My Camper Friend

Journal

Practical guides, honest gear reviews, and road-tested tips for camping and RV adventures.

Teaching Kids to Love Camping (Without Forcing It)

Sep 9, 2026

Teaching Kids to Love Camping (Without Forcing It)

Dragging reluctant kids into the woods rarely creates camping fans. But meeting them where they are, with the right activities and expectations, usually does.

familykidstips
RV Furnace Not Working? Troubleshooting Guide for Cold Nights

Sep 7, 2026

RV Furnace Not Working? Troubleshooting Guide for Cold Nights

Nothing ruins a camping trip faster than a furnace that quits on a cold night. Before you call a technician, try these common fixes that solve most RV furnace problems.

troubleshootingmaintenancewinter
Off-Grid Camping Checklist: Everything You Need to Pack

Sep 4, 2026

Off-Grid Camping Checklist: Everything You Need to Pack

Boondocking means no hookups, no services, and no running to the store. This is the complete checklist we use to make sure we have everything before heading off-grid.

boondockingchecklistsgear
How to Choose Between Class A, B, and C RVs

Sep 2, 2026

How to Choose Between Class A, B, and C RVs

Class A, B, and C all sound like school grades, but picking the wrong one is an expensive mistake. Here is what actually matters when choosing your RV class.

rv-buyingbeginnerscomparison
Camping in Bear Country: Safety Tips That Actually Matter

Aug 31, 2026

Camping in Bear Country: Safety Tips That Actually Matter

Bears are a reality in many of the best camping areas. The good news is that with basic preparation, bear encounters are extremely rare and manageable.

safetywildlifecamping
Camping With a Toddler: What We Learned After 10 Trips (and a Lot of Snacks)

Aug 28, 2026

Camping With a Toddler: What We Learned After 10 Trips (and a Lot of Snacks)

Taking a toddler camping sounds chaotic, and honestly it kind of is. But after ten trips with our two-year-old, here's how we make it work — and actually enjoy it.

campingfamilytoddler
RV Sewer Hose Setup: A No-Grossness Guide

Aug 26, 2026

RV Sewer Hose Setup: A No-Grossness Guide

Nobody wants to talk about the sewer hose, and that is exactly why so many new RVers make messy mistakes. Here is the step-by-step so you can handle it like a pro.

maintenancebeginnershow-to
RV Tire Safety: The Boring Topic That Could Save Your Whole Trip

Aug 24, 2026

RV Tire Safety: The Boring Topic That Could Save Your Whole Trip

Tires are easy to ignore until one blows on the highway. Here's my practical approach to RV tire safety that takes minutes but prevents disasters.

rvsafetytires
How We Budget for a Month-Long Summer Road Trip

Aug 21, 2026

How We Budget for a Month-Long Summer Road Trip

A month on the road sounds expensive, but with real numbers and honest planning, it is more affordable than you think. Here is exactly how we break it down.

budgetplanningroad-trips
A Beginner's Guide to Photographing the Night Sky From Your Campsite

Aug 19, 2026

A Beginner's Guide to Photographing the Night Sky From Your Campsite

You don't need expensive gear to capture stunning star photos at camp. Here's how I started shooting the night sky with just a phone and a little patience.

campingphotographynight sky