Tent in front of a car with back door open in the mountains
Tent in front of a car with back door open in the mountains

Your Ultimate Car Camping Checklist: Everything You Need (to Pack & Know) Before You Head Out

According to Afterpay, searches for camping vacation guides have increased by more than 300 percent since Covid-19 limited our travel options. But for those who are new to camping, the whole thing might feel a bit daunting. For starters, you have to bring your own hotel room (aka a tent).

As someone who has been enjoying camping, backpacking and hiking trips for most of my life, I’ve learned exactly what I need to bring along for the trip and what’s best left at home, whether I’m heading outdoors for one night only or a multi-day backpacking excursion. So I pulled together an ultimate guide of everything you need to know and pack for a successful car camping trip (the best type of camping for beginners, in my opinion), from cooking dinner for your crew to staying entertained after the sun goes down.

Continue the read, and build your car camping kit, here.

Explore More Content

Media Mentions

It all starts with Sawyer Squeeze + Cnoc VectoX 2L, the best and most reliable filter-bladder combo and the core of my backpacking water storage and filtration system.

Jaeger Shaw
Owner & Managing Editor

Media Mentions

Our top water filter for thru hiking, the Sawyer Squeeze, is 15% off.

Naomi Hudetz
Chief Operating Officer & Online Editor

Media Mentions

People with alpha-gal syndrome show allergic symptoms such as rash, nausea and vomiting after eating such meat.

Stephanie Soucheray
Reporter