The best family tents 2023: spacious shelters for the whole tribe

There's never been quite so much choice when it comes to the best family tents. From palatial shelters that eschew traditional poles in favor of inflatable air beams, to classic dome and geodesic castles of canvas, you really are spoilt for choice.

We've enjoyed testing the best family tents on our vacations and last minute micro-adventures with the little ones and our buddies. The result is this guide, which gives you a range of options to choose from, as everyone will have a different best tent depending on the needs of their tribe and the seasons they plan to camp in.

Put simply, the 14 shelters featured here are among the best camping tents around in 2023. We particularly love the Big Agnes Tensleep, a classic poled tent capable of sleeping six. Meanwhile, when it comes to air tents, we adore the Outwell Airville 6SA for its ease of pitch and quality components.

The quick list

This is the quick list, a brief overview of the best family tents available in 2023. To delve deeper to see what makes each of these excellent shelters tick, see our more detailed reviews further down the page in this guide.

The best family tents we recommend in 2023

The best family tent overall

Under wide-open skies, a tent can feel small and cramped – but not the Tensleep. We found that the floor plan sleeps six people comfortably. Six people means a lot of small gear floating around, but there’s a collection of gear loops, mesh pockets, cargo pockets and media pockets to keep everything off the ground and ready when needed. The huge front vestibule can be transformed into a screened-in porch that holds a camp chair or two – handy for eating and playing games when the weather’s not so great. And when it’s warm, fly walls can be rolled up to improve ventilation on hot summer nights. Spend enough nights outside and you’ll probably encounter some really nasty weather, but storm flaps on the vestibule and closed mesh windows create a safe haven in a thunderstorm.

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The best family tent for headroom

Kids love camping and the best way to create lifelong memories of campfire ghost stories under a moonlit sky is to start with a comfortable shelter. No one wants to remember complicated tent set-up instructions, cramped sleeping bags, or wet floors. We found that the Jade Canyon is well suited for family camping adventures. Near-vertical walls increase living space and the 7ft tall ceiling lets parents stand tall, getting everything below organized.

With continuous pole sleeves, hubs and clips, we found that setup was as easy as assembling a familiar puzzle on the kitchen table; fast, quick and with a shared sense of success. The durable steel and aluminum frame keeps the shelter stable and dry when the weather turns foul. Although there is no porch, which cuts down on storage space, there’s plenty of room inside for a family card game when rain interrupts outside play.

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The best portable family tent

After a long day climbing, paddling, hiking, trail running or fishing for a trophy to put on the wall, a comfortable tent is a wonderful reward. We think the Tallboy’s high ceiling makes changing into dry clean clothes an easier process. A wide large single door keeps entry traffic manageable. Set-up features a familiar fiberglass X-pole construction so we were able to switch from set-up to ‘go have fun kids’ mode quickly. It’s often-overlooked but taking a tent down at the end of the trip can be a frustrating process of stuffing pounds of fabric into a barely big enough stuff sack. Kelty’s ‘Shark Mouth’ duffel design makes take down as easy as set-up.

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The best family tent for comfort

We think that the Kingdom 6 is as comfortable as a hotel room (without the room service). Vertical walls and a large rectangular floor plan creates a comfortable living space for a family of up to six. A zippered center divider creates two rooms for couples, parents, kids, friends and pets.

A combination of hubbed pole system, sleeves, clips and color-coded tent, fly and footprint elements make set-up foolproof, even for first time campers. Two very large doors give all six campers easy, unencumbered access. We like the mesh panels and doors, which deliver both ventilation and views of the surrounding environment. The mesh keeps the bugs outside after dark, while the huge multi-purpose vestibule can be used as an awning.

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The best twin-bedroom family tent

With two cosy sleeping compartments, and a large main communal space in the middle, which opens to a good-sized vestibule, this six-person tent is wonderfully roomy for a family of four to six (a slightly smaller four-person version is also available). Fitted with lots of ventilation options, including a top vent system and mesh windows, we think the Badawi is a great choice for warmer weather camping. Yet we found its clever multi-tunnel design and separate, double-walled sleeping compartments are robust and insulating enough to withstand colder and less clement conditions. Showcasing Vaude’s trademark top-quality materials, manufacturing and attention to detail, the color-coded poles and pole sleeves, and lightweight design allow quick and straightforward pitching. Simply one of the best family tent options around.

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The best family tent for bedroom size

This classic family tent features a fully enclosed, integrated awning with large windows that let in lots of light during the day and rollaway curtains for the evenings. The fully sewn-in groundsheet keeps the inside free from puddles and drafts, while mesh doors and AirZone panels allow good ventilation throughout. 

On test, we found there was plenty of headroom in the main living space, a number of hanging points for lanterns and lots of pockets, which is useful for keeping things organized, so you can find your headlamp when you need it. If you’re bothered by light mornings or evenings on camping trips, do not fear. We found that the blackout lining in the single, spacious sleeping compartment allowed us to sleep in for longer. The large master bedroom can be separated into two smaller rooms, if kids (or parents) want some privacy. This model is best suited for families with smaller children, but Vango offer numerous bigger tent options too.

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The best family air tent

As with many similar designs, the Valdes Deluxe 6XL consists of three distinct zones: sleeping area, living area and porch area. The sleeping area at the rear consists of three almost equally generously proportioned bedrooms, which can easily accommodate a double camp bed or inflatable mattress. In addition, each uses Coleman’s BlackOut system, which blocks out up to 99% of daylight – something we could certainly vouch for on test. Bedroom doors have half-height zipper stoppers, ensuring that zips are always within easy reach for children. Thanks to near-vertical sidewalls, head room is excellent throughout. 

We found that the living space was large enough to house a table and chairs and a spacious porch extends to the front. This has a canopy and sidewalls for shelter but no front door or groundsheet. The main door has an unusual rigid frame, meaning it opens and closes without needing to be folded or rolled away. Ventilation is also good throughout the tent, with mesh-lined vents above and below the main windows. There are ample storage pockets in the bedrooms and outside the bedroom doors, plus hanging loops for positioning camp lanterns and cable entry for power points. Pitching is relatively quick and easy, with a little practice.

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The best for keeping insects out

The Outwell Airville 6SA is a seriously spacious shelter, one of the best large tents available today. Provided your family will fit into its two bedrooms, it has all the living space you’ll ever need. On test, we found that pitching was easy thanks to the inflatable air beams employed throughout – there are no poles at all. A combination of guylines and webbing straps create a secure and sturdy weatherproof structure, aided by a polyester flysheet with a highly waterproof 6,000mm hydrostatic head.

The tent is basically configured in three zones – from rear to front, these are a sleeping zone, a living zone (with a handy side wing) and a front porch area, which can be used with or without a groundsheet. As well as the large front entrance, there are two additional side doors, offering flexible access and plenty of ventilation. Though it can sleep six, it’s the ideal setup for a group of four – either two couples, or parents and a couple of kids.