Camping is a great way for families to spend time together outdoors, free of screens and distractions. It’s cheap and fun but can be a bit difficult to get started, if you don’t have the gear and are a bit worried about the logistics of it all.

Hey, don’t worry. I made all the mistakes so you don’t have to. Here are my tried and tested tips for what to bring and what to expect on your first camping trip with your baby.

If you are just looking for a list to ensure you don’t forget anything (this is ESSENTIAL for a camping trip) you can find my ultimate camping with a baby checklist right here.

Happy camping!

Start simple

Pick a spot near home and stay two nights to begin with. Even in the summer in the San Francisco Bay Area where we live, we have been able to find weekend availability in a local state park. If there is no potable water, make sure to bring plenty!

Get some sleep

My big concerns on our first trip with our one-year-old were: maintaining some kind of routine; him crying at night and disturbing other campers; and safe sleeping.

Well, routine went out the window.

I attempted to get him down at his normal bedtime and creep out to join the adults but ninja moves are a no-go in a tent. In the end, we all went to bed at the same time when it was dark enough. We got an early night and he got a late one, but we all got some sleep.

As for noise, he was delighted to be co-sleeping with me and didn’t make a sound all night. If your baby is not as keen on cozying up as mine was, you could bring a small travel crib.

If you don’t already have one, look for something light, easy to carry, easy to assemble and with mesh all around the sides like this Lotus crib. The side unzips so you don’t need to lift up your baby in the middle of the night for feeding.

As long as you can provide a sleeping environment they are used to, they will eventually drop off. Probably.

Safe sleeping with a baby means a firm sleeping surface and bedding that cannot restrict their breathing.

Ideally, get your baby an infant sleep sack from Baby DeeDee, either the indoor or outdoor quilted version, depending on how cold it will be at night.

Your baby will also need a safe sleeping surface. An air mattress is not recommended for infants under 18 months as it is too soft, so opt for a self-inflating or foam pad, unless you intend to use a travel crib.

Your baby needs a sleeping pad not for comfort but for warmth. Without the insulation of a pad, the cold ground will suck all the warmth from his or her body, making for a miserable night!

This Therm-a-Rest pad is foam, so cheaper than a self-inflating mat but can be folded in half to double the insulation. Perfect for a baby.

If you don’t already have a tent, we are happy with our Coleman 60 second cabin tent. It’s a great size,  sturdy, plus it goes up and packs away quickly. I recommend getting a tent slightly bigger than the number suggests – for example, the six-person tent is the perfect size for our family of four.

Getting around camp

On our first trip, I didn’t really think about what I would do with the baby while sorting out the tent and cooking. Fortunately there were other adults to help!

If you are not bringing an extra set of hands, getting a little travel chair where they can eat and stay put while you are sorting the tent out is a good idea. This Summer Infant travel highchair is ideal for the job.

A good sling is also essential – test it out around the house before you go to make sure both you and your baby are comfortable.

Bring a picnic blanket for a clean area your baby can lie on and some of their favorite toys so they have something familiar to play with. 

Eating

Take a thermos so you can boil water first thing in the morning and store it for bottles during the day, if you are bottle feeding. As for cleaning the bottles, OXO has a great portable bottle brush that would be perfect for camping (or traveling generally).

There are plenty of online recipes for how to whip up a restaurant-standard meal with just a pan and a campfire. Make it easy on yourself: bring a pre-cooked meal like a chili and just heat it up. I promise it isn’t cheating. You can still cook the s’mores on the campfire.

A good, solid camping stove, like this one from Everest is an excellent investment. The high BTU number means you can heat up water or food faster and the high sides make it wind-proof.

Bugs

Babies need protecting from the sun and bugs. A zinc-based or child-formulated sunscreen is a good choice as children’s skin can be sensitive to some ingredients. Long sleeves, a hat and staying in the shade wherever possible are the best strategies for the whole family.

Mosquitoes can be a problem when camping, especially if you are camping in a forest. A campfire can help – I am never bothered by bugs sitting next to a fire and I get bothered a lot.

If you want to use an insect repellant, I would recommend something with DEET. There are alternatives available but DEET has been around for a long time and has proven effectiveness.

According to the American Association of Pediatricians, a concentration of 10-30% is safe for children aged two months and older, once a day. If you use a spray, apply it to your hands, then rub it on their exposed skin, rather than spraying them directly. This avoids accidentally getting it into their eyes or mouth.

Off has a family DEET-based bug repellant, which at 15% concentration does a good job of protecting everyone.

Products containing Lemon Eucalyptus or picaridin are recommended as the next best thing to DEET, if you are not keen. However oil of Lemon Eucalyptus is NOT recommended for children under three years old as it can cause skin reactions.

Picaridin has not been around for as long as DEET, only ten years or so, but is considered to be just as effective. At a 20% concentration, it is safe for babies aged two months and over.

I know there are extra things to think about when babies are outside – such as protecting them from the cold, the sun and bugs – but I think it is worth the effort. Babies love being outside and being with their parents, so a camping trip is actually the perfect first getaway for a family.

Camping with a baby checklist

The post Camping With A Baby Checklist appeared first on Tiny Trailblazers.

The Lost Coast is the romantic – but apt – name for a stunningly beautiful stretch of coastline along Mendocino and Humboldt Counties in Northern California. Unlike in Big Sur, where Highway 1 boldly clings to the towering cliffs above a thundering ocean, engineers decided this road would take an easier inland route, essentially cutting off the entire Kings Range region from civilization.

And so it was lost to all but the most intrepid travelers, those who were prepared to walk the three-day, 25-mile trail across sand and through surf. It is now the longest stretch of undeveloped Pacific coastline south of Alaska and feels about as remote as you can get in California.

I like my beaches wild and windswept, so of course I wanted to go. But with young children, I didn’t think we could carry everything we needed on a hike plus two kids. 

Fortunately, there are a few roads that lead to the Lost Coast, making it possible to car camp. And unlike other Californian campgrounds, they are never crowded, even in the summer peak times.

If you are planning your first camping trip as a family, I have a post on what to pack and what to expect when camping with a baby, including a checklist.

Mattole River Campground

3750 Lighthouse Road, Petrolia

At the northern end of the Lost Coast Trail is Mattole River Campground, at the mouth of the Mattole River. All you will find at this campsite are spots for your tent and car, a picnic bench, a fire pit and vault toilets. There is no drinking water, no showers, no store.

Camping is not directly on the beach – the campsite is behind the sand dunes. Although I would have enjoyed waking to an ocean view, the dunes do protect the site from the wind.

I was really struck by how quiet it was. There was no traffic noise at all, the only sounds were the birds and the ocean.

As this is a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) managed campground, picking up driftwood from the beach for your fire is permitted. The kids really enjoyed this job, taking time to select the best logs on our walks for our evening campfire.

Our children are aged three and five, so we kept it simple: taking short walks, flying a kite and searching for shells. However, if you have older kids you could take the three-mile hike out to the abandoned Punta Gorda Lighthouse.

I have a guide on camping gifts for kids, if you need some tips on what to take camping to keep toddlers and children entertained.

Dogs are welcome at this site and the beach is the perfect place to let them have a good run. We don’t have a pooch ourselves but this is a great post with tips on tent camping with dogs.

No reservations are available. We went during the week and had no problem finding a spot but it may fill up on a weekend. If it is full, you can camp on the beach. The camping fee is $8, payable to a lock box.

Now the downside to this site – the road in! The campsite is at the end of 50 miles of winding, narrow, potholed, and at times, unpaved roads. It took us two hours from Garberville, the point where we left the 101 to go to the coast.

I strongly suggest you do this drive during the day and consider if your kids’ stomachs can hack it. There are also no stops for gas or food so make sure you have EVERYTHING you need before embarking on your journey.

We do not have a 4×4 and made it in our SUV but if you have a sedan you could take the road from Ferndale rather than Garberville, as it is apparently far better maintained.

A.W Way County Park

Miner Lane, Petrolia

Need slightly more in the way of facilities? The campsite at A.W Way County Park, Petrolia, is nearby but has coin operated showers, bathrooms and drinking water. Camping is $25 a night at this grassy, tree-fringed site. It is first come, first served but there are 30 spots so you it is unlikely you will be turned away.

The site gets you access to the Mattole River, where you can swim or paddle in the cool, slow flowing water. If you are hoping to swim, this might be a better base camp than at the beach, as the Pacific is pretty rough (and cold) for young swimmers.

Again, we did pass a small store in Honeydew, a short drive away, but I wouldn’t rely on this for your supplies. Make sure you grab everything you might need for your Lost Coast adventure before taking the road to Petrolia.

If you wanted to stay longer than a couple of nights in this area, I would stay here rather than Mattole River Campground.

Waillaki Campground

Chemise Mountain Road, Shelter Cove

At the southern end of the Lost Coast trail, just 15 minutes outside of Shelter Cove, is another car-accessible BLM site: Wailaki Campground. As with Mattole, there are no bathrooms or showers, or even drinkable water, so bring your own or a way of treating the water from the creek.

There are 13 sites here, each with a picnic table and fire ring. No reservations are available and the fee is $8.

Wailaki Campground is in a shady location in the forest with a creek running through. Black Sand Beach is a short drive away.

We didn’t make it to this one, so I can’t give you a review! However, I found this blog post helpful so take a look if you want to stay here. With it being close to Shelter Cove, I would recommend arriving early in the day to make sure you get a spot.

To find Wailaki, take the 101 to Redway, go west 22 miles on Briceland/Shelter Cove Road, then south two miles on Chemise Mountain Road.

Usal Beach Camp

Usal Road, Mendocino

The most remote and primitive of the car camping sites on the Lost Coast is Usal, in Sinkyone Wilderness State Park, Mendocino. We didn’t camp here because I was concerned about whether our car could make it – there is very little information available online about this place! 

However, I talked to a Park Ranger who camps here regularly and he reassured me it is passable during the summer months and he thought our SUV would be fine.

It’s actually only six miles from the highway on a gravel/dirt track. We certainly intend to try camping here and will report back when we do!

The Ranger I spoke to said this camp is right on the beach and absolutely stunning.

There are fire rings and pit toilets, but no potable water or anywhere to leave your trash – you will need to pack in and pack out.

There are no reservations available but with 25 campsites and the difficult road, I cannot imagine you would need one.

Bring more water and food than you need – if a fallen tree or fire blocks Usal Road, you will be stranded in the wilderness until it is cleared!

Usal Road is 13 miles north of Westport or 14.5 miles south of Legget on Highway 1. There is no fee.

A word on wildlife

The Lost Coast is undeveloped, which means there is plenty of wildlife to spot. Look out for Roosevelt elk, bears, sea lions, eagles and whales while you are here! Be aware that bears are hungry and very intelligent – they will find a way into your car unless your food is stored in an air-tight container. Never leave any food in your tent and make sure there are no scraps of food around your campsite.

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