Lifestyle, food and drink, and our family life and travel adventures.
Family holidays are equal parts joyous and infuriating. The incalculable warmth of sharing a special moment with your loved ones is often somewhat offset by the sheer stress involved in organising the same – which is why organising adventure holidays into the great outdoors can be especially vexing.
Still, a rural ‘staycation’ camping trip can be a beautiful bonding experience and an excellent alternative to the prohibitive cost of international travel today. But what are some of the essentials you should plan to bring on such a trip?
It should go without saying that you’ll need adequate shelter and supplies to ensure your outdoor adventure is not only safe but comfortable for all the family. Whether you are camping or caravanning, there are some essential basics to keep in mind when putting your travel inventory together.
For one, you’ll want to bring blankets and additional warm clothing to make sleeping more comfortable. You’ll need a gas stove to cook your food safely and enough lighting to be able to see what you’re doing in the dark – which can be darker than you’d think in rural areas less impacted by light pollution. You should also plan your food intake across the holiday to ensure you bring enough. Of course, don’t forget to pack the tent – or, indeed, hitch the caravan!
Many outdoor trips can be safely enjoyed without the need for access to power; it is true that many seek out rural camping adventures precisely to be ‘off-grid’ for a little while. But in bringing the family, access to electricity can be a key safety measure, let alone creature comfort for the more curmudgeonly of your kids. Bringing a generator along not only allows your kids to charge their devices, but guarantees that you can recharge items like torches – or even jump-start your car in some more drastic cases!
Speaking of safety, another key provision for the safety of you and your family would be a fully-stocked first aid kit. The most common injuries on family camping trips are skinned knees and hurty elbows – after all, you won’t be taking your family on dangerous all-weather hikes up steep mountain faces –, but having access to medical supplies can at least provide peace of mind should you face any more significant risks!
Finally, you should make sure you have some form of camera around your neck at all times. You’ll be encountering some stunning natural landscapes in your rural family adventure, and you won’t want to miss the chance to immortalise them forever. Time flies, too, and it won’t be long before your kids are old enough to reminisce with; don’t miss the opportunity to capture these future memories now!
This is a collaborative post.
Welcome to Birds and Lilies! I'm Lou: mother, blogger and freelance writer. This is my lifestyle blog, where I talk about motherhood, infertility and IVF, beauty, my love for food and wine, as well as my thoughts about stuff, and our real-life and travel adventures.
Contact: [email protected]
