I have done a lot of tent camping. I have come to the conclusion that it sux. The only thing worse than tent camping in the rain is tent camping anytime with women!

I have a travel trailer but still enjoy tent camping. Speaking of camping with women, I camped in a tent in Yellowstone with my wife and daughter for 7 days. That was an adventure with the possibility of bison and bears coming into camp. We all thoroughly enjoyed it!

Dont fall for the money grabbing "overland" companies selling glamping stuff for major $$$.
Grab a few folding chairs for $10 each, simple dome tent, and prep some foil meals at home to toss on the fire.
Keep it simple and prep as much food at home as possible so you dont have cutting boards, dishes and all the other stuff that go along with cooking a full meal.

If you're going in a full size, 4dr truck you have plenty of room for a Gazelle tent. Plenty of room, well built and just like in the videos set up in about two minutes. Mine would easily sleep a couple and a small child, maybe more. I go on a hunt every year that requires a tent and this is great. I've tried a lot of options and this works best for me. Air mattress's that inflate off of a 12volt pump work, but a folding cot is better for my situation. The ease of set up and take down is the big thing on this tent. If you've ever tried to set up a decent tent alone in the wind, or in the dark that's a big deal. I did a lot of backpacking, longest trip was four nights in the Weminuche. Small tent, roll up pad, sleeping bag and everything on my back. If I have a full size truck, I'm gonna have a tent plenty big and a bed I can look forward to.

You wanna see this tent, let me know. I'll let you set it up and take it down.

That being said, what would you have wrapped up in a good to go setup. Big bucks?

Max traxx boards, skottle, Sno Peak stuff, fancy stove, RTT, and things like that. Does the stuff work? It does but is it needed to take the family on a weekend camping trip? Probably not.
I will say 1 of the gimmikie things that has been very nice and not only for camping is a 12 volt fridge/freezer.

Along the journey I’ve managed to enjoy a fair amount of flying, sailing, and overland adventures. So far, besides North America, I’ve toured Australia, Asia, and Europe, mostly driving Toyota Land Cruisers.

Like most, I started with weekend trips in my youth in a cheap truck and sleeping bag. After dealing with hoodlums grabbing things from the truck bed and nasty weather, I built a used cargo van into a moto-hauler. It served me well for race weekends, hunting and fishing.

My advice is to start by figuring out what your dream is and chase it. Some want to see and experience the world, others want to rock crawl.

After you figure out your goal, plan for it first, then gear up for a successful adventure. Besides your budget, keep your partner’s comfort level in mind when gearing up.

Regarding family camping, I was told at one point in my life that the only member of the family I should plan to take hunting, fishing, or camping was the dog... If your wife isn’t really into the outdoors it’s unlikely she’s going to enjoy primitive camping, rooftop tent or not. You can always start by just plotting a course in your daily driver from one Airbnb to the next to see places on your bucket list and save the overland style camping for you and your friends that enjoy it.

My quiver is currently full of overland vehicles. I’m the original owner of my expedition ready FJ80 Toyota Land Cruiser, a nearly restored 2004 Suburban 4x4, and most recently a 2020 Sprinter Van that I’m building into a toy, tool and vintage Airstream hauler. I also have a sport touring bike that’s made the round trip between Texas to Canada a few times. After the Sprinter is built, I’ll likely decide what stays and what goes.

As much as I love camping and seeing other parts of the country, as a recent empty nester, I purchased a seasonal glacier lake campground to base out of in the summer months. The campsites are rented annually and in some cases by the same families for generations.

Seeing and experiencing everything on the bucket list is important but when it comes time to enjoying the free time you have each week, especially if you’re a city dweller, a permanent cabin or campsite within a couple of hours from home at a favorite location makes for a really nice lifestyle and family memories.

Enjoy~