I’m fresh from my first camping trip of the season, and I want to talk to you about it.
There are people in the world who believe camping should be completely primitive, using leaves for toilet paper and packing only food that can be cooked over a fire, i.e. hot dogs all day, or something you hunted/fished/foraged along the way. Creature comforts? Pah. You will sleep on the ground, and you will like it.
I, on the other hand, believe you can be at one with nature whilst enjoying a breakfast burrito. Camping is vacation, therefore one should avoid intentional discomfort and always include elements of comfort and luxury, even while sleeping under the stars.
Here are my tips for adding a little extra luxe to your camping adventures.
1. Breakfast burritos might be the best thing that ever happened to campground mornings.
My brilliant sister introduced me to these last weekend. We made them ahead of time, stored them in the cooler then popped them on the grill Sunday morning. It was like a really delicious dream. With melted cheese.
Spray a piece of foil with oil (very important, so they don’t stick!) then layer with a tortilla, cheese, scrambled eggs mixed with onions/peppers/jalapeno, sausage, cilantro, hash browns, then some more cheese. Wrap it up (we double wrapped it with a second piece of foil, just to be on the safe side).
2. Also, croissant sandwiches
I don’t really need to explain those, other than to say they are delicious, fancy, easy to make ahead and perfect for a picnic lunch on the water.
3. My tent could probably eat your tent. I’m not sorry.
There are people who take pride in how teeny tiny their tent is. “It goes up so fast!” they say. I say, my tent could consume five of your tents. My tent has a foyer (pronounced, foy-YAY) which is handy for keeping my camp chairs dry overnight. It’s a beast to set up, but I can stand up inside and there’s ample space for my air mattress. (MANDATORY. Don’t forget to charge the air pump.)
4. The one-two rhubarb punch
You will be everybody’s favorite camper if you bring the makings for rhubarbaritas. And while you’re at it, whip up some strawberry rhubarb fruit leather.
5. Iced coffees!
The coffee addict in me knows from experience that coffee shops are not always easy to find in strange towns out in the boonies. In lieu of a caffeine withdrawal headache, you will find our cooler stocked with pre-made iced coffees, which taste a lot like frappuccinos without the artificial flavors and preservatives. Mix espresso (or strong coffee) with milk and sugar, preferably raw sugar. Add a little vanilla or chocolate syrup in there if you so choose. Pack it in a mason jar in the cooler, and enjoy by the campfire right after the sun comes up. A Cuppow makes this easier.
Also: smoothies pack well in the cooler, too. Add a splash of lemon juice to keep things fresh.
6. Cherries and berries and fruit, oh my!
For mid-meal snacking, I like to bring a variety of fresh summer produce—especially fruit, but also snack-able raw veggies. It’s nice for filling you up without that full, heavy, oh-I-ate-too-much feeling that comes from chips and dip and other such snacks. (Make no mistake, I eat those too. But, mmmm, cherries.)
7. Pack a lovely pillowcase, and perhaps some earplugs
This is no time for using your oldest, rattiest sleeping gear just because you are outdoors. Pillowcases should be lovely, and preferably floral. Bonus points for vintage. If you, like my dear husband, are kept awake by sounds in the night (like cars, birds and neighbors) do pack some earplugs for a better night’s sleep.
8. Appropriate clothing, always
Perhaps this is not a quality of “glamping” per say, but camping cannot be possibly be comfortable if you are constantly too hot or cold. Pack for the weather, wear layers and don’t forget rain gear, warm socks and a stocking cap for sleeping, to keep your ears (and maybe your nose) warm.
9. Pudgy pies will change your life
We have a handy cooking iron which allows us to make pudgy pies—two pieces of bread with goodness in the middle, roasted over hot coals in a campfire. (Be sure to butter the bread for anti-sticking). Use it for lunch, stuffed with pizza sauce, pepperoni and cheese. Or, blow everybody’s mind for dessert by filling it with chocolate, peanut butter and marshmallows (bonus for homemade). The ooey gooey mess will single-handedly make camping worth all the effort.
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There you have it. Turns out glamping is mostly about good food. What, are you surprised?
Share your favorite camping tips in the comments below!
