Solo camping might not be as good as it sounds. Spending long hours in your backpacking tent by yourself and experiencing cold nights can make you feel lonely in the woods. This is why it is a great idea to tag some friends along when you are going camping. Camping with friends is fun and will help you create a lot of great memories.
Additionally, it improves your physical and mental wellbeing. So, maybe you have friends who have never gone camping before or they are worried about how the camping experience will be at first. The main question you need to ask yourself is, how can you convince them to go camping with you?
Well, if you have some indoorsy friends who are reluctant to accompany you to the woods, you need to improve your persuasion skills. These tips will help you convince your friends to go camping with you.
1. Find Out What Scares Them
Some people are afraid of going into the forest simply because they are scared of the unknown. Therefore, you need to know their fears so that you can have the right approach to convince them otherwise. Some of the most common fears camping beginners can have in mind include:
Uncomfortable sleep might be their nightmare.
Bad food and diets they are not used to might be a turn off.
Fear of the unknown is a camper’s biggest barrier.
Too cold or hot weather at your camping destination can also scare beginners.
Most people do not like being separated from civilization.
Worries about being bitten by bugs and mosquitoes.
Dangerous animals are also reasons why people are frightened of camping.
Not being familiar with camping gear is another scare.
As an experienced camper, you should understand all their fears and worries so that you can help them. This will also help you come up with a better camping experience for your friends.
2. Help Them Understand More about Camping
If you are dealing with novices, you need to clear their mind and let them know more about camping. Most people view camping as a survival situation where you ate out in the woods hungry, cold or wet. Let them know that camping is not different from any other weekend activity. It involves eating food, telling stories, enjoying a campfire and most important that company of your friends.
3. Start Small
If you want your friends to accompany when you are going for another camping trip. It is a brilliant idea to start small. By this I mean, don’t visit almost all the places on your first trip. Pick a nice camping site that is not too far from civilization. Make sure that there are flush toilets and water among other amenities.
In as much as the place might be rugged, your friends are more likely to feel at home. You want to do things simple so that your friends can get used to.
4. Plan Fair Weather Camping Trip
If you are an avid camper, then you might not worry about rain or mud during your trip. However, your friends might view things differently. When you are planning your camping trip, make sure it is neither too hot nor too hot. Be a fair-weather camper and I’m sure your friends will enjoy the whole experience.
Additionally, check out the weather forecast before you go out so that you can know what to expect. This will help you make your first camping trip with friends great.
5. Make the Trip Comfortable
Some people might find it difficult to leave behind what they are used to. Let them bring their favorite drinks, food, mattress, hammocks, coolers or anything that will make their trip comfortable. They can carry whatever that will make their outdoor experience great.
For instance, if your one of your friends wants to go camping with dogs or their kids, you need to make the plan accommodative enough for their extras.
6. Help Your Friends with Preparations and Packing
First-time campers can experience problems when planning a camping trip. Make the preparations on their behalf so that it can be hassle-free for them. This will also make the trip enjoyable and fun. Coming up with the schedule, getting food and ensuring the vehicle has fuel should be your responsibility.
7. Give Them the Things That They Want
When you are organizing a camping trip, you need to carry several gear and tools. For those people who have never gone camping, they can have a hard time if they don’t have all the necessary items the will require. You can lend them things like sleeping bags, camping tents or any other camping tool they need. This way, they will not have to worry about getting these essential camping items.
8. Show Them What They Will Be Missing
In as much as camping is a great way to help us forget about work pressure, routine monotony and negative effects of civilization, it can also be a way of just bonding and having fun. For that reason, you can entice your friends with some pictures of natural beauty so that can see what they will be missing.
If you are into photography, you can show them some slideshows of natural beauty or get some camping pictures on Pinterest. Or take them through your previous camping experiences. By doing so, they might be tempted and change their minds and come along.
9. Plan for Comfortable Sleep
The fact that you are camping doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to spend your nights in the cold. Get yourself the best backpacking sleeping bags or camping tents that will handle the night’s cold. But if your friends are not used to camping, you can get them rental cabins or RV that you will easily find in many camping places. By doing this, you will help your friends feel like they are at home.
10. Entice Them with Good Food
The good thing about camping with friends is that you enjoy communal dining. Not to mention that you can also cook your own food. You can convince your indoor friends to come with you and enjoy this great experience. Tell them about cooked food, seafood, grilled meat, and sweet desserts and I know they will reconsider going with you.
11. Lure Them with Refreshments and Beverages
If food doesn’t work or entice them to go out, then you can let them know that there will be booze. Convince them how they will enjoy camping cocktails in the woods and you might get their attention. Camping doesn’t mean that you will spend the whole time drinking tepid water that you buy from the canteen.
FINAL WORDS
I hate the whole idea of solo camping and I hope you do. One of the best ways in which you can have memorable and bonding experiences in the woods is when you involve friends when you are planning a camping trip. I know that it can be pretty tough to convince some friends to go camping with you especially if they are the indoorsy type.
However, if with all the above tips, I’m sure your persuasion skills will improve and you will get a couple of friends who you can share great experiences with. Planning camping trips isn’t difficult, and when your friends know that, you will all have fun outdoors.
