Weekend Warriors: Short Adventures Help Prep for The Big One

Starting Small

Before starting out on a long adventure, we hitched up the camper for a weekend getaway 10 times. We became camper people toward the end of the summer 2020; 10 trips were all we could fit in before the snow started to fly. We wanted to get a feel for camping with a camper (as opposed to our now-retired tent). Our longest camping trip during this season was 4 nights long; school and work prevented any longer trips. These weekend exploits definitely helped us formulate our plan of attack for a long adventure. Pro tip: the best way to decide which gear is necessary is to make a list while camping. 

State Parks

Of those first 10 camping trips, nine of them were in state parks. We are huge fans of state park campgrounds. Many state parks seem to boast more space between campsites versus their private counterparts. On that first trip, when you’re backing your brand-new travel trailer into a campsite for the very first time, you want all the extra space you can get. You also want as few neighbors as possible (because we’ll all be watching you…silently cheering you on…but watching nonetheless!). This is our personal preference, but having space upstages many other amenities.

Also noteworthy, state parks tend to be cheaper than private campgrounds. True, a state park campground with full hook-ups is typically a rare find (so less creature comfort amenities maybe). But electricity hook-ups are fairly easy to find, and state parks generally provide a freshwater fill station, a dump station, and bathhouses. We also prefer a more wooded area versus an open field; trees boast a little extra privacy as well as shade. State Park campgrounds come with a variety of places to explore and things to do. We’ve found some state parks with a beach or pool, and many host ranger-led activities on weekends during peak seasons. Our kids love these!

Fun for the Whole Family

Hailing from Pennsylvania, we are lucky to have 124 state parks (as of March 2023), about 70 of which have campgrounds, and 20 state forests. You can learn more a by visiting PA Department of Conservation and Resources‘ State Park website. PA Parks & Forests Foundation offers another fun program: the PA State Parks and State Forests Passport book. These books are available at most ranger stations and are roughly $13. The passport book showcases each state park and forest with a photo, a brief paragraph highlighting features, and a box for a stamp. The park ranger and/or ranger station has a special stamp to “cancel” your passport book. We’ve really enjoyed collecting stamps during our visits. A brief history, state map, and directory round out this great book. Other states offer similar programs, so be sure to ask a ranger.

Must Haves

If you’re new to RV camping, you may have already discovered that there’s quite a bit of items you need beyond the camper. Maybe someday we’ll post an all-inclusive list (it will be rather extensive). But for now, here’s some of our favorite gear from our weekend warrior adventures. You’ll need these “must haves” before your first camping trip. Click on the item to learn more about why we love it.

Heads up: Any items discussed above are items we use and love. If you click and purchase from one of our affiliate links, you may add some change in our “Next Big Adventure” jar. And we promise to share that adventure! This comes at no cost to you.