Make Camping Romantic this Valentine's Day with these 3 Essential Components

Love is in the air when you and your partner gaze up at a starry sky, snuggled together in front of a warm fire just feet away from your cozy tent. For all the romantic, blissful elements a camping experience can bring on Valentine's Day, there are always events that can occur to wreck the mood. Set the stage for a picturesque camping date to remember forever by ensuring that the following primary needs are taken into account.

Camping can be as rough and rugged or as relaxing and peaceful as you make it. For the sake of creating time and space for you and your partner to bond in the beauty of nature, Backpacker Magazine suggests finding locations that offer a natural wonder (i.e., waterfall, hot spring, lakeside view) to behold. If day hikes are part of the agenda, plan on attempting easy, non-strenuous paths, especially if one or both of you are not privy to the sport. Privacy is all important in this endeavor, but always have a Plan B and C if the campsite or places of interest are not available or to your liking.

Snuggling is the key activity in this couples outing. Finding gear that can accomplish this is icing on the cake. SunnyScope is an online information channel for everything outdoors, including gear. They suggest an array of camping equipment that seats two in one spot. Items like sleeping bags that fit two allow couples to spoon and snuggle with the warmth and space of a full or queen size bed. Adjustable, foldable outdoor chairs open up as love seats. There is no divider between the seats to interfere with together time. Couple hammocks also provide support for two.

A successful camping meal involves careful food preparation. This includes packing all the necessary ingredients and cookware to prepare the desired meals. Hopefully, no items will be overlooked in the packing process.

A form of food preparation that is growing in popularity is referred to as "meal in a jar."This may be the best option to ensuring quick but appetizing meals. All preparation is done before heading off for the campsite. From breakfast to dessert and everything in between, there are many recipes to satisfy any taste bud. Simply layering the precooked/ precut ingredients in a mason jar completes a shared or single serving.

An easy salad, for instance, is created by first pouring the desired dressing in a jar. Any type of vegetable and/or meat follows next, provided those enjoying the salad don't mind that these foods have been marinating in the dressing for a time. Anything that won't get soaked like leafy greens and croutons are the last to go in. At mealtime, the contents of the jar are emptied out onto a paper plate or bowl so bottom layers end up at the top.

Once a jar is prepared, one only needs to tighten the lid and store it in the ice chest ready to be feasted on later. Cleaning is the best. Replace the lid and throw it back in the cooler to be washed out later at home.