If I had the choice, my husband would be with us all day, every day. Certainly, family travel is our favorite way to go about our adventures. But that’s not always possible and solo mom travel is the only way the kids and I can squeeze in mini-adventures during the week. Such was the case with this Mommy n’ Me camping trip we recently took.
It was seriously SO.MUCH.FUN! And to think I almost didn’t go for fear of the unknown! I mean, I’ve been camping as a kid, but never as a mom… and now I planned to go alone, without the brute and strength of dear ol’ dad.
Before I get into the details of this Mommy n’ Me Camping trip, which consisted of another mom friend and her two little ones, I wanted to share a few packing tips for those of you thinking of solo mom travel.
Solo Mom Travel: Our First Camping Trip
As a Walmart Mom, I was asked how we got ready for summer travel – with the whole family or otherwise – so I thought I’d share a few specifics products that really made a difference for our Mommy n Me Camping trip. Good value is always important, but quality products are equally important for moms traveling solo with their young kids.
Among all the stuff you can or will take on a camping (glamping) trip, here are a few packing tips for solo mom travel.
1. Cooler on wheels: No matter if you’re camping in a tent, RV or, like us, in a gorgeous log cabin, you’re going to have to pack enough food to last you the duration of your trip. There are so many great Igloo coolers at Walmart to choose from, but for the solo mom camping trip, pick one with wheels. I was so grateful to not have to carry that heavy thing from the car to the campsite!
2. Mama’s Cafe con Leche: If you’re a coffee drinker, like many moms I know, be sure to pack a camp-friendly version of your favorite cup of joe. For this trip, I brought a pre-made iced coffee drink, but this Folgers Ice Cafe Latte coffee drink concentrate looks appealing too!
3. Plenty of flashlights! Apart from the sheer function, flashlights are apparently the coolest thing on earth. Be sure to bring at least one flashlight for each kid to avoid fights in the pitch dark. These Rayovac Floating Lantern from Walmart are a great value and super cool.
4. Water safety equipment: Our campground came complete with an awesome pool and, as always, water safety equipment was on the list of must-pack. Puddle Jumpers are the favorite of every mom I know. We also packed pool ring toss games, googles and over sized towels.
5. A good attitude: Finally, you need to pack a good attitude on a Mommy n Me camping trip. That goes with almost any solo mom travel adventure, packing a ton of patience and a willingness to ask for help or connect with strangers can make your camping trip a memorable one.
I was lucky to have taken this adventure with a dear friend who has an adventurous spirit. So when we were having a hard time getting our fire started – and the kids were going crazy waiting on s’mores – we asked for help from the family in the camp site next door. Turns out, the expert “fire starter” in their group was their mom, a Latina women who told us all about her childhood en el campo while she kindled our small fire. What an awesome experience that was for us!
It’s the best to take family vacations and create our family legacy, but it’s also a great feeling to know that solo mom travel doesn’t scare me from taking adventures on my own with two babies in tow. And I can’t wait to see where we’re off to next!
Margaret Karambelas
July 27, 2015 at 12:02 pmHi Vanessa!! Where did y’all take the kiddos? Cabins look very cute!
Vanessa Bell
July 27, 2015 at 12:24 pmI’ll be doing a full review soon of our stay next week, but we were in a Deluxe Cabin at Ventura Ranch KOA (California). It was a wonderful experience and I highly recommend them!