I'm Ashley, a commercial photographer from Seattle, Washington. Traveling, taking photos, and getting outdoors are all hobbies of mine that continually energize and inspire me.
I didn’t grow up camping or pitching a tent outdoors. My first car camping trip was three summers ago when our friends Kailey and Chandler took Matt and me to a spot on a National Forest road close to Cle Elum Lake. We slept on the ground without pillows, but that trip made me fall in love with camping. It sparked my passion for the outdoors, and inspired me to become an expert on car camping, hiking, and backpacking. So, here are my essentials and what I bring every time we go car camping!
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Table of Contents
What is car camping?
Car camping is when you sleep inside your car or you pitch a tent near your car at a campsite. Car camping is fantastic because you don’t have to hike with gear, meaning you can bring luxury items from home. So, pack that big cozy blanket and grab that cast iron skillet so you can bake brie over the campfire! I camp for free almost every weekend during the summer and can confidently say it’s cheaper than renting an Airbnb
Car Camping Essentials
Some of the gear I use is for car camping and backpacking. If you plan to backpack I highly suggest buying quality gear that can be transitional for both types of camping. Lightweight camping gear can get expensive, but look at it as an investment. You will only have to purchase most of your gear once as long as you take care of it.
If you decide to only purchase car camping gear then you will spend less money upfront. Car camping gear doesn’t need to be lightweight and is usually more affordable than backpacking gear. You can also bring things from home like pillows, blankets, a skillet, or utensils. Once you own all the essentials, you can plan an unlimited amount of camping trips!
Tent
There are so many options for shelter when it comes to car camping. Sleep in your car, roof-top tent, hammock, or even cowboy camp, which is sleeping right on the ground.
When shopping for a tent, consider the numberof people you will be camping with and during which seasons. We use a three-season three-person tent because we love the extra room for Whiskey. Additionally, if it rains we can store extra belongings inside the tent. A three-season tent will work well from spring through fall. We usually camp with our friends so it’s nice to fit everything in the trunk and avoid wasting passenger space. As such, we have a light backpacking tent that fits perfectly in our car and doesn’t take up much space.
Check out our tent the Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL for two people. Another great and cheaper option is the Big Agnes Big House Deluxe Tent! This tent fits 4 or 6 people and you’re able to stand in it. The Coleman Dome is a great budget option that has a screened-in porch and can fit 6-8 people! Don’t forget to grab a footprint for under the tent for extra protection against rain and hard rocks.
We love the brand Big Agnes because of the fantastic customer service. They repaired our tent during the off-season after our pup ripped a big hole in one of the doors. We’ve had our tent for two years now, and we don’t plan on retiring it anytime soon!
Sleeping Bag & Sleeping Pad
I personally think that a good sleeping bag is key to a successful camping trip. Nothing is worse than waking up at 2 AM shivering, wondering when the sun will rise so you can light a fire, and warm up with a nice cup of coffee. When shopping for the perfect sleeping bag you’ll want to consider which seasons you’re going to be camping in. Most people do well with a 20-30 degree bag, but I run cold so I opted for a 0-degree bag and just open it up or sleep on top of the bag when it’s warm. You’ll also want a sleeping pad to help regulate heat, and make sleeping on the ground more comfortable. Again, we love Big Agnes so I’ll be sharing their sleep system!
Matt and I have the Big Agnes Cabin Creek 15. This sleeping bag is great for cuddling, and cheap when you think about how two people can fit in it. The Big Agnes Sleepy Bear is another great option and is cheaper. These sleeping bags are part of Big Agnes’s sleep system,where they thoughtfully designed a sleeping pad sleeve on the bottom, which creates a secure foundation and insulation when paired with a sleeping pad. I recommend buying two 20×72 Big Agnes Insulated Air Core Ultra Speed Padsthat fit into the sleeve perfectly.
On a budget? If so then I suggest this Coleman air mattress. Bring some blankets from home, a pillow from your bed, and cozy up! I highly recommend grabbing a packable down blanket if you’re always cold. I take this little blanket everywhere with me; on planes, trains, in the car, to the park, everywhere. It’s definitely worth the splurge! Don’t forget to grab some camping repair patches, just in case a spark from the fire burns a hole; I love how this one has a Sasquatch patch!
Don’t forget about those pups! They need a sleeping bag too! Go grab the Lifeunion Dog Sleeping Bag for your furry friend.
If you tend to get extremely cold then I highly suggest grabbing the Therm-a-Rest Z Closed Cell Sleeping Pad. This pad helps add another layer of warmth by insulating and regulating heat from the ground. You’ll want to put this pad down before you add your other sleeping pads.
Pillows
Car camping is great because you can just grab the pillow from your bed and hit the road. However, if you don’t want to get that beautiful pillow from home dirty there are options that are lightweight, packable, and easy to bring around. I also use my packable pillows when I’m traveling on flights or catching a train!
The best part about car camping is that you can enjoy cooking your favorite meals from home. I recommend buying a dedicated bin and creating a camp kitchen you can simply grab and throw in the car. If you love food as much as I do, check out my favorite car camping recipes!
You won’t see items such as paper plates, throw-away cups, and silverware because I try to use reusable items as much as possible. When recreating in the outdoors we want to be as eco-friendly as possible so that we have the ability to enjoy the outdoors for generations to come.
Here are the essentials that always stay in my car camping kitchen box:
Cooler – We’ve had the YETI Tundra 45 cooler for about six years now. This cooler has gone cross country twice and to every camping trip so far. It’s durable and I highly recommend it! Another option is the RovR Camping Rolling Cooler; this thing is a beast. Our friends have and it can pack everything but the kitchen sink. These coolers are an investment, but it’s critical that your perishables stay cold because there’s nothing worst than getting food poisoning while outdoors.
Stove and Fuel – We love our trusty 2-burner Coleman stove. We used to just cook over the fire, but when fire bans are in effect the Coleman stove comes in handy. Grab some of these portable fuel tanks for the stove or you can buy this hose adapterto hook up a propane tank!
Outdoor Folding Table – This Coleman Outdoor Folding Table is great to set up your camp kitchen or use it to play some card games! If you’re looking for a specific camp kitchen station then I would go with this Folding Grill Table– it comes with a carrying bag and packs down great!
Pot and Skillet Set – I absolutely love the STANSPORT Stainless Steel Cookware Set. The pans fit perfectly together to save space, which includes four ports and one pan. We’ve camped with up to six people and these pots come in handy!
Cast Iron Set – I love cast irons because you can throw them on the fire and don’t have to worry about anything happening to them. We usually bake brie on the fire or cinnamon buns, and this Lodge Cast Iron Combo is perfect for that!
Fire Gloves – If you plan on cooking over the fire you should definitely buy BlueFire Gloves. I’m not saying you should stick your hands in the fire…but if you’re grabbing anything hot from the fire you should put these on so you don’t burn your hand.
French Press – We always have a french press in our camp box because there’s nothing better than a hot cup of coffee in the morning at camp. This Stanley Camp Pour Over Coffee Set is great, but if you have a little bit more wiggle room in your budget you should try theStanley French Press 48 oz. This is a great one for a large group!
Grill Accessory Set – This little set has it ALL. Tongs, spatula, barbecue fork, s’mores stick and it’s only $20! Try out theBBQ Grill Accessories Set or you could run to The Dollar Tree to grab these kitchen staples for a cheap price!
Reusable Plates, Bowls & Silverware – I love the Stanport 24-piece Enamel Dinnerware Set. This provides plates, bowls, mugs and silverware for the whole family!
S’mores Sticks – We need way more than two s’mores sticks so we got these Marshmallow Roasting Sticksthat extend! We use them to roast hot dogs and s’mores! Alternatively, you could find a stick and carve a sharp point on one end.
Cutting Board – As much as I try to prep before I go camping, sometimes you just can’t get to it all and you have to prepare food outdoors. I always have this little cutting board set in my camp box in case there’s some prep work that needs to be done!
Water Jug – The Collapsible Water Container is great because it expands when you fill it with water! This means it usually stays in the camp box until we fill it up to take on our trip.
Coffee Mugs – The Coleman Dinnerware Set includes camp mugs, but if you’re looking for something a little more insulated go grab the Miir Camp Mugs. Everyone in my family has one, and they’re a Seattle local favorite!
Reusable Water Bottle – I recommend theHydro Flask Water Bottle; I love the colors it comes in and it keeps your water cool for a long time! Alternatively, you could go with a classic Nalgene Water Bottle at a fraction of the price.
Wine Glasses – The Miir Wine Glasses are great for camp! I’m clearly a huge fan of Miir, but they’re always in our camp box!
Bottle Opener – Grab this cheap bottle opener to keep in your camp box. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but you’ll definitely want one in your box!
Small Quick-Dry Towels – I love this Microfiber Towel Set. They fold down really well, and I use the large towel when we go swimming and the small towel to dry our dishes.
Dish Scraper – A dish scraper helps to quickly clean out pots and pans. I’d grab some of these!
Sponge – Grab some good sponges that you can rinse off and throw back into your camp box! These Microfiber Dish Sponges are great!
All Purpose Soap – You want to be sure that you’re using soap that isn’t going to harm the ecosystem. Dr. Bronners Unscented Soap is the best soap to use! I get the 16 oz. bottle, keep it in our camp box, and fill it up when it’s starting to run low. You can use this for dishes, to take a lake bath, rinse off in campground showers, basically anything you need to scrub clean!
Hand Sanitizer – You probably have tons of hand sanitizer at home now so I’d just throw a small bottle of hand sanitizer into your bin in case you need it.
Dish Bucket – I love this little dish bucket. Just add a little water and it becomes your sink in the outdoors! You could also fill a spray bottle with some water and soap, spray down your dishes, and wipe away all the rest. That is definitely a quick and efficient way to do the dishes.
Matches: Make sure you bring some to start your campfire!
Garbage Bags – I don’t have much trash when leaving camp because we mostly use reusable items, but it’s good to have them just in case! I recommend setting one up for recycling and one for trash.
Aluminum Foil: Always keep aluminum foil in your box in case you need to cook with it on the fire.
Pizza Cutter – We cook pizza in the cast iron on the fire and as much as I love the silverware set that comes with these kits, it just doesn’t cut it so I put the Kitchy Pizza Cutter in our bin!
Reusable Bags – I hate plastic bags and find them so wasteful. I bring these reusable bags everywhere with me. They are cheap, durable, and has a variety of sizes to fit everything you need! We put our prepped foods, frozen foods, snacks, and more into these bags. We also keep some in our box for leftovers.
Dog Dishes – How could I forget the kitchen essentials for the little pups?! We use one of the RUFFWEAR Quencher Bowls for water and one for kibble.
Food Essentials
I have a smaller box for our Camp Food Essentials! This is where I keep our pantry items that don’t need to be refrigerated. I add food to the camp food box depending on the meals we plan for that trip, but some staples always stay in the box! You never know when someone might get hungry…
Spice Containers – I would definitely grab some travel spice containers to keep in your camp box.
Olive Oil Spray
Canola Oil Spray
Coffee Grounds
Instant Coffee – Instant coffee can be gross, but Swift Cup Coffee & Waka does instant coffee right. Try Waka Instant Coffee on your next trip!
Magnesium – You might be thinking, what is magnesium? Magnesium is a natural mineral that helps relax the body. I usually take this before bed and it helps to fall asleep gently. I use Calm Magnesium in the raspberry lemon flavor!
Pre-Workout – Sometimes you don’t get a great night’s sleep when camping and you need a little pick me up before your adventure. The Garden of Life Pre-Workout is my favorite in the blackberry cherry flavor.
Lantern – If you’re not planning on using this gear for backpacking then I would recommend the Vont 2 Pack LED Camping Lantern. If you are planning on backpacking then I’d go with the Luci Outdoor Solar Lantern. We take this lantern with us on every camp trip, and it powers your phone! You can charge it by plugging into the wall, car or using solar power – it’s great!
Extra Tent Stake – Grab the MSR Groundhog Tent Stakes, you never know when you’re going to need them.
Water Filter – Depending on where you camp you might not have access to a general store if you run out of water. Bringing a water filter means you’ll have clean, filtered water to enjoy if you run out! We have the Katadyn Gravity BeFree 3.0L Water Filter.
Lighter – There are so many uses for a lighter when you’re at camp. You might have to start a fire or light your grill up – I would definitely have one on hand!
Multi-Tool – Having a multi-tool on hand is extremely useful in various situations at camp. Matt lives by his multi-tool and takes it everywhere with him. The Leatherman Multitoolhas pliers, scissors, knife, screwdriver, wire cutter and more!
Duct Tape – There’s a reason astronauts bring duct tape to space because it fixes everything!
Batteries – You never know when that headlamp or lantern is going to start losing battery so it’s always good to just have some on hand.
First Aid Kit – You should have one of these in your car already, but if you don’t grab this First Aid Kit to keep in your car. Accidents happen, and it’s always good to keep a first aid kit on hand at camp.
Hand Warmers – Grab some reusable hand warmers if your hands tend to get cold at night.
Dry Sack – If you bought an inflatable pad then you should buy a dry sack for the pad! That will help blow up your pad quickly, and you can use it to keep your belongings dry when doing water sports. The Sea to Summit Dry Sack is great, and you can use it as a bear bag!
Shovel – Sometimes you don’t have access to a bathroom so you have to dig a hole! We use the Deuce Potty Trowel in these situations.
Paracord – Paracord can come in hand if you need to hang a bear bag or want to throw a bug net up. We use this paracord.
Bug Net – The bugs can get bad depending on what region you’re in so we bring this net with us! We’ve even brought it backpacking. The extra weight did not outweigh the comfort it provided. Here’s the Coghlans Mosquito Net.
Ax – If you don’t buy firewood it’s good to have an ax so that you can chop some wood up. Or if you’re Matt then you just enjoy chopping wood for fires!
Power Bank & Charging Cords – Definitely bring a power bank with you just in case you can’t charge your phone in the car. This Solar Charger Power Bank is great because you can just set it outside in the sun and it uses reusable energy to recharge!
Downloaded Google Maps – Download your Google Maps because there are areas of the forests where you won’t have service. It’s always good to know how to get to your spot or how to get home!
Campsite Reservation Confirmation – Try to save this on your phone somewhere that doesn’t require data or print the reservation out just in case.
Check Weather – I love camping in the rain; hearing the rain on the tent, playing cards inside, reading a book, and snuggling up with its cold is so relaxing to me, but if you’re not into that kind of camping then check the weather! Just be sure you’re prepared for the conditions.
Comfort Essentials
Folding Chair – I love the Coleman Camping Chair. This chair has a cooler and side pocket, which is great!
Hammock – We actually have everything we need to camp in our hammocks. The ENO Doublenest is a great choice to start with!
Daypacks – I like packs that have a waist belt on them for support. The Osprey Sirrus 24 is an amazing day pack.
Deck of Cards – Matt and I will play Gin for hours in our tent, and we got our friends to play too! Grab this Waterproof Deck of Cards for your camp box.
UNO – UNO is great because it’s an easy game that everyone knows how to play. We keep an UNO deck in our box too.
Portable Speaker – The charge on our UE Boom 3 last forever, and we’ve had this one for years.
Hiking Boots – Matt and I just got the Altra Lone Peak All-WTHR Hiking Boots and they are awesome. Most hiking boots are too narrow in the toe box, but these are great and don’t require breaking in! Get the men’s version here.
Camp Sandals – Matt and I both use Teva’s Sandals and we love them!
Hygiene Essentials
This list will definitely vary depending on your preferences. You could slim the list down or add to it, but this is what I bring!
Toilet Paper – Coleman has Packable Toilet Paper if you don’t feel like bringing a whole roll from home.
Sunscreen – Alba Sunscreen is my favorite! It’s good for you and the environment.
Chapstick – Hurraw Chapstick is organic and made with natural ingredients. I don’t go anywhere without it!
Compostable Baby Wipes – Why do baby wipes exist that aren’t compostable? Grab the ECO by Naty Compostable Baby Wipes. I keep one pack in my car and one pack in our camp box.
Brush/Comb – This travel brush doubles as a brush and mirror.
Eye Mask – You can’t close the blinds in a tent. Once the sun comes up the light starts pouring in! Definitely grab a Silk Sleep Mask.
Sunglasses
Contact Lenses
Eye Drops
Cosmetics
Car Camping Tips!
I plan my summer camping trips way in advance. As in, I start in November and start reserving spots and permits for weekends throughout April-October. Check out my Ultimate Guide to Planning The Perfect Road Trip blog post for additional planning tips!
Don’t give up after your first trip! I promise that I learn something new every time I camp, and it only gets better and better.
Be prepared to get down and dirty! You may not shower for a few days, but that’s what the compostable wipes are for.
A mistake I made when I started out was bringing tons of clothes. Try to bring layers because you won’t change as much as you think you will.
Practice the “Leave No Trace Behind” method, and try to leave the spot even better than you found it!
Enjoy and relax! Sometimes things don’t go perfectly, but just pivot and enjoy the moments you’re creating outdoors.