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PirateLover
03-20-2008, 10:37 PM
edit: My post was moved since this is where all you camping experts hang out, so I just wanted to clarify some more that this won't be "Disney" camping... we'll be in southern NJ somewhere.

My fiancé and some of our friends want to go camping in May. Apparently when they were younger they used to go camping all the time... However John hasn't been camping since we started dating (almost 6 years). I've been very good at finagling us out of these things, but I think I may finally have to give in. The thing is, I am a city girl through and through. I do like the occasional foray into nature and enjoy peace and quiet occasionally but I'm afraid that once night comes, I'll be extremely
uncomfortable and then after the first day the novelty will wear off and I'll be miserable. They are looking for a place with a lot of hiking trails for variety... but I've never even gone hiking before so I don't even know if I'll enjoy it or if I'm fit enough for it. Also I have a fear of insects. If a spider gets in the tent, I'll freak out.

All that being said I guess I'm finally willing to give it a try, but I'm hoping some of you can give me tips to help me survive. I plan on bringing my portable battery jumper thing from my car so I can charge and use some of my electronics (Like an iPod or DS at night if I get bored or can't sleep, and to keep my cell charged). Also I'm making my John buy a decent tent. But what else will I need to bring or should I expect?

drummerboy
03-21-2008, 11:36 PM
A good air matress helps if you don't want to sleep on the hard ground. I can't remember if it gets that buggy in South Jersey in May, but bug spray might also be helpful. Do you know where you'll likely be staying?

PirateLover
03-22-2008, 01:01 AM
I really am clueless right now as to where we'll be since we are still in the planning stages. I think they are also going to consider some PA sites as well. (planning is pretty much being left up to another couple. There will be 6 of us as of now, more might join the party later who knows.)
We live in the Philadelphia area but are willing to drive so if anyone has a suggestion for a good site it would be welcomed. We all have to sit down and discuss it some more.

I've come up with some more specific questions that maybe people will have an easier time answering:

Are there any brands of bug spray that work better than others? I've never had to use it before. I always see "OFF" but just because it's ubiquitous doesn't mean it works...By the way, as you pointed out Drummerboy it is our hope that in early May less bugs will be out but you never know. If we have a warm April, it could be buggier than expected.

Do you really have to buy an expensive tent? What brands are the best? We were just going to get a $50-$60 one (I was looking at Coleman) but our one friend was going on and on about seams having to be waterproofed and that a tent at that price won't be good enough. However, I am of the mindset that if it starts raining that hard, I'm either sleeping in the car or heading home. So do you think it would be ok to go with a cheaper tent? Are there any other reasons why we might want to invest in one a bit pricier?

Will I be OK with good sneakers or should I get boots if we plan to go hiking? If I do get boots is there an easy way to break them in?
I don't want this trip to start getting too expensive but at the same time as I said I don't want to be miserable and I feel like being as prepared as possible will help me stay happy.

NJ Camper
03-22-2008, 09:48 AM
Since you don't know how much you will go after this i would NOT get to crazy on the tent if you buy a expensivre one and don't like it then you wasted your money
sneakers or boots they make some pretty good hiking sneakers which you could always wear after for daily shoes also unless you wear boots they may be uncomfortable
we started out tent camping me and girlfriend now wife in south jersey we went to bassriver its a state run camp that is nofrills basic camping there is plenty of nice sites in the capemay area which is also close to wildwood we stayed in one there called seashore it was pretty good
Pa has lots depending on where you want to go if you want to go toward lancaster or the pocono's
these 2 areas are where i did most of my camping other then disney which is always a great choice also there is so much to do you will be so tired you won't even think about where you are sleeping if you have more ? post them

ibrowse17
03-22-2008, 01:27 PM
Having camped all sorts of ways at FW during different times of the year, I can suggest a fan or two. It will start to be getting stickey hot in May, and you will need something to keep the air flowing. A power strip and good extention cords are a must as well. We have a Kelty tent that we take when we tent camp, and it works well for us. I would not put a lot of money in to a tent if you do not plan to tent camp on a regular basis. My DW loves to have a tv table to use for doing make up and all at the site rather than the comfort station. We also like to use storage bins instead of suitcases when we tent camp, in case you have a rain problem. I hope you have a great time:thumbsup:

Dakota Rose
03-23-2008, 12:06 AM
The sporting goods stores carry just about every kind of amenity for camping. We have battery powered lights, little nightstands, etc. I'm not saying you need those things, but it might be worth a shopping trip to see if you can find some things that appeal to your comfort.

If you're worried about bugs, check out the Thermacell mosquito repellant. We use Avon's Picaridin bug spray and it works really well. Only occasionally have we had to "upgrade" to Deet. (yucky stuff)

How many nights are you camping? Will the campgrounds have showers? If not, you may want to get one of the camping shower bag thingies. They're vinyl bags with a hook and a shower nozzle that you fill with water and hang from a tree. About $20-30.

A comfy chair and some good books are a good idea too. And don't forget the extra blankets for nighttime.

I would say that the more planning the better so you don't have any surprises.

Have a great time! :)

PirateLover
03-23-2008, 01:27 AM
Thanks for all the tips so far. My fiance's dad actually wants to go camping sometime in the future, so he said he'd go in half on a tent. Since we were looking to spent up to $60 this works out nicely because he wants to get one that is $120 and seems pretty nice.

Our friend does have lanterns, tarps, a stove and various other equipment because his family goes a lot. And we will definitely stay at a site that has showers and bathrooms. No way am I "roughing" it on my first trip ever! Lol. We will most likely stay for 2 nights, a friday to sunday.

NJ Camper
03-23-2008, 10:07 AM
sounds good did you pick a spot yet last i remeber you said south jersey or maybe pa

PirateLover
03-23-2008, 11:08 AM
No, we are still researching places. I think the big decision will be do we really need/want electricity. It seems the sites with electric are a lot more expensive.

Ed
03-23-2008, 05:03 PM
You might want to consider Otter Lake Campground (http://www.otterlake.com/) in the Poconos. It's an easy drive from the Philly area, and it is one of the finest campgrounds we ever stayed at. We used to live in Maryland, and we headed up to Otter Lake frequently. Beautifully maintained, well run, great scenery. We started camping there in a tent, later in a popup, and eventually in a travel trailer. Our teenaged daughter at the time was HORRIFIED :eek: at the idea of camping in a tent! One trip and she was a diehard convert.

PirateLover
03-24-2008, 11:34 AM
You might want to consider Otter Lake Campground (http://www.otterlake.com/) in the Poconos. It's an easy drive from the Philly area, and it is one of the finest campgrounds we ever stayed at. We used to live in Maryland, and we headed up to Otter Lake frequently. Beautifully maintained, well run, great scenery. We started camping there in a tent, later in a popup, and eventually in a travel trailer. Our teenaged daughter at the time was HORRIFIED :eek: at the idea of camping in a tent! One trip and she was a diehard convert.

Thank you! I was actually looking at this site before and I thought It looked wonderful, but my fiancé isn't so sure... He thinks that it isn't secluded enough, too much $$ and too many rules about people on your campsite, and that it isn't "real" camping if you're not completely isolated out in the woods somewhere :rolleyes: :( Hopefully I can convince him otherwise since I think I would be much happier at a place like this.

TinaAndGlenn
03-24-2008, 01:20 PM
Remember, you get what you pay for. The places that have extra$ for extra people do this for a reason. No one wants to spend a weekend camping next to a group of rowdie people who are only there to have a party. Also, regarding your tent: purchase a tarp from your local home improvement store. They sell them in all sizes. I have seen many people put these over their tent in inclimate weather. I was never a camper either. My husband & I bought a pop up 16 years ago. It was the best decision we ever made. Although we now take all the comforts of home, camping is a great way to relax, connect with family & friends, and see this beautiful country. Have a great time!

Jasper
03-24-2008, 02:04 PM
It seems you are getting a lot of good advice on the equipment side of things but not many comments on the what to do when the novelty wears off. My first response to that would be a question. What do you and this group of friends like to do currently when you get together? For example, do you get together and play cards or board games? If you do then be sure to take a deck of cards and your favorite board games along. If you think through those kind of things you will probably find that there are a great deal of things to do.

Another great group activity we love to do is cook together. We do this at each others houses and we also do this when we are out camping. Even the dish washing chore can become fun when done as a group! We usually have a battery powered radio along that we sing along with while washing dishes. This also prevents one or two people from having to do it all by themselves. If these are friends that you spend any amount of time with I bet you can find many different things to do that can pass the time enjoyably.

And don't forget sight seeing. Because of kid issues we don't get around to the state of Indiana parks like we used to but when we did there were always things offered in-park to do as well as local sites in the area of both a historical and natural wonder type to do. Do some research on your own before leaving home and then if things start to drag you can come up with some suggestions about things to do. Most campground websites include either listings of things in the area to do or even links to those things.

The most important thing to do is to get involved with the trip and don't focus on the negatives. I have seen more camping trips ruined by the one stick-in-the-mud that wouldn't give it a chance! Yes, you will still probably scream bloody murder when you get a bug in the tent but as long as you can laugh about it after you are done screaming then you will end up enjoying yourself!

Finally, if you really do make a genuine effort to enjoy yourself and still just absolutely hate it then when you approach your fiancée about not wanting to go camping again he is much more likely to understand and not try to force you to go again. Remember, WHAT YOU GET OUT OF ANY EXPERIENCE IN LIFE DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU PUT INTO IT!!

princessjojo
03-24-2008, 02:10 PM
Good luck! I have done my duties as far as tent camping. My idea of roughing it is no room service. I spent 6 years camping with our local cubscout. One of the best things we ever bought was a small battery operated "ceiling" fan. It adheres with strong magnets, one to the inside and one to the outside in the dome of the tent. It also has a small light as well. In the end, we always really had a great time, but I was always ready to go home as well. Another good thing to bring along is a rake & old broom. Use the rake to smooth the ground & prep for where you want to put your tent. You don't want any rocks to show up underneath you. The broom will help keep some of the dirt out ouf your tent. Have enough tarp outside the edge of the tent so you have something like a doormat to leave your shoes.

Have a great time. It really isn't that bad. I like it ok, but don't suggest it for things we should do on our vacations.

PirateLover
03-24-2008, 02:13 PM
Remember, you get what you pay for. The places that have extra$ for extra people do this for a reason. No one wants to spend a weekend camping next to a group of rowdie people who are only there to have a party.
This is exactly why he wants to be secluded. This way we won't disturb anyone and they can't disturb us. I wouldn't necessarily consider us rowdy, but we do laugh a lot. So far there are 6 of us, 3 couples who would each have their own tent. Youngest is me at 22 and the oldest is 30. We will be up later in the night and will probably bring a long a few beers. I've noticed many campsites have "quiet hours" so we obviously can't go to those since most weekends we are just hanging out shooting the breeze at someone's house until 2am.

Thanks for the tip about the tarp, our friend has one that he says will cover up to 3 tents so we won't have to get our own this time around.

NJ Camper
03-24-2008, 04:47 PM
A few beers shouldn't be a problem but at any campground if you get to rowdy you could get kicked out ALL of them i've ever heard of or went to have some kind of quite hours usally
10:00 or 11:00 as long as you keep the noise level down there is not a problem but you have to remember there is family's with kids at most of these and if you get rowdy they will complain plus the other side is they typically go to bed earlier which means they get up earlier so don't be surprised when at 8:00 am they start making noise

PirateLover
03-24-2008, 05:36 PM
A few beers shouldn't be a problem but at any campground if you get to rowdy you could get kicked out ALL of them i've ever heard of or went to have some kind of quite hours usally
10:00 or 11:00 as long as you keep the noise level down there is not a problem but you have to remember there is family's with kids at most of these and if you get rowdy they will complain plus the other side is they typically go to bed earlier which means they get up earlier so don't be surprised when at 8:00 am they start making noise
Oh yea, totally. The last thing I'd want to do is disturb someone else's family. There are some websites that blatantly advertise they are family campgrounds....I found one where groups with people under the age of 25 cannont have more than 2 people on a campsite, and other strict rules for non-families. It does make sense though.

Some of the grounds do in fact have areas where the individual camp sites aren't right next to each other, usually they don't have the water and electric hookups though and are usually far away from the lake front or main areas. There is usually still a water pump and restrooms/showers though.

I think someone else in our group found a good site, I will let you know what we end up doing when I find out more.

PirateLover
03-24-2008, 07:54 PM
Well at least I have one more person on my side! She is of the same mindset as me, she would like a nice place with a view, have some activities etc. It is $30 a night for 2 people, $11 for each additional person up to 4 adults on one site (again that stinks because we have 6, but what can ya do...)

It is called Camp Taylor and it's in Columbia, NJ. She writes:

"Liquor is allowed but we still have to keep it under control. Quiet time is 11pm-9am basically everything is down to a talk and no yelling. Camp fire- there is no time limit. It's on a mountain and the trail leads to wildlife reserves and everything is heavily surround by trees... I just want to hike and relax and maybe do so photographing,reading, and hiking."

Hopefully we can work our charms on the boys ;)

NJ Camper
03-24-2008, 08:37 PM
like i said most have some kind of quite hours and most don't mind you staying up having a few beers as long as you keep it to a low roar if you get yelling or overly rowdie then its a problem we stayed in pirateland in myrtle beach and would stay up to 2-3 am drinking and talking but as long as you didn't get loud you are ok but these sites are far from secluded you are lucky if there is a tree or maybe even 2 between you and others some have nothing especially those on the edge of the beach area but otherwise a great camp with a huge pool and even a lazy river but very expensive last i saw it was around 60 a night but you are within a walk ( very short to short )1-10 minutes to the ocean and lots to do but not a good 2 day trip better for a week but if i had a choice a week in disney would be better and believe it or not cheaper for the camping longer trip and more in gas but more fun and worth the extra but agian more then a 2 day trip good luck with your trip

PirateLover
03-25-2008, 12:52 PM
Thanks NJ Camper for all your advice. If I enjoy camping maybe we will check out one of those other sites in the future- we love to travel!

Upon further review of the camp sites, I am really going to push for otter lake. I was checking out the maps and it seems like camp taylor only has flush toilets and showers in the main building. The rest are pit toilets, and no additional showers. Otter lake has 8 separate heated rest areas with showers and it's only $5 more a night. Also most places charge extra for more adults and many (Otter Lake included) charges you a full site fee if you aren't family and you pitch a second tent on one site. Therefore I proposed the idea that we just get 3 sites in a row and hang out at the middle site until bed time, this way we won't have neighbors on either side (And on the map there are a few areas that we would basically take up a block and be alone on our side of the road). So I've convinced the fiancee, hopefully I can convince the others. The only downside is we might have to purchase some extra stuff (like our own tarp). We are going to take a trip to Cabela's this weekend. :pine:

NJ Camper
03-25-2008, 04:01 PM
Otter lake is a nice camp also there is some stuff in that area to do there is a pocono candle place not far if you like that type of thing and in the office you should find more info on things in the area if you want to go i believe there is a go cart track not far also and if you like to fish the fishing there is great good luck and have fun

NJ Camper
03-25-2008, 04:03 PM
Oh yeah one more thing watch on the way in the road is narrow in spots and alot of turns and hills and the driveway to the camp sneaks up on you

Ed
03-25-2008, 05:58 PM
That road is pretty twisty-turny; just take your time and you'll be okay. The campground is almost exactly 7 miles after you pass the Marshall Creek firehouse.

Maryanne, I really don't think you can go wrong with Otter Lake. I really think your entire group will like the place. If there are any fishermen (or fisherladies) in the group, the lake offers some great bass fishing.

But most of all, try hard to go into it with an open mind and positive attitude. If you EXPECT it to be bad, it probably will be. Trust me. Been there, done that!

PirateLover
03-28-2008, 04:22 PM
Maryanne, I really don't think you can go wrong with Otter Lake. I really think your entire group will like the place. If there are any fishermen (or fisherladies) in the group, the lake offers some great bass fishing.

But most of all, try hard to go into it with an open mind and positive attitude. If you EXPECT it to be bad, it probably will be. Trust me. Been there, done that!

Thank you Ed. We are going to discuss everything this weekend. I am starting to get excited. I just want to go to a nice place. Otter Lake seems to be a nice middle ground to me. My fiancee does love to fish so I've been telling him about the fishing (I read it online). Another great thing is that you don't need a permit to fish there. As the days go by my reservations are being replaces by tempered excitement... No matter what I will try to have a positive attitude and make the best of it!

PirateLover
03-31-2008, 11:27 AM
Well I thought I'd report back on my eventful weekend.
4 of us took the trip to Cabela's in PA on Sat. WOW what a place. We didn't end up buying much, but it was so cool. I got a pair of hiking boots, John got a hand axe, and our friends got a king size air mattress for $50.

After that we decided to check out Otter Lake and Camp Taylor. Otter Lake was definitely nice. Everyone liked it, but there was one major problem... the tent sites were extremely small, basically on top of each other, and filled with gravel. Everyone pretty much vetoed immediately, and we were all a little disappointed. After that it was a 20 min. drive over the Delaware Water Gap to NJ to check out Camp Taylor. It seemed shady and the guy didn't even let us go back and look at the sites. Also he kept emphasizing how strict they were and that it was a family site...basically we felt like we weren't welcomed, so we left.

We stopped at two other extremely shady looking places and then went home. We drove over 300 miles and while we saw some beautiful scenery, especially crossing the water gap, the day was a bust in regards to finding a camp site.

Sunday we looked at sites closer to home, mostly in Woodstown and Monroeville NJ areas. The last place we looked at was the one we decided on- Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park at Tall Pines in Elmer, NJ. The tent sites have electric, water and cable hookups, and are big enough to fit 3 tents on one site. The sites were cheap enough that we got two so we could park our cars on the other one and have more space. They have a fishing pond, a pool, and a great general store. Also there aren't very many seasonal spots so it seemed a little nicer looking than a lot of the other places. The bathrooms were OK... the one that will be closest to us has two single "family" restrooms and the showers are in the same room so it could get a little backed up but they were clean. Overall I am very happy with this site and looking forward to camping in a little over a month! Johns dad is now buying the entire tent. We are ordering the WestWind from Cabela's. I just places an order with Avon and got their bug spray... wish me luck everyone!

drummerboy
03-31-2008, 02:38 PM
Aren't you glad I put you over here in the camper forum? sounds like things are coming together for you. Having been raised in Pitman, I can't believe they've put a campground over in Elmer.

Camping out can be a whole lot of fun, and it sounds like your group should do a good job of making it a good trip. Good luck.

PirateLover
03-31-2008, 08:28 PM
Aren't you glad I put you over here in the camper forum?
Yes, thank you! ;)


sounds like things are coming together for you. Having been raised in Pitman, I can't believe they've put a campground over in Elmer.
I don't know much about the area. There were a lot of campgrounds in the surrounding area though. We had a GPS and we were just following it around the area as it listed camp sites for us since we weren't familiar with it. It is very rural, though there seems to be a lot of new construction. I'm pretty sure that it's a fairly new campground.

Janmac
04-01-2008, 10:56 PM
I've been busy and have just found this thread. As Drummerboy may be able to tell you we (me and the frog in my throat) are crazy insane obsessive planners when it comes to camping. Also, I can not be brief. :blush:

Since you have a GPS, you may want to do some geocaching while you're camping. If you're not familiar with this do a search on geocache. Like geo-cash. The main website which is something like geocache dot com, has all sorts of info to help you get started.

Basically it's a treasure hunt with a GPS. If you leave something in the cache you can take something with you. When we would geocache with our grandkids they would leave Mardi Gras beads which our granddaughter brought from Louisiana. We don't seem to geocache except when camping.

And a word about campground showers which usually don't have any ledges, shelves, hooks or other handy stuff. After much frustration, we developed the shower bag, which is a net bag, like maybe fruit comes in. We laced a shoelace (for want of a better choice) around the top, tying it twice so that it has a loop to hang from the shower control, but you can still open the top to get in the bag.

Then, in the 'boys' bag we have a shampoo bottle and a liquid body wash bottle (being easier than the old bar soap and box routine). The 'girls' bag has the same stuff and conditioner and whatever else is needed in the shower. Since there is usually no place to put these things - like a shelf - having the bag hanging someplace in the shower handy. Makes things easy to use and there are fewer things left in the shower.

As the rubbermaid boxes are a good idea, one dedicated shower bag/container which has shower shoes (simple flip flops or slides), your net bag, towel, lotion, brush, toothbrush/paste, etc, is very handy.

It's things like the handy shower bag that make camping more fun and less frustrating. That and a comfortable chair. :D

If we can have a campfire - not always allowed at campgrounds - we generally don't need anything else for entertainment. Even tho you have a fire going, you may still want a warm sweatshirt or jacket with hood. After a warm day, with hiking or other activities, sometimes sitting around the campfire can be very chilly.

Jan

PirateLover
04-01-2008, 11:46 PM
I
Since you have a GPS, you may want to do some geocaching while you're camping. If you're not familiar with this do a search on geocache. Like geo-cash. The main website which is something like geocache dot com, has all sorts of info to help you get started.
I've heard the term before but I've never looked into it. I think this could be fun! Thanks.


And a word about campground showers which usually don't have any ledges, shelves, hooks or other handy stuff. After much frustration, we developed the shower bag, which is a net bag, like maybe fruit comes in. We laced a shoelace (for want of a better choice) around the top, tying it twice so that it has a loop to hang from the shower control, but you can still open the top to get in the bag.
What a great idea. I think I have something that could be perfect for this. That is definitely something that would frustrate me, seeing as how both John and I have a lot of shower toiletries.


If we can have a campfire - not always allowed at campgrounds - we generally don't need anything else for entertainment.

This is one thing I'm used to! Our friend has a fire pit in his backyard and we've spent many a night cozied up to the flames shooting the breeze. This site does allow campfires, although they have to be contained within the fire ring they provide (one of those truck tire things). This is the one part I'm old hat at ;)

jonahbear2006
06-14-2008, 07:55 PM
Aluminum Foil. Take a roll of it. It is good for so many things. For the obvious,making campfire sandwiches, corn, or any kind of food, but also if you want a fire and it is raining you can make a tent for your fire out of sticks and aluminum foil.
Rope and clothes pins. you need somethign to hang wet clothes, towels, washcloths on.
We pack everything in plastic drawers in the trunk, labeled. Nothing like always searching for something when you are camping.
Buy something to put your bathroom supplies in so they are always ready to take down to the bathroom.
Rain Repellent spray. All tents, new or old, need to be sprayed with this in order to keep your tent from getting soaked from rain and dew. (keep your windows open at night. it actually keeps your tent warmer because moisture makes a tent cold and you need to let your body heat circulate. Otherwise you will wake up in a wet tent)
Door mat. You need something to place outside of your tent to step on.
Ponchos. very cheap but can be a great asset in camping. We have never used ours but still carry them j.in.c.
I agree with getting a tarp but we don't use it for the top. We put it underneath because you get mud and junk all over the tent bottom and this will be folded back into your tent if you dont have something between the tent and the ground.
I camped for most of my life, starting at 5 years old. These tips go on and on; get a good book from the library or half.com on all of this. You will be happier if you go with everything you need and the electricity can be done without. I have NEVER experienced camping in electricity till Disney 07, and I am 28.....it is a luxury but it is also night to have no lights from time to time.
Have a great trip!