Camping is not just in a tent. Danielle talks with Stephanie Puglisi of The RV Atlas podcast and co-author of See You at the Campground: A Guide to Community, Connection, and a Happier Family in the Great Outdoors, about the benefits of staying in a campground setting rather than a hotel during your national park visit. Stephanie shares how there is a camping situation to fit everyone’s needs and comfort: cabin, tent or RV.

Note: This episode is coming out  March 21, 2020 during Covid-19. Please be safe and follow guidelines to  stay at home and social distance. If you are going to a national park, check the website for specific closures and guidelines for that park. The content of this interview is to inspire future travel once it is safe to do so. Thank you and we hope you and your loved ones stay healthy.

Discussion includes the following:

4:25 - Why Stephanie prefers the campground experience.

8:11 - Different types of camping - Find the style that suits you.

15:13 - Staying at campgrounds right outside Glacier National Park with all of the amenities.

15:40 - Examples of selecting camping situation for every trip depends on the situation and research (Badlands, Utah)

18:07 - Unique camping situations in the Pacific Northwest

25:37 - Tips for how to rent your first RV: motorized, small side Class B or C

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  Peer to peer rental: RV Share or Outdoorsy - look for best reviews, responsive and supportive

  
  
  
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  Cruise America - RVs made specifically for renters and provide a lot of support. More pricey than peer to peer rental.

  
  
  

30:55 - Camping is not necessarily cheaper, but gives you more control of your costs so it can be cheaper

32:34 - How to choose the right campground for your family? It depends on what is important to your family.

35:00 - Stephanie shares some favorite campgrounds around national parks.

37:50 - Packing tips

40:08 - Camp food tips

46:29 - Tips for camping with family and friends who are not campers.

49:52 - Stephanie shares her favorite family national park camping experience at Glacier National Park hiking to Grinnell Glacier.

53:11 - Go to the RV Atlas website to listen and subscribe to the RV Atlas podcast and read their blog. See you at the Campground is available wherever books are sold. They also have a private RV Atlas Facebook group if you're looking for more advice on camping.

Hear our interview, “5 Amazing National Park Lodges” on the RV Atlas podcast.

For complete show notes and archive, visit everybodysnationalparks.com.

We have covered parks including: Biscayne, Crater Lake, Everglades, Grand Canyon, Great Smoky Mountains, Olympic, Rock Creek, Saguaro, Shenandoah, Virgin Islands, Yellowstone, Yosemite and Zion.

We also have special conversations with a diverse group of national park champions.

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• (Ep. 13) Acclaimed documentarian Ken Burns took time out of his busy schedule to discuss the creation and legacy of the National Park Service and celebrate the tenth anniversary of his series The National Parks: America’s Best Idea.
  
• (Ep. 14) Author Becky Lomax chatted with Danielle and Bryan about her guidebook and offered travel tips to lesser-known parks.
  
• (Ep. 19.5) Ranger Shelton Johnson introduced listeners to the Buffalo Soldiers of Yosemite National Park
  

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