Planning Our First Camping Adventure

Aug 9

It’s no small task planning and prepping for your first camping trip with a toddler. I outlined my packing list must-haves already, but beyond packing, a lot went into the decisions I made along the way. Luckily, with the help of Hipcamp I was able to source out the perfect campsite that checked all of our boxes:

Not too far of a drive (with traffic it was 3.5 hours)
Quiet campsite - we didn’t want a lot of loud campers nearby who might keep T up late
Remote enough, but within a quick drive of hotel/motel options in case of inclement weather
Something with positive reviews

Then I used AllTrails to find nearby hiking trails that would be do-able with a toddler who does NOT want to be carried, but also can’t walk too far or manage too difficult of terrain. Up in New Hampshire, where we were, there are a ton of trails and options. I chose the Big Pines Natural Area and a 2.4 mile loop that had some hills, a river with an awesome bridge, some small streams and plenty of gorgeous scenery. The hike was great for T, and at the end we all took a dip in the refreshing mountain stream.

Once I had our itinerary, and our campsite details all ironed out, I needed to ensure we had all of the necessary equipment and everything a toddler might need. So I visited REI because I’m in love with REI, and their staff was able to help me consider things that I might be missing.

All that planning made for a really positive first experience for us all. We ripped off the bandaid, which I was both excited and incredibly nervous about, and enjoyed it fully. T thought the tent was so fun, especially when he woke up in the morning and saw us both sleeping next to him. What a thrill! I hope to get in one more overnight trip before it gets too cold up here. Admittedly, the only part of our trip that was a little annoying was that it was 95 degrees. The tent was so hot, and we spent the whole trip sticky and gross. So a fall trip, when we need to bundle a bit, sounds perfect!

Until then, please enjoy pics from our trip!