April 1, 2022
Lifestyle
My First Camping Experience
On Valentine’s Day my boyfriend told me he was planning a surprise vacation for my upcoming birthday in April.
As sweet as the idea of traveling together was, the thought of staying in an unfamiliar place and sightseeing around town with safety restrictions still in place killed my excitement.
I spent the next few weeks giving uncertain answers about sites I wanted to see and which accommodations we should book for our little vacay…until I came up with the PERFECT idea.
Much to my surprise, camping is an extremely affordable getaway experience. The cost of our lot at Longview Lake was only $28 per night. They require you to purchase your wood from the campgrounds, which worked perfectly for us when we needed a refill on day 2. The wood was only $7 a bucket and they encourage you to get your money’s worth! Thankfully, mi novio already had a tent and grill so the only other additional expenses we had to cover were food and drinks.
If you’re looking for a quiet, laid back and cozy time away from home you may be the ideal camper. There were swimming and fishing sites nearby, but we mostly enjoyed quality time by the campfire, card games, conversations, reading and vibing to music. It was a perfect time to disconnect and reflect.
I highly recommend trying it at least once in your life.
CAMPING TIPS FOR NEWBIES
- Don’t go crazy buying supplies. We literally grabbed blankets from the bed, kitchen utensils, toilet paper from our bathroom, etc and threw it in the trunk. We found many other items we needed such as disposal dishware, cleaning supplies and shower caddies at the dollar store.
- Prepare for temperature changes. Don’t just pack clothes for the day time. We had perfect 70 degree weather during the day, but the temperature dropped all the way down to the 30’s at night. Even with blankets, sweats and hand warmers, nighttime temperatures were hard to manage. Nothing unbearable, but certainly uncomfortable at times.
- Go offline. Of course this comes down to your preferences. I personally feel our experience was enhanced by being able to totally check out for a couple days. Camping feels like an “off the grid” experience; the more you immerse yourself, the better.
- B.Y.O.T.P – BRING YOUR OWN TOILET PAPER! And any additional personal hygiene products to add to your comfort for that matter. Although the bathrooms weren’t as bad as I imagined they would be, I had an entire caddy filled with hand soap, disinfectant, toilet paper, wipes and all other hygiene essentials I would need to have a more comfortable and sanitary restroom experience.
