We all dream of a vacation that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg where we can rest and recharge and have our pick of the day’s agenda—from a smorgasbord of exciting activities or just an open-ended schedule to laze about without any obligations. Don’t we?

At Arizona State Parks, we’d argue that dream can easily be found in a camping trip. Think about it… you can pack in as many fun, new adventures as you like or you can sit under a shady tree and catch up on a good book. You can fully recharge your batteries in the peace and quiet of nature and spend quality time with friends and family, making memories that last a lifetime. And you can’t beat the price! Arizona State Parks campsites range from $15-$50 per night and our rustic camping cabins from $35-$139 per night.

So why you don’t you go more often? There are four main reasons that can be holding you back from spending nights under the stars, and we have resources to help you tackle each. Make your roadblocks to adventure vanish with these tips!

1. It’s too much work
   You have to pack, you have to set up when you get there, and then you have to put it all away at the end: it’s true. We won’t pretend there isn’t some effort involved in camping. But there are ways to lighten the load significantly. We call our method “Grab and Go.”
   
   Organize your gear and take time to do it right. You only have to do this once and then it’s easy maintenance. We recommend using a couple sturdy storage totes, making one your kitchen box and another your tent box. Put everything you need in these boxes (your camp stove, cookware, utensils, spices), keeping them separate from your regular household items. The second box can be filled with your tarp, camping pad, lighter fluid, a hatchet for firewood, etc. Still trying to figure out exactly what equipment you need? Download our handy camping checklist, which covers everything including shelter, clothing, cooking, and more.
   
   After you take time to organize your gear just that first time, packing will be a breeze. It’s now just a matter of grabbing your organized totes and your camp chairs, and then you can go! At the campsite, setting up goes faster because you know where each item is—forget the equipment shuffle, going from this bag to that box looking for what you need. When packing back up, each item goes back into the right tote, putting any items that need to be cleaned once you get home into a collapsible bag.
   
   After your trip, clean those few items you kept out of the totes right away. Then pop them back into the correct box and stow them, ready for your next trip. Not only does it save you time and effort in the long run, it keeps your gear in better shape and removes the stress that packing for a trip can otherwise bring.

2. Cooking at camp is a hassle
   Or… and hear us out… a real joy, or barely noticeable at all, if that’s your goal. Cooking at camp is what you want to make it. Sometimes your trip involves long days on the trail or atop the water. Or it involves more card games at the picnic table and slow mornings around the campfire. You can scale your camp meals for the adventure you want to create.
   
   We have some favorite recipes you can try out, as well as some trusty low-maintenance camping food to pack. A lot of the success with your camping meals boils down to how you prepped at home. Get all of our tips and tricks for reducing the work of cooking at camp and making your camping meals as fancy or as simple as you’d like at AZStateParks.com/Outdoor-Meal-Planning.

3. The weather seems like a gamble
   Check the forecast before you go, and when you’re planning a camping reservation in advance, take a look at seasonal temperature averages. The beauty of Arizona is partly in its geographic variety. In the summer, campers can seek cooler temps at higher elevation among the shady pine trees. In the winter, you can still enjoy 70 degree temps in the low desert, perfect for maximizing your time on the trails.
   
   Each Arizona state park has a weather page on our website complete with average temperatures that can help you when looking ahead. For tent campers planning a trip on shoulder seasons, where the weather could go either way, our ultimate hack is to book a rustic camping cabin, which has heat and a/c, for some extra assurance of comfort.

4. Unsure where to go
   We thought you’d never ask! Arizona State Parks has 15 parks with spacious campgrounds, restrooms (our clean, flush toilets and showers are appreciated by many campers!), and fun amenities from kayak rentals to nature programs, concerts, trails, star parties, and more. Get our guide to campgrounds and recreation, then book a site, and start planning your next camping adventure in Arizona today!

We hope with these tips you can stop dreaming of the ideal vacation and start creating your own with a camping trip! And here's a little insider tip: we have an awesome podcast episode coming soon that covers even more camping tips! So be sure to follow our show and watch for that episode at AZStateParks.com/podcast for even more camping advice.