Before we launched Hope Farm Retreats, we had been glamping and camping for over 10 years as a family around the UK and Europe, longer as a couple – so here is our suggested list of essentials to add to your usual holiday packing for a comfortable stay (including things we often forget!) Obviously you need to take into account the weather, transport, time of year, facilities on site, distance to nearest shop/cafe and age of your children – but we think we’ve covered most of the essentials. If you are glamping, the second list may be provided by your site, but it is worth checking and it is a useful checklist of essentials if you are camping!
- Personal toiletries
- Beach towels for muddy play or river swimming.
- Wellies or walking boots for long grass(check if it is tick season) and mud
- Some local adventure activities may require closed shoes, like trainers rather than open-toe sandals
- Swimming costumes, if is a lido, pool or wild swimming nearby
- A torch and charger or spare batteries.
- A really good book – the one you’ve been meaning to read for ages
- Download some podcasts or audio-books in advance
- Child’s comforters etc.
- Headphones, if it is a quiet site
- Reading glasses
- Sun glasses, sun hats and sun cream
- insect repellent and age appropriate bite cream – just in case
- Prescription medication
- Your own pillow if you have something special
- Chargers, including plugs
- There should be a first kit on, but it is always worth packing things your child may need such a calpol
- Special dietary food, such a Gluten free – this may not always be immediately available locally
- Have a plan for your first meal – something simple after a long trip (pasta or hot dogs is usually a winner), or book you a table somewhere.
- Snacks for fussy kids – they will be on the go all day!
- Water bottles and rucksack for day trips
- Playing cards & games
- Blankets for star gazing
- Toasting fork or wooden kebab sticks.
- Small amount of your usual washing powder
- A sense of adventure and a love of the outdoors!
Top Tip: We have a couple of stackable storage boxes with all this kit assembled in, so we can just grab and go if we fancy a spontaneous weekend away. We put these checklists in the top!
Below is a checklist of items you would expect a glampsite to provide, but check before your leave. It is also a useful list if you are camping:
- Travel cot and bedding if needed
- Loo roll!
- All bedding, bed linen and pillows
- Towels (due to Covid many have stopped providing these now)
- High chair and baby bath, if needed
- Fresh coffee, caffetiere, tea bags, sugar or sweetener
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 4 mugs, 4 plates, 4 bowls, 4 side plates – enamel are expensive, but light for carrying to wash up
- Cutlery – 4 table spoons, teaspoons, knives and forks. 2 teaspoons. One sharp knife
- 2 Wooden and 3 metal cooking utensils
- Scissors
- Tin opener
- Corkscrew/bottle opener
- Small balloon whisk
- Sieve
- Collapsible colander
- Grater
- Washing up bowl
- Washing up sponge, washing up liquid, anti-bac spray & micro fibre cloth
- Tea towel
- Peeler
- Chopping board
- Cork heat mats
- Freezer blocks (there maybe be communal freezer for these)
- BBQ utensils
- BBQ or firerack. Safety lighter (check if they allow fire pits or disposable BBQs)
- Kettle (cheap camping kettle you can put on a fire pit, that whistles)
- Thermos flask –boil a kettle on your firepit or BBQ in the evening and store water for coffee in the morning!
- Hot water bottles – useful at the beginning and end of the season
- Dustpan and brush (for getting grass out of the tent!
- Solar fairy lights or solar lanterns – helps locate your tent on the way back from the loo!
Hope this helps. Enjoy #MakingMemories!
Jo x