I have never been camping. Is it an expensive vacation?
@foxymama: I wouldn't spend a lot of money on it up front. Just get an appropriately-sized tent for the number camping (or borrow from friends as already suggested), check the weather and take a couple of more blankets than you think you'll use. If it turns into a thing for you, you can get sleeping bags later when you have a feel for what you want. Same with all the cooking stuff. Take a big roll of aluminum foil, some of your older kitchen utensils, and cook over the fire. If you have a cheap charcoal grill, take that.Once you have just those few things as well as some necessities like a flash light, some water, and some food you feel like you can cook in that environment, go spend a weekend at Lake Houston Park in New Caney. The campsite will run you $7 per night plus $3 per person daily entrance fee. In addition to being cheap, it's close enough that you can pull the plug on it at any point and be home in your bed inside an hour. Go recover your gear in the morning and chalk it up to lessons learned.If you find that you like it and it's something you'll do often, you'll start accumulating all of the stuff you need faster than you will believe. For years we had a couple of "camping boxes" in the hall closet filled with the little things DW liked to have with her. Somehow we ended up with tents that sleep 2, 4, 6, and 10, cots, lanterns, tent heaters, fans. It's all about finding out what works for you.These days we pretty much just go "campering" and pull our 30' home-away-from-home behind us. ;-)Good luck and have fun!!Link to LHP:
www.houstontx.gov/pa rks/ourparks/lakehou stonpark.html 4951