The little ways I make my camping trips more enjoyable

Small changes I've made over the years that have made a world of a difference

Don’t get me wrong, I love camping. There’s nothing better than time spent sleeping beneath the stars, congregating around a campfire with some melty s’mores, and breathing in the fresh mountain air.

But I also happen to love sleeping in the comfort of my own bed, with all the coziness that come with it.

Inevitably, I always reach this point a few days into a camping trip where I’m just a little too exhausted, a little too uncomfortable, and a little too ready to go home to the conveniences of everyday life.

Yet, I still crave more time outdoors. It’s simply that the idea of sleeping outdoors stops being appealing after more than a couple days.

So naturally, I’ve spent the past several years optimizing my camping trips, if you will. Finding little ways to make them more enjoyable, so I can knock out all the adventures I really want to get done, without getting antsy for the comforts of running water and a plush mattress.

So without further ado, these are my favorite little things that have taken my camping trips from “please, can we go home already” to “okay, yeah, I could do another day of this”.

I Never Forget The Baby Wipes

Ok, this one’s for anyone going to a campsite without any running water. I cannot begin to tell you how genuinely refreshing it is to take a baby wipe to your skin after a long day on the trails.

It feels like a mini bath, and let’s be honest, you’ll probably be a little horrified by the amount of dirt that comes off onto the wipe.

I take a few of these babies and basically give myself a wipe-down at the end of every camping day. It’s a great reset, and a solid way to make extended time between showers feel actually tolerable.

And if you, like me, are a mom to a tiny little human, it’s a win to be able to have something that works for both your baby and yourself.

Sleeping Pads Are The Worst…Forget Them

Anyone else hate camping sleeping pads? They’re horribly uncomfortable and paper-thin. If you’re a side-sleeper, you can basically count on having the worst sleep of your life. Every. Single. Night.

Honestly, getting a good night’s sleep on my camping trips is critical. I’m out here so I can have the energy to explore, and I can’t do that if I’m dead tired.

I got rid of my crappy little sleeping pad altogether, and opted for an air mattress, and my god, there’s no turning back. I know, it’s wild to say, but you can actually get a solid night’s sleep while on a camping trip. Who knew?

Oh, and while we’re on the topic, bring the good pillows. You’ll thank me later.

Dry Shampoo Is Your Bestie

One or two nights camping? No need for this. But if you plan on camping without access to a shower for more than a few days, you’re going to hate having extra greasy hair (or maybe it’s just me?).

Dry shampoo is a great way to hold you over for a few days. If you have darker hair like I do, aim for one that is made specifically for darker locks.

Twinkle Lights Make Magic

The sun goes down, the campfire is out, everyone’s back in their tents, but you’re not ready to go to bed. It happens.

You could pop on a lantern, or…you could create a total vibe in your tent with some battery-powered twinkle lights. Just picture it: late night tent chats with your boo, twinkle lights glimmering, tumbler of wine in hand. Can’t beat it.

Don’t Knock The Backpacking Meals

I know there are campers who genuinely love cooking their dinners over the campfire (my husband is definitely one of those people, and I love that for him).

But me? I love a situation where I have easy prep and easy clean up.

Backpacking meals totally deliver on that, and honestly, I think they taste pretty darn good (although, I’m just waiting for those with more refined palettes to come at me for saying this).

Personally, I have an obsession with Backpacker’s Pantry, and it doesn’t hurt that they’re local to Colorado. Give me Pad Thai in a bag any day. I’m here for it.

At the end of the day, these small little tweaks to my camping trip lineup actually makes me excited about spending more days in the wild and extending my excursions beyond just a short weekend. My hope is that it can do the same for you, too.

I’d love to know, what little comforts have you incorporated into your camping routine that have made it that much more comfortable?