Looking to take the family camping for the first time without dropping a ton of cash. Tent, sleeping bags, cooler situation. We're thinking 2-3 nights somewhere local. Anyone have good recommendations that won't require me to take out a second mortgage? Kids are 7 and 4 so nothing too fancy needed.
REI has solid entry level stuff without breaking the bank. We started with a basic Coleman tent and sleeping bags from Target and honestly it was perfect for learning what we actually needed. You don't need to go expensive for your first trip.
Walmart and target have solid budget tents that'll do the job for your first few trips. I spent like 60 bucks on mine three years ago and we still use it. Don't need to go fancy if you're just getting your family started.
Check Facebook marketplace and Craigslist before buying new. People sell camping gear all the time after one trip. Could save you a ton of money on the big ticket items. That's how I got our tent for half price.
Decathlon is your friend if you have one nearby. Super affordable and quality gear. I outfitted my whole first camping setup there for like $300.
Pro tip: grab some of those cheap foam sleeping pads from Walmart. They run like 15 bucks and make such a difference in comfort. Your kids probably won't care but you'll sleep way better which means more patience the next day.
Check Facebook marketplace too. Tons of people buy camping gear once and never use it again. My best sleeping bags came from there at like a quarter of the price.
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Costco has some decent camping deals if you're a member. We got our sleeping bags there and they're way cheaper than specialty shops. For your first trip you really don't need anything fancy, just functional stuff that keeps everyone dry.