North and South Carolina offer some of the most beautiful camping spots in the world. South Carolina has Huntington Beach State Park, which is perfect for children, with it’s swimming, fishing and bird watching. Prices vary so it’s important to check with them before traveling. In North Carolina is South Mountains State Park, which is more suited for childless families, with it’s miles of hiking trails and fishing spots. Prices start at nine dollars a night.

Most people don’t think of camping trips when they think of Florida, but for sixteen dollars a night, campers can enjoy a unique trip they will never forget. Manatee Springs State Park offers fishing, boat tours and manatee watching.

In Minnesota, Bear Head Lake Camp offers fishing, hiking trails and bear, moose and eagle watching. This site will run you eighteen dollars a night.

In Wisconsin’s Big Bay Lake offers a quiet beach with swimming for only seventeen dollars a night. This one would be perfect for families with children.

In Michigan, Brimley State Park cabins run sixty-five dollars a night, or fifteen to twenty to camp outside, and once a year they offer a free fishing weekend.

In Kentucky, National Bridge Park offers a quiet retreat next to a babbling brook. Kids and Adults alike will enjoy fishing, hiking and exploring the Red River Gorge. It even has wi-fi access. Prices range from twelve to twenty-six dollars a night.

In Nebraska is the Two Rivers State Recreation Center. This one is a favorite among children because of the retired Union Pacific train cabooses that now serve as lodging. There are only ten cabooses available, so it’s important to call ahead of time for pricing and availability.

Illinois Beach State Park is located along Lake Michigan and offers swimming, fishing, hiking and many other kid friendly activities.

Camping can be a wonderful way to to bond with nature and family. The most important thing to remember is to just relax and enjoy!

When it comes to selecting camping sites, the right choice can help create memories that are made that can last a lifetime. The experience of living in the great outdoors, if only for a short time, alongside Mother Nature’s lush green trees and crisp cool breeze, is simply extraordinary. Let’s face it, with our busy schedules and hectic fast paced lives, when do we get the opportunity to stop and appreciate what camping outdoors has to offer? Camping gives us the chance to have a stress-free – I’m not trying to impress anyone’ type of attitude. While camping itself is great; it can really only be that way if you choose the proper camping site location. A poor location can result in a terrible experience, and no one wants to have that as a “lasting” memory. That said, let’s discuss how to select the best form all the available camping sites out there.

First off, there is nothing like a finding the perfect camping site. While there may be some differences of opinion on what one looks for in a great camping site, there are some basic core expectations. You will want a relative flat surface that is free of rocks and stumps. This will make for a much more pleasant sleeping experience. Generally speaking, shade is often a must as it will provide a cooler spot on those warm summer afternoons. Regardless, however, we have a tendency to label a place as the best, relying only on one’s own personal experience at a particular campsite. Nevertheless, the basis of what makes for a perfect campsite will depend on a few additional variables discussed below:

How Long Will You Be Camping?

The length of your camping trip will play a large role when wanting to consider the appropriate space needed, when choosing the ideal camping site. For example; camping in a forest for a month or more versus a national park for just a weekend, will certainly entail some very different gear that need to be taken into consideration. Another thing to think about is, if you can do without certain facilities on a weekend trip. The idea of not having a hot shower or using what’s called a ‘pit’ toilet (basically a permanent version of a port-a-potty) may not appeal to everyone. However, if we are thinking about something like a month’s stay in the wilderness, the toilet and shower accommodations probably need to be fairly nearby and easily accessible. Not to mention people who would be staying for an even longer duration will require some means to communicate to the outside world. Remember, you are in the woods and cell signals are not always available. Furthermore, the great outdoors does not have Wi-Fi, so connectivity issues have to also be considered. You will also want to camp close to a camping store, so that you restock your food and water supplies on a regular basis. Generally, a camping store can also provide items like fire wood, bug spray, first aid items, as well as tent repair kits if needed. And of course all the things to make a good s’more around the nightly camp fire.

Regardless of how long you camp, in order to pick the right site, you need to be prepared.

Type of Camping?

Now, your choice of camping site depends on the type of camping you plan on doing. Are you planning on roughing it during the trip or would you prefer to have all the comforts of home to be present at the campsite as well? If you are looking to stay in a commercial campground such as KOA or Yogi Bear then you will probably have electricity, hot water, Wi-Fi and even cable connections provided. If you are going for a more primitive campsite, then they will offer only the basic necessities such as cold tap water and toilets. Also, if it’s a leisure trip, you might not want to have any other campers near you. Try to select a site that gives you maximum privacy from neighboring campers. If you’re taking a backpacking trip, then this will not be as big a deal, since you won’t be around the campsite as much during the day. Then again, if you would rather not want to be disturbed by the noises of kids playing round, then you should probably choose an ‘adults only’ camp ground. Any and all these factors will make a big difference when it comes to choosing the best camping site.