How We Plan 7 Camping Trips a Year While Working Full-Time, by Teardrop Shenanigans on YouTube. 7 min 24 s.
- Video length
- 7 min 24 s
- Time to do it
- 1 hour
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Open your work calendar and mark the weekends and holidays you already have free. Note your remaining paid time off so you know how many Fridays or Mondays you can take.
Pick a rough number of trips for the year, such as one every six to eight weeks. Spread them across spring, summer and fall so the season does not bunch up.
Choose a drive limit you are happy with, for example about four hours each way. Draw a circle around your home on a map and list state parks and campgrounds inside it.
Shortlist two or three destinations per trip date. Check each park's season dates, hookup types and whether pets are allowed before you commit.
Look up each campground's reservation window, the number of days ahead bookings open. Set a reminder for opening day, since popular weekends fill fast.
Submit any PTO requests at work as soon as the dates are set. Book doggy daycare or pet sitters for the same dates.
Book the campground and save the confirmation number, arrival time and cancellation policy in one folder or note.
Leave some weekends open as backup. If a trip falls through, move to your second choice instead of cancelling the season.
Tips and common mistakes
Book popular holiday weekends the moment the reservation window opens, or you will likely miss out.
Check the cancellation policy before paying, so a change of plans costs little.
Keep a simple list of booked trips with dates, campground and confirmation numbers in one place.
Confirm pet rules and daycare hours early, since not every campground or sitter takes dogs.
Questions
How far ahead should I book campgrounds?
It depends on the park. Many state parks open bookings months ahead and fill on the first day, so check each park's window and set a reminder.
How many trips can I fit around a full-time job?
Weekend trips need little or no time off. Adding a Friday or Monday here and there stretches the season without using much PTO.
What if the weather ruins a trip?
Keep one or two backup weekends free and a second-choice campground ready, so you can shift the trip instead of losing it.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
