For your budget...
My boyfriend and I use a [4-person Coleman Skydome](https://www.amazon.com/Coleman-SKYDOME-Tent-Evergreen-C002/dp/B08KGBX5W1) for car camping, and it fits us both very comfortably. After using it a few times we are able to set it up in 5 or less minutes. It will fit your dog with no problem.
I'd suggest that if you're only planning to car camp, to get a 4-person tent. When we were first starting out, I was even considering the [4-person Instant Cabin by Coleman](https://www.coleman.com/camp-sports/tents-by-size/4-person-cabin-camping-tent-with-instant-setup/SAP_2206916.html). Literally just pops up.
The NEMO Aurora has had good reputation but not sure if the interior space will be comfortable with the three of you in it. I definitely suggest looking into 4-person tents to have extra space if that's important to you as well.
I bought a Coleman, 7x7 dome tent with a vestibule in 2003, on clearance for $25. I still use it. Although I only use it for car camping, it's been a great little tent!
I have one of these, plenty of room for me 6'2", and my 11 yo son 5'4" and our gear.
It's a nice tent for times when you don't need the rain fly but there's lots of bugs so free-ballin it in a hammock would be miserable.
It's a little stuffy with the rain fly on, but you get the vestibule for shoes/boots etc with the fly on. You can get a solar powered tent fan for pretty cheap to alleviate the stuffyness.
I have a skydome with vestibule and use it during rainy season to camp. We had a 3 day camping trip where it rained nonstop the entire time pretty hard and I didnt have any issues.
We’ve car camped with a Coleman instant up (I think a Skydome 4) for 11 years. It survived a derecho at high elevation in 2020, and it has seen lots of rain and hail. We still use it for car camping a few times a year. There’s one pole on it that’s taped, couple patched up holes, and when it quits we’ll buy another one. For the price I don’t think we could ask much more out of it. Not saying you can’t do better, but they’re definitely not junk.
Our Troop has been using 4-person and 6-person Coleman Skydome tents for the last several years. The boys are rough on tents, so priorities are cost and ease of repair.
Positives:
- The tents themselves are quick to set up and pack away.
- They are well ventilated.
- Inexpensive and reasonably durable.
Negatives:
- They are not especially light, weighting between 8 and 13 lbs.
- Poles are attached to the tent, which makes them easy to pack but could be a problem if a pole needs to be replaced.
- Can handle rain when set up correctly, but may allow in water in a severe storm.
On that last point, it's hard for me to provide a completely objective assessment because we have had Skydome tents become soggy in very bad weather, but this may be because of boys leaving the vent on the door open rather than issues with the tent itself.
Top Camping Tents on Reddit
1
The North Face
Wawona 6
86% positive of 132 users
Spacious vestibule, strong in storms, but rainfly tricky solo.
matchabeans
