Camping Season Starts Now!

Camping season for my family starts on Memorial Day Weekend and it is just around the bend (please stay warm & sunny New York)! We always hit a new state park and cross it off the bucket list. We have found certain hacks to be invaluable and others to be, well, real hacks. Here is a list of hacks, hikes and hints for camping!!

1. Reserving the best spot: If you want water, privacy, a big lot or some other extra be prepared to book early. NY State Parks give a 9 month window and I know people are online at 12:01 am reserving the best spot in each park! The numero uno, best resource yet for finding the perfect site at NY state parks is CampADK.com, where Dave has shared pictures of hundreds of sites at dozens of campgrounds. If you are looking for full hook-ups &/or amenities check out Good Sam or KOA. Here is a fun article describing the best place to camp (some are way off the beaten path) in each of the 50 states: Travel+Leisure.

2. Packing hacks: Pack the cooler with frozen water bottles. When they thaw you can drink or refreeze and you won't have to grab your slice of cheese out of the puddle in your cooler. Instead of one big cabinet in our RV we attach hanging shelves to the bar for a more organized space. And make a packing list, save on your computer and print it up every time, even when you think you have it all!!

3. Public shower tips: buy cheap Old Navy or Walmart flip flops for shower shoes, pack your shower caddy full of free hotel toiletries, purchase microfiber super absorbent towels and sometimes night showering guarantees a space and hot water!! We have a shower in the RV but use that as a dirty laundry hamper and park close to showers when we can (also great to save from sand spreading in camper after a day at the beach).

4. Favorite Fire-cooked Foods: we have become very fond of cast iron cooking and some foil goes a long way. We like cinnamon rolls cooked in the cast iron and our camping companion makes awesome desserts in the dutch oven. The peach cobbler cooked on the coals is super-delish! We also have 2 camp faves that we can't get enough off-good old "tacos in a bag" and this amazingly yummy Camping Mac n' Cheese recipe!! We are trying our hand with pie irons this year-we'll keep you posted.

5. Take a Hike: There are a few things that are a must on any hike; band-aids, bug spray and a bottle of aqua. I like to map out hikes before we even arrive where we are going and than stray off the path along the way. If you plan on really straying you can pack biodegradable tape to mark your way out. Keep an open mind and be sure to explore all around you. If you are a more serious hiker and not just a woods wanderer like us, check out these hiking hints: 25 Hike hacks.

6. Rainy weather: What to you do when you are going on the 3rd day of being stuck in the camper or slogging around feeling swampy? There are the classics: books, board games, puzzles and naps! These get old pretty quick and that's when we go see a movie, go bowling, check out an old school roller rink or play in the rain (you may have outdoor spaces to yourself, no matter how touristy the town). For something different you can all make up a grocery store scavenger hunt or go on a rainy day picture drive and try to get the best photo of water dripping from the trees. And you can catch all the worms for fishing on another day!

Family dinners are rare at our house and the kids are busy with so many things but at the campground we are with each other, as a family, making memories. We really love camping and are always open to finding new ways to love it more. Feel free to leave us any camping hacks that you have and I will keep sharing. Camp on my friends!!