A primer on car camping follows. Ignore it and go straight to our links if you're already a seasoned car camper, backpacker, or RV'er.

Car-camping is the most basic, low-cost way to go. The goal: Eat well, sleep well, stay warm, stay cool, take it easy. Simple as that.

Eat well: An ice chest will keep your food cold (block ice lasts longest). Zip-Lok bags will keep it fresh and dry in the ice chest. Bring plenty of extra Zip-Loks, along with several rolls of heavy-duty paper towels for cleanup. A bunch of utensils lifted from your own kitchen will suffice as cooking tools. For dishwashing, bring a small plastic tub, some biodegradable liquid soap, and a small sponge. Those big plastic tubs with lids make great camping boxes, by the way.

A small, two-burner camping stove will heat a couple of dishes at the same time. Avoid messy white gas units—the propane variety works best. Don't count on cooking with the fire ring or barbecue pit at your campsite. These work well if you're willing to tweak them a bit, but a portable charcoal grill, such as a Weber Smoky Joe, makes barbecuing much easier. We clamp the lid onto ours with a bungee cord and keep grunge off the rest of our gear by stowing it in a washable nylon duffle. Don't forget the charcoal, fire-lighting wand, and charcoal starting fluid.

Sleep well: A propane lantern will light the place up like a used car lot on Saturday night, but battery-powered florescent lights work fine too. Make sure each person has a good flashlight. Buy a thick foam mat or a good quality air mattress (with patch kit).  Bring pillows from home.  We're not kidding; using the real pillow that you're used to will make you sleep better.

If you're camping in the summer, an inexpensive sleeping bag will do. If not, invest in a good one that's rated down to 20 degrees or so. Couples can get a pair of bags with right and left zippers that zip together to form one big bag. Tents are very cheap these days. The bigger the better, for car camping, and a vestibule is great for stashing spare gear and muddy shoes. Go with two doors if there's more than 1 person (or a dog or two) in your party.

Stay warm: Unless you're camping in the depths-of-winter or pitching your tent in the mountains, you don't need a heavy-duty, super-Gortex, down-stuffed, triple layered parka purchased at L.L. Bean for $399.95. The weather is subject to wild fluctuations in California and can be hard to predict. Therefore, layering is the key.

Your standard, lightweight shirt or T-shirt is layer one; your standard, cotton or synthetic long-sleeved shirt is layer two; your standard, heavy flannel or wool shirt (or sweater, or sweat shirt) is layer three; and your standard windproof/water-repellent shell (hooded, preferably) is layer four. That'll about handle it all. Clad your lower bod in shorts unless it's really cold, and bring sweat pants, wind pants, or jeans for sudden cool-downs and evening wear.

Be warned that all but the most remote campgrounds prohibit the gathering of firewood. Bring your own or expect to pay about $5 per bundle.

Stay cool: Layer, layer, layer! Pitch your tent in a shady spot. Bring plenty of drinking water if you're staying in a primitive campground. Avoid desert camping in the summer and early fall.

Take it easy: Those recently invented aluminum-and-nylon folding chairs are a real boon to campers. They shrink down to a skinny little bundle that stows easily in your trunk or SUV cargo area. Comfortable too. And they cost less than $20. Look for them in almost any discount store, including Costco, Kmart, or Walmart. Bring books you've always wanted to read but never had time. Bring a nylon rope hammock. Bliss! Bring active games for the kids that involve running, tossing, catching things. Bring bird books and tree books and poke around identifying stuff. Teach your dog a stupid pet trick. Howl back at the coyotes.

Getting away from day-to-day stresses and recreating, in the true sense of the word—that's what camping is all about. And if the weather starts to suck, you can always get a motel!