What are your goals for a family camping trip? The goal my family has is to get away, have fun, relax, and make great memories. The entire family should enjoy your camping trips. If a trip does not go well, it is mainly due to the expectations of all the family members not being met. Those planning the trip need to share their expectations with all the family members to include the destination and activities. It's very important that all agree on the destination and most of the planned activities to make the camping trip a success.

One of the keys to choosing a camping destination is to make sure it's age appropriate for your children. The campground should be one where your children will be safe without the constant supervision of the parents. An example could be a campground by a fast-flowing river. If the dad's fear level is less that that of his spouse, there will be tension putting the trip in a bad light from the beginning. I love adventures and think they should be part of the outdoor camping experience. However, these experiences should be appropriate for your family and only you can decide what is best in this regard.

The second factor to consider is what recreational activities are available at the destination you're interested in. If you have teenagers or toddlers, your expectations will be different. Since your goal is to make this a fun experience for everyone, you'll want activities available that your children enjoy so they'll want to keep coming with you. It's a sad day when older children start making excuses for not going with you on family camping trips because they don't think they'll be any fun. As you research camping destinations, check out the recreational opportunities that are available and see what your family would prefer doing. Maybe your children like to fish and participate in other water sports like swimming and boating. Maybe they like to mountain bike or hike trails. If so, find an area that offers trails appropriate for their age and skill level. Of course it's best if you all participate together as a family.

Men, this is important. Make decisions as a family on planning your outdoor camping adventures. The husband and wife especially need to be on the same page, if not, it's fair to say that whichever parent is left out of the planning will be unhappy with one or more aspects of the trip. It's best to get consensus from the family of where to go and what to do once you're there.