While a glamorous beach holiday abroad can be all well and good, for us, nothing beats getting away on an outdoor camping holiday with the family.
Whether you’re planning your first camping holiday or bundle the family in a tent every year, we believe that nothing beats heading off to the countryside, pitching up, and relaxing in the great outdoors – because no matter what, you’re going to have a great time!
However, before you go, you need to make sure you’ve got the most important piece of kit – your tent. It can be tricky to know which tent to buy for families, which is why we’ve pulled together some of the best family camping tents on the market right now.
Family poled tents
Poled tents are an absolute classic when it comes to camping – learning to put one of these up with your family is practically a rite of passage. Here at Winfields, we have an excellent selection of poled family tents for you to choose from, including some of our favourites that we’ve pulled out below.
Simple, but supremely effective, the Kampa Hayling is a fantastic family tent for everyone: from couples looking for a little extra space on their trip, to smaller families on a weekend away. This family tent is excellent value for money, with a functional layout to maximise the footprint wherever possible.
Key features:
Made with Kampa’s Weathershield™ 68D weather-resistant polyester fabric to protect you from the elements. The protection also works to prevent UV degradation, ensuring your family tent can last multiple trips.
The Dynaflex fibreglass poles are lightweight and durable.
A sewn-in groundsheet protects from draughts – and creepy crawlies!
A small, lightweight pack size makes this family tent easier to carry to your pitch.
With queen-sized bedrooms, and an extra-large living area, the Vango Lismore offers you plenty of space in this four-person family tent. Even better – your AM routine doesn’t need to be dictated by the sun with the ‘lights out’ darkened rear bedrooms. This family tent also includes a mesh layer on the entrance for bug-free ventilation. Or, drop down the doorstep for easier access for wheelchairs and prams.
Key features:
Vango’s Sentinel TC polycotton fabric is water-repellent and breathable, helping you stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
The Powerflex® tent poles are lightweight but reliably strong and stable. However, they also have enough flexibility to ensure easy assembly.
Vango Airzone technology uses multiple vents to allow air circulation and reduce condensation.
Get your Vango Lismore family tent from Winfields Outdoors today, and save on a Vango carpet with our bundle deal!
Say goodbye to the days where you were confused about which pole goes where with the Vango Harris 500 family tent. Colour-coded tent poles make assembly much easier, whilst the adjustable pegging system means you can even pitch on uneven surfaces – perfect for a Scottish wild camp! Plus, you can make the most of the scenery when you’re relaxing in the living area, with the diamond clear windows maximising the natural light.
Key features:
The Pre-angled Pole Structure allows you to achieve a larger internal space than a normal curve – and proves effective against winds.
Vango’s Sentinel fabric is waterproof and easy to clean, whilst retaining durability and protection from UV light degradation.
The Powerflex® poles are flexible and lightweight, and durable enough to survive different weather conditions.
Make the most of your sheltered living space with a pre-attached canopy to the front of your family tent.
Explore our family tent bundle deal here at Winfields Outdoors to get the Vango Harris 500, as well as a footprint and carpet at a great price!
Families come in all shapes and sizes, which means family tents need to as well. For the ultimate roomy camping experience, we recommend the Kampa Watergate, which can easily sleep eight people. This vis-a-vis tent has a tunnel-style design, which affords you maximum floor space by separating the bedrooms with a living space. Plus, having a bedroom on either side of the main area offers greater privacy – ideal for family camping trips with older teens or friends.
Key features:
Kampa’s Weathershield™ 68D durable and lightweight polyester is easy to handle and offers high weather resistance to keep you and your family safe and dry whilst you’re away.
Fibreglass poles ensure the tent is lightweight, but still structurally durable.Â
Measuring 2800 x 7000 mm, the Kampa Watergate has plenty of room to sleep up to eight people comfortably.
Family air tents
There is an alternative to the traditional poled family tents – and that’s inflatable air tents. Designed with channels instead of poles, family air tents can be inflated in a matter of minutes, allowing you to jump straight into your holiday plans. Below, we’ve picked out some of the best family air tents that are perfect for your next adventure.
New for this season, the Zempire Pro TXL TC V2 air tent is an excellent example of top quality design and performance. Using inner zipped liners, the bedroom can be split from one to four pods to keep up with the demands of privacy from a growing family. Plus, the spacious internal living area of this family tent provides enough space for everyone to relax and spend time together.
Key features:
A single inflation point allows you to set up this family tent in minutes without sacrificing stability.
The breathable polycotton blend fabric allows air to circulate to prevent condensation whilst adjusting the internal temperature accordingly to the season.
Zip-on external attachments make customising your family tent a breeze.
When it comes to family tents, Vango knows what they’re doing. The Tahiti 850XL is chock full of touches that make this one of the best family tents on the market. From little extras like convenient lantern hanging points and highly visible guy lines to prevent tripping, to bigger design features like a pre-attached front awning and double living area for more space, you get what you’re paying for and more when you choose a Vango family tent.
Key features:
The inflatable Airbeam® structure and Airspeed® valves of your Vango family tent ensure effortless inflation in minutes, with a strong structure that’s built to last.
Vango’s villa construction style uses upright walls to maximise your internal space.
The Vango Tahiti is made with Sentinel Eco fabric, which uses recycled single-use plastics to create a durable, environmentally-friendly, and waterproof outer layer.
An extra side storage pod gives you a place to keep kit, toys, and other essentials, or even use as an extra bedroom.
Love an impromptu or spontaneous adventure, and need a family tent to match this energy? The Coleman Meadowood 4 BlackOut air tent could be exactly what you’re looking for. With quick inflation, this four person tent is ideal for couples or smaller families on a weekend getaway.
Key features:
FastPitchâ„¢ air technology makes inflating your tent quick and effortless.
The XXL BlackOut bedrooms help block out external light, meaning you can get a great night’s sleep – and choose your wake-up time.
Optional zipped curtains allow you more privacy and flexibility on a busy campsite.
Barrier-free front access and pocket wall storage removes a lot of hassle, and makes this an excellent family tent if you have young children.
Looking for a luxurious home-from-home? Then the Outdoor Revolution Kalahari PC 9.0 family tent will provide you with maximum comfort on your trip. This extraordinarily spacious family tent can sleep up to nine people comfortably, or the side pods can be used to provide an exceptional amount of additional storage space depending on your needs. And, all of this can be set up in no time, so you can get straight to relaxing and enjoying the outdoors.
Key features:
Ultra-sturdy inflatable oxygen air frame, with a dynamic speed valve and intelligent frame relief valve to prevent damage from overinflation.
The high-quality technical polycotton is incredibly breathable to keep the internal space at a comfortable temperature. It’s also highly water-resistant to keep you, and your gear, nice and dry.
A sewn-in groundsheet protects you from breezes and bugs in the living quarters.
Sold at Winfields Outdoors, this package includes the tent and footprint – but we have plenty of extra tent accessories for total customisation and control over your camping experience.
More outdoor adventures and advice with Winfields
Still not found your perfect tent? Never fear! We have plenty more family tents available to explore today.Â
And, if you’re planning a proper camping trip this year, you’ll need all the bells and whistles that go with it. So, don’t forget to explore our range of supplies, including camping stoves and cookers, camping furniture, and sleeping bags to kit out your family tent this season.
Looking for the perfect tent ahead of your first-ever outdoor holiday? Read the Winfields guide to discover everything you need to know about buying a tent.
We’re over the moon to announce we’ve been voted Camping Retailer of the Year 2024. This award is a huge honour, and we’re committed to continuing our hard work as a camping equipment retailer.
Camping in the summer (or any time of year) is amazing – but being awoken at the crack of dawn is not for everyone. Tents with darkened bedrooms, or blackout tents, are the perfect compromise that allow you more control over when you wake up on your holiday.