Last weekend I took my 9-year-old son Jack on his class camping trip. It was not only Jack’s first time camping but mine as well. Unless you count glamping I’ve never truly camped. I’ve stayed in some pretty swanky tents around the world including in Australia’s Outback (at Longitude 131), South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania while on safari and in Central India on a tiger safari. But this was my first time actually setting up my own tent.
We live in L.A. and the camping spot the dads picked this year was just north of Santa Barbara. Since it was our first time and we didn’t want to leave my wife and daughter out we arranged for them to stay at a hotel just 8 miles down the road. Here’s my wife’s story about their one-night stay at the Ritz-Carlton Santa Barbara.
Jack and I arrived at the Sun Outdoors Santa Barbara campground around noon. Some of his classmates were at the pool, others were at the beach, hiking to a nearby llama farm or playing wiffle ball in the field. My first task was to find our pre-reserved spot and set up our tent before sunset.
To my surprise it took only five to ten minutes because our six-person tent was super easy to assemble. One of the dads who grew up camping in Wyoming helped me secure the four posts. He had a rubber mallet to drive them in and the next morning he helped pull them out with the other end of the mallet. I need to get one for next year.
The tent, the Eureka! Copper Canyon LX sleeps six and was perfect. When I tested it in our living room six months ago it took less than five minutes to put up after watching the company’s three-minute video but I didn’t have to stake it down or put the rain cover on. I also laid a tarp down first that I bought from Amazon. I hung a little lantern from the ceiling but I should have strung fairy lights across the top like I did in the living room.
I then pulled out my Jackery Portable Power Station. I’ve kept it in our basement for emergencies and it gives me a lot of peace of mind but it was great for camping too. What’s crazy is that the day before the trip I checked to see how much power it still had from when I charged it a year or two ago and it was at 100%.
I planned to use it to charge my phone and watch at night but I also used it to inflate our air mattress (Intex 64417ED 22in Queen Dura-Beam Comfort Plush High-Rise Inflatable Air Mattress with Built In Pump for Travel and Camping 600lb Weight Capacity). I’ve had this mattress in our basement for years so I brought it along. Let me tell you my friends were jealous. It took only a few minutes to inflate fully and used just 3% of the Jackery’s battery.
I laid a blanket on top and then a sheet (I should’ve brought two). It was so hot during the day that I thought we might sleep with our new double sleeping bag that can be separated into two queen-size blankets thanks to the wraparound zippers. But once the sun went down it got chilly so the double sleeping bag was perfect for kids who want to be cozy and warm. It came with two small pillows but they’re not great. Bring your own which we did.
The whole setup was plush just like the campground. As one of the dads said this really isn’t camping since your car is only 30 yards away, there’s a general store open daily (8am to 8pm).
A heated pool, four showers in both the men’s and women’s rooms and full bathrooms.
Some dads arranged RVs so they were even swankier than we were.
I did make one rookie mistake: having food in our tent. Thankfully one of the dads saw it and warned me it was a bad idea. He told me to put it either in an airtight container outside the tent or in the car. I put it in the car but at 12:35am I woke up to two raccoons trying to break into our tent. It scared the you know what out of me because at first I had no idea what it was. I was in a deep sleep and couldn’t find my flashlight (a headlamp) but when I finally turned it on I saw the paw prints. They ran off but I was wide awake for the next couple of hours.
What’s even crazier is that Jack’s friend who was sleeping in a tent two feet away started clearing his sinuses an hour later. The sound he made was unlike anything I’d ever heard. For the first twenty minutes I thought it was the raccoons or another animal annoyed and trying to get in. Above is a picture of me with my scared face.
The next morning I was beat (pic below) but we had a trip we will never forget and my son said he had the best time ever.
Planning a camping trip? Here’s a comprehensive list of essentials to keep you comfortable safe and well-fed in the great outdoors.
Clothing & Personal Items
Pack layers and weather-appropriate clothing:
• Sweatshirt / Sweats / Warm jacket for chilly nights
• Socks & underwear always bring extras
• Wooly hat / Ball cap sun protection or warmth
• Swimsuit if you plan to swim
• Old sneakers for hiking or muddy trails
Sleeping & Comfort
Make your campsite cozy:
• Pillow
• Blanket / Extra blankets
• Sleeping bag(s) check temperature rating
• Air mattress optional but adds comfort
• Tarp ground cover or extra shelter
Shelter & Setup
Essential items for your tent setup:
• Tent
• Rubber mallet for securing stakes
• Fairy lights for inside the tent
Protection & Health
Stay safe and comfortable outdoors:
• Sunscreen protect your skin
• Bug spray keep mosquitoes away
• Zyrtec for allergies
• Bear spray if camping in bear country
Gear & Accessories
Other useful items to bring along:
• Backpack to carry your essentials
• Headlamp / Flashlight for nighttime
• Sunglasses protect your eyes
• Towel for swimming or cleaning
• Stuff to keep warm layers gloves etc.
• Airtight food container keep wildlife away
Food & Snacks
Keep hunger at bay:
• Snacks energy bars trail mix fruits (leave in car or a airtight container)
