Possible with younger children?

I would suggest a travel trailer that one of your current vehicles can handle, there are some lightweight ones now. A pop up is light but usually doesn't have a bathroom available on the road. Its great to stop at a rest stop or day use with the kids to let them run around while you make snacks or lunch. In a trailer you can do that. Also having a regular vehicle to use is safer for the car seats and also its nice to have while visiting the areas you are in. We started with a tent, moved onto a camper, then trailer and now a motorhome. Its a fun hobby and our teenagers still like camping with us, 3 trips planned this summer so far! Have fun!

One of the inspirations for us to buy a motorhome was meeting a German couple with one in a fairly remote campsite in northern British Columbia. They had a 6 month maternity & paternity leave and spent it flying to Las Angeles, buying a used class C and RVing the western US and Canada. They were having a great time.

I like the idea of a popup. Kids love the canvas, being able to hear the birds, see wildlife through a screen window. Also easy for Mom & Dad to hear them from outside at the campfire late at night.

Pulling a washroom is nice when you have young ones. just saying.


also those portable dvd players that run off 12v and strap to the head rests are a god send.

We brought our kids tent camping when they were 6 mo old. A camper or RV would have sure been nice. If your oldest is a boy a pee bottle would be handy. Kids don't give much notice for needed pit stops. If you are pulling a trailer it is not easy to just pull over quickly.

I think it depends on the kids. Both of mine were not great on long car rides (to put it politely), but other folks I know have had great success in camping with kids.

If you can dream it, you can do it. Everything works if you let it.

We have been camping for 25 years including when my son, who is now and adult, was only a few months old. So yes its possible, you just need to make adjustments just like you did at home for having a new baby in the house. You learn as you go. One example, most kids when you put them in the car seat and start traveling, they fall asleep. Not my kid, you put him in the car seat and start traveling, he screams, non stop, for hours. Solution, we traveled at night when it was his usual bed time, he'd usually fall off to sleep after 20 minutes or so. Had to do that for 2 or 3 years no matter where we went. Even a two mile trip to grandmas house was 10 minutes of wailing, you steeled your nerves and moved forward. So just adjust and move forward.

We just bought a trailer and will be camping with 3 kids under 5. Two sleep in a bed, but the baby will sleep in a pack-and-play, so remember about baby safety even when not driving. Need to do some baby proofing such as electrical outlet covers, removal of stringed blinds, keeping them away from fire/water, etc.

We started with a smallish 25ft trailer with no slides. Kids were 1 and 2. Stayed local for a couple years. In 05 we took a 2 week trip to Glacier NP to visit my cousin who moved to Kalispell MT. The kids were 3 and 4 at the time and it was the best they ever were on a trip. They are worse today at 14 and 15 than they were then. My daughter even decided that that was the time to start potty training. Fortunately I thought ahead and brought a small portable toilet for my son to use when we had the comb van. Made for a great trip with lots of memories!

This feedback has all been so helpful and positive. We will look into a short trip as test run and also a pop-up trailer option too. Thank you.