January is the perfect time to start planning the upcoming new camping year. Popular parks book months in advance, and early planning gives you better choices and fewer surprises. For RV campers: Look ahead to reservation release dates for national and state parks, especially those with full hookups. Planning routes early also helps you schedule maintenance stops and avoid peak fuel prices. Consider mixing popular destinations with lesser-known parks to balance crowds and availability. For backp...

There’s something wonderfully adventurous about celebrating Christmas in a tent. It’s the kind of experience kids remember forever—the glow of lanterns, the sound of the wind through the trees, and the thrill of waking up on Christmas morning zipped inside a warm little nest. [READ MORE] Tent camping brings out the best of simple family traditions. Decorations stay minimal but meaningful: a string of lights around the tent door, a homemade campsite wreath, or a “Christmas tree” built from gather...

If your family loves life on wheels, Christmas in the RV might just become your new favorite tradition. There’s something amazingly cozy about celebrating the holidays in a warm, snug home-on-wheels, decorated with twinkle lights and smelling like cinnamon. One of the perks of RV Christmas? You can bring just enough of home with you—stockings hung from cabinet handles, a mini tree on the counter, maybe even a small string of lights along the awning. Kids love having their own little corners to d...

There’s something extra sweet about spending Christmas outdoors with the family. Maybe it’s the crisp air, or maybe it’s the way the kids bounce out of their sleeping bags a little faster when they know hot cocoa is waiting by the fire. Either way, a Christmas camping trip has a way of bringing everyone together without all the usual holiday chaos. You don’t need much to make camp feel festive. A strand of battery lights hung between trees, a tiny tabletop tree, and a few handmade ornaments from...

Cold-weather camping has a special kind of magic Think quiet forests, crisp air, and the satisfying crunch of frost under your boots. But it also has a ruthless way of exposing every piece of gear you cheaped out on. Nothing teaches faster than a night below freezing in the wrong equipment. I've identified three big regrets almost every winter camper wishes they’d fixed before stepping onto the trail. The Gore-Tex You Told Yourself You Didn’t Need You know that moment: freezing rain turns to sle...