First time camping.

My wife and I were planning to take a trip to the beach the 2nd week of October. That has somehow changed. Now she wants to buy a tent, sleeping bags, and kayaks, and go camping. I'm fine with this, but I've never been camping (I know, I know, but I have to start somewhere). We were thinking of heading to Uwharrie. Or maybe Flanners Beach. We live in Thomsville, so Uwharrie is much closer. It will be just one night for this trip.

We would like to spend the day kayaking and just relaxing in the woods, don't really need any great amenities (though a bathroom is super convenient for this first trip).

Anything I need to know? What else do I absolutely need? I was going to pick up some sort of lantern. We will be taking a cooler with sandwiches and the like, so no stove is necessary for this first trip.

Also, we are set on these two locations. Any other locations that may be good for first time campers with an interest in kayaking would be fine.

Thanks.

For the first trip stick to an established campground. "Wilderness" might be a little much for the first time.
You're in Thomasville, there is a good campground at the upper end of Lake Tillery but I can't think of the name....

@Bailey Boat gave you some good advice for your first time. With a campground you'll have bathrooms close by but you can pitch a tent and "rough it" until you get the feel of camping. Once you figure out the do's and don'ts and the needs and don't needs, then go out on your own and find nice spot to camp.

There are pre made camp sites in Uwharrie that will make life a lot easier for your first trip. I've never used them but I know they have bathrooms on site. Badin Lake Rd. and Group Camp Rd. will get you to the less primitive campsites.
Hagan Stone Park is in Greensboro and it has pre made spots as well. Close by and wouldn't be a bad first trip.

Do a "shakedown" overnighter in your backyard first so you know what works for you and what doesn't. Far from home is a bad time to realize you forgot something crucial like an extra blanket or the directions to setting up your first tent or something like that.

Also, in our experience, it takes longer to get a tent and stuff set up and functional than you think it might. Setting up, kayaking, eating a couple times then packing up to leave is pretty ambitious for an overnighter. It's supposed to be relaxing, right?

Bug spray and toilet paper... Don't forget.

You definitely do not want to do 'wilderness' camping for your first. Every state park has car-side camping, so that's an idea, and some state parks have lakes or rivers for kayaking (thinking Hanging Rock, but there are others). Absolutely do a pre-trip shakedown in your back yard first.

And if this is the type of camping you want to do, you don't need to buy high-end expensive all-season gear; also look at Moose Jaw, REI Garage, Campmoor, and Sierra Trading Post.

Tigard said:

Also, in our experience, it takes longer to get a tent and stuff set up and functional than you think it might. Setting up, kayaking, eating a couple times then packing up to leave is pretty ambitious for an overnighter. It's supposed to be relaxing, right?

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I thought the same thing, that's why I suggested Hagan Stone. No kayaking but plenty of hiking trails and things to do. When I take my kayak camping I set everything up first thing that way when I get back all I have to do is eat and pass out. Then the day I leave I completely tear down and pack everything up before I go fishing for the day. I know how tired I am after being in the kayak for the day and setting up and tearing down would not be fun.

No matter where you go you might want a sleeping mat, coffee pot, something to start a fire with, and something to cut firewood with or just by it by the bundle. You have got to do the backyard camp first and you will see what you need.

She wants to camp? Either you are very lucky or headed for splitzville.

There is no middle ground for this.

I mean unicorn lucky. If she said buy a tent, yeah. To get most women to tent camp you need rope and duct tape to tie them up.

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Grits said:

To get most women to tent camp you need rope and duct tape to tie them up.

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I don't want to speak for my adorable bride but I found that an air mattress made her life nicer (and mine too) and helped her get over the whole tent camping thing.

Grits said:

She wants to camp? Either you are very lucky or headed for splitzville.

There is no middle ground for this.

I mean unicorn lucky. If she said buy a tent, yeah. To get most women to tent camp you need rope and duct tape to tie them up.

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I have one that used to backpack with me. Awesome! We just car camp now though, nice but not quite as awesome.

OP, add some type of sleeping pad/air mattress to the list. Be advised the large blow up air mattress are cold to sleep on camping. You can lay some blankets on it if you need too. Foam pads and thermarest mattresses tend to be warmer.

As to a lanter, I would get a battery operated LED. I've had white gas pump ones, currently using a propane cylinder lantern, but going to replace it with a battery operated one. If you can borrow a pop up tent they are life savers if it rains. We use ours to cover the picnic table at the sight.

Might be more of a drive but Price Lake campground outside Blowing Rock would be a cool place. Lake is kind of small, but no power boats on it. You can paddle around in about 2 hours if you are taking your time. Lots of small bream to catch and a few holdover trout maybe. There is also a trail around the lake to hike. And they have restrooms.

I know some will but most women's idea of camping involves the use of travel trailers. Nothing less.

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Best part of tent camping is getting rid of them and get hammocks!

Wife and I are going to be at Baden Lake campgrounds 6-7-8-9 October.
a good hammock and some good bourbon

A couple nights in the yard will tell you if you need to bring a pad, an air mattress, or a cot.

JimB said:

A couple nights in the yard will tell you if you need to bring a pad, an air mattress, or a cot.

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Not for Uwharrie. Even the camping spots are full of rocks.

Jason Coburn said:

My wife and I were planning to take a trip to the beach the 2nd week of October. That has somehow changed. Now she wants to buy a tent, sleeping bags, and kayaks, and go camping.

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Do both...camp at the coast.

Frisco, Ocracoke, Buxton and Oregon Inlet are 4 NPS campgrounds on CHNS.

Also Carolina Beach State Park.

Thanks for all the tips. I was definitely going to do a test set up in the backyard to get an idea of what was needed. Looks like I might be able to borrow at least a tent (maybe more) from family, so that's one less thing to think about. Good idea on the pad, I will look into that for sure.

We saw the pre-made camp sites at Uwharrie, that's why we thought of that first. Price lake looks pretty good too, though.

@Grits Definitely lucky. Hell, her original idea was just to throw some sleeping bags on the ground in the woods some where. I suggested maybe a tent would be a good thing to have. Also, took her to the GSO gun show last year. She fell in love with a Henry lever action .22. Had to buy it for her of course.

My girlfriend and I have camped on motorcycle trips twice so far this year on a trip to Ocracoke and to bike week at Myrtle Beach. A trial run in the backyard will help you a lot. Our camping got started because we bought a tent at dicks that would fit on the bike, then a queen size air mattress, and winged it from there. We didn’t bother to set up in the back yard, and never thought about the size of stuff until we were eating dinner at Ocracoke and realized the air mattress may not fit in our tent. Luckily it did but it was bulging the walls of the tent with no room to move or stand. A trial run would have prevented finding that out when we would have had no other options.

Our first experience camping went great. We ended up going to Arrowhead Campground at Uwharrie. I don't have anything to compare it to, but I thought the campground itself was great. It rained all night and most of the morning one of the days, but we just slept in. Spent the rest of the time either walking the trails, or kayaking on the lake (our first time with the kayaks too). We did find a few things we will do differently next time, but nothing major. Will definitely be doing it again.

Awesome!