How to Pick the Better Campsite for Your Family’s Needs

Camping is a great American past time. Just like any other family vacation, camping includes a degree of planning. There are a number of diverse points to contemplate after you choose where you are going to be camping. One important part of a effective camping excursion is selecting the right area for the camping trip. Here are some things you will want to consider when you are selecting a campsite within your chosen campground:

1. Reservations- If you are taking your family camping during the beginning of summer season, you may need a reservation to guarantee your campsite. This reservation may need to be made months in advance, especially if you are picking a well-liked campground, like a Jellystone Park. Making reservations ahead of time doesn't allow you to analyze the site personally, but many campgrounds give online maps showing the places of all their campsites so that you can see if you are around a restroom/outhouse and if your site is supplied with electricity.

2. Conveniences- What kind of services you want will depend on exactly whom you are traveling with. Do you have small children, pets, grandparents...all these will affect how much you really want to “rough it”. Typically speaking if you are traveling with small children, especially newly potty trained children, you will want to be as close the restrooms/outhouse as possible. Going behind the bushes several times a day with your children will not heighten your enjoyment. Grandparents will most likely also enjoy having a shorter walk to the restrooms/outhouse, especially at night. The only downside is that being near a restroom may mean that your site is in a less private location and prone to more foot traffic.

3. Playground- Various campgrounds now come with playgrounds, which can be a great thing for campers with kids. Playgrounds will give your kids activities to do after they have woken up and before breakfast is ready. So instead of having them hanging around the campsite asking when the food will be ready, they can play with other youngsters. If your campground has a playground you may want to get a campsite near enough for your children to go without total parental supervision.

4. General Store- Some bigger campgrounds come with a general store with a few things you need. Several stores will typically carry things like matches, bread, butter, batteries, bug spray, sunscreen, hats, body soap, and other things that are typically forgotten. These stores can be very handy, but you probably don’t want a campsite too close to them because the stores are usually close to things like the road and the main dumpster, both unwanted when seeking out a campsite. If a general store is a necessity to you, choose a campground that has a store but a campsite that is a ten minute walk from the store that way you will be around some basic grocery items but far enough away to escape the sounds of car traffic.

5. Level- If you get to look at your site before selecting it, pick one that is on level ground. A little sloping is acceptable, but a campsite that is full of little mole hills or potholes is no fun. Building a tent on ground that is not level is not always easy and sleeping on ground that is full of little holes and hills is not pleasant. Also watch out for tree stumps and larger stones that can mar the appeal of a campsite.