20 Camping Travel Essentials That Make It Simple and Fun!

If you are tired of seeing camping travel essentials lists that are a mile long, you are not alone. I read them all and came up with a new list that I believe covers all the areas of camping and what is actually essential. Plus I found kits that make organization easier and found a tote that makes storing and transporting a breeze!

I scoured the internet looking at camping essential lists. I felt most of these lists had a lot of extra items that we would never end up using. I wanted a system where I could store most of the items in a tote and keep them in the shed and easily grab and go when we were ready for an adventure. 

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*Note this list does not cover clothing, personal items, toiletries, or 1st aid but you can find those posts here! Best Minimalist Carry-On Packing List for All Vacations & DIY 1st Aid Kit For Travel and Vacations & How To Pack For Different Types of Day Trips!

Sleeping and Sitting

1. Tent

I’m obsessed with everything looking pretty so I got this glamping tent and have loved using it ever since. If you have a smaller tent it could possibly fit in the storage tote used to store all camping essentials on this list (more on that later). But I like to pretend that I’m on an expedition when camping so I have this big one

2. Cots

We tried air mattresses in the past and no matter the cost we always woke up on the ground with a deflated bed. So thus I gave up on them and am now trying out cots. I picked these beside the height, I wanted to be able to sit down on them and get up easily which is harder to do with the ones made lower to the ground. Plus if I put two next to each other and cover with a blanket they look like a normal bed. I will update you on how that goes.

3. Chairs

I got tired of lugging around large folding chairs so I switched over to these foldable ones. They are a bit cumbersome to snap into place and then back together to fold up but I think the trade-off is worth it when living in a small space and storing them all year. They are comfortable to sit in with my large thighs and I like that they came in a set of two for me and hubby.

4. Blankets and Pillows

Right now I am just packing pillows and blankets from the house to use when camping. You can use sleeping bags if you find that better, but since I camp in Texas where it’s hot I need lightweight to keep cool at night. I do have my eye on this camping blanket though because of the two different sides and its compatibility. So if you snag it let me know how you like it in the comments.

Also see: Best Minimalist Carry-On Packing List for All Vacations

Camping Travel Essentials

Kitchen

5. Ice Chest

Everyone needs an ice chest to store the food you bring with you camping. I went with one that had pockets and a topped-off section to keep our chopped fruit and sandwich meat separated from the ice. In our previous one, they both ended up soggy. The pockets on the sides store our forks, spoons, and knife set plus dish soap and sponge along with cloth napkins.

6. Food Basket

Again I like things to be cute so I got something that can store our bread, chips, and other food that did not belong in the ice chest. I went with this picnic basket that I’m in love with. I use it even when not camping like taking picnics in the park or as cute storage around the house. I get so many compliments when strangers walk by.

7. Table

I like to eat at a table versus my lap when out in the wild. Most campsites come with tables but since I have been dabbling in off-grid camping I added this one from Amazon to my camping essentials. Since it’s just my husband and me I got the small one and keep it stored under my camping tote bin when not in use. It’s easy to fold up and wipe down and lightweight enough for me to carry.

8. Cutlery

All I have is 4 bowls and 4 plates. That’s it! It’s plenty for just my husband and I but if more people are joining us we then use paper plates. Also, we have a fork, spoon, and knife set which is stored in the ice chest pocket (4 each as well). I love this one but we don’t pack the cups with us since we drink straight from our water bottles.

9. Cookware Set

This set comes with all the pots and pans we need and even some items on the inside that we can do without since we have a Utensils Set. We have cooked pancakes, burgers, hot dogs, eggs, and more with the set and they’re pretty easy to clean. I know they’re Teflon and I would prefer to cook with steel like I do at home but I compromise because they’re more lightweight and compactible.

10. Utensils Set

When camping I still want everything I need to cook a nice meal. So I got this kit, plus added some more seasoning jars to it and now I feel comfortable enough to make whatever dish I prefer. I picked this one over the others because it comes with a chopping board, gloved for hot pans, and sticks for roasting marshmallows! Like I said it has everything!

11. Propane Stove

We love to cook over the fire when camping, but sometimes a portable Butane gas stove makes things easier. Mainly in the morning when you’ve just woken up and need food now. I went with this one because it’s the only affordable one that also comes with the Butane cans included. Why spend time and money purchasing them separately?

12. Wash Tub

Since I only keep sets of 4 for my cutlery I need to make sure I keep up with my dish cleaning. This makes it easy to wash my dishes and even store the dirty ones when I’m not ready to wash them yet. Plus I can compact it to fit neatly in my camping bin. I love how it even comes with a drain stopper so I can let out as much water as I want without having to carry and tip over a heavy bin. This is the one I recommend.

13. Broom & Dustpan

Tents can get sandy and dirty just after a few days out in nature so I keep a small broom and dustpan handy. I just got mine from the dollar store but if you want to just order everything online to make your own camping bin ASAP this one won’t take up much room!

Also see: DIY 1st Aid Kit For Travel and Vacations.

Fun Stuff

14. Walkie Talkie

We technically don’t need these because we are always together, but we are without cell service a lot when camping, so it’s great to have the option to still communicate if we are far apart. Plus these radios are fun to use because it brings out your inner kid. I got a pack of 4 in case we are camping with family we can give one to each group.

15. Fan/ Heater

The fan I use is slim enough to fit in my camping essentials tote and is great for camping in Texas during the spring and fall months. My heater however is pretty big and I have to carry it separately. I got this one in case I needed to use it indoors for a power outage and wanted something that would sufficiently keep us warm. Here is the one I use.

16. Lantern

I love ours because they double as a flashlight and lantern as well and we have 2 one for each of us. This saves us space and we switch back and forth depending on what lighting we need to use. The light is also very strong and I can hang it up in our tent.

17. Entertainment

I have this survival book in our kit that I like to read while camping. There is no better time to learn some new skills than when outdoors with no cell service. You can change it with any other book, some games or puzzles. There is still plenty of room in my camping travel essentials bin so I have this catch ball set, a star gazing map, and binoculars.

18. Hammock

Most state and national parks do not let you hang hammocks on the trees but you can hang them on pavilions and also at private campsites. I love my two-person hammock for taking naps, daydreaming, reading, or just watching the clouds move.

19. Fishing Rod

I have this fishing rod set because I would love to learn how to fish and add it as an activity during my camping trips. It’s a dream of mine to catch and cook my own meal, maybe one day it will happen but as of now, I can’t seem to figure out how to put the rod together. I do like it comes in a case that has everything I think I need to fish plus it fits in my tote!

20. Storage Tote

Lastly is this 27-gallon storage tote that fits *almost* everything on this list and brings joy to me when I open it up every time I go camping and see everything I need in one spot. Just to reiterate the only things that don’t go in here are my tent, chairs, table, ice chest, picnic basket, and heater (if it’s winter). Other than those items we have all our camping travel essentials in one spot and ready for an adventure.

Also see: My Simple Luggage Organization System!

That’s The Camping Travel Essentials!

This camping setup is good for local trips that you can drive to. Obviously, you can’t take all of this on a plane with you, but if you are doing a cross-country road trip this list will be great for that too. One note on that is maybe thinking of a bigger ice chest or food basket for longer trips. What item can’t you camp without? Let me know in the comments below.

Happy exploring!

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Read More Packing List like this one!

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My Simple Luggage Organization System!

What Are My Recommended Resources For Planning A Trip?

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Check Out My Resources Page For All My Recommended Travel Tools!

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