33 Things You Must Pack For Your Camping Trip

Camping Road trips are a great way to see the country. Campgrounds are plentiful and usually great places to stay. Car camping cuts the lodging cost significantly, leaving more cash to use for the fun parts of the trip: destinations and local food! Decent hotels often cost $100 or more per night, and hotels at popular destinations can cost much more. Even more importantly, many unique and amazing destinations do not have viable hotel options, requiring you to provide alternate sleeping arrangements.

But what do you need to go camping? Doesn’t it take a lot of space in your car? Can camping be comfortable? Car camping, using a car to transport camping supplies to your campsite, is a fun, comfortable experience…if you have the right camping supplies! The stuff you bring on your trip can make or break your comfort, so it is important to have the right stuff to make your trip a great one. The list is long, but it is totally possible to fit most of it in the trunk of a mid-size car. We packed everything needed plus three people into an old Toyota Camry and made the trip from Florida to the Grand Canyon and back…the size of your vehicle doesn’t matter!

Each item on this list is based on what we use each time we go camping, and it has been tested on everything from overnighters to multi week trips. The provided links are affiliate links to Amazon, and as an Amazon Associate I make a small commission from each qualified purchase. That being said, I am only providing the links to items I personally recommend, so you can easily locate each piece of your camping gear.

Shelter and Sleeping

1. A Large Tent

Don’t go small on your tent! For the greatest comfort you will need a big enough tent for an appropriate size air mattress. My husband and I use a queen. Our tent is big enough to walk around both sides of the mattress when it is inflated. There was actually enough room for our queen, a twin, and a bit of standing room left over. Having an oversized tent makes changing cloths, midnight restroom runs, and general hanging out much more relaxed. No climbing over anyone to get in and out! 

A six-eight person tent is probably big enough…for two or three people. Look at the length and width of the floor space to be sure. I really like this Coleman Tent. It is similar what we have used on all our adventures. Unfortunately the model we use is unavailable.

2. Under Tarp

Purchase a cheap tarp to protect the underside of your tent. Before setting up the tent lay out the tarp, and then set up the tent on top of it. This will help protect your tent floor from rocks, sticks, and other things that might puncture your tent.

3. Small Broom and Dust Pan

Keep a small broom and dustpan just inside of the entrance to your tent. Use it regularly to keep the inside tidy. It is crazy how much stuff gets tracked into the tent!

4. Entry Mat

We keep a dollar store door mat outside the tent door so we can wipe our feet, keeping the inside cleaner. This camping door mat is more than a dollar, but it is just so cute!

5. Comfy Air Mattress

Choose a size you like, and make sure it has an electric inflator. Not much more miserable than needing to inflate an air mattress manually…It can be done, but it is not fun! We choose to use a queen size air mattress because our regular sheets fit and we can make up the bed just like home.

6. Power Inverter

Not all campgrounds have power at the campsites. This was true of Ten X Campground near the Grand Canyon. A power inverter allows you to inflate your air mattresses, charge multiple phones, and anything else you need to do at your campsite using the car cigaret lighter.

7. Sheets, Blankets, and Pillows

Bring a full set of sheets, blankets, and pillows so you can sleep in comfort. You don’t need anything special, just bring what you have at the house. Make sure you have enough blankets for the temperatures where you will be camping. Sleeping bags are also an option, but I like comfort when I can, and being restricted inside a sleeping bag is not my idea of comfort…leave that to the kids!

8. Night Clothes

When you choose your jammies and your robe, (ALWAYS bring a robe,) just think: is this something I don’t mind wearing to the bath house in the middle of the night?

9. Head Lamps

Headlamps free up your hands to eat, read, and of course, make that midnight trip to the loo. Your headlamp does not need to be especially powerful, just bright enough for you to see where you are going.

10. Ear Plugs

Ear plugs can be the difference between being awake all night listening to the somewhat alarming night sounds (was that a bear???) and getting a good night’s sleep. It always amazes me how loud the outdoors can be. The frogs, crickets, night birds, and the occasional rustle from a squirrel all seem to amplify at night.

Cooking and Food Storage

11. Large Cooler

Your cooler will be your refrigerator for the duration of the trip, so make sure it is large enough to hold bottled water, and breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You need to plan on buying a bag of ice every day or two, depending on the outdoor temperature. For longer trips it is sometimes best to plan grocery store stops every few days.

12. Coleman Stove

Not much beats the Coleman propane stove. It is your best choice for sites that do not have electricity. Keep several small fuel cans on hand and you are ready to go. 

Safety Note: NEVER use this stove inside your tent, and make sure you set it on a surface that will not melt.

13. Long Grill Lighter

Bring a long lighter to start the stove and any campfires you build. It is much safer and easy to use than a cigarette lighter.

14. Pot and Pan with Lids

Think about the meals you plan to cook, and bring enough cookware to  meet your needs. One medium size pot and pan with lids generally covers what I need. 

15. Electric Skillet

Just because you are camping does not mean you need to ignore modern cooking inventions. We took a nonstick electric skillet on our Grand Canyon trip, and it made dinner simple at the sites with electricity.

16. Long Extension Cord

You will need this for the skillet and for your air mattress. It should be a minimum of 30’ long.

17. Cooking Utensils

A spatula, large spoon, and slotted spoon should be enough.

18. Reusable or disposable plates, bowls, forks, knives, and spoons

Save the planet, or don’t (we don’t) but you will need stuff to eat on. Bring plenty.

19. Large Ziplock Storage Bags

These are perfect for leftovers, and keeping stuff safe in the icy cooler water.

20. Potholders

Pots get hot. Bring 2-3 potholders to protect your hands.

21. Dish Pan, Towel, Wash Cloth, Dish Soap

Even if you use disposable dishes you will still need to wash your pots. The dish pan can double as a storage box, keeping things neat in your trunk.

22. Table Cloth- Optional

Sometimes it is nice to have a clean, wipeable surface on the camp picnic table. Choose a sturdy plastic table cloth that can be wiped and put away when you are done.

23. Clothing

Bring clothes that are suitable for your destination and the time of year. If you are doing any walking or hiking then shoes with decent tread are important. Wicking clothes are great for hiking and active outdoor sightseeing. Pack layers if you are going in the fall or winter.

Bath House Trips

24. Flip Flops

Trips to the bath house to shower generally require a few special items…namely flip flops. The floors are dirty, no matter how well kept, and you don’t want to catch athlete’s foot, or any other nasty stuff. 

25. Plastic Bags

You will also want plastic bags to keep your stuff dry. The benches and floors of the bath stalls are usually wet, so plastic shopping bags from your last food stop will keep your things clean and dry.

26. Shampoo and Soap

I usually keep my shampoo, etc in a large plastic freezer bag. This keeps spills from messing up your car.

Miscellaneous and Adventure Stuff

27. Camp Chairs

A comfortable place to sit at your campsite is important. Many campgrounds provide picnic tables, but they are not comfortable places to relax.

28. Hiking Poles

Hiking poles are great if you will be hiking on uneven surfaces. They have prevented falls as I hiked, and helped me climb steep terrain. My husband used these poles, and they worked great.

29. Water Pack

If you are hiking far, or if you will be in a very dry location, or if you want your hands free, then a hydration pack might be for you. They keep your hands free, provide storage for a few snacks, and store plenty of water.

30. Sun Glasses

You might need them.

31. Binoculars

If you are going somewhere with wildlife, then binoculars will let you see at a safe distance. Most large animals are dangerous, so best viewed at a distance. Many small animals and birds frighten easily, so again, binoculars help you see them without frightening them away.

32. Camera

I mostly use the camera on my phone, but a good quality camera can bring the beauty home with you. We turn stunning trip photos into wall art for our home.

33. A Spirit of Adventure

This is a must, because every trip will have some problems to overcome, and mishaps to laugh about. Remember: it’s all an adventure!

What about you? If you use any of these tips let me know how it goes! Have you been car camping recently? What are your must-have camping tools?