimate Guide to Camping with Kids

Camping is one of those outdoor adventures that leaves lasting memories and provides stories for years to come. Camping with kids? That’s a whole different animal. With the right planning, you can make sure your overnight adventure goes smoothly.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details.

Going tent camping with kids is not for the faint of heart. Everything from making coffee to preparing meals requires a bit of extra planning and work. There is nothing like gathering around the campfire with your family, roasting marshmallows and eating s’mores. Watching your kids trade screen time for exploring nature, and running around in the fresh air is so worth the extra work.

Once you have the gear, camping is an affordable way to travel and to create memorable experiences for your entire family. The options are endless.

So, whether you’ve got your heart set on experiencing camping with your kids or you’re looking at it as a necessary evil so you can afford to travel. Allow me, a fellow novice camper, to walk you through the steps to planning, preparing, and packing for a camping trip with kids.

CHOOSING A CAMPGROUND

When traveling with kids you will want to do a little research ahead of time to choose a location that has trails, waterfalls, and activities that are more appropriate for children. Today I am sharing three locations that my family has experienced and a few locations that we are planning to visit.

Many of these places book up fast, especially during peak months. We know our limitations with weather and we try to camp during October and May, not too hot and not too cold. Then, we pray for good weather. Once you decide where to camp you will want to make reservations ahead of time. For our October trips we try to schedule in July.

After you choose your campground, you will want to consider what your family can handle. If you are a first time camper, I would recommend staying one night. Once you figure things out, expand to two nights. Our family can handle two nights, after that might be a stretch. So a weekend camping trip is ideal for us.

Dan Nicholas Park

This was our first camping experience as a young family. I did not grow up tent camping, so I was a rookie too. Luckily, Ryan was well versed in what we needed and how to plan. Dan Nicholas Park is the perfect place because there is minimal walking, everything you need is nearby, and there are plenty of activities for the kids. You’ll be amazed at how inexpensive all the activities are. We love this park and campground so much, I think, we have camped there three or four times. It is perfect for young kids.

When my girls were young we would spend most of our time at the park. The activities range from: visiting the animals, gem mining, nature center, riding the train and carousel, using their playground and splash pad. Then, late afternoon we headed across the pond to set up our campsite. Once we were all set up, take a stroll around the campgrounds to check out what other campers were up to. Then we would start our fire, make dinner, play a few games, then head to bed. My crew are a bunch of early risers, so we would get up, clean up the site and head home. A grand total of 24 hours of fun, but it was a great way to start them as campers.

Dan Nicholas Park does not charge for visiting! They have many features of the park that are free. Other areas of the park can be visited for very small charges.

Learn more about the attractions at Dan Nicholas Park before your visit.

Hanging Rock

Hanging Rock is the perfect place to camp, especially if you are trying to go for two nights. This is only about 30-45 minutes away from home for us and plenty to do and see for a weekend trip.

Hanging Rock has trails to waterfalls and rock outcrops overlooking mountains and the piedmont. There are 20+ miles of hiking trails, mountain bike trails, and horse trails. Swimming and boating is available on the lake in season. Fishing is available year round on the lake and Dan River. The park has access to the Dan River for boating and tubing. Other outdoor recreation opportunities surround the park in Stokes County. Old Salem, Pilot Mountain State Park, and the Blue Ridge Parkway are less than an hour’s drive.

The hiking trails vary in ability and length, and there are options for all levels and ages. Our family favorites are the trails that lead to waterfalls. The best is to wade into the falls for a cool off after a hike.

The state park webpage makes it easy to make reservations for campsites online.

Highlands, North Carolina

Last fall we visited Highlands, North Carolina. This is a must do and see, but kids need to be a little older to navigate the trails on their own. With ample waterfalls, so many of the areas can be slippery.

We stayed at Van Hook Glade campground. Van Hook Glade is a scenic, secluded campground in the heart of the Nantahala National Forest. This is convenient for families and anglers, the campground is in close proximity to hiking trails, scenic views, waterfalls and a nearby lake.

While at Van Hook Glade we chose a site that was close to the bath house, but also had a nearby stream. This was fun for our girls to play in and around and they stayed occupied while we were at the campground or preparing a meal.

Highlands, NC is not a short drive for us, almost 4 hours. I recommend making this a long weekend trip. The fall foliage is spectacular there, and shouldn’t be missed.

The downtown area of the Highlands is a beautiful shopping and dining district. There are some great restaurants, perfect for an after-hike lunch. We were able to grab lunch at Wild Thyme Gourmet on their outdoor patio. If we were to go back, I would make a reservation ahead of time to avoid a long wait. Fall is their busiest season. Check out this page for more information on hiking, chasing waterfalls, and other experiences in Highlands, NC.

Hikes that are a Must:

Dry Falls
Glen Falls
Secret Falls

Other Camping Options

Stone Mountain State Park

We are heading to Stone Mountain this fall. We have been several times to hike and fish, but we have never camped. This should be a fun trip.

The massive granite dome at Stone Mountain State Park keeps watch on park visitors enjoying nearly every type of outdoor activity: camping, hiking, climbing, fishing, picnicking, horseback riding and more. There are more than 18 miles of trails, matched by more than 20 miles of designated trout waters in this park that spreads below the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Pisgah National Forest

Next on my bucket list of North Carolina Camping trips is Pisgah National Forest. With proximity to Looking Glass Falls and Sliding Rock, this would make such a fun weekend. I would want to visit late summer before the temps cool down too much. The water at Sliding Rock is freezing.

PICKING YOUR SITE

Before you even think about what to bring, you’ll want to think about where you are going. Camping with kids brings extra considerations that may not come into play when camping with only adults. You will want to find a site that is close to a bathroom. This is not only convenient, but depending on the age of your children they may be able to go to the restroom by themselves. Also, if the campground has water features (such as a beach or a creek), you may want to choose a site that isn’t right on the water if you are worried your kiddos will run right in.

SLEEP

My biggest fear when we started camping with kids was sleeping. Here are a few tips we have picked up along the way to help ease your worries:

Warm comfy sleep is essential. Check the weather report and pack layers if needed. If it’s going to get chilly you may want an extra blanket under and over your sleeping bags. For the youngest kiddos and babies, rigging up a warm and safe sleeping solution can be tough.
Wear them out! This is generally pretty easy since there is so much to explore. Plan activities that will expend plenty of energy such as hiking, swimming, or riding bikes.
If possible, be flexible with bedtimes. Letting them stay up an extra hour will feel like a treat for them and mean less struggle for you when it comes time to hit the sleeping bags.
Decide how you want to configure your sleeping arrangements ahead of time, and practice at home if possible. You may find that a 4-person tent isn’t big enough to accommodate a family of 4 when you factor in sleeping pads/mattresses, the use of a portable crib, and your gear.

For our family of four we have a 6 person tent. This is the right amount of space for an air mattress for the girls and sleeping mats for Ryan and I. There is a bit of room left for our duffle bags. If we were to buy another tent, I would want one with extra space on the front that the girls could play in without being in our sleeping space.

Tip: Never, ever allow shoes in the tent. It gets dirty fast. All shoes are kept on a cheap mat at the opening of the tent. The only time I budge on this rule is if it is going to rain, we don’t want wet tennis shoes.

WHAT TO EAT

Bring snacks! And more snacks! For dinner, there is nothing wrong with the tried and true “hotdog on a stick” camping meal, but you may be wondering if other easy options exist (especially ones that include more than just the meat food category). From delicious skillet meals to foil packets, you can prepare at home, this article has tons of tips on easy camping meals for kids. For recipes broken down by meal type (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert), start with these fun and kid-friendly camping recipes. Keep in mind that simple is always better and cooking takes a lot more time, preparation and cleaning up when you are at a campsite.

Tip: We keep food super simple. The night we arrive is prepared ahead of time. Marinated chicken with vegetables on kabobs. The second night is hot dogs. For breakfast we like to make bacon and pancakes. We buy the pancake mix that comes in a jug and you simply add water and shake. This makes cleaning up easy.

Camping Essentials

You will want to make sure you bring flashlights and a latern with you. This will help navigate the campsite when it is dark. The lantern is nice to have at the picnic table to play a late night game of cards, or anything else you plan to do.

We always bring at least one backpack. This allows us space for snacks and water bottles when we are away from the campsite. When hiking near waterfalls we might throw in a towel just in case we need it.

Our most recent trips we have brought a tree hammock with us. The girls really enjoyed relaxing in the hammock after a long hike or playing. I enjoyed it too.

Make sure you bring plenty of water. We try to bring a few gallon jugs of water from home. We can use for drinking water or any other needs. Most campsites have a water station nearby for rinsing cooking utensils and washing hands.

We always keep a first aid kit in our car. You really never know when someone will get hurt. Having this on hand gives me peace of mind.

Most campgrounds have firewood for sale. We are usually able to bring a large bin from home. Having fatwood firestarters makes starting the campfire a little easier. The girls really enjoy adding the magical flames at night to change the color of the fire.

Some campsites have an electrical outlet, but many do not. We always try to bring backup chargers to keep our phones charged over the weekend. Cell service is not great in many remote locations, but having peace of mind to be able to call out is nice.

Pin or download our Camping with Kids Ultimate Packing List.

A few final thoughts: If possible camp with friends. This adds to the fun, excitement and memories. Reserving campsites well in advance allows you the opportunity to reserve sites next to each other. Don’t forget to laugh. When things don’t go as planned it is easy to cry, but try to laugh. You can always catch up on sleep later, but if you get too caught up with what’s going wrong you will miss out.

I’m already looking forward to our fall camping trip. Let me know if you have any great camping trips that I need to add to my bucket list.