Where to camp for first time?

[Anonymous]

I grew up camping with an RV and would often sleep in a tent. I love it and don’t mind roughing it. My husband has never been real camping, though we did stay at one of the Instagram tiny house campgrounds a few times.

My four year old is begging to go camping this summer. Our other kid will be 21 months this summer. We have no equipment so straight up tent camping seems out of the question.

Any suggestions for good cabin rentals that feel like camping and that are on the lower end of the price spectrum?

[Anonymous]

No first-hand experience here, but my daughter’s scout troop went here a couple times and enjoyed it.

[url] https://www.thetreehousecamp.com/

[Anonymous]

Check for KOA campsites. They have cabins in some places.

[Anonymous]

Several Virginia state parks have rustic cabins. Douthat State Park is gorgeous. Shenandoah River State Park is closer, and has both cabins and yurts.

[Anonymous]

A few ideas:

1. Most regional/state parks have cabin rentals. They will also have bathroom facilities/running water (if the cabins don’t have bathrooms).

2. Skyland in Shenandoah NP feels like camping to me: lots of hiking, junior ranger program for the kids, but a dining room so you don’t have to cook. You can get a lodge room or a cabin.

3. Also in Shenandoah: Lewes Mt Cabins. There’re more to do at Skyland though.

4. Blue Moon Rising at Deep Creek Lake is closer to “tiny house” glamping, but I thought it was fun.

5. Also near Deep Creek Lake (because the resort gives you entertainment options when your kids get bored with “camping” like mine did at that age): Ella’s Enchanted Treehouses. I’ve never stayed there but it looks fun.

OR…

6. Borrow a tent and pitch it in your yard. Borrow a solo stove for a “camp fire”. We did this during Covid to entertain the kids (a little older than yours are now). They loved it.

[Anonymous]

Little Bennett Campground is a Montgomery County park that offers camping. We've brought our own tent, but rentals are available for canvas tents and yurts, too!

https://montgomeryparks.org/parks-and-trails/little-bennett-regional-park/little-bennett-campground/

[Anonymous]

I think both Bull Run & Pohick Bay Regional Parks have camping cabins. You still use the communal bathhouse & there is a fire ring, etc., but the structure is provided for you.

https://www.novaparks.com/cabins-camping/cabins-cottages/camping-cabins

We first took our first kid camping at age 1.5, and both kids (now tween & teen) still really enjoy it, dozens of trips later.

[Anonymous]

Cape Henlopen, Delaware

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A few ideas:

1. Most regional/state parks have cabin rentals. They will also have bathroom facilities/running water (if the cabins don’t have bathrooms).

2. Skyland in Shenandoah NP feels like camping to me: lots of hiking, junior ranger program for the kids, but a dining room so you don’t have to cook. You can get a lodge room or a cabin.

3. Also in Shenandoah: Lewes Mt Cabins. There’re more to do at Skyland though.

4. Blue Moon Rising at Deep Creek Lake is closer to “tiny house” glamping, but I thought it was fun.

5. Also near Deep Creek Lake (because the resort gives you entertainment options when your kids get bored with “camping” like mine did at that age): Ella’s Enchanted Treehouses. I’ve never stayed there but it looks fun.

OR…

6. Borrow a tent and pitch it in your yard. Borrow a solo stove for a “camp fire”. We did this during Covid to entertain the kids (a little older than yours are now). They loved it.

These are great suggestions! At that age my kids considered camping anything with a campfire and a park ranger.

You may also consider the Peaks of Otter lodge. It is rustic.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for all the suggestions. I’ll have to check them all out. I’m not sure my husband will go for a public bathroom! 😂

[Anonymous]

This whole camping thing sounds dreadful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This whole camping thing sounds dreadful.

To you. To many of us, it’s really fun and a source of great memories with and for our kids. To each her own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Little Bennett Campground is a Montgomery County park that offers camping. We've brought our own tent, but rentals are available for canvas tents and yurts, too!

https://montgomeryparks.org/parks-and-trails/little-bennett-regional-park/little-bennett-campground/

+1. A yurt is a good option. They have lots of kids activities and you are only 10 minutes from civilization (strip malls) if you need anything.