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Campgrounds and Camping Sites- How to Find Them
Campgrounds and camping sites are abundant, and there are several ways to find them. There are books, magazines, websites, yellow pages, etc. that all list campgrounds. Sometimes, your best source of information is from friends that have been to a particular campground.
Our family has camped at private campgrounds, state parks, national parks, and even military installations in both the US and in Europe. They all have their advantages and disadvantages. Sometimes picking a campground depends on where you would like to go. For example, we wanted to go to the Land Between the Lakes when we lived in Tennessee. We had no idea where to go camping, but a friend of mine from work told me where he had gone. We took his advice & it proved one of our all-time favorite campgrounds.
Sit down with your family and talk about what you would like to do while camping. Do you want to teach your children how to fish? Do your children like to do crafts? Is hiking your thing? Does your family like to swim? Do you have small children and want a playground? Does your family like to take bike rides?
Find out what you would like to do as a family. Make sure to include in your list things that all members would like to do. That way, everyone can find something extra-enjoyable.
Now, while you are all talking about your upcoming camping trip, talk about what campground features are important to you. Do you need hot showers (I personally enjoy them)? Do you want laundry facilities? How about a camp store? A swimming pool? Do you want to camp at an official campsite or more in a rustic location? Do you want toilette facilities or are you willing to be more rustic (NOTE: Go for the toilette facilities).
There are two different types of campsites, but not every campground/park offers them both. The most common is a marked campsite where you park your vehicle and then pitch your tent beside it (generally on gravel). There is usually a picnic table and a built-in BBQ. Generally, you are limited to one tent, and sometimes a second one for an extra fee.
The next type of campsite is called a rustic camp area (which is a favorite of our family). This is an area with non-designated campsites where you are free to choose your campsite, with no size restrictions. You can usually pitch more than one tent without an extra fee per family. This also works great if you are going with several families, as there is more room to make a giant campsite. The down side is that many times you can't park or drive nearby, and that toilettes and shower facilities are further away. Keep in mind that every campground/park is different.
Campgrounds offer
different kinds of amenities and services. Generally, the more they offer,
the more they usually charge per night. Common amenities are: built-in
BBQ, water spigot, shower facilities, camp store, snack store, fire rings/pits,
hiking trails, nearby lake, river or ocean, laundry facilities (usually
only a few machine and you'll need to bring your own soap), electricity
and toilette facilities (porcelain or port-a-potty).
TIP: Stay away from the campsites that have electric hookups. These are meant for trailers, and generally cost more. Remember, we are leaving civilization for a few days. Resist the temptation of being able to bring the TV.
National Forests are great places to camp. Here is a website that provides detailed information and pictures that the authors have collected about many National Forests. The US Forest Department has more information, as well as the National Park Service.
State Parks are another great place to camp. Click here to get a link to your state's parks.
Some campgrounds take reservations, others do not. Reserve America is good resource that helps you get a reservation at over 100,000 campgrounds across the US. They also provide detailed information about those campgrounds. Be sure to check them out.
Now it's time to get your camping list together...
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