Going on a camping trip with your family is a great experience, especially for your children. Preparing for the trip, however, can get a bit hectic. While there are a lot of important items and gear to bring, a proper tent is likely the most important single item. You need a tent that is large, dependable, long-lasting, safe, and easy to set up. There are thousands of different tents out there, so we’ll help you by narrowing it down to a few of our favorites. Let’s take a look at the best family camping tents.
The 8 Best Family Camping Tents
8. Core 10 Person Cabin Family Camping Tent
The 10 Person Straight Wall Cabin Tent from Core is a great family camping tent. We’re big fans of Core and have been using their camping products for years. This cabin tent is very spacious, providing enough room for 10 people to sleep comfortably. You can easily fit two queen size air mattresses inside the tent, as the dimensions are 14 x 10 feet.
With a center height of 86 inches (7 feet and 2 inches), even your tallest family member will be able to freely stand and walk around with no issues. Because this is a “straight wall” tent, the roof and walls do not slope down as you move away from the center of the tent. This means that you are able to comfortably stand up anywhere inside of the tent — not just in the center.
The straight wall cabin tent has two points of entry and several windows. Also included is a removable room divider, which you can put in place to divide the tent into two separate rooms. Inside, there is a convenient gear loft for storing your personal items safely, while still keeping them off of the ground. In addition, there’s an awesome lantern hook as well as an electrical cord access port.
Features
- Capacity: 10 people
- Size: 14 x 10 feet
- Height: 86 inches (7’ 2”) at the center
- Weight: 35.5 pounds
- Packed size: 28.5 x 10 x 10 inches
- Fabric type: Polyester
- Also includes: Rainfly, carry bag, room divider, and a 1 year warranty.
Why we love it
Personally, we are big fans of this cabin tent, and big fans of Core products in general. This tent is durable, spacious, and is actually pretty affordable. If your family or group consists of some tall people, we recommend this tent because of its unique straight wall design.
7. NTK Laredo GT Camping Tent
The NTK Laredo GT is an awesome camping tent for families and groups of friends. With dimensions of 10 x 15 feet, the tent is roomy and spacious. Inside the tent, you can sleep up to 9 people. However, if all of the campers in your crew are adults, you will be able to fit 7 or 8 people comfortably.
An awesome and unique feature of the NTK Laredo GT tent is the included rainfly. The rainfly provides full coverage, wrapping around the top, sides, and back of the tent. In comparison, a common rainfly will usually only cover the roof of the tent. The Laredo’s rainfly is laminated, double-layered, and heat sealed, which makes it 100% waterproof.
In addition to the rainfly, the floor of the tent is also extremely waterproof. It has an inner, silver-coated layer and a bathtub style construction, which work together to prevent water in the ground from seeping inside the tent.
Features
- Capacity: 9 people
- Size: 10 x 15 feet
- Height: 75 inches (6’ 3”)
- Weight: 24 pounds
- Fabric type: Polyester
- Also includes: Full coverage rainfly and a carry bag.
Why we love it
Essentially, the NTK Laredo GT Tent is one of the best when it comes to water resistance. In the event of rainy weather, this tent will keep the whole family nice and dry. If you are planning to camp in areas that often experience wet weather, we recommend this family camping tent.
Full Review: NTK Laredo GT Tent
6. Coleman Cabin Family Camping Tent
When it comes to camping gear, one of the most trusted brands in the industry is Coleman. Coleman’s camping tents are top quality, and we are big fans. This Family Cabin Tent from Coleman is no exception.
With plenty of interior space, this cabin tent fits 4 queen sized air beds and sleeps up to 10 people. The actual dimensions are 14 x 10 feet, with a center height of 79 inches (6’ 7”). Inside of the tent is a room divider, which separates the area into two separate rooms and provides privacy.
Even when the weather turns south, this tent holds up really well. With a bathtub style floor and welded seams, the tent is very effective at keeping out rain water from both the sky and the ground. Additionally, the tent’s frame can withstand winds over 35 mph, so unpredictable weather shouldn’t be an issue with this tent.
The Family Cabin Tent has two unique, fantastic features that I would like to point out: instant setup and sunlight blocking.
Instant Setup
This big, family-sized camping tent only takes about one minute to set up. That’s right — it only takes about 60 seconds to pitch! Pre-attached poles makes the process very quick and easy. You simply unfold the teent, extend the pre-attached poles, and secure them into place. Even with the pre-attached poles, the tent folds up and fits into its compact carry bag. Instant setup is an incredible feature for a tent this large.
Blocks Sunlight
Using “dark room technology”, this cabin tent blocks 90% of sunlight. Blocking the sunlight makes the temperature inside the tent much cooler and more comfortable. It also helps you sleep in past sunrise, which is difficult when camping in any other tent.
Features
- Capacity: 10 people
- Size: 14 x 10 feet
- Height: 79 inches (6’ 7”)
- Weight: 20 pounds
- Fabric type: Polyester
- Also includes: Rainfly and a carry bag.
Why we love it
The instant setup and the sunlight blocking features are fantastic. Sleeping in past sunrise while camping is very difficult in any other tent, this is a very innovative feature.
Full Review: Coleman Family Cabin Tent
5. Core 9 Person Extended Dome Camping Tent
Another favorite family camping tent of ours is the Core 9 Person Extended Dome Camping Tent. As the name suggests, the tent sleeps 9 people in the 16 x 9 feet interior. Personally, I think 9 people would be a tight squeeze in these dimensions, but you can definitely fit 8 people comfortably inside. With the long design offering 16 feet of space, you can fit three queen size air mattresses inside.
When compared to other popular family camping tents, the design of this model is unique. While other large tents are usually a “cabin tent”, this is a “dome tent”. Among smaller tents, dome tents are by far the most common type of design. The guys at Core have taken a typically dome tent and added extensions on both sides. While this gives the tent an awesome look, it also makes it impossible to stand up inside unless you are close to the center of the tent. If you are planning to spend a lot of time inside of the tent, this should be a factor that you consider.
This camping tent has a few other awesome features that the family will enjoy. There is an electrical cord access point that’s super convenient for powering electronics, charging batteries, and charging cell phones. Additionally, this tent model has adjustable air intake vents that keep cool air circulating throughout the interior.
Features
- Capacity: 9 people
- Size: 16 x 9 feet
- Height: 72 inches (6 feet) at the center
- Weight: 18.25 pounds
- Packed size: 27 x 10 x 10 inches
- Fabric type: Polyester
- Also includes: Rainfly and a carry bag.
Why we love it
The Extended Dome Tent has an awesome design that we love the look of. Additionally, the price point is a bit more affordable than many of the cabin style family tents.
Full Review: Core 9 Person Extended Dome Tent
4. Coleman Montana Family Camping Tent
Another one of our favorite large camping tents is the Coleman Montana Family Camping Tent. With 16 x 7 feet of room, the tent sleeps up to 8 people. Realistically, you will be able to have 6 or 7 people sleep comfortably within this tent. Similar to the previous tent that we just discussed, the Montana tent is another dome style tent. However, the roof and walls don’t slope down at such an extreme angle in this model, so you should be able to stand up and walk around inside most of the interior. At the center of the tent, the height is 74 inches (6’ 2”).
An awesome, unique feature of the Coleman Montana Tent is its angled windows. Rather than sitting at an angle that faces the sky, the windows face downward. This keeps the rain water out, while still allowing you to keep the windows open during the rain.
When it comes to weather resistance, the Montana tent is definitely above average. The tent utilizes several features of Coleman’s “WeatherTec” system. Floors and seams are heat-welded, sealed, and inverted, which makes it almost impossible for water to seep into the tent.
Features
- Capacity: 8 people
- Size: 16 x 7 feet
- Height: 74 inches (6’ 2”) at the center
- Weight: 22.3 pounds
- Packed size: 27 x 8.5 x 8.5 inches
- Fabric type: Polyester
- Also includes: Rainfly, a carry bag, and a 1 year warranty.
Why we love it
It has an awesome design that we really appreciate. This tent is also sold at a more affordable price than the cabin style tents. The Montana Tent is also very good at handling wet weather conditions.
Full Review: Coleman Montana Family Camping Tent
3. Coleman WeatherMaster 6-Person Tent
The WeatherMaster is another fantastic family tent from Coleman. This is a dependable, spacious tent that sleeps a family of six. Inside of the tent, you will find more than enough room for two queen-size airbeds. The WeatherMaster is very spacious, with measurements of 11 x 9 feet and a center height of 6’ 80” (80 inches). Even as you stray from the center of the tent, the height does not decrease much, so there is plenty of room to stand and walk inside.
Inside, the WeatherMaster features a screened room separated from the main area of the tent. This is often referred to as a “porch” and it is a perfect area for lounging. The screen room is floorless and allows you to enjoy the breezy outdoors in a comfortable, bug-free setting. Compared to other camping tents, the screen room in the WeatherMaster is significantly larger with dimensions of 9 x 6 feet.
Weather Resistance
With its “WeatherTec” features, the tent earns the name of WeatherMaster. WeatherTec includes four main elements: leak-free seams, waterproof floors, zipper cuffs, and a wind-responsive frame. The inverted seams and waterproof floors eliminate needle holes, preventing water from leaking into the tent. On top of each zipper, you will find weather-resistant zipper cuffs which provide an extra layer of weather protection.
In addition, the tent uses a coated polyester fabric, which is weather-resistant and dependable. Combined with the included rainfly, this is a very weather-proof camping tent.
Features
- Capacity: 6 people
- Size: The tent is 11 x 9 feet; the screen room is an additional 9 x 6 feet
- Height: 80 inches (6’ 8”) at the center
- Weight: 32 pounds
- Fabric type: Polyester
- Also includes: Rainfly and a carry bag.
Why we love it
The concept of the screen room is awesome and adds a whole new dynamic to the camping experience. This is also probably one of the most weather resistant tents currently available.
2. Coleman Red Canyon Family Camping Tent
The Red Canyon Family Camping Tent is yet another awesome large tent from the pros at Coleman. The Red Canyon Camping Tent is one of our favorite family tents. It sleeps 8 people and measures 17 x 10 feet. At the center of the tent, the height is 72 inches (6 feet). You can easily fit two, possibly three, large air mattresses inside for added comfort.
Multiple dividers are included with the tent. Using the dividers lets you create 3 separate rooms for privacy. With 3 separate rooms, it’s almost like having a little apartment in the middle of the woods. This is a great feature for families with multiple children, and can really help you get some peace and quiet during your family trip.
If the weather takes a turn for the worst, the Red Canyon tent can handle it. Like a few other tents we’ve just discussed in this guide, the Red Canyon uses Coleman’s “WeatherTec” system. This includes inverted seams, heat-welded corners, waterproof floors, and a wind resistant frame. These elements work together to effectively keep water out of the tent. Additionally, the tent is able to withstand high winds and rain storms.
Features
- Capacity: 8 people
- Size: 17 x 10 feet
- Height: 72 inches (6 feet) at the center
- Weight: 21.5 pounds
- Packed size: 25.2 x 9.5 x 9.5 inches
- Fabric type: Polyester
- Also includes: Rainfly and a carry bag.
Why we love it
The Red Canyon is one of our favorite tents for large camping trips. It’s dependable, well-built, and perfect for a family adventure. We love the ability to create 3 separate rooms inside.
Full Review: Coleman Red Canyon Camping Tent
1. Core 9-Person Instant Cabin Tent
Our favorite family camping tent is the Core 9-Person Instant Cabin Tent. This tent rules, and we highly recommend it. Its got instant set up, great weather resistance features, room dividers, and much more. Let’s take a look!
The Instant Cabin Tent sleeps up to 9 people, with dimensions of 14 x 9 feet. With this size, you can easily fit two queen sized air mattresses and several sleeping bags. At the center of the tent, the height is 78 inches (6’6”). Additionally, the walls of the tent are nearly straight, so you should be able to stand up and walk around inside the entire tent.
When it comes to weather resistance, the Instant Cabin Tent is exceptional. It utilizes Core’s “H20 Block Technology.” This means that every single seam on the tent and rainfly is heat sealed. While normal seams allow water to seep in, heat sealed seams are a much more effective water seal.
In addition, the cabin tent provides adjustable ground vents, a room divider, and electrical cord access. The most important feature, however, is the instant setup.
Instant Setup
With an awesome instant setup feature, Core’s “Instant Family Cabin Tent” truly lives up to its name. Despite its large size, this tent only takes about 60 seconds to set up. The tent uses pre-attached poles that quickly extend in length. To set up it up, you unfold the tent, extend the poles, and then secure the poles into place. Disassembly is just as quick and easy, because the pre-attached poles slide right back into their compact size once you unsecure them.
With a tent this size, setup usually takes at least 20 minutes, even with multiple people. Instant set up is a huge time saver. It’s an amazing feature and its very unique in a tent of this size.
Features
- Capacity: 9 people
- Size: 14 x 9 feet
- Height: 78 inches (6’6”) at the center
- Weight: 30.5 pounds
- Packed size: 48 x 11.5 x 11.5 inches
- Fabric type: Polyester
- Also includes: Rainfly and a carry bag.
Why we love it
This is by far our favorite family camping tent. We love it. Set up only takes 60 seconds, which is incredible. There’s a room divider, adjustable vents, and much. All in all, this is our favorite combination of features. Did we mention you can set this giant tent up in only 1 minute?!
Full Review: Core 9 Person Instant Cabin Tent
Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose the Best Family Camping Tent
Size
Do you have a large family? An important factor to consider when choosing a family camping tent is the size. This information is usually provided in two different ways: dimensions and capacity. In this context, capacity is referring to the amount of people that can sleep inside the tent simultaneously.
An important thing to keep in mind is that when tent manufacturers advertise how many people a tent sleeps, that number represents the maximum capacity. To sleep comfortably with some room to breathe, that number will be smaller. Additionally, if you factor in any gear and supplies that are in the tent, the capacity will shrink even smaller.
Because of this, you should always look for a tent that says it sleeps a few more people than you need it to. For instance, if you are a family of 5, you should look for a tent that sleeps 8 people.
Height
Tent height may or may not be an important factor for you. This depends on what you plan on doing inside of the tent. If you are only using the tent to sleep and are outside the majority of the time, the height may not be a huge factor in your tent selection.
Alternatively, if you think you will be relaxing inside of your tent a lot, you should consider looking for a height that allows you to stand up.
The height of a tent is measured at its center. Many tent styles, such as dome tents, have a roof that slopes down from the center, making it impossible to stand at all near the tent walls. A cabin tent, on the other hand, has a roof that remains almost constant from the center to the walls.
Set Up Time
The amount of time it takes to set up a tent is another important factor that you may want to consider. Generally, family camping tents take about 20 – 30 minutes to set up. However, in recent years, “instant tents” have emerged onto the market.
An instant tent has pre-attached, extending poles that can reduce the set up time to only 60 seconds. These tents are very convenient, but are also more expensive than traditional camping tents. You will have to decide whether the increase in price is worth the ease of set up.
Weather Resistance
Weather can be unpredictable, so it’s important to make sure that your tent is resistant to rain and bad weather. We recommend that you purchase a tent that comes with an included rainfly. In addition, you should keep an eye out for tents that have waterproof floors and sealed seams.
Family Camping Tent FAQ
What is the best tent for family camping?
The best family camping tent for you depends on a few factors. Most importantly, you have to consider the size of your family or group. For instance, our favorite family camping tent is the Core 9 Person Instant Cabin Tent. However, this tent is sleeps 9 people and is huge. While we definitely believe that this the best large tent for big families and groups, it may be too big for you. If you have a family of four, we recommend the Coleman WeatherMaster 6-Person Tent, which will fit everyone comfortably, with a lower price tag.
What size camping tent do I need?
To determine the best size camping tent for your family, we suggest that you choose a tent model that sleeps two more people that your family consists of. For instance, if you are a family of four, you should buy a tent that sleeps six people. When you factor in your gear, equipment, and sleeping bags, you will need the extra room.
Which type of tent style should I choose?
For family camping, we recommend cabin tents. Cabin style tents have straight walls that provide more room for your family to stand up and walk around inside.
Final Thoughts
Our top overall choice for the best family camping tent is the Core 9 Person Instant Cabin Tent. We love the instant setup feature, room dividers, adjustable air vents, and weatherproof technology. The 60 second instant setup feature is particularly impressive because the tent is so large. That is a rare feature for large family camping tents. In addition, the tent offers plenty of room for large families, measuring 14 x 9 feet and sleeping 9 people. The Core Instant Cabin Tent is a great addition for any family that enjoys camping in the great outdoors.
Happy Camping!
Is there an awesome family camping tent that you think should have made the list? We’d love to hear your thoughts. Let us know in the comments below.
