Economic times are difficult, especially in the wolverine state. Families are consistently looking for cheap alternatives to an expensive vacation and a way to enjoy each others company without spending too much. A favorite activity of millions of individuals around the world, camping offers a pure way to enjoy nature and spend time with your family in a low cost environment.

Budget camping is a great way to experience the outdoors, spend time together, and enjoy a low cost vacation. The average Michigan campsite will run you about $8 and $35 a night and include varying amenities and access depending on the price. Depending on the facility, the vacation can range from a luxurious stint in nature right down to roughing it. Camping on a budget usually involves the cheaper sites, but depending on the facilities that your family requires, many have different luxuries including bathroom, fireplaces, picnic tables and running water, and more.

Because you are camping on a budget, it is important to bring only the most important gear. A tent large enough for your family will be needed as well as enough food and equipment to accommodate them for the duration of the trip. If you’ve got the money, many Michigan state parks offer cabins for rent as well. Sleeping bags, mattresses, a portable stove, and dishes are also necessary, but can usually be found around the house or even borrowed in a pinch. A first aid kit is also recommended in case of minor injury that could potentially ruin the trip without treatment.

The food is entirely up to you, but camping on a budget ideally involves bringing food from home and minimizing the need to use the gas from your camping stove. Marshmallows and hot dogs can be cooked directly on the campfire and are cheap to purchase, making them perfect choices for budget camping. Camping on a budget can be a great way to enjoy a family vacation during tough economic times and give your family a sense of togetherness that only nature can provide. It’s cheap, it’s easy, and with the right equipment,  Michigan camping on a budget can be enjoyed at any age and year around.

Air camping is a form of camping for aviators that allow family time to be spent away from the commodities and distractions of everyday life. Over 900 U.S. airports and over 150 seaplane bases allow camping. Don Abbot is a firm supporter of air camping and lets him fly his family around in order to enjoy the vast beauty of the country on a wider scale. He is creating his venture titled the American Air Campers Association, which will highlight air camping spots, give tips to those interested, and hold special events pertaining to the activity. Due to the overwhelming amount of interest in air camping, Abbot intends to supply all of the possible information for pilots to fully enjoy their air camping experience. Those interested in air camping and places to air camp should check out the new Air Camping Association Website.

Winter camping can be the best opportunity to brave the elements and truly experience nature first hand. Uninhibited freedom, the chilly serenity of an empty campground, and the virtually bug-free environment of a Midwest winter camping experience is truly intoxicating. Before one embarks on this harmonious winter camping experience, however, there are some winter camping tips and winter camping gear that are needed to ensure that the experience is a pleasurable one.

Keys to having a good time while camping during the winter rely on knowing the environment you will likely be subjected to. Everything will move slower, most of your activities will take place in the dark, staying dry is an absolute must, and the right winter camping clothes can be the difference between a good and bad experience. Here is a list of what you will need for your winter camping adventure.

Winter Camping Gear

- Backpack or other large duffel bag lined with a garbage back to keep the contents dry

- Warm jacket and scarf

- Two extra pairs of pants, sweatshirts, long underwear, regular underwear, non-cotton hiking socks

- Winter gloves or mittens (as many pairs as you can obtain)

- Insulated winter boots

- Two warm hats

- Two insulated sleeping bags or one winter sleeping bag

- Two closed cell-foam sleeping pads or 2-3″ of newspaper under your sleeping bag

- 5″ x 7″ “Blue” tarp

- Pocketknife

- Flashlight

- Small first aid kit

- Compass

- Matches

- Toilet paper

- Mess kit (bowl, spoon, fork, plate, etc.)

- Two one-quart water bottles (hot water bottles for inside sleeping bag if desired)

- Winter camping tent

Being prepared for a harsh winter climate is the number one tip for a successful winter camping trip, but knowing what to do once you’re in the environment comes in at a close second. There are small tips to follow to ensure that the whole experience runs smoothly. Here are some things to remember while braving the elements in order to keep yourself and your gear safe, dry, and in working order.

Winter Camping Tips

- Everything moves slower in winter. Equipment will be bulkier, and the days will be shorter. Expect darkness during most of the trip

- Always keep anything you take off in a secure place. Things will dry out in winter, so keep damp items on tarp lines or other dry surfaces.

- Keep track of all your winter camping equipment at all times

- Avoid cotton at all times, the material will turn into a frozen mass by day two

- Avoid metal cups, they have the potential to fuse to skin in cold temperatures

- Learn to operate and/or modify all of your equipment with gloves or mittens on

- Wear a lot of black to absorb all of the solar rays you can

- Use layers while dressing so that you can add or remove them as you see fit. Items with zippers are ideal for increasing airflow

Many individuals swear by the compact nature of freeze dried foods, especially those who are required to carry their meals long distances. While the space saving aspect of the freeze dried food is a plus, they tend to be more expensive than canned, fresh, or dehydrated food. This brings us to the question at hand: are freeze dried foods a good option for camping?

Advantages of Freeze Dried Food

The greatest advantage to packing an array of freeze dried meals is the weight; by simply adding water or boiling the meals, you’ve got food at your disposal without cumbersome cans or packaging and they are ready to go when you are. Freeze dried food has a long shelf life, so if you decide not to eat any of the meals during camping season, they will likely be good to go next year. Freeze dried foods take up about one fifth of the space as canned or fresh foods, so the weight and small amount of space that freeze dried foods take up are some of the largest advantages.

Despite what the appearance may tell you, fresh ingredients are used in freeze dried food, so there is a good amount of nutrition in them. After reconstitution, freeze dried foods also maintain much of the taste one would find in a fresh cooked meal. This isn’t always the case, but for the most part freeze dried foods are both good tasting and nutritious. Most foods can be freeze dried successfully, and they are different than dehydrated foods. Usually the difference in these vacuum sealed freeze dried food is that they look and taste like the real thing. Convenience is another factor with freeze dried food because they are pre-cooked and only require heating and re hydration in order to be restored to their original form. They can even be eaten without adding water in a pinch.

Disadvantages of Freeze Dried Food

The main disadvantage to buying freeze dried food is the price. Comparable to what you would pay for the same meal in a restaurant, freeze dried fruits and other meals are not cheap. Feeding an entire family with freeze dried foods can get quite pricey, especially if you have hungry teens to think about. Dehydrated foods can be prepared easily or purchased at about half the price as freeze dried foods. For those who aren’t too concerned with having a real meal after a long day of camping, dehydrated foods are fine. It’s all about how you enjoy camping. If you’re the kind of person that prefers a piping hot meal that actually looks and tastes like food, freeze dried food is the way to go. For those on a budget and that are willing to sacrifice a bit of taste for the sake of saving money, tinned or dehydrated food will work just fine.

Freeze Dried Foods

The music/camping festival known as Bonnaroo held every year in Manchester, Tennessee has announced it’s dates for next year. What has been a huge hit since it’s inception is returning in 2010 to offer music lovers and campers alike the experience of a lifetime. From June 10-13, the annual music festival will once again take place offering a camping experience coupled with music that guests will not soon forget.

The four-day music and camping festival will once again be held on a 700-acre farm in Manchester, TN, 60 miles southeast of Nashville. The festival’s initial lineup will be confirmed in either late January or early February. For more information on the camping/music festival keep it locked on their official site bonnaroo.com.

Camping at Bonnaroo

Camping has always been an inexpensive way to spend time with the family and enjoy nature. The only way that camping could get any better and less expensive if it were free, but there’s no such thing as free camping is there? Indeed there is. Major camping has found a wonderfully designed site that lists all of the free campgrounds in the country and passes the information onto the everyday camper. Here is a list of campgrounds that are under $10 or absolutely free within the state of Michigan. For those interested in finding free camping in other states simply visit the Free RV Camping website and click on which state you wish to search. Happy camping!

Free Camping in Michigan

Birch Run Factory Outlet Mall – Doesn’t sound like it would be a campground at all, but there are over 30 campsites in two designated parking lots. It is close to the outlet mall and a great place to camp out and wait for the stores to open. The campground is also near the tourist attraction Frankenmuth.

Brookside Park, Otsego – This area requires registering with the local police department and is patrolled day and night, so be on your best behavior. There are 4 sites in total and they are well maintained. The site is free, but be sure to leave a donation to the general fund when you go!

Cabela’s – Large parking lot behind the store and great shopping inside. An unofficial RV campground, Cabela’s is in Dundee near Detroit. The lot includes water and a dump station.

Christmas Kewadin Casino - This official campground is in the lot right behind the casino and offers electricity to campers. The space is limited, but if you’re lucky enough to RV camp in this area you have a prime time spot near one of the best casinos in Michigan. It is also near the Hiawatha National Forest and has a paid dump station.

French Farm Lake – At the end of a secluded, unnamed dirt road, this campground is not easy to find but is located next to the beautiful French Farm. Take Trails End Road 1.75 miles west out of Mackinaw City. Turn left on an unnamed dirt/gravel road 50 feet before the stop sign at Wilderness Park Drive. Follow the road to six numbered sites.

Formerly Big Creek Campground – A difficult campground to find, detailed directiosn are as follows: Located just off County Road 612 NE of Grayling, MI or SW of Lewiston, MI. 7 mi from Lewiston. The site is on a small creek and there are no amenities involved, but it’s a great quiet place to relax and RV camp.

According to a recent visitor survey, the Ocean Lakes Family Campground is one of the better places to RV camp in the whole U.S. Myrtle Beach’s “Grand Strand” attracts more than 14 million visitors annually and those surveyed in this poll voiced a clear preference for Ocean Lakes over other campground options in the area. The “Best of the Beach” survey results were reported in the October 25 edition of The Sun News in the “Visitor’s Voice” section.

The “Best of the Beach” honor is the latest for Ocean Lakes Family Campground which was named the 2008-2009 National “RV Park of the Year” by the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC). It is the largest campground on the East Coast and one of the largest in the United States with over 310 acres of campsites and beach house rentals.

Right next to one of the busiest beaches year round, Ocean Lakes has a ton of events to attend and great customer service all around. Ocean Lakes Family Campground offers affordable family fun all year long, including events like The 26th Annual South Carolina Fossil Fair on October 31st from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. This event is free and open to the public. Presented by the South Carolina Fossil Association, the Fossil Fair features experts from the Smithsonian Institute’s National Museum of Natural History who will be on hand to identify fossils brought by participants.

Fossil and shell collections will be on display including shark teeth, whale bones, sand dollars, horse teeth and other unique finds. Visitors will also have the opportunity to hunt for shark teeth, make necklaces, construct a dinosaur skeleton and even learn how to recover fossils with the Smithsonian experts at a mock dig site. It is a hands-on educational event for the entire family, students and Scout Troops.

Myrtle Beach

A few locals of Terrace, British Columbia will brave the elements next weekend in the hopes of raising money for ShelterBoxes for those who have lost their homes to natural disasters. The residents will face harsh weather climates in an attempt to help those less fortunate than themselves. The local Rotary club has decided to hold a camp out in the parking lot of the Coast Inn of the West Nov. 7 from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. to highlight the ShelterBox.

A ShelterBox provides temporary housing and equipment like cooking utensils, basic tools, a water filtration system, and a multi-fuel stove for people who have lost their homes in a natural disaster. The tent can accommodate up to 10 individuals, and boasts two separate wings and a common area. Although most people use the ShelterBox for a short period of time, some have been known to utilize it for over two years.

The Rotary Club wants to purchase 10 ShelterBoxes this year at $1,200 a piece. They have already raised $6000 for the event and hope to raise $6000 more. People are encouraged to come by and see the Rotaries camping and check out what ShelterBoxes are all about. The club will also hold an auction to try to raise money for the event.

The campout coincides with the 49th Annual Rotary auction taking place Nov. 7-8 at the Coast Inn on the West. The Rotary auction is the flagship fundraising event for the rotary club, and the money is used for local and global projects.

Shelter Boxes in Uganda

The whole point of camping is to take in the beauty of nature while bringing the bare essentials and nothing more. Camping needs will take up most of the space in your vehicle especially when taking the kids or a large number of people. All of this adds up to taking only what you need and avoiding camping clutter. Taking only what you need and avoiding unnecessary personal items can help you save space and ensure the safety of your personal possessions.

Firstly, don’t leave anything of value inside your tent. Most campers are honest, but why risk it? You can’t lock your tent so anything left in it unsupervised should be considered unsafe. Carry portible devices or items with you at all times in your backpack or a deep pocket; if you have larger items that cannot be easily transported, leave them in your vehicle out of site and lock it. Keep cash and credit cards in a pocket that cannot be easily picked or buried deep within your backpack. If you have a tote bag, wear it across your body as opposed to slug over one shoulder where it could be easily lifted.

While hiking or camping bring only the beat necessities and follow the rules above, but make sure you have a mobile phone in case of emergency and to report losses should an unfortunate incident arise. Make sure you keep your phone in a safe place as well; like cash, credit cards, and small portable devices, thieves will find it difficult to resist. The rules to keeping your possessions safe while camping are similar to keeping them safe in any environment. It is important to remember that there will be quick hands at virtually any location where people are present, so make sure you keep your valuables on you or in your car as to avoid them being stolen.

Coleman Raise Twin Air Bed: 3/5

For those who aren’t up to the idea of ‘roughing it’ while camping, there is an entire line of Coleman air mattresses that compare to the comfort of some of our beds at home. The world of air mattresses has come a long way since the days of being light headed after manually blowing up a torn air mattress that was sure to leak by the end of the night.

The Coleman Raised Twin Air Bed is the size of a regular mattress and inflates in under 3 minutes with its own built in pump. A built in mattress pad means that the air mattress looks and feels like a real bed, it eve has a firmness control just to add to the luxury. Truly a step above from the old plastic  air mattresses that left a person sinking into an abyss of deflation, the Coleman Raised Twin Air Bed plugs into an outlet and inflates at the push of a button instead of require manual blowing.

A few cons of the product include the bulk, requiring electrical input for inflation, and price (79.99). You’ll also need to bring blankets to cover up with, which is a little less economical than a single sleeping bag, but for those who truly want to camp in style, the Coleman Raised Twin Air Bed is a great piece of camping gear.