We are taking our third camping trip this coming long weekend. We are taking the KZ hybrid up to a campground near Center Harbor, NH - Harbor Hills Campground - to be near the in-laws and the whole extended family on my wife's side. We have been doing this for years and years, and this will be the first time we don't have to sleep with a dozen other relations on an air mattress in the non-air conditioned cabin. Having our own little home to go back to at night will be so cool (figuratively and literally). I don't expect Harbor Hills to be a great go-to destination but it's in the right location and we have full hook ups for the duration which means longer showers anyway. I just ordered a set of enamelware dishes for the camper, since it seems like we'll be doing this a lot in the coming months and, probably, years. What things did you buy for your camper that make it more comfortable, livable, or just nicer to camp in? We are weekenders, not seasonal or ful timers - so we pack and unpack a lot. We have a "pantry" now, which is a large wicker basket that we pack at home with all the bread, spices, coffee, etc. for the weekend...that has worked out well.

Your post rattles my brain, brings back a lot of memories.We camped at my wife's house many, many times. They live on a Farm in Clinton County, Indiana, and we parked the camper by the barn, plugged into 30 amp service, had air-conditioning that way, hooked up to water and dumped in our tote. I'd haul it into the middle of the field and dump. (good fertilizer). We really enjoyed the privacy of our own own "bedroom", as we spent many nights inside their house with no privacy. You'll really enjoy having your own privacy and when you've "had enough" you can retreat to your own world!When we first purchased our TT, we simply moved all our stuff from our pop-up to it. But that was only the start. We realized real fast we wanted better than just paper places and plastic spoons. Over the years, we've replaced every item and now 3 TT's later, we have some really nice stuff. Nice blankets, nice sheets, good dishes, nice supplies, comfortable living with everything. (we are RV's now, not "campers" ... so we had to get over that mind set of having to do everything "primative" style). So, we do not cheap-out in the camper. As I've said many times on these forums, my camper is my vacation spot, my personal resort, and we have it stocked with the best we can get and afford now. It took time, but it began with new sheets and blankets instead of sleeping bags, and then over time, advanced from one thing to another, including electric blankets, electric space heaters, cushy pillows, We want it outfitted with the absolute best and finest we can do. Our kids are grown and gone now, so it's time to really enjoy and spoil ourselves when we do go camping. We are not full timers, but this is our vacation and get away destination spot. We want it to be the finest, BETTER than any 5 star motel!So, when thinking in terms of "outfitting" your new camper, each person has their own way of doing things. You may want to use paper products, or grandmas's antique china. Either way is OK, as long as you do what makes you happy.Each time you take your rig to a new destination, you'll find there is another item you will want and may even 'need' for your camper. Don't be skimpy, just just get it! Eventually, you'll be getting rid of stuff you don't need or want or use anymore, but that's the fun of the whole process!

It's been an adjustment this year going from "camper" mindset to "Rv'er" mindset...though our little hybrid is one step up from a pop-up. At 29 feet, yours is a helluva hybrid. Having our own bathroom has been worth the price of admission (best thing ever, according to my wife), but I don't want to start adding frilly pillows and doilies at this stage. We're still figuring out the best way to pack so we can just pull the trigger and go without a lot of fuss, or forgetting anything important. We're also figuring out the tricks - like we found instant coffee we like, and we have a teakettle, so we don't need a coffeemaker or percolater. I just restowed the "basement" based on what I seem to actually use and need, since there is no room to waste in there. One very cool purchase was a set of four small jacks to augment the ones on the trailer. We have "stabilizers" not really "jacks" and they don't really level the trailer, just keep it from rocking. The new jacks don't take up much room, and they made the trailer much more level and less rock-y.

quote=DutchmenSportAs I've said many times on these forums, my camper is my vacation spot, my personal resort, and we have it stocked with the best we can get and afford now. end quoteThis is one of the best comments I have read on this site, completely dead on. I have a friend we camp with in his mid-50's that sleeps in a small, two man pup tent, never forgetting to tell us how he is really camping. Our camping is just about our only vacations and I want to be comfortable and enjoy myself. When we are out for a two week stretch and it rains for 10 days, I want to be able to relax, play some cards, and not have to worry so much about staying dry.We did the tent thing for years (got to have some cash for a camper!) when our family was young, moving up to a pop-up, to a bigger pop-up (family kept getting bigger!), to a hybrid (which we loved) to a 23 foot hard side (couldn't pass up a great deal). We have loved every aspect of camping, but it is nice to be in my early 50's and have a bed off the ground that I don't have to climb over my wife to get out of bed. We still use the paper plates (less dishes), but others use every day plates and silver ware. To each his own!Steve

One thing that we did, we have a 10 year old girl and a 14 year old boy, is I put up a small pressure shower curtain rod and shower curtain in the middle of the campers, it actually is between where our fridge starts and across to above the kitchen. It's usually tucked to the side, but when people are changing clothes or showering we pull it across. We call it the "privacy curtain" and it gives the person changing more room to do what they need to do.

I think our kids are somewhat baffled that we waited until they went off to college to move up from tents to a trailer. They must think we like the dogs more than we liked them...in hindsight, I wish we had gotten the camper a few years ago, but we have invited them to come along if they want so they don't feel completely left out.

next camping adventure - July 4th weekend | Good Sam Community

17 Replies

PAThwacker
Explorer
Jul 15, 2015
My entire family puked the entire 4th of July weekend 2 years ago. ?????? not sure which it was but in progressed one by one in the 21ft box.

Love the Coleman drip coffee maker.
Wavesprite
Explorer II
Jul 09, 2015
We havea stove top percolator, and I do like it, but I REALLY love my Hamilton Beach Electric (when we have electric) kettle. It has a base plate so the kettle is "wireless" and it turns off automatically once the water reaches a boil. My DH usually gets up before me to go fishing so he starts the water and then it's hot when I get up later!! It's great for instant oatmeal, tea, instant coffee, etc.
JimNH
Explorer
Jul 09, 2015
I love stove top percolators and we actually have one, but it's just another thing we have to pack - and the 16' hybrid has very little room! We did buy a set of enamelware with cups, bowls, and plates - came with a pan, pot and coffee percolator as well. Enamelware is neat and very camper-y.
DutchmenSport
Explorer
Jul 09, 2015
"I did buy a cheap two slice toaster though - don't always want to start a camp fire" ...

You do know, that in the event you cannot make a camp fire and you may be out of electricity for some reason, you can always stick a fork through your bread and hold it over the camper stove (gas flame) and make toast! It's a little awkward the first time you do this, but it's a great back-up plan.

I made coffee for my wife once (I don't drink coffee), by boiling water on the camper stove (gas flame), put the coffee grounds in a coffee filter and poured the water through the filter and caught the coffee in a cup under the filter. It worked great! A little messy, but it worked. After that experience, I purchased an old-fashioned stove top percolator with the basket on a stick and the glass bubble at the top. Used it the first time last week.
JimNH
Explorer
Jul 09, 2015
thank you all - feeling MUCH better now. A few days made a huge difference. Ate my first full meal this morning. We're going again next Monday - trying to rally and get excited for that...

As for coffee, we found that using a teakettle and individual instant coffee packages (Nescafe House Blend is good, Starbucks Via is very good) is great and keeps us from needing another appliance. I did buy a cheap two slice toaster though - don't always want to start a camp fire if I need to make a bagle, and the microwave is not much good for toasting anthing.
gwh1bass
Explorer
Jul 07, 2015
bikendan wrote:
cmcdar wrote:
BUT I also have a Coleman Propane Drip Coffee Maker for when we are not plugged in (coffee makers draw too much to run them off of batteries).

Coleman Camping Coffee Maker - You can get them at Walmart as well.

NOTE: This will not keep your coffee warm after it is done brewing. You will also need a carafe.

yep, been using one of those for 9 years now and it still works great.
we rarely have hookups so this gets to work most of the time.

I also have had this coffee maker for 10+ years, but it developed a leak this past week of camping. I will get another one!
DutchmenSport
Explorer
Jul 06, 2015
Oh, so sorry to hear you got sick. That's a real downer! I know food can be tainted if purchased from anywhere, but we do all we can to eliminate that problem. When camping, (really, this true) .... we eat better than we do at home and at work. We always get good meats, fresh vegies, unopened (new) cereals, breads, whatever. After it's been opened and we return home, all the perishables, and open boxes go in the house for consumption after the trip. About the only thing (food), we keep in the camper are sodas, seasonings, and never opened packaged items. Everything left over from the refrigerator goes into the house.

Reason? Well, even though things are suppose to be refrigerated, the temperatures inside the camper vary so much, especially in the summer. The inside of the camper can get very hot while on the road. Any older food items will (can and do) spoil very quick sometimes. (Strawberries especially). So, absolutely new and fresh for the start of every trip for us.

Another thing, since the kids are all grown, we've really slowed down. Camp cooking (although we use electric) is now a little slower, were not in a rush, and we eat a lot better, better meats and such.

And one thing we are always careful about is clean-up. We never skimp on clean up. My wife and I both have had food poisoning in our previous lives, and absolutely do not want to go through that again. So we take good care and time washing the dishes, pots and pan, and stuff after meals. It's just become second nature to us now, but we never let anything sit.

The good thing about your episode however, you had your own bathroom close-by. I think we've all gotten sick during a camping trip and were very grateful for having our own "privacy" during such intimidating and embarrassing circumstances. Hope you are better now! And hope your next trip is much more pleasant!
cmcdar
Explorer
Jul 06, 2015
JimNH wrote:
Wow - this trip did not go well! Site was fine, weather was good, etc. but I managed to get some kind of 48 hour stomach flu on day 2. Spent all of Sat and Sunday in the bathroom. Not fun. Might have been the "but it was on sale" pork chops my daughter made? Hard to get excited for next week when we have another site booked - but will try to rally. Feeling almost human again today though.

Sorry to hear you were sick, but the first thing I thought of was "good thing you had a bathroom"!

I've had a similar thing happen while camping and was VERY glad I had a bathroom just feet away!!!
Wavesprite
Explorer II
Jul 06, 2015
Oh no!! Nothing worse then being sick camping!!!!
JimNH
Explorer
Jul 06, 2015
Wow - this trip did not go well! Site was fine, weather was good, etc. but I managed to get some kind of 48 hour stomach flu on day 2. Spent all of Sat and Sunday in the bathroom. Not fun. Might have been the "but it was on sale" pork chops my daughter made? Hard to get excited for next week when we have another site booked - but will try to rally. Feeling almost human again today though.