Large Tents for Camping
Going outdoors and camping in a American National park is the perfect vacation for the family to enjoy. A modern family tent is a lot easier to raise than one might think and many of them are pop up tents. You can pitch most these by yourself, even though they are often pretty big.
There are so many sizes and styles (such as domes, a-frame, etc) that there is no shortage of selection and there should be something available with a price tag to fit your requirements.
I am highlighting the best family tents that are suitable for easy outdoor activities and camping with the family where space and comfort is the main thing to look for.
Coleman 8-9 Person Tents
Top rated family vacation choices
if you are looking for a portable cabin, these Coleman tents offer a boxy shape that provides a lot of space and ample indoor headroom. While these are rated for almost 10 people, that is the available ground sleeping area and I suggest they offer a good level of live-in comfort for a family of 4 – 5 on shorter trips, and 3 – 4 for longer base camp use.
The Instant versions have the poles pre-attached to the structure and raising the tent from start to finish is a matter of minutes. The Coleman Instant tent has a huge amount of positive consumer reviews.
Coleman 14×10 Foot 8 Person Instant Tent
14 x 10 feet family tent which is extremely easy to raise.
150D fabric, 2 doors, 7 windows and 2 room layout. Coleman has made this a durable tent with waterproof walls and welded floor.
Coleman Signature Prairie Breeze 9 Tent
Comes with a dedicated light and fan! Room divider creates two separate 10ft. x 7ft partitions.
Campground tents with ample room
Eureka has a good variety of shelters for basecamp or active use, but I like the Cooper Canyon series because of its traditional campground shape. I find it easier to furnish and organize the interiors of a large tent with straight angles like these.
Good design makes these tents look smaller than they are but the easily fit 5 – 12 people with great specs like 7-foot headroom, 35 pound weight and triple entry doors. Shown here are the 6 and the 12 person versions. My favorite is the Eureka Canyon 5 person tent with screen sunroom which is perfect for a family of 3-4 with young kids.
If you are 4 or more, with older kids I strongly suggest looking at tents with a rated capacity of double your family membership.
The current bestsellers on amazon feature quite a few tents with lots space at good prices. Coleman has a long history of topping list of most popular tents that offer a good balance between price, usability and quality..
If you want to up the scale a bit Eureka has several nice offers, as does Wenzel and Tahoe gear.
One tent that has risen to attention is the Browning Big Horn seen here which is a big cabin style tent, but manages to weigh in at a modest 30 pounds. The three pole design makes it easy to raise and it offers a good 7 foot 3 inches max height.
Affordable Medium-Sized Tent for Family Camping
A very popular choice!
The Grand Pass is highly rated and offers everything you need for a successful family outdoors trip.
This is a 18 x 10ft tent which the manufacturer has rated for 6-7 people but as with all such indications, this specifies how many you can fit lying down on the floor. Personally, for comfort, I suggest this is a 4 person tent.
The center height is 76 inches which is pretty good for a tent of this size and type. This is a current bestseller.
Mountain Trails Grand Pass 18- by 10-Foot, 2-Room 9 to 10-Person Family Dome Tent
Not the most sturdy tent but it comes at a very affordable price – perfect if you only make occasional trips to camp sites.
Wenzel Klondike 8 Person Cabin
Top selling tent with very good reviews
My Size Tip
The specs on a tent always says how many it sleeps maximum where all floor space is occupied. This is ok for short camping trips.
For longer duration outings with family or friends, calculate about half the capacity for comfort.
So a 6 person tent would be good for long stays of 3-4 persons.
Kodiak Double Room
Wenzel Kodiak Family Cabin Dome Tent
The smart interior design with gear loft and hanging pockets maximizes the usable area.
The configuration on this one is based on a fifty-fifty aproach where one half is entrance storage and awing while the other is a more dedicated sleeping area.
One of the hallmarks of the Kodiak DB is over 7 feet inner height.
Best Family Tent with Top Ratings
100% duct canvas fabrics.
The Kodiak Canvas is one of the highest rated tents for camping which keeps getting excellent reviews from recent buyers. It is made to act as a mini-cabin and the D-shaped doors at front and back, allow you to easily enter the structure. The image above does not do it justice because this is a spacious 10 x 14 foot structure which has 4 meshed windows and additional frame ventilation. Canvas itself also breathes and if you are looking for a tent without condensation problems – this is the one!
Lightweight Family Tent by Lightspeed
A family tent for backpacking!
This is arguably one of the best lightweight camping tents on the market and it gets my thumbs-up. This is a light yet wind-resistant tent that is suitable for sporty family camping where portability is a priority. A perfect backpacking tent for park excursions and true hiking with the family or fishing crew.
The Lightspeed Ample is a 6 person tent so it is a bit smaller than the others. I suggest this means it is suitable for a family of max 3-4 persons. The boon is that it is unbelievably light at 13 pounds, and very quick to raise.
Lightspeed Ample 6 Tent
A highly rated family tent for true backpacking and hiking.
Very lightweight and fast to raise. Low weight is a priority on this tent and it won’t be as comfortable as a true base-camp shelter.
6 person Coleman Instant Tent
Coleman 6-Person Instant Tent
Another best seller by Coleman this time a 10 x 9 foot 6 person boxtype structure
This is a spacious but lightweight tent which weighs just under 24 pounds!
Single room configuration and six foot inner height make this one perfect for events. While it takes 6 sleepers, 3 – 4 people will have enough space for gear.