car camping packing list!
plus notes / links to my favorite camping gear
Last week I shared a fun chart full of ideas for foil packet meals for camping (or whenever):
I was inspired to make the chart because I was taking my 9 year-old niece Remy on her first ever camping trip. It was such a success that I thought I’d give you a more thorough report today and share my car camping packing list in case it’s useful for you, plus links to some of my favorite camping gear.
Also for paid subscribers:
an easy-to-save/print PDF of the packing list
extensive notes re: the items on the list!!!
A REPORT FROM OUR CAMPING TRIP!
Here are some fun snapshots from our overnight trip:
my car all packed up — do you think we brought enough stuff for one night away?!
Remy leading the way on our hike :)
a beautiful view of trees at our campsite
our roaring campfire!
s’mores!
delicious local strawberries + yogurt + granola for breakfast before we packed up
And a report on our foil packet meal! We wrapped potato/cheese pierogies (from this local brand) and vegan “kielbasa” (Remy doesn’t eat meat) in parchment and then foil and cooked our packets over our campfire. I added sauerkraut to mine.
We started the packets on the grate on the fire, but then moved them into the coals to get the pierogies/sausage a bit more browned. We enjoyed the pierogies with sour cream and applesauce. I made placemats out of a torn cardboard box. I had a beer. Lots of s’mores followed!
This meal was soooooo easy and very satisfying. If I were to do it again, I’d make mine with regular kielbasa…next time!
MY CAR CAMPING* PACKING LIST
*What’s car camping you ask? It’s when you can drive right up to wherever you’re camping so that you can bring as much stuff as you’d like and not worry about bringing minimal gear/stuff. This is pretty much the opposite of backpacking, which involves carrying everything you need for camping with you in a backpack and using your body to get yourself to wherever you’re camping.
It’s also different than using a RV or a camper van or any other big vehicle like that. Some people who do car camping sleep in their cars, but I like to drive up to the campsite, pitch a tent, and use the car to store everything (inc. food/trash overnight so the campsite isn’t tempting to bears or other animals!).
If you want to hear more camping meal/snack/gear ideas, check out this newsletter I wrote on October 2022!
Want my car camping packing list as an easy-to-save and easy-to-print PDF? And my detailed notes about most of the items? Become a paid subscriber today and keep scrolling!
LINKS TO GEAR
I made a new collection on my ShopMy page with lots of my favorite camping gear — check it out here!
While I do earn a small affiliate fee on some of the items I post on my ShopMy page, that’s not my main reason in using it!! I love that it’s just so easy to gather my favorite stuff/links all in one place. In addition to camping gear, head here to check out my favorite kitchen stuff, ingredients, and even clothing items, too.
FOR PAID SUBSCRIBERS!
Here is a PDF of my car camping packing list, plus extensive notes about everything on it!!!
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