Camp Notes 17 | Have car, will camp 🚗

Some of my earliest memories were going on "car camping" trips with my family. We'd pile into our green Jeep Cherokee (which I had named Kimberly, after the pink Power Ranger) and set off for the nearest state park, ready for a weekend of campfires, day hikes, and exploring. 
 

I loved this style of camping, mostly because I was allowed to bring an unlimited supply of books. In contrast, when we would go backpacking, my dad would carefully weigh each of us and our packs beforehand to ensure proper weight ratios, and limit us to one personal item each. But camping out of our car? Whatever! Throw it all in! If it fits, you can bring it! Don't forget your pillow!
 

With summer in full swing and the rest of the world becoming more chaotic by the minute, there's never been a better time to pack up and take off for a weekend adventure. I've included a few of my tried-and-true favorites below—enjoy!

 

🚙 Where to go? I like to start with Recreation.gov and Hipcamp when looking for camp sites. Another great resource is Allstays, and I liked this guide as well.

 

⛺️ While you *can* bring a tent, I fell in love with the convenience of a Luno inflatable car mattress. It's inflatable and customized to your specific vehicle for a surprisingly comfy night's rest! Bonus points if you pair it with a great blanket like this cute Lisa Congdon puffy blanket, or the 2-person Rumpl.

🧊 A good cooler is a must. I picked up this vintage-inspired Coleman a few years back and it's roomy enough to keep both ingredients and drinks cold. This soft-sided option is great for a smaller group, too!

 

🔥 Speaking of cooking—there's more to this world than hot dogs on sticks, people! Instead, try a camp stove (like this great starter one, or the Cadillac of camp stoves), or bring along a cast iron for cooking over an open flame. Naturally, there's also a cookbook. 

 

🍹 There are a ton of canned cocktails out there, but you can step up your game even further with these Camp Kits. I'm partial to the Pineapple Jalapeño or the Sangria options, and each kit makes up to 16 servings. Grab a few w&p glasses and you're in business. 

 

🔅 Time to set the mood! One of my favorite brands, Barebones, makes a chic and compact table lantern (with a bonus hook for hanging) that's USB powered. I also like scattering a few battery-powered tea lights on the picnic table—cute!

 

🧼 Two unsexy but VERY useful items: a good tarp (endless uses!) and a foldable basin. The latter is great for keeping things organized, and can be emptied for use as a dish washing bucket when needed. I usually just bring a travel-size castille soap and use that for pretty much everything.

 

🐻 Last but not least, make sure you're stocked for your region's particular beasts, whether that's a reliable bear spray, repellent wipes, or a cleanser for poison oak. Better to be safe than sorry! 

Developing a new product is never the same process twice—some products are things our team dreams up or has always wished for, while others are the result of repeated customer requests. 
 

Our latest launch, Golden Hour Repellent Wipes, is a perfect example of the latter. We've received so many customer requests for a non-spray repellent over the years, but it took us a long time to find the right sustainable materials to bring it to life. 
 

Finally, we found a biodegradable wipe that we loved. And then, a beautiful, recyclable pouch to put the wipes in. And last but not least, the perfect woman-owned, US-based manufacturer to bring it all together. I'm so proud to share this product with you, and I hope you love it as much as we do!