Car camping is quite common, whether you knew about it or not. It makes it super easy to move from place to place, and you don’t have to worry too much about finding accommodation when you rock up into a town (though you should take into account the season and any possible bank holidays).
It’s best to plan a little bit instead of just throwing your stuff in a bag and hitting the road. Here are my five tips for successful car camping (gleaned from a solid month of doing it, so if you have suggestions, please comment!)
prepare your bed beforehand.
If you will be car camping, know how to set your bed up and how to break it down if you need to. Mine is super easy, and all I do at night is shift a few items around. I’m glad I set it up before leaving home though, because I ended up wanting more cushioning underneath it. If the weather is shit on your first night, you will want a warm place to tuck into without much work.
download an app like wikicamps or campermate so you know where you can camp and where you can’t.
There are rules around freedom camping in most countries, and especially in New Zealand. If you break these rules, you can be fined up to $200. Some places only allow self-contained camper vans, so it is definitely worth knowing where you can pitch a tent or sleep in a non-self-contained place.
invest in a chilly bin/cooler/whatever you call it and some ice blocks.
A lot of groceries stores sell those thin bags that are meant to keep food items cold, but they don’t do a very good job of keeping food cold for a long period of time and they tend to break easily. I bought a chilly bin for $20 and fill it with cheese, hummus, and meats when I go shopping. I also make pasta from time to time and keep the ingredients for pasta salad with me so I have an easy meal. I don’t have a gas cooker, so I make do with wraps and salads while on the road. A cooler and ice blocks will be your friends, and in a pinch can be used to ice a sore muscle or two.
have cash on hand to pay for any site fees.
Camping incurs small fees, usually less than $15/night, but most places only have honesty boxes. This means you will need cash, so keep a few small bills or coins around to pay for any site fees. If you try to get away without paying, the site ranger might wake you up at 5am to pay, plus charge you extra. Here in NZ, they DEFINITELY check, so its better to be upfront about it, otherwise you could find yourself banned from other DOC campsites.
be organised!
Pack much-needed, oft-used items in accessible boxes and stow other items in bags that can be tucked under seats or behind things. Not only will this keep your car organised and clean, you’ll know where things are. Once a week, I go through my bag and pull out new clothes. I do laundry once a week or so as well, and I’ve managed to get all of my winter stuff packed away for good. All of my toiletries are in a big box – easily accessible for when I have a shower – and books/camera are in another one.
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