10 Things You Should Bring on Your Next Camping Trip

It’s camping season!  

But did you know that 94% of camping trips include candy? 

A good camping trip is all about packing the essentials—and candy is obviously one of them! It’s a little piece of home that you can bring with you as you face the great outdoors. Don’t forget to pack enough to last you through your trip (you’ll thank us later). If you can’t decide what to bring, check out our camping candy mix!  

Here are some more fun things you may not want to leave the house without: 

1. A pair of binoculars 

You’ll be submerged in the beauty and tranquility of nature, and you’ll probably want to to get a closer look. Bring a pair of binoculars for birdwatching, for taking in the greenery, or for spotting wildlife without scaring it away. 

Once it’s time to wind down, you’ll be glad you brought some reading material. If you’re camping with kids, bring their favorite books and read together!

Spotting and identifying plants and wildlife is the perfect way to pass the time. Use the guide as needed, or search through it and challenge each other to find as many creatures as you can.

Camping means you’ll be sleeping under the stars, so it’s a great opportunity for stargazing. If you don’t have access to technology, use a paper constellation map and see how many you can spot!

Card games don’t take up much space, so they’re the perfect thing to pack if you’re looking for ways to spend quality time with friends or family. You can play the games in your tent, at a picnic table, or even around the campfire. 

If you’re camping near a water source, it might be fun to bring something that will let you cool off in the hot sun! Challenge each other to water battles, or practice hitting a target. It’s fun that can be enjoyed by all ages (just make sure to bring an extra change of clothes). 

Whether you want to preserve family memories or try your hand at nature photography, a waterproof disposable camera will let you take pictures without worrying about potential damage to your devices. 

If you have one at home (or even if you don’t), a hammock may be the perfect thing to bring if you want to relax on your camping trip. There will be plenty of trees around!

Some of the best campfires involve music that everyone can sing along to! Bring an instrument or, if  no one plays one, bring a durable portable speaker and use it to play all your favorite songs. 

Everyone knows that no campfire—or camping trip, for that matter—is complete without S’mores. So make sure you have enough supplies (and then bring extra just in case!) If you want to get creative with candy, try replacing the chocolate with a peanut butter cup or a 100 Grand Bar, using sandwich cookies instead of graham crackers, or adding crunch with a chocolate covered pretzel. You could even try adding gummy bears! However you make them, S’mores will ensure that each day of your trip ends on a sweet note.