mommc1g5b

We are planning to go out of state to go camping in a few days. We live in FL and decided camping in this heat in the summer was not ideal. I am from Utah and have been camping many times, but usually it has been close to home, with family members to share the food tasks. We do have 6 kids 5 of which are boys and our 3 oldest sons seem to have bottomless stomachs. I have no idea how to fit all our camping gear and clothes etc in our van. We are planning to camp for 3 days/nights and then stay in hotels for the other days.

My typical camping gear checklist includes:
two coolers Cooler #1: milk, eggs, cheese, deli cuts, meat etc
Cooler #2: fruits and veggies and other condiments or meat.
Family size tent with two other smaller tents one personal size and one 4 man for my older sons
Sleeping bags 8
8 ground pads, I know this one can take up a lot of space or less depending on the quality of the pad. I am against using an air mattress after one camping trip where we almost froze to death sleeping on one. The cold air under you takes all your body heat in cooler temps.
8 folding camp chairs I do use child size ones for the little kids - actually we probably won't take all 8 I don't even think we have eight that are in decent condition, it will probably be more like 4 adult size and 3 child size
Camp Stove
Camp Lantern
Flashlights several at least 5
possibly a dutch oven unless I just don't have room,
Hot dog, marshmallow roasting sticks, even though they are big the long non collapsible ones are the only ones that really work the little ones you have too get to close to the flames and the wire is always bending making it hard to keep control especially for the littler kids.
Griddle
Camp fuel
Cutting board and Knife (definitely a watermelon)
Two bowls or Dishpans for washing hands and dishes
I typically pack a 5 gallon water cooler (but really don't see how to this trip)
Gloves, Tongs, Coal Chimney, anything else for Dutch Oven
Large Spoon and Large spatula
possibly a saucepan
We usually will put all that camping gear in a large Rubbermaid box
Then we usually have a box for our dry snacks, crackers, chips, marshmallows, bread, etc

So a typical road trip for us when we travel cross country to visit family we each have a carry on bag with our clothes, in cooler weather we pack our large suitcase with jackets and shoes and any other extras that didn't fit in the carry-ons,
With 8 carry-ons and one Large suitcase as well as a bag of toiletries we take up about 2/3 of our trunk space. My husband is the expert at tetrus in our trunk with the suitcases. The last 1/3 of trunk space is generally consumed with pillows, a few stray jackets, and I almost always over-pack snacks for our journey.

We do have a cartop carrier that I don't use on cross-country trips it adds too much to our gas mileage, but I will most likely use it to go camping. It will hold our tents and sleeping bags, maybe?

Any ideas how to squeeze in the 2 coolers, one water cooler, box of camping gear and box of dry goods? I think I can fit 2 of those five, and that doesn't include the lifevests and raft, or fishing rods, or other toys the kids want.

Do you have ideas on how to make it all fit? Or any menu suggestions with a smaller footprint than usual? I wish I had a picture of our typical trunk from a crosscountry trip so I could give a better visual image of my dilemma.

suze

Forget the 8 camp chairs.

Forget the raft, life vests, fishing gear.

This is only a 3 day trip, right?

Don't pack in suitcases or typical carry-on bags, instead use soft sided gym bags or even garbage bags. Takes up way less room.

abram

We (DS, DDIL, 5 children, ages 10, 7, 6, 4, 1, DH, and I) took a one night camping trip. We slept in cabins, so no tent needed. One cooler. Small backpack per person. No life jackets.
Even if the 9 if us would have fit in one car, no way our gear would have.

janisj

Ditto suze's suggestions,

>> I am against using an air mattress after one camping trip where we almost froze to death sleeping on one. The cold air under you takes all your body heat in cooler temps.<<

But you aren't going in cold weather so you can use air mattresses just fine.

>>With 8 carry-ons and one Large suitcase as well as a bag of toiletries we take up about 2/3 of our trunk space.<<

If you mean carry ons like 21 inch rollaboards -- don't take any of these. Use duffles/'smushable' bags which give you MUCH more flexibility.

DebbieDoesDulles

I think you need 2 cars (2 trunks) instead of a van. Have you even found a rental company that will guarantee an 8-passenger van? Most of them only guarantee 7 seats.

You may also underestimate the danger of driving with a van full of dutch ovens, campstoves and lanterns. It really doesn't take much of a fender bender to send those things flying into someone's head. Secure anything heavy under the seats or tie them down securely.

sparkchaser

Minivan? You need something more like a passenger van.