How do you host the best patio party ever? Here are a few tips.

Good food is always in demand. A fire pit can be the center of the hot dog roast or after-dinner marshmallows. I like to get a nice fire going and then set up lawn chairs around the fire for discussion as the evening wanes into darkness. Most people prefer to sit at patio furniture on my wooden deck but some will take their plates to sit beside the fire. I don’t know why but a blazing fire is the perfect mood setter and makes the evening flow like nothing else does. Put some hot dogs on the sticks and you’re definitely on track.

Traditional patio party foods include the following:

• hot dogs and bratwursts in a bun
• steak on the grill
• potato chips
• potato salad
• choice of soft drinks
• family favorites or potluck dinners

The next requirement for the best patio party is the people. Put your guest list together with congeniality and fun in mind. Your party isn’t the place to bring sworn enemies together. Most parties are enjoyable because of who you’re spending time with and the laughter, talk, and play that friends and family so easily engage in.

Patio parties are also good ways to mesh business and pleasure. Business and professional contacts find patio parties relaxing places to enjoy everything from small talk to addressing major issues in the workplace. Whatever suits your fancy.

A final and usually overlooked guest list includes those less fortunate than yourself. Try inviting people who you don’t know well that are lonely, divorced, childless, ill, or in any number of situations that make them uncomfortable socially but in need of a time out and friendship. This may be the most rewarding patio party you ever throw.

Games are excellent ways to get everyone involved. Some folks like a roaring football or soccer game in the backyard while others prefer activities on the quieter side like cards or board games. Try something new or play a tried-and-true family favorite. The goal is a good time.

Patio parties are even better if there’s a pool. Taking a dunk is one of childhood’s greatest pleasures and isn’t too shabby of an adult activity, either.

Throwing the best patio parties takes a little forethought and planning but can be pulled off fairly inexpensively. Have fun, enjoy the food, and the rest will take care of itself.

Why Are You Taking A Field Trip?

The first thing you’ll want to consider is the reason for planning a class trip. Is it to expose youngsters to something they otherwise may not see? Is it to augment classroom instruction? Is it an end-of-the-school-year outing?

You also may want to visit the field trip site before settling on a destination. This will help you ascertain if the site is appropriate for the children and for your objectives. You’ll also be better able decide on the logistics of actually getting the children to the site: how long is the drive? What about parking, ticket prices, lunch possibilities? Any blackout dates you need to consider?

Next Step: Approval from the School

Next, you’ll need to pass your field trip ideas past your school’s or organization’s administrators for approval.

Arrange for transportation. Will your school/organization pay for vans/buses, or will you need to ask parents to pay for most or all of the cost incurred?

Don’t Forget about Lunch

What about lunch? Will your school provide them or will children need to bring their own. Or will they be allowed — or required — to purchase them at the venue? Will children be allowed to eat or drink on the bus?

How many chaperones will you need? Where will they come from? Parents? Teachers?

Pass out information sheets and permission slips to the children to give to their parents/guardians. Be sure to have the sign-up reservation deadline in large letters and boldfaced on at least twice on the paperwork.

Remind your students about five days before the deadline to return the parent-signed permission slips along with any trip payments.

Make it Educational

A great idea is to have a lesson or project the students must complete while at the destination. This will keep them engaged and focused. Ask the site as you’re planning the class trip if it already has grade-appropriate projects available. Many do. But, if not, don’t let that stop you from creating your own.

As you planning a class trip, don’t forget about the contingencies! That is, what will you do if your group is done an hour early and the bus hasn’t come back yet for the return trip.

About the Author: Aaron Garcia is a world traveler and trip planning enthusiast. Over the years, he has helped coordinate countless field trips in the Midwest for kids of all ages.

How To Properly Use, Clean and Store A Tent To Ensure It Lasts A Lifetime

1 – Quality made tents are essential for any camping excursion. And, getting one that is high-quality, durable and has some worthwhile features to it is important. One such camping tent brand is Eureka, as the company makes tents for the military and for the common man looking to have a good time. Just remember not to skimp on this area. Yes, you want something that won’t break your budget but you want something that’s going to last too.

2 – Once you’ve made the tent purchase, you need to know how to properly set it up. And, that goes for staking it properly for the right geographical region you are staying in. Keep in mind that tents can be staked in any location but you need to have the right tent stake for that geographical location. Should a gust of wind or a hard downpour occur, it doesn’t cause the tent to tear, leaving you exposed to the elements. It cannot be stressed enough: practice, practice, practice! And, read those instructions at same time to ensure you get it right!

3 – Your tent is not going to be a cheap investment so you should do everything you can to ensure that it looks good all the time. One way you can do this is to use a tarp (or ground cloth), which you would place under the tent to keep it from directly touching the ground. This ground cloth will keep the tent from getting poked or stuck by sticks, stones, rocks and other rough ground elements. A ground cloth is good for also keeping you from feeling that rocky area, as it gives you some additional layer and comfort.

Another bonus to using a ground cloth is to ensure water doesn’t get into the tent. Be careful when buying your ground cloth, as you want something that’s only slightly smaller than the tent floor. Get one too big and rain can seep into the tent, causing it (and yourself) to get wet. Ground cloths are a great way to protect your investment.

4 – Sunlight can be good for a lot of things but also be bad too. For your tent, it’s not very nice to it. After all, the tent fabric can become weak and begin to break down. If you plan on being out for long periods of time in the sunlight (and most people are), there are several things you can do to ensure that your tent is protected.

- First, locate a shady region to set your tent up in.

- Second, purchase another tarp or rain-fly to keep the tent out of the sunlight. A tarp is not just good for protecting the tent from the sun but also for keeping the tent from becoming ruined by the rain, bird droppings and tree branches.

5 – Okay, so you have your tent set up. Now, the question becomes “How do I get my tent clean”. Good question, as keeping the interior of your tent clean means prolonging its life. What can you do to ensure this happens?

- First, don’t allow dirt, insects, leaves or anything else to get into the tent.

- Second, have a tarp on the floor so should dirt, leaves and insects do get inside, it won’t be on the floor.

- Third, don’t wear shoes into the tent. Rather, leave them outside so as not to bring dirt, insects and leaves into the tent.

It’s not a bad idea to have a dustpan and whisk-broom to clean the tent of the stuff that does get inside. And remember, no matter how hard you try, this stuff always finds its way inside.

6 – It’s very important that you learn how to properly clean your tent and this means following what the manufacturer has suggested for cleaning it. The majority of tents need just cold water and elbow grease to get cleaned. That means don’t use machines like your washer and dryer to wash and dry your tent, as they can ruin it. Be sure to wash the cloth, poles and stakes as well. Again, cold water and air dry will suffice.

7 – Your tent, should it get wet, will need to be dried before you put it up. After all, any moisture and odors can ruin the tent by damaging the waterproof coatings and fabric. Mildew will also weaken the seams and threads on your tent. If your tent does get wet, you’ll need to wait. However, if you can’t wait, then put it back inside the bag…unzipped.

When you’re home, wash it and dry it immediately. Then, once dried, store it in a cool but dry place. Never put the tent on a garage floor since chemicals will ruin the tent. Store the tent in the manufacturer’s bag. One more thing: don’t forget to wash the poles and place a spray-silicone lubricant on them so you protect the metal from becoming scratched and/or affected by the weather. If they become scratched, they will rust.

As you see, by doing the listed items above, you can have a tent for whenever you’re ready to go camping without having to make the purchase over and over. If you have purchased something like a Eureka Tent then Eureka will have provided you with some fundamental care instructions, so protect that investment by caring for it as directed by the manufacturer.

Banff the town resides in Banff national park which is a world heritage site and a beautiful part of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. In the town you can explore the history of the native American Indians, eat and drink in the famous Banff Springs Hotel and have access to a loads of different types of accommodation, restaurants and bars all within an hour and half of the international airport and city of Calgary, once home to the winter Olympics. Needless to say your comfort and apres ski experience will be well catered for.

Now down to the important business of skiing, one of the biggest benefits of being based in Banff is that you can take out a tri-area ski pass and make the most of three separate ski resorts, each one superb in it’s own right.

    * Lake Louise
    * Sunshine Mountain
    * Mount Norquay

The quietest of the three, closest to Banff and my personal favorite is Mount Norquay, it is probably a little smaller than the other two but provides some really good slopes for all levels of skier, great lifts and hardly any queues, not that you would be queuing for long at either of the other 2 resorts either as they also have the sort of fantastic lift systems that you normally associate with North America plus skiing for all levels including beginners, intermediates and advanced.

To access the resorts from Banff does mean catching a bus, but as you are picked up for the most part right outside your hotel and most of the hotels will normally store your ski equipment for you, then this really isn’t a problem. The time on the bus passes pretty quickly and you are on the slopes before you know it with hardly any energy expended.

When we visited the temperatures were a very chilly -40C with wind chill, this was pretty extreme however as we were unlucky enough to arrive in the coldest week of the Canadian winter that year. But it is worth bearing in mind and making sure you have got kit with you to suit those sorts of temperatures, basically you have to cover up all of your skin as any skin that is exposed to the environment is likely to end up seeing frost bite as a result of the extreme temperature. This isn’t as bad as it sounds, a simple scarf pulled up to a pair of goggles and a woolen hat or similar pulled down to the top of your goggles will normally do the trick. Also worth noting that the cold is generally very dry and as such does not feel as biting as the damper climate in Europe where it can feel much colder at temperatures not even close to the ones described.

Visit Ski Canada for all the information you need to find out if Banff Ski resort is the place for you to take your next ski holiday.

For a European alternative visit Ski Italy.

Camping with your family is more an art then a recreational activity.  What makes it different then camping with your friends is that you already live with your family and normally would like to get away from them during your vacations.  But some people enjoy their families and even want to sleep with them in the same tent.  And that is where family tents come into the picture.

When looking for a tent that the whole family can fit into you won’t find too much of a selection amongst the cheap tents.  When shopping for outdoor equipment you really do get what you pay for.  Inexpensive camping equipment, whether it be tents or camping chairs, just won’t do very well.  You will end up paying more in the long run because of quick wear and tear and poor workmanship.

Cheap family tents will always make your vacation a more miserable experience.  Untimely rips and tears, water leaks, and poor wind protection can make a family bonding opportunity into a family insanity gathering.  This is not what you want your camping memories to be filled with.

Large family camping tents really do offer some advantages for people that believe that family vacations should be experienced with family members.  They give you the opportunity to have all your loved ones in one large space so that you can enjoy the outdoor experience together.  Of course the large size will enable you to bring along and protect all the necessary supplies and equipment in one centralized location.  There will always be somebody around to talk to and much easier to recruit helpers for any chores that need to be done.

Of course camping isn’t all about work, equipment, or even cooking around the campfire.  There are fun outdoor activities like hiking, climbing, exploring, photography, rafting, and so much more.  For younger children these experiences are much easier to experience if they are surrounded by their family.  Their comfort level will rise dramatically if they are sleeping in the same tent as mom and dad, brother and sister, and even the family dog.  Instead of being scared and having nightmares they will see it as a sense of adventure and be able to dream up pleasant memories.

I remember when I was younger my family had a car tent.  For those of you not familiar with what a car tent is let me explain to the best of my memory.  Basically this type of tent is one that literally attaches onto the back of your car.  The main advantages is that there is easy setup, a solid support structure (the car) that prevents the tent from folding at the wrong time, and close proximately to your get away vehicle if some unwanted visitors (bears?) happen to show up.

They do make extra large family tents.  They can be used for more than just a place to sleep.  They are great for a party location, meetings, and of course large family reunions.  Some of these tents are truly massive and take many people to set up correctly.  Tents of these sizes allow each member not only to bring along and store as much supplies as they wish but also allow for people to sleep on a cot inside the tent, have an entertainment area, and more than one cooking area.

Now of course you really don’t need a family to enjoy the benefits of family size tents.  The main advantage to a large tent is….well the size.  If you and your pal, friends, or group want to stay in one tent that offers lots of room to do many different things “inside” then these types of tents might just be what you need.

In direct contrast to family tents are what is known as a backpacking tent.  These types of tents are normally folded or rolled up small enough to carry on your backpack.  They are normally only large enough for one person.  They are very handy if you are going to be hiking to your camping location that is off the beaten path and can’t be accessed by a vehicle.  They are lightweight and easy to assemble.  You can’t fit a lot of “things” into one of these tents but you wouldn’t be able to carry a lot of “things” with you anyway.

A great advantage of family dome tents is that they offer the very convenient feature of a smokestack opening.  This of course allows you to cook inside without asphyxiating everyone in the family.  So now when you go out  and catch dinner, maybe that largemouth bass, you will be able to cook it inside.  The pleasures of roughing it never cease.

The best family camping tents allow for easy setup, sturdy construction, plenty of room, and protection from the elements.  To set a family tent up takes some work.  You will be happy that you have your family with you to help.  Unfortunately none of these tents are inflatable tents.  You will have to unfold, stake, and lift the tent up.  Water drainage will have to be dug around the perimeter to prevent flooding in the case of rain.  But in the end you will end up with a solid structure that will protect you from the elements and provide you with a sturdy place to sleep.

Large family tents certainly do have their place.  Not everybody wants to sleep on the ground with barely enough room to turn or sit up.  The best family tents have enough room to make sure that everybody is comfortable and that there is enough room inside the tent to store all provisions and everything that is needed for your adventure.

Have you ever gone camping and spent some time in a canvas tent while it was raining?  If you have then you are probably aware that the tent will more or less remain waterproof as long as you don’t touch it.  But once you touch it, even with just your finger, the water will start dripping in at the point of contact.  I’m not sure why that occurs but it does and it is something you should be aware of.

If you idea of a tent is just a place to sleep then instead of something large and elaborate maybe a simple pop up tent will suit you better.  They are normally small and lightweight.  They set up just about anywhere and they take no special skill or additional people at all to set properly.

Family cabin tents are just another model of family tents.  They are spacious, sturdy, and able to comfortably accommodate lots of people.  They will normally have high vertical walls so that you can stand up inside of them. 

There are many options when it comes to family tents.  But in the end when looking at family tents make sure that the one you choose is the one that your family will be happy with.

It is this pugnacious quality that thousands of people enjoy when largemouth bass fishing; that, and the ease with which the muscular largemouth can be found and induced to strike. But once a bass is hooked, the angler better be prepared to go “all out” in handling his rod and reel properly — the largemouth bass wasn’t born yesterday when it comes to scrapping. More of them shake off a hook than ever are boated.

From the time he leaves his family group (at a young and tender age), the bass is looking for fights. He’ll eat almost any other fish small enough to enter the great cavern that is his mouth. He makes life miserable for frogs, water flies, crawfish, and errant mice that somehow get in the lake. All sorts of plugs and lures seem a challenge to him; there are times when he’ll strike the most incongruous of them.

Anyone who has tangled with one of these battlers is a convert to thrills. The bass is exceeded as an aerialist only by the trout and perhaps the musky among fresh water fishes. He will tangle your line in brush piles, wrap it around sunken logs, dive into huge masses of weeds and swim in a tight circle until your gear is hopelessly fouled, swim under the boat so fast you can’t see him — and fray your line on the keel. Of all the fishing tips for bass that you might receive, remember this one: a largemouth is never licked until he’s in the bottom of the boat.  In other words this isn’t like playing computer fishing games.

When you’re fighting a bass, it’s like watching a sky full of lightning. The bass might even be termed “the picnic fish.” He’s so handy to your back door, that a neighborhood group can get together on some nearby lake ‘most any day, to catch a few, eat a good outdoor meal of fried fish, and feel bigger and stronger, not only because of a day spent in the open, but because of a triumph over a mug of a fish who enjoys life most when he’s slugging it out with someone – anyone — maybe even you!

There really is nothing more relaxing then going into the great outdoors and leaving the TV and telephone behind.  Of course if the above mentioned fits into your RV then what the heck take them along.  A camping vacation need not be a “roughing it” experience.  Not on your life.  You should be able to relax and feel like your at home.  Microwave at the ready, cold beer that has been cooled in the fridge that is hooked up to the inverter, and of course the electric lights that you can string out from your $75,000 motorized camper.

Your family and friends will get to experience all of this while sitting in your camping lounge chairs.  I mean really, camping with kids is hard enough without having to worry about where to sit.  Heck, don’t want to get your camping clothes all dirty and then have to clean them in the stacked washer and dryer that sits behind your bedroom in the 40 foot cruiser.

The reality is that camping trips never turn out the way they do in the movies.  Much of everything won’t go right.  The food won’t taste as good as you thought, the fish won’t bite the way you had envisioned, and the bugs just won’t stay away.

You can solve the bug problem by snow camping.  The bugs really don’t like the  cold weather.  But the really good news is that outdoor camping chairs work fine in the winter time.  You can even use them to sit around the hole in the ice you drilled so that you can pretend to go fishing while freezing your butt off.

Lightweight camping chairs are not just good for camping.  You can also haul them along to the golf course.  Personally I like sitting in the cart, but some people just can’t live without their folding camping chairs.  I wonder what Griz does at the golf course.  Do you think he sits on a chair or in the cart?  For those of you that don’t know “The Griz”, he is one of the most knowledgeable and successful online marketers on the internet.  I’m being honest with you….He says it himself. 

Sometimes when I’m pretending to be roughing it out in the woods, I’ll pull out one of my reclining camping chairs, fire up the laptop and read one of Griz’s blogs.  I’ll learn about how much he loves golf, life in the great wilderness of Canada, and how he shows people how to make money online.  It makes me all weak in the knees just thinking about it.

But now we have to get back on topic.  When I was a kid we never went camping.  We did have some camping chairs out in the backyard.  So in a very small way I was able to pretend that I was camping.  Pretty sorry sight don’t you think?

We had a camping table on the patio with camping table chairs all around it.  My mother even bought metal dishes, the type people use around the campfire, so that we could pretend to really be roughing it.  The food always tasted weird when we used those dishes.  The water we drank from a canteen also tasted odd.  I sure hope that I wasn’t slowly poisoning myself by using that stuff.

I grew up in The Bronx, which is part of New York City if you didn’t know that.  So it really wasn’t a surprise that we pretended to go camping on the fire escape.  And who is to say that the corner pizza place won’t deliver to Yellowstone?  Or at least to a fire escape pretending to be Yellowstone.  Our German Sheppard was a bear and the cat was a mountain lion.  We were kids so it was fun.

We had to use heavy duty camping chairs because my father weighed in at more that 275 pounds.  I guess it was too much of that fresh air and the long nature hikes that he loved to take after dinner.  My father called what we were doing, “stealth camping”.  In a way I think that was an accurate description.

When you get older camping doesn’t seem as exciting as it did when you were younger.  You really need a bathroom close by and a nice big flat screen TV with reclining camping chairs around the bar.

Maybe I’ll take my wife and kids camping one day.  I wouldn’t bet the ranch on it.  At least not until I get all of the latest equipment including some really good camping chairs.