Tree By the River

Over Memorial Day weekend, I went camping up at Lake Sonoma. I was beyond excited for the trip, not only because it was sure to be fun, but because I hadn't been camping since I was 14. 

In the days that preceded the trip, I did a lot of preparation, in the form of finding directions, checking the weather, purchasing food, packing, and figuring out a few logistics, like sleeping bags and tents. 

Now that the trip is over, I know there are things for which I could have better prepared, and things for which I'm glad I prepared as well as I did. 

So I thought I'd share some things to keep in mind, should your travel plans ever involve camping—and they should, if only just once, because it's definitely a great experience. 

• If you're driving up to the site, check out gas prices along your route, so you know both where it's most cost-effective to fill up, as well as where the closest gas station is to your destination. Gas prices can vary so much, even within a small area, so it's beneficial to price-hunt a little, especially when you're filling up for a long drive. 

• Minimize the number of items that you're packing; or, if you're traveling with a companion (or two, or more), see if you can share certain items. Plus, if you're not driving directly to your campsite, you'll be carrying this stuff on your back, so it's in your best interest to make it as light as possible. We had about a 45-minute hike to our campsite from the parking lot, so packing lightly (or at least relatively so) made a huge difference.

• That said, don't skimp on clothing, especially if you're like me, and get cold really easily. You don't need five different outfits, but five layers might be prudent, particularly for when temperatures plummet at night. Also, despite the fact that the weather report might have you thinking that it's going to be sunny and warm all weekend, PACK YOUR RAINCOAT. I would have been soaked even more than I was if I'd blindly adhered to the high of 69 degrees that weather.com fed me the night before. 

• Time your arrivals and departures as best you can. Our particular camp was home to mountain lions, which my friends found out the hard way, during a nighttime hike to the campsite on Friday night. Obviously, none of us know this until we arrived, but you should really try to keep hiking to a daylight endeavor. 

• Get creative with your meals! Peanut butter sandwiches are easy and great, particularly after a hike, you don't have to be stuck eating them for every. single. meal. if you don't want to be. So long as there's a cooler and campfire, there's a lot that you can do with food combinations, with every last one being delicious. I ate a range of things over the two days, from chicken sausages, to salads, to a pizza-style Pudgy Pie.

And, of course, peanut butter sandwiches.