• Because it's convenient. Often people who always stay in hotels wrinkle their noses and ask me this question. I think they are thinking of camping in the woods, with leaky tents and no conveniences. Let's be clear here--I am NOT talking about tents when I say camping (although I have been tent camping and enjoyed it). I should probably use the word "RVing." Our camper has a full kitchen including refrigerator, freezer and microwave, full bathroom with a shower, built-in stereo system, cable TV jack, air conditioning, central heat, gas grill and lots of cabinet space. I sleep on a queen-size bed, bigger than my bed at home. This is in one of the simpler campers (a Jayco Kiwi). The more expensive campers are nicer than most hotel rooms, with surround sound, entertainment centers, washers & dryers, ceiling fans, recliners, kitchens with breakfast bars, dressing tables in the bedrooms, fancy finishes--I have even seen them with fireplaces inside! How many hotel rooms have their own kitchen? Also, with a camper there is no luggage to worry about. Your clothes are hanging in your closet. You can pack as many extra clothes, shoes and "just-in-case" items as you want. Many people who camp often begin to develop a "camping wardrobe" of clothes which are always kept in the camper--they can leave at a moments notice if they want or need to.
  
  
• You know it's clean. Have you ever been in a hotel room that was, umm, not so sanitary? What about that non-smoking room that reeked of cigarette smoke? Not usually a problem at Disney, but I know people who take their own sheets ANY time they go to a hotel. I am the only person who has ever slept on my bed in the camper. I KNOW the camper and the linens are clean. (And with a camper you can smoke or not, as you choose. It's YOURS!)
  
  
• It is less expensive. A campsite at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort costs much less than any Disney hotel room, and it is considered a Home-Away-From-Home Resort, which is the top tier of their resorts! Most non-Disney campgrounds are downright inexpensive, and many of them have as many amenities as a hotel (sometimes more). You can also save money camping by bringing food from home and having some meals at the campground. Almost all campsites provide picnic tables, and many offer charcoal grills as well, if you don't want to eat indoors. We don't even take our table with us, unless we need it as a bed.
  
  
• You can bring your pets with you! Walt Disney World has certain "loops" designated for those with pets, and most other campgrounds welcome well-behaved pets as well. In our camping club we have 3 dogs that I know of right now, and have had cats in the past. Two of the dogs are small, but one is an Australian Shepherd! We leave our cats at home (since our camper has canvas sides with screens, I'm afraid our cats would tear it up), but we have camped with cats before. I got one of those circular paper tags with a metal rim (most easily found in scrapbooking supplies these days) and wrote our site number and cell phone number on it for the cat's collar, just in case she got out of the camper. I've seen people camp with other pets as well, such as birds. We actually got one of our cats we had many years ago at a campground. He adopted us, and the campground owners encouraged us to take him home.
  
  
• Because it is FUN!

OK, maybe I'd like to try camping. What should I do now?

• As much as I love camping, I do realize it's not for everyone. If you're a total beginner, you should probably ask around and find a friend who already camps. You probably know SOMEBODY who owns an RV! Chances are they will be happy to talk about camping with you (and may offer to take you with them on a short trip, if you know them well). It is good to have someone to help you learn the basics, like how to back up while towing a trailer and how to hook up the utilities. I think the best way to get started camping is to rent an RV and go camping for a weekend, preferably somewhere not TOO far away from home, just to see if you like it. That's basically how I got started camping--my parents rented a pop-up camper and took me (age 4) and my 2 younger sisters camping. They bought one not long after that, and we've been camping ever since! Once you're at the campground, don't be afraid to ask other campers questions if you're not sure what to do or if you have a problem. Most campers are very friendly and will be happy to help you and to share their tips, opinions and possibly even equipment.

I like this! What kind of camper should I buy?

• A Jayco. (Just kidding, but that's what we've always had!) My mother says you'll know the right camper the minute you step into it. It just "feels" right. (She's just found a new one that "feels right".) The real answer depends on your budget, your tow vehicle (for a fifth wheel or tagalong), the number of people who will camp with you and of course your personal preference. Two retirees or a single adult need a different camper than a family with 8 kids and 2 parents! (Yes, I have met a family with 8 kids and 2 parents who camp. They actually lived in their camper while building their house!) The first step should be to go to a camping center or camping show and look at all that's available. You'll probably be a bit overwhelmed, especially at a camper show. Try to narrow the choices down--do you want a motorhome? If so, will you be towing a car behind it? Do you want a tagalong to pull behind your truck or SUV? If you already have a tow vehicle, you need to know its towing capacity. Any camper salesperson should be able to tell you what your vehicle will or will not pull (but check your vehicle's owner's manual too). What are your "must haves"? How much cooking do you think you will do in your camper? Are you planning on camping on occasional weekends or for longer trips?

Pop-up? Tagalong? Fifth wheel? What's all that? (These link off-site until I get my own photos up)

• Pop-up: Sometimes called a tent trailer. These are the short boxes on wheels you see pulled behind a car or SUV. When you get to the campground and set up, the roof raises up (the walls are canvas with screened windows), and the beds slide out on each end (with canvas sides and ceilings). Many people (including my family) begin camping in one of these. They are relatively inexpensive, lightweight (some cars can tow the smallest ones) and great for beginners. They usually have two full or queen size beds, a dinette which makes a bed, a sink, a cooktop which can be used inside or outside and a refrigerator (or icebox on some older models). Some pop-ups now come with tiny toilets and showers enclosed by a sort of circular shower curtain. (Practically all campgrounds have bathrooms with shower facilities, too.) You can get air conditioning and heat on any pop-up (or add it later). Most often used by beginning campers, tent campers trading up and young families. We camped in pop-ups for MANY years. There's nothing quite like being at the beach with all the windows open and the ocean breezes blowing through!
  
  
• Tagalong: Another word for Travel Trailer. A trailer that is pulled behind a truck or a bigger SUV with a trailer hitch. These come in many different lengths, weights and floorplans, with varying levels of amenities. Basically all have a full kitchen, full bathroom, closet, dining area (which may or may not make a bed) and beds (usually a separate bedroom). Many also have built-in stereos, entertainment centers with cable hook-ups (you add the TV) and sofas (sometimes sofa-beds). You can get many of these with bunk beds for the kids. Most floor plans have options and upgrades you can get if you order a new camper. Many of these also have "slide-outs." This is an area of the camper, usually the sofa and/or dinette (and sometimes the bedroom) which slides out a couple feet when you set the camper up. It is amazing how much floor space this adds to the camper! These are often owned by families of all ages (especially with too many people to comfortably ride in a truck together), retirees, those trading up from a pop-up and experienced campers (especially people like my dad who use the truck bed too much to install the fifth wheel hitch in it).
  
  
• Fifth wheel: These are the campers that come up over the bed of the truck towing it and hook to a special hitch installed in the truck bed. Usually the bedroom is "upstairs." They are available with all the amenities of a tagalong. These are often bigger than a tagalong camper, and are almost always taller! These are often owned by experienced campers, families and retirees.
  
  
• Motorhome: Pretty self explanatory. These come in all sizes and classes--from tiny ones not much bigger than a van to those gigantic fancy buses you see towing a car behind them! Some of those buses are REALLY fancy, and can cost as much as a house. All kinds of people own these, but it seems that the biggest ones belong to retirees (often from up north and Canada visiting warmer areas like Florida).
  
  
• Truck Camper: These actually sit IN the truck bed and are very small. I've never actually been in one of these but I've seen them. You can put legs down to the ground on either side of the camper and pull the truck out from beneath it leaving the camper standing on the rather spindly-looking legs (I'm sure they must be safe, though). I think these are most often used by hunters and maybe fishermen. You don't see these in campgrounds all that often.

What kind of camper do you use? What do you pull it with?

• I camp in a Jayco Kiwi, which is a hybrid trailer. It looks like a normal travel trailer when it is being towed, but when we set it up a bed folds out of each end like a pop-up. My sister actually owns it, and we camp together. We pull it with her Dodge Durango--It's the most heavy-duty Durango we could find (with the bigger engine and towing package).

We're going camping! What should we take with us?

• If you're renting a camper, see what it comes with. I would expect it to have everything you need to hook up the utilities. If you've bought a camper (and I'm assuming a camper with a bathroom here), you'll need the following, which should be available where you bought it or at any camping center (and most Wal-Mart type stores):
  • hoses (just garden hoses) for the water hookup -- usually white for drinking water, another color for the tank washer - you want a tank washer! We had ours added by the dealer before we picked it up.
  • a sewer hose (should come with, but you may want a longer one)
  • a "collar" for the sewer hose
  • chemicals for the septic tank
  • chocks for the wheels -- we use metal ones that go between the tires and tighten, I trust those more than plastic wedges
  • a level -- the camper needs to be level for the doors and water to work properly. A small one is fine, you don't need the big carpenter's level!
  • a couple boards large enough to drive onto - in case you need to raise up one side of the camper.
  • small boards to place under the stabilizers (4) and the tongue of the camper (1, for a pull-behind camper). These are necessary if the ground is soft or muddy where you're setting up the camper.
  • matches or a lighter, to light the hot water heater and the stove or grill.

   

  These things are optional, but I've found them helpful. This is the sort of thing you add through the years. You need it once, so then you just always have it with you. Most campgrounds have a store selling basic necessities, and if they know their sites require something unusual (like an extra-long water hose or electrical cord) they'll probably have it.
  • Flashlights or lanterns, for setting up in the dark.
  • A basic box of tools, with a hammer, pliers and screwdrivers. Throw in some duct tape and electrical tape too, just in case!
  • A heavy duty extension cord. Usually the cord on the camper is long enough, but once in a while...
  • A "dog bone" in case the campground's electrical plug-in doesn't match your camper's cord. Rare, but we have used this once or twice.
  • A pressure regulator for the water hookup. I think we needed this at Myrtle Beach once.
  • A "Y" or "splitter" for the water spigot. One side has the camper's water hose hooked to it, the other can be used to wash hands or feet. At the beach we attach a short hose with a sprayer to this.
  • A broom, for inside the camper and for brushing off the awning before rolling it up. My dad takes a ladder and sweeps the top of the slide-out before bringing it in when they leave, but most people don't bother with that.
  • Tie-downs for the awning, in case it's windy. You'll need that hammer to drive the stakes into the ground.
  • A bottle jack. You'll probably never need this, but my dad stuck one in our camper and we did use it once!

   

  Then there are the fun things! Here are some fun things you might want:
  • Fun lights to hang on your awning. Great for extra light, and cute!
  • Lawn chairs. Take a few minutes to sit under the awning and people-watch.
  • A large rug for under the awning - usually green astroturf-type stuff, ours is a green mesh thing. It helps keep dirt out of the camper.
  • A flag and/or sign to hang on the outside of your camper. My parents have a wooden one shaped like NC with all our names on it. Many people choose to personalize their campsites with decorations. We have a pink flamingo named George, but we don't always put him out.
  • Bicycles. Bring them if you have them, especially if you have kids! Most campgrounds are great for bike riding.
  • A vinyl tablecloth, in case you plan to use the picnic table. Wooden picnic tables can be kind of gross when they're wet, and they stay wet a long time.

  **None of these lists are comprehensive, but they should give you some idea of what you may want or need. Ask whoever you're getting the camper from for more specific advice!

Goodness! How often do you people go camping?

• One weekend a month, every month but January, somewhere close by with our camping club. One week a year, every year, to Walt Disney World. Usually another week (or almost a week) every year to the beach. Memorial Day weekend to the mountains. Sometimes another weekend or two in the summer. We definitely get our money's worth, but we don't go nearly as often as many people who are retired and can just go and go and go!

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