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Summer is the perfect time to hit the open road and go on a camping road trip. But , wait! Did you change the oil in the car, buy a map and make campground reservations? Spontaneous road trips can be a great adventure, but a little planning can go a long way.

More: How to Plan a Camping Road Trip

Photo: Canadian road trippers in Baja, California. | (c) Monica Prelle

Cooking at the campground can be simple, easy, and delicious. From one pot meals to make ahead recipes and simple marinades for grilling, there are a lot of tasty ideas for campground cooking.  Or, cooking can be overwhelming and a frustrating mess!  Some campers love to get gourmet in the wilderness, while others would rather spend their time relaxing at camp or fishing until sunset.

Cooking at the campground can be intimidating — there is a lot to pack and you don’t want to forget any key ingredients, but we’ve got you covered with a few simple tips for campground cooking.

Have a bit of campground cooking advice? Share your kitchen tips with fellow campers in the comments below.

More: 5 Tips for Campground Cooking | Like About Camping on Facebook | Follow @aboutcamping on Twitter

Is your girlfriend or BFF too girly to go camping? Maybe, but even the girliest of girls can love the great outdoors.  Here’s how: Girls Gone Wilderness.

More camping tips and advice: Camping Lessons for Beginners | Take Fido: Camping with Dogs | Plan a Camping Wedding

We previously reported that it’s not okay to cook in Ziploc® bags, but there has been a change in Ziploc® Brand products. In July of 2007, around one year after the original story went up, Ziploc launched the first food preparation product from the Ziploc® Brand – Ziploc® Brand Zip ‘n Steam™ Microwave Steam Cooking Bags.

These bags feature an innovative design with patented steam vents that allow the bag to maintain optimal steaming pressure so food cooks at a higher temperature and retains more moisture.

In addition, the bags lay flat in the microwave so food cooks thoroughly and evenly without needing to be stirred halfway through the cooking process. You’ll notice that on the Ziploc website, there are a number of omelet recipes that use the Ziploc® Brand Zip ‘n Steam™ Microwave Steam Cooking Bags. When using this product as directed on the label, you can cook fresh or frozen vegetables, seafood, poultry and more in the microwave with confidence. There are a number of Ziploc recipes that are convenient for camping and RVing.

Ziploc® Omelet Recipes: Provencal Omelet | Southwest Omelet Wrap

More: Ziploc® Brand Zip ‘n Steam™ recipes from SC Johnson

Ontario Parks hosts some of the best learn-to-camp sessions in North America. The line-up of Summer 2013 events has been scheduled and spots are filling up fast. Check with the calendar of events and plan your Ontario camping getaway.

If you’ve already participated in a learn-to-camp lesson and want to refresh your skills, a new graduate program will be offered this summer. New Learn to Fish sessions are also planned at four Ontario Parks and Parkbus will offer public transportation from the Greater Toronto Area to a new Learn to Camp in Northern Ontario. Other new park activities to try in 2013 range from taking a kayak lesson to learning how to build a dry stone wall. Visit Ontario Parks for mare details.

More: Best Canadian National Parks for Camping | Top 5 Provincial Parks in Canada

Ontario Parks hosts some of the best learn-to-camp sessions in North America. The line-up of Summer 2013 events has been scheduled and spots are filling up fast. Check with the calendar of events and plan your Ontario camping getaway.

If you’ve already participated in a learn-to-camp lesson and want to refresh your skills, a new graduate program will be offered this summer. New Learn to Fish sessions are also planned at four Ontario Parks and Parkbus will offer public transportation from the Greater Toronto Area to a new Learn to Camp in Northern Ontario. Other new park activities to try in 2013 range from taking a kayak lesson to learning how to build a dry stone wall. Visit Ontario Parks for mare details.

More: Best Canadian National Parks for Camping | Top 5 Provincial Parks in Canada

I grew up in Lower Michigan, and I remember this final weekend of May as the unofficial start of the summer travel season.

For some, that meant leaving their homes in or near Detroit and traveling to northerly locales such as Traverse City, Charlevoix and Petoskey. Amid the many lakes, they would open small family cottages for the season. Others would check the camping equipment or ready their trailers, boats or RVs.

From those days until now, summer travel remains a great love of mine. It’s also one of the more difficult seasons to travel, because in many places it’s peak season, with prices and crowds to match.

If you are in the midst of planning a summer vacation, you know that one of the biggest challenges is making it both pleasant and affordable.

For ideas, take a look at step by step budget travel tips for affordable summer travel. Whether you’ll enjoy a Michigan lake shore or the fjords of Scandinavia, make certain you’ve prepared your budget and itinerary for the best possible experience.

For many, Memorial Day includes traditional get-togethers with friends and family. Here are a few last-minute camping, barbeque, picnic, and family reunion templates you may be interested in.

• Summer Picnic Template
• Summer Barbeque Templates
• Summer Raffle Tickets Template
• Family Reunion Templates
• Camping Checklist Template – Microsoft Excel
• Camping Checklist Template – Microsoft OneNote

Have a happy, safe weekend!

A long weekend means heading outdoors and (hopefully) enjoying the sunshine. Though Memorial Day is often though of as the kick off to summer, the holiday weekend is a celebration of the men and women who have died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. So whether you are spending the holiday at the beach, or in the mountains, remember what you are celebrating!

Tell us your weekend plans:

More: Top Spots for Memorial Day Camping Escape

Most campers like to hit the road and get into the wild as quick as possible, but sometimes you need a few resources to help plan a camping trip.

Check out About Camping’s trip resources page, which includes camping clubs, maps and trip planners, road services and weather reports, and then hit the open road–the campground is waiting for you.

More: Weather Reports | Road Services | Maps and Routes | Camping Clubs