naomi

We camp a lot, mainly state parks in Washington state and Oregon. Many fill up months in advance, just something to be aware of. REI has good camping equipment, but on the spendy side. Or Amazon of course. Make sure to make a list of everything you need and check things off. Have fun!

Rete

Believe it or not, but Walmart isn't bad for some camping things. The first time we used the new tent we didn't have a chance to waterproof the seams and of course, it poured that night. It was large enough for SO and I to divide the tent and the kids had 1/2 and we had the other 1/2. Put up a small folding table inside and we played cards and games between drips.

Nutmegger

Rete

With the wildlife found in National Parks, i.e. cougars, wolves, bears, I would be hesitant to bring a dog.

Anian

Most bookable campsites near population areas are fully booked on Friday/Saturday nights and holidays throughout the summer. Sunday to Thursday will usually be much quieter.

Octang Frye

Some people are into ultra light weight camping, and they use these hammocks instead of tents.

https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-adv...ckpacking.html

10 Best Backpacking Hammocks of 2018 — CleverHiker

kimilseung

Hammocks are definitely a difference between UK and US camping cultures. I had to really contrive a route in the English Lakes to use a hammock, as we just don't have the trees.
The Americans seem to be more keen on the whole light weight thing too. Full Trangia systems being hard to find, but the pointless Trangia mini being common, as an example.
And the tarp camping in some areas of the USA where they don't expect sideways rain in the summer.

Btw, best camping hammock I ever bought was in Cambodia.

Octang Frye

I love Cambodia. Favorite country I've ever visited. The people and food are amazing.

Beaverstate

Hammock...Keeps you off the ground and away from Rattlesnakes and scorpions,,,Enough reason for me.

WEBlue

The husband & I love car/tent camping! In a few weeks we'll drive to Maine for a week on Mt. Desert Island. It's by far the cheapest way to see the country, though some of the more popular campsites can be pricier than expected.

You do want to watch out for local pests & dangers, though. Here they are ticks, poison ivy, plus the occasional marauding raccoon/fox/bear. Carefully examine all parts of your designated campsite before setting up any gear. Bring various bug sprays, especially permethrin (for ticks) to spray on clothes & shoes (never on skin), and something like Technu wash for poison ivy to protect against the first two. For the furry marauders, the best advice is after eating to lock ALL food and food implements in your car with the windows shut tight. Even clothes you ate food wearing should be locked in your car overnight, actually.

To my mind, camping in the US is more interesting and varied than camping in England (though I never camped in Scotland or Ireland, so not sure about those places)…. We avoid the huge American RV campgrounds as best we can, opting for smaller or more "rustic" sites. We meet interesting people from all over the US and overseas too. And putting up and taking down the tent keeps us fit!

SanDiegogirl

If you are going to camp and hike in the St. Louis/MO area then get some good insect spray and use it generously to keep off/out the chiggers found in that area. Little biting creatures that cause severe itching..... and I mean severe itching.

The US has far more biting insects than the UK ever did - apart from the midges in Scotland.

Maste

My biggest worry is ticks!! I can't do anything to keep them off of me. It annoys me to no end.

Unfortunately, I've had a few chigger bites and the case of the itches are so bad, I've never experienced anything like it before! Worried me, but I was glad to find out about them not being 'dangerous' per se, only extremely itchy.

My biggest concern are ticks. I've used a series of bug sprays to no avail, and also worn pants and long sleeve tops but they still get down by my knees and bite! My last 3 hikes I've had at least 2 ticks burrowed into me, and at least a further 2 crawling on me to find somewhere to latch onto me. Is there a reason why I get all the ticks? My wife (she's had 0 ticks) and even my dog (she's had a few but a lot less than me), don't seem to get them at all, if any! Any advice/tips? We've tried homemade remedies for spraying skin/clothes, and store bought spray too. I just seem to get the ticks. I'm extremely worried as I know Lyme's is something to worry about in St Louis/MO.

WEBlue

Have you tried Permethrin? It's sold in a big yellow spray bottle here. It's the best for ticks, but it's so strong you cannot spray it on any skin surfaces, only on clothes and shoes.

The husband & I spray our walking shoes thoroughly a couple of times a year, and our trousers too, maybe once every week or two. We have to respray the trousers because washing in the washing machine will eventually wash out the permethrin spray.

You can also buy clothes already impregnated with permethrin, which we have never tried but a few gardeners I know swear the shirts & trousers have decreased the number of ticks they've found on themselves. Find them in camping & sports stores.

Even with all the permethrin spraying in the world, though, tick checks are essential every time that you've been in 'dangerous' territory. We have a full-length mirror, strong light bulbs, & a couple of hand mirrors so even if we're all alone, we can have a good look at all the nooks & crannies of skin. (The hardest part is the scalp for me, because I have a lot of hair--I'm always compulsively feeling my scalp.)

I garden a lot, so I'll always need to be vigilant. I find at least one or two on me every summer. They are definitely the bane of outdoor-lovers!!!!

steveq

Just be careful. Liquid permethrin is DEADLY poison for cats.

WEBlue

Yes, true, and it can make some dogs ill too. It's superstrong stuff. The permethrin spray we buy in the yellow bottle is only for spraying shoes, clothes, and camping gear. Not for pets!