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You've decided! You want to transform your next camping
trip into a Romantic Getaway! Begin planning now... The
planning process has a few basic steps:
1)
KNOW YOURSELF and the ONE you are camping with.
What are your combined preferences? What are the essential
components that will make your outdoor getaway Romantic?
Figure out what you want. Make a list! Ask yourself these
questions:
- What kind of weather or temperature do you like?
- What kind of geography or scenery do you want?
- Are you seeking solitude or social interaction?
- What activities do you like – hiking, biking, swimming,
surfing?
- Do you want to see wildlife? What type?
- How far from civilization do you want to be?
2) GATHER
INFORMATION. Find a campsite that fits your needs
and preferences. Search around based on the preferences
you have outlined. Invest a little time locating the BEST
location for your Romantic getaway. Check out the following
information sources:
- Experts: Talk
to the camping experts. Ask the clerks at your local
outdoor store for their advice. Their knowledge of the
local area can be very helpful!
- Friends: Ask
your friends for suggestions. Do they know of any secret
camping spots?
- Google: Search
the web for potential locations using different combinations
of the keywords from your preference list. People do
write about their camping trips and Google can connect
you directly to this information.
- GORP: The
world’s biggest camping website offers some good trip
planning tools and information. Click HERE
and use their campground search engine. Simply enter
the area you want to go and a few keywords from your
preference list. The less keywords you use the more
results will be returned.
- Guidebooks:
Books are always a GREAT resource for gathering travel
information. Find guidebooks at your local library or
bookstore.
- Parks: National
and State parks are always an excellent option for Romantic
Camping. There’s some good information about parks online.
Visit the following helpful websites to learn more about
the parks in your area:
National Parks Service
The mission of the National Park Service is to preserve
the natural and cultural resources and values of the national
park system for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration
of this and future generations. If you are interested in
camping at a National Park this site will allow you to learn
about the park before you go. Climate, History, Overview
and Contact information is provided for every National Park.
Just go to the “Find A Park” tab and explore!
StateParks.com
Basic information regarding all state parks in the United
States can be found here. Find out about directions, facilities
and activities, park maps, park overviews and contact information.
Even write a review of the park if you wish?
Parks of Canada
This site offers a variety of informational resources related
to Canada’s national parks. Information includes topics
like hours of operation, directions, maps, where to stay,
fees, activities, facilities, weather and tourism links.
3) MAKE
RESERVATIONS. Reservations are mandatory during
peak vacation months! We live in a crazy society in which
people reserve their vacations a year in advance. Unfortunately,
we must to compete with these nuts!
The sooner you can make a reservation the better. Having
a camping spot secured will eliminate anxiety and allow
you to focus on more Romantic ideas. Check out the following
website that allows you to make your reservations online:
Recreation.gov
This site offers a single point of access to information
about Federal recreational opportunities and reservations.
This site provides a comprehensive source of information
about thousands of Federal recreation opportunities.
- Discover which parks, forests, lakes, museums, and
other recreation sites managed by Federal agencies.
- Use interactive maps for trip planning activities
to locate specific recreation sites managed by Federal
agencies.
- Determine the entrance fees and use fees for individual
recreation sites managed by Federal agencies.
- Make recreation-related reservations for use of Federal
sites via their shopping cart.
4) BE
PREPARED. This is the secret to Romantic Camping.
Everything goes smoothly when you’re prepared. Smooth
equals Romance! The following are a just few more IMPORTANT
things to remember when preparing your Romantic Getaway:
Maps
Get the directions and maps you need. Don’t get lost!
Getting lost is a frustrating and NOT Romantic. Be sure
to print out directions from MapQuest.com
if you have never been to the area you are going.
Are you a member of AAA?
If so, go down to your local AAA office and load up on
FREE maps. Their road maps are high quality and area specific.
This is an awesome benefit of your membership. Use it!
You can order maps online. If you heading to a National
Forest area go to the National
Forest Store to buy a map before you go. This way
you can begin planning your hikes and activities before
you go.
Weather
Find out what Nature has in store for you. Be sure to
check the weather a day or two before you leave on your
Romantic Getaway. This information will give you a better
idea of the type of clothing to pack. Of course, be prepared
for the unexpected too!
Everything Else
Deciding to transform your next camping trip into a Romantic
Getaway is the BIG step. All other necessary decisions
will fall into place. RomanticCamping.com
is dedicated to helping you in this process! The other
sections of this site will give you the advice and information
you need for success.
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