10 Best Family Camping Tents For Camping with Kids

There are few better ways to enjoy an active outdoor life with the kids than getting out into the wild and sleeping under the stars. Maybe not literally under the stars — it’s nice to have a tent over you, especially to keep out the wind and the rain, and maybe the critters. So to enjoy the wilderness properly, in a way that makes sure everybody’s comfortable and happy, here’s a list of the best family camping tents to keep the family warm and dry out in the wilderness.

Best Family Camping Tents For Keeping Your Family Together in the Outdoors

Big Agnes Big House 4 Tent

There’s a Big in Big Agnes’ name for a reason, and the Steamboat-based company drives this home with the Big House 4 Tent. Weighing in at 11 pounds on trail, this tent literally punches above its weight. Polyester Rip-stop with 1500mm Waterproof Polyurethane Coating fly and floor keeps you high and dry, as well as the waterproof, solvent-free polyurethane tape. And like all good 3-season tents, the Big Agnes Big House 4 has aluminum poles to keep it strong.

But let’s get to the “big” – 5 ft. 10 inches high with a 57 square foot floor. The big space is perfect for delivering space for lots of gear, which is why there are multiple interior loops for gear lofts, accessories, and tent lights as well as 4 interior mesh pockets, 2 corner big pockets and 2 media pockets. Plus, sometimes you just have the family out for a day at a big outdoor festival and need some shade. Perfect, since the Big House has a shelter mode. Because when you’re living the big life like Big Agnes’ Big House 4 makes possible, it’s nice to have a little cover wherever and whenever you play. One of the best 4 person tents we tested in 2021.

MSR Mutha Hubba NX 3 Tent

MSR has been making some of my favorite family camping tents for years, and the Mutha Hubba NX3- Person Tent is just the newest super-advanced 3-season 3-person tent in its roster. This tent is ultralight, weighing in ta 4 lbs 5 ounces. Don’t let that fool you, though. The Xtreme Shield Waterproof Coating lasts longer than other coatings, perfect to keep you and the family dry in anything short of a hurricane, especially given the 20D ripstop nylon & DWR canopy plus the 30D ripstop nylon floor. One of the best family tents for bad weather camping.

The Mutha Hubba NX 3 Tent’s waterproof and light, but MSR didn’t skimp on the frame and volume. MSR’s Mutha Hubba uses Easton Syclone Poles, guaranteed to keep the roof propped open even in the rowdiest windbursts. Yet roominess is really where this wins out. There’s 81 cubic feet of space inside the tent, plus an additional 14 feet of additional vestibule area. So travel light, fast, and deep but don’t deny yourself a little indoor spaciousness. Because your kid doesn’t need to smell your old man sweat.

Eureka Timberline SQ Outfitter 4 Tent

Tents today look like little spaceships or magic domes which is why there’s something so refreshingly nostalgic about Eureka’s Timberline SQ Outfitter 4-person tent. This is that classic triangle shape. Don’t let the old school look fool you: this isn’t your grandfather’s tent. The Stormshield fly is 75D 190T polyester ripstop, delivering waterproofness that Pops only could have dreamed about. Throw in the bathtub floor and you’re keeping out the worst storms. With the DAC aluminum poles, you have a classic-looking tent that could withstand some serious weather.

The Timberline SQ Outfitter 4’s not too heavy for a tent around the price, with a minimum weight of 9 pounds 13 ounces. But you also have a max height of almost 5 feet over a floor area of 60 square feet, you have a massive outdoor home for 4 people. Add in the 15 sq ft. footprint of the vestibule and that’s a lot of room. Set up the Timberline, stand back, and pretend you’re on a safari in 1920.

Eureka Space Camp 6 Tent

The Eureka Space Camp 6 Tent is for that big family seeking tech performance for under $500. Start with the 68D 185T polyester taffeta 1500 mm fly. Add in the bombproof 7000 Series aluminum frame and you know your larger family is safe and sound no matter what the outdoors throw at you. But the beauty to this cavernous tent are the extra features, which make the 16 pound weight worth it.

There are 10 pockets; yes, 10 so everybody can keep track of their personal stuff, and still have 4 communal stashes. Then there’s Eureka’s Air Exchange system with High-Low Venting to dial in just how much of the outdoor air you want to let in. The peak height is 6 feet 4 inches, allowing almost anybody without a basketball pedigree to stand up inside while your family can spread out over the 83 sq ft floor. And when you do stand up, you have two storage hammocks. Plus the vestibule door has its own poles you can use to keep it open, feeling like you’re walking into the foyer at home. Because with a family of 6, you’ll probably have a lot of running in and out happening and with the Eureka Space Camp 6 Tent not to worry, you’ll be dialed.

Magellan Outdoors Pro Explorer SwiftRise 4-Person Hub Tent

Let there be light, that’s a very real concern while camping and Magellan Outdoors brings that with its Pro Explorer SwiftRise 4-Person Hub Tent. It has its own built-in ceiling lighting for those bedtime stories cozied in with the fam. Having its own illumination makes sense since this tent looks like a spaceship. Its Hub style makes for a quick and easy setup, one of the easiest and quickest tents to set up on this list. When it’s set up, though, that’s when the magic happens.

The 150-denier polyester outer with a steel and fiberglass frame means you’ll feel like you’re in a spaceship. The oversized door has clear windows because camping’s all about the views, along with 12 tight-weave mesh windows for airflow. This tent is like a huge box, with a 6 and a half foot ceiling and flat walls making for about 396 sq feet of volume throughout the tent. It might be a little heavy, more geared towards car camping, but that’s a small price to pay for sleeping in an outdoors spaceship.

Coleman 4-Person Tent

What is the thing you’ll notice first about Coleman’s 4-Person Tent? That its pre-assembled poles let you erect your outdoors Shangri-la in about 10 seconds. Seriously. Despite this speed, you’re getting a serious real deal tent that snugly accommodates all 4 of you. There’s room for 4 camp pads in this 9 ft. by 6.5 ft. footprint. With a 3 foot 4 inch max height, there isn’t much room for moving around but that’s not really the point here.

The Coleman 4-Person Pop-Up Tent goes up quickly, then folds back down flat to stack in below everything else in the trunk for your big family road trip. Of course it still utilizes Coleman’s Weathertec features, like protected seams and zippers, a wind-strong frame, and super waterproof floors. And at $80 or so, it’s a perfect addition to your tent quiver for a casual, quick little outdoor sleep.

Core 6 Person Straight Wall Cabin Tent

There’s a reason that Core calls its 6-person tent the 6 Person Straight Wall Cabin. Because this is literally a cabin that fits into the back of your car. It’s massive, no other way to describe it. With a floor of 10 ft. by 9 ft. and a height of 6 feet 4 inches, it makes sense that the pack weight is 24 pounds. But that also delivers some leading technology.

A durable 68D polyester fabric keeps you safe, especially with Core’s proprietary Core H2O Block Technology. Then there’s the advanced venting system centered around an adjustable air intake vent to draw cool air from the ground and let heat escape from the mesh ceiling. The big open mesh front vestibule wall lets you relax under the fly and look out, no matter how many bugs or whatever else there might be out there. It’s almost fun to post up in the tent when it’s raining outside and just watch the drops fall, smelling the fresh shower. So take that epic road trip camping alongside the car and bring your own cabin along with the Core 6 person Tent.

REI Co-Op Kingdom 4 Tent

The REI Kingdom 4 Tent is one of the beefiest 4-person tents on this list, a true super-shelter that sacrifices nothing. We’re talking 150-denier polyester Oxford floor wrapped up under a 75-denier polyester taffeta rainfly that can be rolled up from the ground to give you more ventilation. The ceiling rises over 6 feet with a 70 sq ft floor area so you can fit 4 people with room for days.

Yes, the REI Co-Op Kingdom 4 Tent weighs 18 pounds. But that’s in part due to the aluminum poles for the tent, with one big hubbed poleset and 2 doorway poles. Plus the vestibule can be used as a single or double door or even become just an awning with special poles sold separately. Does all this tech make the tent sound complicated? Well it’s not; the REI Kingdom 4 has color coding on the tent, fly, footprint and poles that allow you to put it up quickly and easily.

Because with a 4-person family you don’t want to sacrifice a single bit of possible comfort, that’s where this REI Kingdom 4 Person Tent really stands out.

REI Co-op Base Camp 6 Tent

After your family grows, it’s time to upgrade and few tents would be better than the REI Co-op Base Camp 6 Tent. This massive dome, super stable and super airy, is fantastic for anybody and, since it’s a 6-person tent, it can fit everybody. We’re talking 84 square feet of floor with a top height over 6 feet. The whole tent’s wrapped in super durable material, like the 150-denier Oxford floor, resistant to cuts and punctures.

Then come the extra features found on the REI Co-Op Base Camp 6 Tent. The wide-mouth door means nobody will have to crawl over any of their tentmates to get out to, say, pee under the stars. The two roof vents and low side vent create a “chimney event” to get rid of all the stale air and smells that your group of 6 might bring in from a few days of adventuring. Like the Kingdom 4 the components are color-coded to help you and the kids set it up quickly and easily. Plus all the pockets and hang loops let you dial in all those packs, pants, headlamps and whatever else. This tent is that perfect base camp for when you take the fam on that epic climbing trip in Yosemite, or Joshua Tree, or City of Rocks. Because if you’re taking the whole brood out to make some real memories, you might as well do it right. One of the best large family camping tents of the year comes from REI. year after year the brand makes this list and for good reasons.

Camping is on the rise.  We tested a bunch of family camping tents with our friends and family in 2019.  These our picks for the best family camping tents.

MSR Elixir 3 Tent

At just under 6 lbs. trail weight, the MSR Elixir 3 is an ultralight family backpacking tent for three people. The freestanding design and color-coded pieces make it easy to set up, and the 8″ x 20″ stuff sack is easy to transport.

You can also use the MSR Elixir 3 Tent footprint and rainfly to create a minimal shelter to cut even more weight. If you’re looking for the lightest three-person backpacking tent, the Elixir should definitely be on your radar. One of the best 3 person backpacking tents on this list.

Big Agnes Big House 4 Tent

The Big Agnes Big House 4 is every bit a backpacker’s basecamp tent with its 8lb 4oz weight. This is probably the best blend of price and quality when it comes to 3-season/4-person tents for rowdy backpackers, though you sacrifice some waterproofness with “only” 1500mm coating on the floor and fly. Still, with 6-foot ceilings that only have a slight curvature out towards wide square walls and its optional cavernous vestibules (highly recommended as they almost double your square-footage, a necessity when trapped inside by storms with a younger family, like I was just off the road in Nowhere, Idaho), there’s no better backcountry/car camping Shangri-la for the American nuclear family than the Big Agnes Big House 4 Tent.

Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL3

This three-person, three-season tent packs down to 5.5″ x 19″ and weighing only 2 lbs. 15 oz. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a bigger, lighter tent than the Tiger Wall UL3. Dual-zipper doors and single-pole architecture make this a convenient tent for setup and sleeping, too.

As if that wasn’t enough, Big Agnes included media pockets on the inside of this tent, so you can stash your phone in the pocket and route your earbuds for easy listening. What more could you ask for? One of the best lightweight family backpacking tents.

Eureka Copper Canyon 12 Tent

The Eureka Copper Canyon 12 comes with 9 poles for setup. 14 by 12-foot floor and 7-foot high ceilings with big flat walls. A blend of 75D 190T Storm Shield and 1200mm coating ensures that family you introduce to the great outdoors don’t get washed away during their first outing while the 2-room divider cuts down on the creep factor of two families, 1 tent. I really liked setting it up in the acreage-heavy backyard for a bonfire party where the kids could run in there and chill, then warm by the fire, then into the garage climbing wall and eventually pass out in a near-glamping situation while we grown-ups carried on into the late night.

Mountainsmith Conifer 5 Tent

The Mountain Smith Conifer 5 Tent has a height of 6’2” and 84 square feet of floor space (plus 33 feet of vestibule space), it’s about the size of that hotel room you squeezed the family into on the last trip to San Francisco. Obviously for a 3-season (PU 2000 MM fly, poly breathable tent) super-suite with a suitcase-style stuff sack, you’re talking a lot of weight and at almost 15 pounds you’d have to have your family-weight-distribution game on lock (it does incorporate Clip-pole attachment to get it down) to make it into a backpacking pack. But at 22inches by 10.5 by 10.5 the Mountainsmith Conifer 5 Tent it’ll fit very easily in your overloaded car.

Cabela’s Orion 3 Tent

Do you need a tent that can take all nature throws at you and your small family in the backcountry for cheap, portable wilderness protection that doesn’t break the bank? The Cabela’s Orion 3 Tent weighs in at only 6 and a half pounds despite aluminum poles, a 47-square-foot footprint (with 8-foot vestibule) and 3000mm waterproofing (as well as a 1500 waterproofing fly). Plus it comes in a striking blue, perfect for spotting your tent after a day of wandering off in the middle of nowhere. With the Cabela’s name and emphasis on ruggedness, this is probably the best tent you can find for you, the spouse and the kids for under $150 bucks. One of the best Cabelas tents we have tested in recent year.

REI Kingdom 6 Tent

The REI Kingdom 6 Tent is about as close as I’ll get to have my own portable army barracks, this 2-bedroom suite is great for big families or even smaller families that just want some space.  A zippered wall can split this into 2 rooms — a luxury when you’re a loving couple with memories of backcountry romance from before you had to start sharing the tent with a couple of rugrats. At 20 pounds you’re not carrying the REI Kingdom 6 Tent anywhere but when I plopped the 83-square-foot base 75-inch-high 75-denier nylon tent a couple of yards from my truck at the trailhead, I made a basecamp for days of adventures followed by the kind of sleep you just don’t get in smaller tents. With the vestibule, you get basically a lean-to gear shack but add in the garage and it’s bigger than my wife’s and my first apartment together on Newport Peninsula. REI makes a great family camping Tent in the Kingdom 6.

Marmot Limestone 4P Tent

The Marmot Limestone 4P Tent is practically bulletproof and, even more important, basically humidity-proof. With 40D polyester no-see-um mesh for an unmatchably breathable but bug-proof canopy and 68d Polyester Taffeta 190T 1500mm for the fly, you could be in the middle of a summer Assateague Island mosquito swarm with the fly off for stargazing and coolness and not get a single itchy bump or devolve into a sweaty mess. And the DAC DA17 Poles’ simplicity and the canopy’s freestanding design make it one of the easiest tents to put up, even if it’s just you and the kids on your first 1-parent-only campout.

Related Tents We Reviewed

1. L.L. Bean Microlight Tent
2. MSR Carbon Ultralight Tent
3. Klymit Maxfield 2 Tent