It’s almost summer, which means it’s officially camping season! This summer millions of weary souls will head into the wilderness to refresh, recharge and connect by spending time in nature. We hope that you’ll be one of them! Camping is such an amazing way to bond with your kids, disconnect from your screens, and get a serious dose of Vitamin N (nature). Camping certainly isn’t easy, but it’s always worth it. The first step in curating an amazing camping experience is picking the right campsite for your family. Today, we’re going to tell you all about Hipcamp, one of our favorite little secrets for finding the most unique and top-notch campsites for families.

What is Hipcamp

At its core, Hipcamp is an online platform for finding and booking campsites, but, it is unique in a myriad of ways. Not only does it list traditional campgrounds in those big well-known (and often booked months in advance) national and state parks, but it offers a variety of options for camping on private land as well. It’s been referred to as “AirBnB for campsites,” and gives campers something a little different! 

Private landowners can list their property on Hipcamp and welcome campers to camp there! The minimum land requirement for a Hipcamp site is generally just two acres, but many Hipcamps have hundreds of acres to explore. Some listings feature simple plots of land with a single campsite, while others offer multiple campsites, spread out over the property like a traditional campground, albeit way less crowded. No matter how small or large, every Hipcamp offers direct access to nature. These campsites vary from primitive sites for tents only, to RV sites with hookups, to Airstreams, yurts, ski huts, farmhouses, tepees, tiny homes, tree houses, cabins, and cottages. Many listings have electricity and plumbing.

Why Hipcamp’s great for families

While camping anywhere is great for families, Hipcamp makes finding the right campsite for your family so much easier. Camping with kids brings on a whole set of concerns for parents, from privacy to crowds to safety concerns. Hipcamp has so many different options for camping, there’s sure to be something that works well for your particular family and concerns. Here are a few reasons why we recommend Hipcamp for families:

  1. Easy to search – Hipcamp’s website and app both make it easy to find a campsite that’s perfect for your family. You can search campsites by price, area (nearby location, park, state), what amenities you want (showers, electricity, hot tubs), nearby activities (hiking, biking, swimming), glamping experiences, pet-friendly options, and terrain (mountain, lake, woods, etc.).
  2. Variety of campsite options – Hipcamp has a ton of regular traditional campgrounds, but there are also lots of fun unique options for taking your camping experience to the next level. Hipcamp’s the perfect place to find a yurt, hammock pod, teepee, treehouse, cabin, rehabbed school bus, retro RV, tiny home, or cottage to rent. You might be surprised by how many options are available in your area!
  3. Availability – In the last few years, the popularity of camping (and the need for disconnecting and spending time outside) has multiplied exponentially. It’s harder now than ever to find and book a campsite in particular areas. Some state and national park campgrounds book months and months in advance. That can be really hard for families to plan around. We’ve found that the availability of campsites on Hipcamp is much better. You can usually find campsites available in your area just days (or even hours) in advance of your trip. If you’re looking for a more spontaneous trip, you can use the “Instant Book” within your search.

How to book a campsite using Hipcamp

The Hipcamp platform is incredibly easy to use and very well-done. To get started with booking a campsite, you’ll just need to create a free account. Take a few minutes to fill out your profile so that the people who own the campsites can get to know a little about you and your family (optional). 

Next, start searching for campsites using the dates you want to camp, the number of campers, and the location. If you have flexibility on any of these criteria, you can leave the field blank to see even more results. Then, you can add filters to narrow your results or scroll through the options available on the map. Save your favorites to folders for easy access later. Once you find a campsite that looks intriguing, check out the listing and read through all the details carefully. Campsite details include things like type of lodging, capacity, accessibility, amenities, essentials, check-in/out times, nearby activities, terrain, availability, price, photos, and other camper reviews. 

When you’re ready to book, click the green “Request To Book” or “Instant Book” button and use the discount code CAMPLIKEACHAMP10 to get $10 off your booking. Wait for your confirmation and get excited about your upcoming camping trip! Leading up to your trip, your Host will send you all the information you’ll need to get to the campsite and you can even message the Host directly on the Hipcamp website or app.

Here’s a helpful step by step guide from Hipcamp on how to book your trip.

Our Hipcamp experience

My kids and I recently booked a little weekend camping getaway through Hipcamp and we had a blast! I wanted to stay somewhere a little different than a traditional campground, away from the crowds and the hustle and bustle of busy state park campgrounds in our area. Hipcamp delivered with tons of options for private campgrounds near creeks, in the woods, on farms, or vineyards. There were treehouses, barns, school buses, cabins, and yurts. I had no idea there were so many options within a 2-hour drive of my city.

We chose to stay in a yurt on an animal rehabilitation farm. It was the perfect combination of rustic and secluded, yet comfortable and nice. The yurt was separate from the barn, house and other traditional campsites, so we had a sense of privacy, but easy access to others (just in case we needed help, if necessary). This gave me a lot of peace of mind when camping solo with my kids. The amenities and campsite were well-described in the listing and it was super easy to chat with the landowner via text through the Hipcamp app when we had questions. The whole booking process was a breeze.

I loved the beautiful yurt we stayed in and the amenities available for campers. The yurt was well-appointed with beds, linens, furniture, cooking equipment, fans, and more. We had access to a firepit, our own private outhouse and shower, a nearby creek, and a whole farm full of animals! The animals were by far, the biggest hit of the entire experience for my children. They had the opportunity to love on horses, donkeys, goats, sheep, potbellied pigs, chickens, and dogs. They couldn’t get enough of them and would spend hours petting them and visiting with them. It was an amazing experience. 

Check out some of America’s best Hipcamps to visit in 2022

Book your next camping adventure with Hipcamp

If you’re looking for a unique camping experience for your family, we highly recommend giving Hipcamp a try! You never know what kind of camping adventure you’ll find in your area. Be sure to use the code CAMPLIKEACHAMP10 to get $10 off your next booking. 

More family camping resources

If you’re looking for even more info on how to camp with kids, we’ve got you covered. Check out these great camping resources below:

family camping gear packing checklist

Printable camping gear lists for families

To make it easier for you to get started on your next family camping trip, we put our ultimate camping packing list for your family in a free printable 2-page PDF for you! Use this as the perfect start to create your own master packing list. You’ll also be signed up to receive our  AMAZING weekly newsletter, filled with fun outdoor activities and inspiration for getting your kids and family outside! You can opt-out anytime (although we’d hate to see you go). 

PRINTABLE CAMPING GEAR LIST

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