See You at the Campground: A Guide to Discovering Community, Connection, and a Happier Family in the Great Outdoors

by Stephanie Puglisi, Jeremy Puglisi

A family-friendly guide for camping with kids and infants ― because the best memories are the ones made around the campfire. Road trips with kids aren't easy, but new parents of twins Stephanie and Jeremy Puglisi became experts at creating lasting family memories without breaking the bank. Whether you're new to camping or a seasoned pro, hit the road with Stephanie and Jeremy, hosts of the popular The RV Atlas podcast, as they show you the different ways that camping can lead to a happier, healthier family. From hiking with infants to navigating RV camping in state parks and camping in national parks―these outdoor lovers have tried it all, and See You at the Campground is a beautifully illustrated camping book for adults packed with personal anecdotes, packing lists, site recommendations, and recipes that will help you create a one-of-a-kind vacation on a family-friendly budget. Tips The perfect resource for parents―and a great gift for campers at any level―this is the ultimate family vacation book to bring the family closer every time you set up camp―whether it's in a cabin, tent, or RV.

Genres: Nonfiction, Parenting, Travel, Outdoors, Nature, Reference, Family

320 pages, Paperback

Published March 3, 2020

Reviews

[Sheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whether you’re a first-timer or an experienced camper, this is a terrific read to prepare for family camping adventures. The helpful tips and advice cover the entire scope of the camping experience from packing and planning for your trip, to buying an RV, surviving the road-trip to your destination, and most importantly making memories and enjoying time spent together as a family in the great outdoors.

If you’ve camped before, you’ll remember with fondness the simple moments of peace and relaxation as well as the companionship of friends and family. If you’ve never camped before but are seeking a family bonding activity, the anecdotes and advice shared here will set you on a well-prepared path to making your own happy memories as you enjoy a relaxing outdoor getaway.

[Maeve Bolin · Rating 5 out of 5]

To say I was a camping novice would be an understatement. I pulled lots of advice from this book for my family’s first camping trip in September, and I have ideas for upcoming trips. We went tent camping at a camping resort. The book helped me figure out what I needed to pack and how to food prep. I wrote out loads of lists while reading, and we were more than prepared for our trip. I will keep this on my shelf. It would make a wonderful gift for any family with young children looking for budget friendly vacation ideas.

[Jodi Geever · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a great resource, but it’s not the resource I expected. What I expected was a state by state guide to public and private camp sites. What this actually is, is a guide to how to live your best life on a camp ground.

[Montica Pryor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book if you are an experienced camper or would like to camp for the first time. Lots of great tips and info.

[Jennifer J · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you have little to no experience camping or getting outdoors with kids then this book may be a good read for you. However, if you already enjoy camping and exploring with your family then this book is probably unnecessary.
I was drawn in by the subtitle, “A Guide to Discovering Community, Connection and a Happier Family in the Great Outdoors” but was disappointed to find the book talked mainly about how to camp and the different types of camping.
This book had a lot of repeated information and could have been shortened significantly and been a really good blog post for beginner campers.

[Jennine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, if you’re looking to get into camping, particularly with an rv of some sort. I thought it might be more researched based about the benefits of camping, being outside, etc other than just personal anecdotes (“There’s no such thing as bad weather” is a better resource for that) … but there are a lot of tips and resources in here and it was an easy read. I wish I lived closer to some of their favored campsites!

[Kayleen Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grew up tent camping with my family, but I still learned so much reading this book. It helped me feel way more confident about taking our kids camping after our one fun but kind of failed camping experience last summer. Would definitely recommend for parents who want to be a camping family!

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full of useful information, tips, and tricks for either camper or tent camping written in an accessible and conversational manner - particularly for families with small children.

[Christi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the story telling in this book about a camping lifestyle. We just took our first RV trip and loved every moment of it. This is a great read and will help you prepare. I unfortunately read it during my trip and not before but it is still helpful and I will reference it for the future.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re a newbie to camping or a seasoned pro, this book is a must-read. Especially if you are traveling with children. This book is packed full of information and insight and includes fun stories of what to do and what not to do. Although it’s been years since we camped with our kids and we are now retired and going it on our own, I still loved this book and even learned quite a few things I didn’t know. I heard this couple on a video seminar and couldn’t wait to read the book. I was not disappointed!

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book and essential purchase for the novice camper, especially for those with kids as the advice is mainly geared towards families. However, this is a comprehensive look at everything involved with camping (tent and RV) and is perfect for anyone who is ready to hit the road for that perfect spot on the lake (well, good luck with that!).

The book is also nicely formatted with attractive graphics and the lightweight paperback is perfect for taking on the road to use as a reference.

This would be a good companion to Living the RV Life: Your Ultimate Guide to Life on the Road .

Note: Thanks to the publisher I received this as an early digital reading copy but waited to post my review until I could check out the layout and illustrations.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

INTERESTED IN AN RV...buy this book. Every chapter is packed with personal experiences of the authors and objective information to educate you. Get a yellow highlighter and highlight passages. Take a pencil and make your own notes in the margins. You will find this book an invaluable resource.

SEASONED CAMPER-buy this book. It is not just for the neophyte. You, like myself, will discover nuggets of information. Get your highlighter and pencil. I guarantee, there is information that you had forgotten or had not considered. If you thought you had outgrown camping and the bloom was off the camping Lilly, Stephanie and Jeremy will remind you of why you took your first trip.

The book is well made, outlined in a logical fashion with plenty of helpful tips, checklists and recommendations. The Puglisis’ experience as educators is evident in how the information is presented for retention and easy reference. Yet is full of interesting personal stories and anecdotes.

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Stephanie and Jeremy and the RVAtlas community! As someone who is new to the world of RVing this book along with their website and podcasts have been an incredible resource! Highly recommend!

Read again almost a year later! Now that I have 1 season of camping under my belt it’s great to read this book again to refresh and get new ideas!

[Steve Adkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is all about family.

The best thing about this book is that while there is plenty of useful and practical advice the emphasis overall is more on the experience and building memories and relationships than it is about gear and details. Well done.

[Michelle J. Bloom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Book!

This was a great read with a ton of info for anyone who loves camping or people who want to start. Highly recommend!

[M'Lisse E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Read

Very much enjoyed reading this book. I learned so many great tips and resources to incorporate into our travels. Thank you for a great book!

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

My kids are grown, but I wish I had read this when they were little. It would have inspired me to take them camping regularly. My kids went camping occasionally with scouts, but we never went as a family until they were adults. I never camped in my life until I joined my kids' scouting trips. We didn't have much money, so camping would have been such a great opportunity for us to spend time relaxing and having tons of fun at campgrounds. If you have young kids, I highly recommend that you read this book. So, your family doesn't miss out on the fun and memories that we did. Spending time at a campground, riding bikes, hiking, fishing, playing games, making friends with other kids, swimming, sleeping in tents, making s'mores, making crafts, sitting around a campfire, sleeping in tents -- so much better than staycations or spending LOTS of money on hotels where you are stuck inside and spend way too much money on food at restaurants. GO CAMPING Y'ALL! It is good for your soul and it's great to get away from screens for a couple of days. So good for mental and emotional well being! I spent the last year buying camping supplies and I started camping with my youngest adult son and our dogs in the fall of 2024. I am super excited to go on more adventures with them, and my grandchildren when they get a little older, out in the woods and at the lake and at the ocean and in the mountains for many years to come!

[Amanda Kaye (More.Reading.Time.Please) · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️4 Stars

I actually picked up this book hoping to find recipes for cooking around the campfire. Although I never found any, I did find a compelling account of a family who spend over a hundred nights a year traveling and spending time together in the great outdoors.

I enjoyed reading about The Puglisi Family’s experience as they began camping with their children at a young age. Things they learned along the way including what worked and what didn’t. It was great reading their tips and wisdom for families.

Although parts of the book aren’t applicable to my family (we don’t own an RV trailer), it left me feeling excited to spend more time outside with my children and to make camping a priority during the summer.

Things You’ll Find in this Book:
•The pros and cons comparing what it is like to camp using tents, pop-campers, RVs, and cabins
•Packing lists
•Ideas for entertaining children on a roadtrip
•Favorite campsites found across America
•Tips for novice and seasoned campers
•And why camping is such a powerful and positive experience for families

Note: I even discovered a new favorite travel app thanks to this book! (iExit)

 ⚠️Content Consideration:
•Spice Level: None
•Profanity: Mild (3 mild terms), also a few religious exclamations

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

We purchased our first travel trailer in the fall of 2021 but had rented two travel trailers for camping trips with our good friends. We absolutely loved it and were happy to jump into the travel trailer COVID-19 bandwagon. Thus far, we have only taken the camper on two camping adventures and both have been amazing. I came across this book as I was looking for camping resources and was intrigued by what I saw in the overview. This book is a really great resource in many ways and I'm glad that I came across it.

Be prepared that this is both a guide and a somewhat a camping biography of the Puglisi family. I really enjoy the lessons they have learned and experiences they shared. Whether you are camping or traveling, there's a lot of just great information of places to go, planning/preparing to make it a more enjoyable experience for everyone, and making the most of camping adventures. I know that, because of this book, I'm not hesitating to find local campgrounds to make sure we maximize the use of our travel trailer along with our further destination adventures.

[Nicole Brockwell · Rating 3 out of 5]

After hearing these authors on a podcasts, I became interested in learning more. This book is very practical without being boring. It includes multiple “top 5” type lists such as top 5 campgrounds or top 5 benefits of camping etc. I found those lists invaluable. Camping is something our family wants to do more of while we are still raising children. 3 stars instead of 4 because it mentioned a ton about RV camping which we don’t intend to buy so it felt like I was skipping over 1/3 of the book. I get they wanted to be comprehensive and they do own an RV but it felt more geared towards RV camping.

Will defiantly keep this a little longer to refer back to in the next month or so as we make plans. I also grabbed their other book that lists this favorite places to camp in each state with details.

[Brandi Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a reward. I could not put this book down and spent nights up until the weekend hours of the morning reading out of excitement to learn more about your tips and experiances taking mental notes about each advice. I highlighted and bookmarked countless pages. The Afterward section made my husband and I cry many tears streaming down our face about parenting and how slow each day feels yet how fast the years fly by. I look forward to going back through and highlighting/bookmarking even more. Thank you for such an informational, inspirational and impactful read. Excited to start our camping journey and am thrilled I started the beginning reading about your stories, advice and parenting reccomendations. Thank you!

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good starter book for RVing and camping. There are many helpful hints in this book if you have young kids. There are recipes, game ideas, and how to pack. What I took away from this was to buy your 2nd RV first, which means not buying the smallest or largest RV that strikes your fancy. If you plan on RVing, buy one that you can actually see yourself in comfortably. My parents had a medium-sized one and a tiny one later in life. This book helps to fill in any gaps that you may have if someone didn't tell you everything you needed to know. This book also gives great information about locations visited, buying a space one year in advance for popular sites, and overall how to enjoy the RV journey.

[Miranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so, so good! I thought it was going to be a how-to for camping dummies but it was so much more. As a family of two teachers and two young boys, I really felt like this book was made exactly for me. I found it inspiring and hopeful yet real and actually helpful. Loved it and highly recommend.

[Sherry Peek · Rating 5 out of 5]

For someone who loves being outside and used to camp frequently, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. A lot of helpful tips whether you want to remain a tent camper or move up to a pop-up or larger-style camper. Tons of information on peak times, bookings, packing routine ... just an overall great book if you’re planning to hit the road.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. There are so many resources listed and there are valuable lists, such as packing list and needed kitchen supplies. The authors discuss the good and the challenging aspects of family travel. Our family has camped many times and I still found so much valuable advice in this book. Highly recommend!!

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It’s loaded with lots of great information for people new to camping, like myself. They give tons of tips, tricks, and ideas while keeping it real and sharing their personal experiences, both good and bad. This book has inspired me to want to hit the campground. Hopefully I’ll see you at the campground soon.

[Chrissy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars for me! We camp with our kids a lot and this was, in some ways, more of a starter guide. But it had some good ideas about camping in unique spots, interesting recipes and ideas we haven’t tried. I found myself bookmarking some ideas of campgrounds and RV rentals in national parks we weren’t sure we could get to!

[sincerely · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I met someone who wanted to go camping and had absolutely no idea about how to do so, I would recommend this book. Especially if they were interested in RVs. But for the already-camper, there is nothing noteworthy here. If you already know how to camp, I'd just suggest getting the camping guide by Molloy for your state.

[Sallie Stoner-Twyford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read. A lot of repetition of thoughts but overall a good read for those that want to get out in the outdoors. As experienced campers and RVers this was a cute refresher to what we already knew but some new insights into camp life.

[Scott Keck-Warren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a good read. I think I would have gotten a lot more out of it if I had been someone still on the fence about purchasing a camper but there were still some good nuggets of information in the book.