A camping trip is a great family getaway, either as a staycation or abroad, but before you set off you'll need one of the best family tents. There are so many family friendly campsites in the UK, some with activities and kids clubs so you can simply park up, put up your tent and enjoy your holiday!
When looking for a family tent there are a few things to consider. Obviously you don't want to spend half your time away battling to get the tent up, and then battling to put it away again (especially if you have a baby or toddler in tow). So, look for something that's easy to put up, with clear instructions and lightweight poles - reviews will be your best friend here.
Most family tents are divided into a few different living spaces, with separate bedrooms and space for all of the kids' sleeping bags and sometimes even a porch. This makes it great for putting the kids to bed, but leaving the parents with a place to sit should the weather not be on side for stargazing. Because family tents can get pricy, look for durability - make sure the waterproofing is of a high standard, that there will be enough space for everyone (especially for those with younger children who will take up more space quite soon!)
Editor's choice:
•Best large family tent: Vango Odyssey Family Tunnel Tent - Buy now from Amazon
•Best affordable family tent: Coleman Tent Octagon - Buy now from Amazon
•Best inflatable family tent: Kampa Kielder 4 Air Deluxe Tent - Buy now from Winfields Outdoors
•Best easy pitch family tent: Eurohike Rydal 600 Air Tent - Buy now from Blacks
Whether this is your first camping holiday or you go away every year, here are our some of the best family tents. They are also brilliant for setting up closer to home too with the best garden camping gear, if you'd prefer.
Best family tents 2023
Best large family tent
One of the best family tents on the market, the Odyssey 800 is specifically designed with families and large groups in mind. The easy to pitch, tunnel design offers stability, stand-up head height and flexible sleeping areas.
One reviewer said: "We bought this for our first camping trip. I wanted a 2 bedroom one so my partner and myself could have some space from the kids! It was so easy to put up, nothing was missing and I did notice the instructions are on the fabric and sewn onto the carry bag so they won't get blown away in the wind. There were two signatures on it so it's obviously been checked to make sure it's all there. It took two of us about 30 minutes to put up first time including all the pegs and guy ropes, next time will be much quicker now we know what we're doing."
Pros
- Fully sewn-in groundsheet
- Stand-up head height
Cons
- May not keep the light out at night
| Sleeps: | 8 |
| Size: | 71 x 35 x 32 cm |
| Weight: | 22.6 kg |
| Living space: | 8.4 sq/m |
- Tension band system
- Diamond clear PVC windows
- Toggled privacy curtains
Best affordable family tent
With tons of space inside (for maximum 8 persons), full head height throughout the entire tent and an unusual and striking shape, the Octagon offers you everything you need. Six of the eight sides open up completely, allowing lots of air and light into the tent. The two remaining sides feature a doorway with the patented Coleman Hinge Door that functions like an actual door, swinging open and shut, making entering and leaving the tent swift and simple. While the tent is a single large room, there is also a removable partition curtain to segregate it into two areas.
A reviewer said: "Just come back from the first time camping in this tent and so happy with it. Love the way it looks and how easy it is to put up and take down. The door is great as it has a Velcro opening as well as a zip, which is easy for kids to use when they are going back and forth. Had a raised blow up double airbed in there and so much left over room. It's view and ventilation is great when you have the sides open and lovely closed at night time. Can't wait to camp again now, slept amazing, weather was great but I think it will be more than OK in rain and winds. My camping buddies loved this tent too especially for the price."
Pros
- Removable divider
- Comes in a carry cases with wheels
Cons
- Instructions could be clearer
| Sleeps: | 6-8 |
| Size: | 396 x 429 x 225 cm |
| Weight: | 20.7 kg |
- 360° panorama view
- D-door with hinge
- Mosquito net
Best inflatable family tent
www.winfieldsoutdoors.co.uk
The Kampa Kielder 4 is perfect for small families or couples for a weekend break. The generous bedrooms offer a generous amount of sleeping area per person, allowing for a comfortable night sleep. A deep front canopy provides vital outdoor living space and a extra side door offers quick access into the living area.
A reviewer said: "I set it up in the garden by way of a ‘practice run’ and managed to do it on my own in the space of 15-20 minutes tops. It’s simplicity itself and looks fantastic when it’s up. Taking it down is also easy, as long as you fold and roll the tent up around the pole bag, you won’t be struggling to stuff it back in and run the risk of tearing the bag."
Pros
- Bedrooms are darkened
- Flexible opening
Cons
- Carpet and footprint sold seperately
| Sleeps: | 4 |
| Size: | 80L x 43W x 41H cm |
| Weight: | 22.96 kg |
| Living space: | 300W x 620D cm |
- Enclosed front canopy
- Secondary mesh (to prevent bugs)
- Colour-coded inner tent suspension
Best waterproof family tent
The Dash 5 from Outwell is a spacious family tent that features darkened premier bedrooms with a versatile 360 degree access system to fit in the whole family as well as a central living area. Designed to keep you dry in all conditions, the Delano 5 is fully waterproof, with an integrated groundsheet and taped seems.
A reviewer said: "The tent is great as expected; lightweight and easy to assemble. I mainly wanted to write this review to say how fantastic the seller has been! The original tent arrived but had a tear, I contacted Aztec leisure and their customer service has been fantastic! New tent arrived and it is great."
Pros
- UV blocking windows
- Portable
Cons
- Thin material
| Sleeps: | 5 |
| Size: | 200H x 320W x 475D cm |
| Weight: | 11.1 kg |
| Living space: | 190H x 300W x 455D cm |
- Free-standing
- Polyester and polyethylene
- Compression carry bag
Best easy pitch family tent
www.blacks.co.uk
Reduce your pitching time to mere minutes with the new Air 600 Tent. Using high performance air tubes, Eurohike have created a quick-assembly best family tent that's like a home away from home that will keep you weatherproof and protected for lengthy camping adventures with the family. Fully waterproof and breathable, you will stay dry in the worst British weather. When your trip is over, simply release the spring-loaded valves and deflate your tent in seconds.
One reviewer said: "After reviewing many air texts we went with the euro hike 600 and were very happy with the tent! Very easy to put up, first time round it took around half an hour by myself including adding the ground sheet and carpet, plus it was the first time I’d every pitched a tent! The second time round only too 15/20 minutes. The tent has plenty of room, we had 2 double airbeds in the bedroom area and still had room at the sides for a bag. We had another double air bed in the main area and still had plenty of room to get changed/extra bags etc."
Pros
- Super quick to pitch
- Internal storage pockets
Cons
- Some users report that the sun bleaches the top of the tent over time
| Sleeps: | 6 |
| Size: | 77.5 x 46 x 43 cm |
| Weight: | 18.7 kg |
- Quick-release valves
- Fully waterproof taped flysheet
- Sewn-in groundsheet
What to look for when buying a family tent
A light and airy living area - When camping, you will want a space where you can all sit around and relax or play games, particularly if the weather is rubbish. Tents with big windows and vents are perfect - just make sure they have adjustable blinds for when you need some privacy.
Darkened bedrooms - Whilst your living quarters should be bright, where you sleep should be nice and dark, particularly if you've got little ones who need to be asleep early before the sun sets. Plus, you don't want to be woken up at the crack of dawn either.
Height - It may be easy for little ones to crawl in and out of a small tent, but for adults, it's best to opt for a tent that has tall ceilings and plenty of space to walk around. A lot of options have a tall living space but smaller bedrooms which is also a good idea.
Multiple rooms - While this isn't a must-have, it's worth looking into a tent that has at least one other room in it, that way everyone can enjoy spending time with each other but also have their personal space when they want a bit of peace and quiet. If you need extra outdoor space, why not pick one worth a canopy and add one of the best windbreakers next to it to create a sort-of makeshift private area?
Instructions - Check the instructions beforehand if possible, to see how easy it will be to put it up... The last thing you want is to be stuck in a muddy field with torrential rain and crying toddlers with no shelter. Some tents require poles, whilst others are inflatable or simply pop-up once unzipped from their bag.
Storage - Most tents come inside a storage bag, but it's best to double-check as a few of the may not. They are a must-have when it comes to tents with poles and pegs, as you'll want to keep them all in one place. It can be a pain to get some of them back into their bag, so check the reviews first to see what they say.
What size tent should I go for?
There is no set guide for what size tent you should purchase, as a 2-man tent for example may be too small for two people if they are bigger or taller than average, so ideally we recommend selecting an option that provides enough space for each person to bed down as a minimum.
A 4-man tent will probably be big enough for a family of two adults and two children, but it's wise to go for a slightly bigger option than you think you'll need (particularly if you're camping for more than a couple of days), that way you can fit in extra bags and luggage like coats, toys, wellies etc. that you may not be able to store in the car.
Arabella Horspool is a Commercial Content Writer for Mother&Baby at Bauer Media. She's a bookworm who enjoys cooking and spending time with her many pets.