Spicer Peak 6

Big Agnes spicer 6 is what I got. Tall enough to stand in with a full coverage fly. Any tent that big is going to be way easier to set up with 2 people.

This budget allows for much nicer tents and the big Agnes spicer 4 or 6 would be a way better option.

I just think $400 per item is a solid budget for really nice, comfy, quality stuff and people are recommending you essentially raid the camping aisle at Walmart. I’d check out Big Agnes Spicer 4 or 6 for a tent. I love the 6 but it can be a little large depending on where you’re putting it. I’d check out Hest for sleeping pads. That’s what I’d have if they were in my budget. So comfortable! I also love the Nemo roamer XL and some exped pads too. I’d stay away from air mattresses (cold, bulky, less comfortable) and backpacking pads (thinner, sometimes noisier, less comfy) too. For sleeping bags I’d consider going back to big Agnes. I don’t think you need to spend the $400 per item here since it’s just car camping but I honestly love my big Agnes echo park sleeping bag and use it a ton car camping. I can’t stand mummy bags so that’s a backpacking only thing for me. North face makes some other good options and so does Kelty in terms of car camping. I’d probably recommend a cotton liner so it’s really easy to take out and wash. These can be bought seperate from the sleeping bag. If I had a $400 budget to cook I’d totally get some sort of nice flat grill, probably a blackstone. Something that disassembles well and fits in the car would be sweet. I’ve also seen a couple of recommendations for jackery and that’s another good example of a budget brand where you probably don’t need to be buying the budget brand. Anker is far superior in quality and there are plenty of batter options in your budget. I’ve had TONS of camp chairs and really can’t find a better chair than the Kelty lowdown. Kelty isn’t necessarily known for their quality but they’ve got chairs figured out. I’ve had good luck with quite a few lanterns so it might be worth shopping around for features you like, but I liked the black diamond Apollo probably the best of any I’ve had.

I have this too but my kids are small. I can set up the 6 person alone and I’m only 5’5 (hard to do the fly if it’s windy though) so I bet OP can do it alone . But it’s easier with my 7 year old helping me. It will be tight with 4 adults and we didn’t bring our gear into the tent because our car is always parked close. You may want bigger, OP.

I have the Big Agnes spicer 6 person. It’s pretty decent and if you watch the sales or find a used one, I think it’ll be in your price range. If you go for the 4 person, it should also be cheaper but also less space.

I’d go with at least a 6 person tent - those kids grow fast. We have the Big Agnes Spicer 6. It can get set up by one adult when needed and my husband (just under 6’) can stand up in the tent.

I have a big Agnes spicer 6. I can set it up alone and it’s perfect for me and my two kids. It’s tall enough that my husband can stand in it when he joins us for camping trips - but gets a bit tight with all 4 of us in there. It is still a dome tent but a bigger one.

I have a Big Agnes Spicer 6 (I think it’s discontinued) and am 5’5 - I can put it up alone. I’m guessing you’d be able to put up the 4 person big house alone.

I have the Big Agnes Gold Camp 6 person. It’s been so much fun to camp in. They stopped making it, but you can still find it online. 

I have a 3 person Big Agnes ultralight tent. I believe it's called ~~Tiger Wall~~ Copper Spur. With it properly staked using all guy lines it stood up to some very heavy gusts that toppled a few nearby tents and destroyed our canopy. I don't recall the tent even being deformed, it was like the wind just passed right over it. And it weighs next to nothing. Our older car camping tent is a large 6 person Big Agnes that we have used countless times and kept us dry during numerous heavy rain storms and moderate winds. We put it away for a while when we upgraded to a camper. It got brought out recently after sitting for probably 3 years and was as good as ever. I've had a North face tent disintegrate in the stuff sack in a shorter time span. Edit: It is the Copper Spur. Tiger Wall I bought initially but exchanged because I didn't like how it pitched.

Also a Minnesota camper (car camper who prefers cart-in sites). I don’t know what you consider modestly-sized, but since I started camping with 2 dogs, I have grown to love my Columbia Mammoth Creek 8-person, which has a rain fly that doesn’t cover the windows. (I also have a Big Agnes 6-person and an REI Kingdome 4, which are more modestly sized, but each of those has a full length rain fly.) Last summer I took the Columbia tent to Whitewater State Park and there were horrible storms. It rained so hard, I expected to wake up to puddles inside. Surprisingly, everything stayed dry. I really love that tent. They’re hard to find now, but the Coleman Tenaya Lake tent looks kind of similar. https://preview.redd.it/eocaiq3nmcff1.jpeg?width=800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=900e81b78d8a67ba02e760e016eb7cc424849e99

Big Agnes is selling some tents at 50 to 70% off. I have seven tents, I need one for car camping, so I bought a 6 man tent for a little over $200. High quality. Relatively light weight.