People have a lot of preconceived notions about camping – and your very own family may well be no exception! Many think of camping as a cold, wet, miserable experience where you sleep on the hard ground, eat cold gruel and live in constant fear of attack by wild animals.

In fact, camping can be one of the most fantastic experiences of your life, creating lifelong memories for you and your children to reminisce about for years to come. It’s also an affordable way to travel and see some amazing sights with your family, so it is worth broaching the subject with them to see if they’ll give it a go.
Here are a few tips to pre-empt the resistance you might encounter when you ask you family to give camping a try:
- Start with something easy
Your first family camping trip doesn’t have to be a rugged, remote experience. It could be booking a site at an RV park with access to a pool, restaurant, bar, kids club, spa, fitness center…and much more. By choosing somewhere a little more upmarket you’ll be easing the family into the idea of camping. Consider it a resort holiday without the resort price tag!
2. Plan for a few treats
Really sell the experience to the family by throwing in some treats to sweeten the deal. Things such as planning a fun activity while you are away such as whale watching, horse riding or a visit to a local winery
3. Don’t go too far
Make your first camping trip somewhere close to home so you aren’t turning up with grumpy kids who have spent hours and hours in the car. Plus, should the weather turn foul, you’ll be close enough to quickly pack up and get back to your nice dry house.
4. Find out why your family are resistant to trying camping (and then try and solve those concerns)
Sometimes there could be something small holding your family members back from the idea of trying a camping holiday. It could be that they’re worried about the lack of WiFi, or that there won’t be a nice hot shower to wash their hair at the end of the day. If you can identify their concerns, you’ll find that most of them can be solved simply by making a good choice of venue and park to fit their needs.
5. Involve them in the planning
Three days’ fishing where you don’t have a shower and live off sandwiches for three meals a day might suit you, but chances are your family would like something a little different. By involving them in the planning process you’ll be able to set their expectations realistically (and understand what they are).
6. Be patient
If your family have never been camping before, it could be a little daunting. It might be that they are scared of the dark, worried about storms or animals, or simply aren’t sure how it is all going to go. Have patience and be prepared to compromise in order to make them feel comfortable.
7. Book the next trip…if it’s all going well…
Strike while the iron’s hot! If you and the family excitedly return from the first camping trip discussing what they loved about it, get in quick and book the next ones before they change their minds again!
We firmly believe that there is a style of camping to suit everyone, from a mat on a ground to an RV with all the comforts of home – it’s just a matter of finding what’s best for you and your family.