New to Camping

Stacy,
Camping is wonderful! We love to go spend a few nights out and it is a lot more economic than hotels and such. If you google "camping basics" then you will get tons of articles that range from simple to more in depth. We have camped at Joe Pool Lake (Grand Prairie), Lake Texoma, and Lake Murray (the last two are in southern Oklahoma) to name a few.
Try to get a campsite close to the bathrooms if you can to make the middle of the night trips easier if that is a concern of yours. We always take air mattresses, camping is supposed to be fun and we would rather not sleep on the ground since my husband and I have had our fair share of that in the military! Sleeping bags are a must, if your child(ren) is small then a pack and play is great for them to sleep in. Cooler with drinks, sandwich stuff, easy food is best if you are new to the whole thing. Bug spray, flashlight/latern, firewood if you want a campfire since a lot of places forbid gathering firewood on site. Most of all... have fun!

If you want close, try The Vineyards in Grapevine (right on the lake, very clean, nice trails etc) or Twin Coves in Grapevine. I don't know Keller.

If you want to venture a little further, try Fossil Rim Dinosuar State Park in Glen Rose.

You bought the tent.... did you buy the tarp to put on the ground under it? It is dryer and cleaner if you have a tarp to go under it. An extra tarp is great in case it rains.

A lantern is very important... and we got the Lithium Battery lantern. 2 lanterns would be great, but at least one, and several flashlights.

You don't have to get a camp stove... for one night you can do hot dogs on a stick. But most camp sites have grill in addition to fire pits. So then you can cook just about anything.

Good luck!

Okay City Girl! Some things you might want to buy and bring with you. I love the city life but my ex hubby was a camper type and secretly I loved it too. But i like the comforts of home!

Camp CLOSE to a bathroom!!!! Believe me you will appriciate this in the middle of the night and need to go (hence the flashlight later mentioned).

Blow up air bed that is easy to inflate by using a car adaptor or bat powered. Pillows and bedding A MUST HAVE if you want a good nights rest!!!

If you want cook food I reccomend a Gas travel stove..it is nice to have to cook eggs, hashbrowns and bacon in the morning.

Knives, bug spray, flash lights, toilet paper, paper plates and utensels, bottled water, trash bags, camp light, radio,
Emerg. kit, batteries, matches (water proof), zip lock bags to keep things dry, towels. A tarp in case of rain. Ice chest filled with sandwich makings and drinks.

Dont forget to bring your phone charger!

FYI - Anything you have in your tent might be damp in the morning so if you want it to be dry put it in a zip lock bag. i am sure if the weather is hot this wont be a prob.

Also, hang any left over food in a tree so animals wont get it. Keep the rest of of the food in the car.

The tarp to put under the tent mentioned by another mom is a GREAT idea!!!! It will keep the tent clean..

Just bring things that are going to make it easier!

I just saw this family on T.V. that camped out in there backyard to start. They bought all the supplies set it up the yard. It looked like they were having a great time and they even made smores. You might try that before you go all out camping. We went R.V. camping this summer in Colorado. I had never been camping so it was very different, but we had a great time. I can't say I would want to do it again, but my children loved it so I will do it for them.

We go to Cedar Hill State Park quite often and love it. It is at Joe Pool Lake on the Cedar Hill side. Country atmosphere, but still close. Sites 91, 121,122 are nice. My cousin has got me hooked into camping and she does it Hilton style. If you like the conveniences of home, you can still have them camping. This is what I have stocked in my camping supplies so far:
TENT
AIR MATTRESSES/PUMP-PLUGS INTO CAR OUTLET
PILLOWS/SHEETS/BLANKETS (kept in large ziploc bags/tubs for freshness)
HEADLAMPS (elastic banding to wear on your head-perfect to use in the middle of the night)
TARPS
MALLET
HATCHET
garbage bags to hang so critters don't get into it
utensils (same items you would use at home)
coffee pot (coffee, styro cups)
toaster
extra tables
table cloths (with clips to hold down)
OUTDOOR EXTENSION CORDS/SURGE PROTECTORS
match light for grilling...we have eggs, hashbrowns, sausage, french toast, toast, etc for breakfast; steaks, chicken, brauts for dinner (who says it has to be less than what you have at home?)
bug spray (for ants on the ground)
dish soap/wash basins (for those that have to have hot soapy water)
dish towels/rags
oven mitts
broom (to sweep off patio and inside tent before packing up)
lots of ziploc baggies
heater for cooler weather/fan for hotter weather (to put inside tent)
clothes line/pins to hang wet clothing/towels
paper towels/tp
bungi cords (never know when you will need one)
PLUS WHATEVER ELSE YOU MIGHT NEED....

Also, if you have a portable grill or one on wheels that folds up for easy transport, it's great to have for extra cooking use and you do want to get a site close to the bathrooms.

HAPPY CAMPING :)

I hope this list can help you get started and organized.