Camping: Getting Started

Camping is a fun experience and a great way to get out of the city and rediscover nature.

If you have never been camping or with only little experience, its easy to get started.

Find a Place:The first thing is find a place. Figure out where you want to go and what kind of camping experience you are after. There are a number of web sites out there where you can find campsites depending on what area you want to explore.


Depending on where you live, you can quite often find links to camp sites on tourism sites for the place you want to visit.

For camping in Ontario, you can check out:

www.ontarioparks.com

www.campgrounds.org

Price Edward Island:

www.tourismpei.com/camping

Nova Scotia:

www.novascotia.com/en/home/accommodations/campgrounds.aspx

United States:

www.gocampingamerica.com

A few popular places worth checking out in ontario:
- Sauble Beach
- Bruce Peninsula
- Grand Bend
- Sandbanks
- Ottawa region

The Camping Experience:
An important thing to keep in mind when researching a possible camp grounds is what kind of camping is it. Some offer camping just for families, some cater to the younger university/college crowd and some are great for couples.

Also how intense do you want your camping experience? Do you want a campgrounds with cottages? Do you want camping more secluded or  within a grounds with several other sites? Are you up for really "roughing it"?

Its important to figure this stuff out before you go to make sure you have the best possible experience.

When to go:
Depending on the area you are going camping, you may want to be aware of the best times for camping in your region. In Ontario, the camping season runs from late May (Victoria Day weekend) until mid/end of September. After that, camping may be a bit chilly - especially at night.

Packing List:
Now that you picked your campsite, time to start packing. Here's a packing list to help you get started:

Sleeping

Tent

Sleeping Bag

Air Mattress (Optional)

Pillow (Optional)

Eating

Food (stuff that can easily be cooked on a grill or firepit)

Hand Grill (You can usually pick these up cheap, I’ve even seen them at the Dollar Store. Great for Cooking over a fit pit)

Utensils, Plates, Drinking Cups

Marshmallows (what’s camping without these??)

Water

Clothing

Bathing Suit (if there is a beach in the area)

Towel

Day Clothes (eg. T-shirt, Tank, Shorts, etc.)

Night Clothes (eg. sweater, long pants, etc.)

And more

Matches

Small Knife (for odd camping jobs, etc.) 

Bug Repellent

Flash Lights

Paper Towel

Garbage Bags

And for the most important part...enjoy! Camping is what you make of it so have a great time, enjoy the sites and scenary and rediscover the great outdoors.