Checklist

If you’ve already read our family camping tips for first-timers, you know the philosophy: start close, keep it short, don’t overbuy. This is the other half - the actual checklist, built by reading what all 41 family campgrounds in our database tell you to bring and counting what repeats. It’s a shorter list than you’re expecting. And one item on it will surprise you. Four items cover almost everything Of the 24 campgrounds with detailed packing notes, 19 list the exact same three things: tent, sleeping bags, camp stove. That’s 79% of them, word for word, in that order. ...