Finding the Best Boat for Family Camping

Whether you’re fishing, camping, or just enjoying a sunny day on a local lake, boating is a family tradition unlike any other. Finding the best boat for family camping can help create shared memories and life-changing experiences for kids and adults alike. Not only is boating fun for the whole family, having one of the best boats for family camping on a lake and the best boat for family camping on a river can bring parents and kids closer together as a family through teamwork and shared responsibilities for docking, steering, and cleaning the vessel.

The family camping boat perfect for you and your kids will depend on the size of your family, your budget, and how and how often you plan to use the boat? Will you also be canoe camping and kayak camping while out on the water? Are inflatable boats for family camping a good option for you? These are some of the questions you should ask yourself, and answer, before buying the best boat for family camping.

1. Pontoon Boats

Once you experience the gentle ride and ample space afforded for everyone in your family, it becomes obvious why pontoon boats are so incredibly popular. Pontoon boats might be your best boat for family camping because pontoon boats are easy to drive, extremely stable, make boat safety easy, and have comfortable platforms perfect for relaxing, fishing, playing games, or sunbathing in peace while on the water. But as good as they are for lounging, pontoon boat camping can be thrilling, too.

While you may only want to float aimlessly on a lake, pontoon boats can also have powerful engines that provide exciting performance and the ability to enjoy a variety of watersports!

2. Walkaround Boats

Walkaround boats can be the best family camping boat for you because it’s ideal for day cruising and fishing from a boat, as well as overnighting. They usually have large cockpits and a bow that is enclosed meaning you and your family will have sleeping accommodations and weather protection in the case of rain. These best boats for camping also provide some much-needed space to store your inflatable boats for family camping.

3. Canoe Camping

While you may opt for a larger boat with a motor for your family camping adventure, there are other ways to make use of the water and other family camping boats to choose from. Canoe camping combines the best of paddling a canoe and traditional camping in the woods along the water. People who like to go canoe camping will often pack and carry supplies with them and spend a few nights sleeping under the stars along the banks of rivers, experiencing the joys of nature and the many mental health benefits found in the great outdoors. The best canoe for family camping is going to be one that can accommodate your body comfortably, your kids, and your gear, as well as being the easiest for you to pull out and put in the water each day and night.

4. Kayak Camping

Whether you opt for inflatable boat camping, a canoe or a hard shell kayak, camping in the wilderness along a river in a kayak is a real treat. This is especially true for backpackers who enjoy leaving only footprints in nature, because you get all of the serenity with none of the stress on your back as all of your gear will be strapped down to and inside your best kayak for family camping!

For more boat safety and boating tips, bookmark our boat safety checklist and read these 4 safe boating tips.