Camping - Pop Up vs Tent

DH and I have been talking about the same thing. We tent camp, grew up tent camping (both of us) but it would be so nice to have everything in one place and pop up campers are so light weight you don't need a "beast" to pull them. Our friends have one, and that is pretty much it.  They are able to keep everything in it and then pack clothes and food and then head out.

The only reason we are thinking a hard side small camper is that a pop up is still considered a tent if you camp in bear country, so you can't keep your coolers of food or cooking supplies in the pop up camper. Same rules for tent camping that apply to pop-up campers.

I tent camped for several years growing up then my parents bought a pop up camper.  We tent camp right now with our family but DH and I have talked about a pop up camper for the same reasons your thinking.  Talking to my mom she said it was great having everything packed and ready to go.  It was much easier leaving to go camping on a moments notice with the pop up.  She even kept our "camping clothes" packed in there through the summer.  We would get home wash everything and right back into the camper it went.  We would go camping most weekends of the summer.

Pop ups are nicer than tents, but you might like a small hard one. We have a bigger hard one and the set up is really easy. And You don't have to worry about the canvas. Canvas needs to be aired out and its life span isn't as long as the rest of the trailer

Thanks everyone! We are fairly organized with tubs for everything from cups to beds, but it still takes half a day to get it all organized in/on top of the car. Maybe if we had a truck it would be easier. Then we could just toss it all in the back and call it good. Or perhaps we just bring to much stuff. Either way we're super excited about this camping season and hoping to get out more often than not.

my family tent camps every summer but i missed last year and will miss this year (my babies due last May and this June)--- really hope next summer works out! with two little ones on hand :)

we mostly tent camp but i am curious about pop ups too. i didn't realize about the bears and no food. no idea why that never occured to me...

Well, we did it, we bought a pop up. I'm actually really impressed with the amount of storage space it has in it. I will be able to store all of the things in our tubs, plus have the beds made, and have a little extra space as well. Set up seems to be relatively quick so far and we are able to keep it up in our pole barn, while we clean it and get it ready for summer. We're really excited for our first short trip, probably over mothers day weekend. Yeah for local parks!