We’ve got recommendations for car camping tents, backpacking tents, and even tents that will help your kids nap (fingers crossed!)

With summer inching its way in and vacation plans getting locked in, now is the perfect time to pick out your next family tent and plan a campout. We’ve got recommendations for car camping tents, backpacking tents and even extra dark tents that will help your kids nap (fingers crossed!). Camping with kids can be an awesome experience that is only made better with a little planning. Scroll through and get ready for your next outdoor adventure!

Best Family Tent with Quick Set-Up & Style

Quechua 2 Second Easy Pop Up Camping Tent

$349 BUY NOW

If you are stressed about setting up your tent by yourself, fear not! This is definitely the easiest tent setup we've come across and that's saying a lot. Bonus: you have openings on both sides of the tent so you won't wake your camping partner when you get up to make the coffee in the morning.

Best Tent for Keeping the Kids Contained

6-person tent best tent for families

Kelty Tallboy 4

$150 BUY NOW

While many families like multiple doors to allow easy access to the tent, those with little campers might want to consider this single-door option from Kelty to keep the comings and goings to a minimum. The Kelty Tallboy comes in four- and six-person sizes and, as the name implies, has a very tall interior of 70 inches (72 in the six-person) that's perfect for getting the kids dressed in the morning. The reinforced fiberglass poles and color-coded scheme make for a sturdy and easy-to-use setup.

Plenty of Headroom

mother setting up pop-up tent for families

UST Gear House Party

$240 BUY NOW

You'll love this barrel-shaped tent because it is sturdy when the wind kicks up and super easy to set up and take down. Two large doors make in-and-out access easy and color-coded poles mean you can totally assign set up to the tweens.

Best Introduction to Backpacking Tent for Families

backpacking tent for families easy set up
NEMO

NEMO Aurora 3P

$299 BUY NOW

We love this new backpacking tent from NEMO as it is spacious, includes a footprint and has a great price point. Two doors and vestibules provide easy access and gear storage. Light Pockets™, duffel storage bag and gear pockets complete the package. Add on a Pawprint, and you can bring your four-legged friend along without worrying about your pup's paws wrecking your floor.

Best Tent for Small Families

easy to set up tent for families
Sierra-Designs

Sierra-Designs Tabernash

$99 BUY NOW

This tent comes in 2-, 4- and 6-person options (we recommend sizing up to allow room for your gear). The covered vestibule allows for extra storage space.

Best for a Restful Night's Sleep

coleman skydome dark tent for families
Coleman

Coleman 4-Person Dark Room™ Skydome™ Camping Tent

$149 BUY NOW

Start your camping trip off right with this easy-to-set-up tent from Coleman. We love the added dark room technology that keeps out 90% of the sunlight. This is key for families with little ones who still need to nap during the sunny hours of the day (which is almost impossible with a regular tent). It also helps during the summer months when the sun doesn't go down until much later. An added benefit is that the dark room technology will keep your tent much cooler by blocking the sun's rays during the heat of the day.

Best Backpacking Tent

green tent best tents for families
Big Agnes

Big Agnes Blacktail Hotel 3

$349 BUY NOW

The Blacktail Hotel from Big Agnes is a do-everything tent offered at an accessible price. It's light enough for the backcountry and strong enough for the front country. The Blacktail Hotel's fly doubles the living space of the tent—giving your family, your gear and your dog more than enough space. 

Best Summer Tent for Families

6-person tent ideal for families
Coleman

Coleman Steel Creek

$229 BUY NOW

This six-person dome tent features a separate screen room for insect-free lounging and extra sleeping space. We love it for summer camping because there is ample ventilation to keep it cool while you sleep. Two queen air mattresses and gear have plenty of room in the main compartment, and set up is intuitive due to the  Fast Pitch™ system. 

Tent Tips

Logan T. via yelp

  1. Look at the tent's floor space when deciding what size to purchase. A tent that sleeps four is going to sleep four pretty tightly (often alternating head to foot). If you want space for gear and air mattresses you will likely want to increase the size of your tent. 
  2. Practice setting up your tent in advance. There's nothing worse than arriving at a campsite late in the day or in the dark and having no idea how to set up your tent. 
  3. Think about what extras you might need for your tent. Does your tent come with a footprint? Should you bring a tarp to put underneath to keep the moisture out? Extra tent pegs and a rubber mallet always help with tent setup, especially on a firm surface. 
  4. Weatherproof your tent before you go. Water resistant is not the same as waterproof. Apply seam sealer to keep water out of your tent. 

If you buy something from the links in this article, we may earn affiliate commission or compensation.

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