When we first decided to plan a camping road trip while on our way to Colorado for the Savvy Blogging Summit, I was very excited. We have never done anything like this as a family, so I was ready for the experience.

And then the planning began, and I felt some trepidation as I dove into the nitty gritty of planning for a road trip AND camping. If you have been following me on Facebook, then you know I’ve had questions galore for my followers, and they delivered some amazing tips, tricks and suggestions. I don’t think I could have planned our trip without my Facebook followers.

One follower in particular named Lois, has thirty years of experience with camping and she is just a plethora of fabulous information. She even shared with me her entire camping checklist, and I could not have made our plans without it.

Here is her list (shared with permission), with just a few tweaks as I added in things our family needs.

Camping and Road Trip Checklist

TENT SUPPLIES AND TOOLS

• Tent or tents
• Tent pegs and poles
• Tarps 8×10 to put over tent in case of rain
• Rope for tying tarp and for clothesline
• Clothespins for hanging bathing suits and towels
• Duct tape
• Hammer and big nails
• Lanterns and flashlights
• Pliers, flat head and Phillips screwdrivers and adjustable wrench (just in case) Drop Chord and Surge protector

MISCELLANEOUS

• Planning Folder
• Sleeping bags
• Pillows
• Lawn chairs
• Floats
• Sheet for lying on the beach
• Beach towels
• Camera and film
• Something warm to sleep in in case of chilly nights – also socks to sleep in
• Large Cooler 2-Gallon Thermos, and a couple of gallon ones
• Doormats to keep sand out of tents
• Big fireplace grid and small grille
• Broom
• Charcoal, lighter fluid and lighter
• Batteries
• Clock
• Pull-ups
• Computers
• Cell Phones, Adapters and Phone Chargers

HEALTH AND BEAUTY AIDS

• Bath towels
• Hairbrushes
• Bath soap, shampoo and conditioner
• Toothbrushes and toothpaste
• Adult and Children’s Ibuprofen
• Bug spray
• Calamine lotion or other bug bite reliever (Tea Tree Oil for the natural and thrifty)
• Tape and gauze
• Burn cream (aloe vera)
• Alcohol
• Fels Naptha soap in case of Poison Ivy
• Scissors
• Sewing kit
• Sunscreen
• Hydrogen Peroxide

DISHES AND UTENSILS

• Paper plates and plastic plate holders
• Bowls and cups
• Plastic utensils
• Paper towels
• Potholders
• Skillet
• Dutch oven and cover
• 2 saucepans
• Serving spoons
• Spatula, Sharp knife and Meat fork
• Can opener
• Wooden matches or lighters
• Dishpan and dishrags
• Dish liquid
• Brillo and Chore Boy pot scrubber
• Clear trash bags
• Heavy-duty aluminum foil
• Ziploc food storage bags
• Coffee Maker and Thermos, Carafe, or French Press
• Coffee cups

COOLER

• Frozen gallon jugs of water with covers
• Frozen hotdogs, hamburger, chicken
• Breakfast sausage
• Eggs
• Cheese in waterproof container
• Coconut and Olive oil
• Mayonnaise
• Ketchup, mustard, relish
• Milk
• Tomatoes and cucumbers
• Yogurt
• Real Lemon Juice to Make Lemonade
• Fruit
• Frozen Chili/Stew
• Frozen Homemade Muffins

FOOD BOX

• Salt, Pepper, Spices, etc.
• Coffee
• Sugar
• Iced Tea Mix or Tea Bags
• Dry Cereal
• Peanut Butter, Jelly
• Chicken Spread
• Tuna
• Bread/Rolls
• Chips
• Powdered Milk
• Potatoes

Are you a seasoned camper and road trip adventurer? What are some things that you would add to this list, or take away? You can leave a comment by clicking here.

Valpak is my awesome partner for our family road trip. They have great coupons that you can find by location online, and even with a smart phone app. Be sure to visit their website here. All my opinions regarding my partner Valpak are my own.