Family Camping Vacations- is it really as good as it sounds?

[Anonymous]

I grew up going to family camp (stepdad was BSA and the organization has camps for families) - it was awesome. We had the cabin for two weeks, lakeside, and it really was fantastic. You get to unplug, unwind, and connect with each other and your camper neighbors. Highly recommend (although I haven't yet gone as "mom").

[Anonymous]

This was pretty much the only vacation we did as kids and it was great. I really want to go this summer (DS is 3.5 now) but I am due with #2 in August and don't think it will be all that fun when i am 8 months pregnant lol.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Go to Jellystone in Luray. You'll have a blast. It's only just barely camping. You can rent a cabin or bring a tent. All tent sites have water and power (coffee maker, fan, etc). There is a pool, water slide, playground, café on site and they have crafts and games throughout the day.

I'd avoid Jellystone. Shenandoah National Park is far preferable.

[Anonymous]

Ignore all the wussy PPs who say camping is hell. Just pick where you want to go and make sure there are hot showers and somewhere nearby for supplies if you run out. There are books and online directories of campgrounds. Just pick somewhere scenic like a national park, lake, mountains, etc. and find a campground with good facilities. The closer to nature the better. That's the whole point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This was pretty much the only vacation we did as kids and it was great. I really want to go this summer (DS is 3.5 now) but I am due with #2 in August and don't think it will be all that fun when i am 8 months pregnant lol.

Wait a year, trust me. I'm a big camper pp, and I gave it up at 6 months pregnant. It was just not worth it. I was back out when the kid was about 4 months old though. It was easy then, as we just bought a bigger tent and the pack and play was in the tent with us at night and out during the day. It was the only time I think we ever really embraced the "play" part.

[Anonymous]

I used to love this place when I was a kid, Lake Sherwood in WV -- swimming in the lake, riding bikes everywhere, fishing. We used to rent a camper though, so no tent. It's probably 4 hours away.

http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/mnf/null/recarea/?recid=7008&actid=82

[Anonymous]

I grew up RVing, and I do have some regrets that we're not taking the kids camping at least once a year. Maybe we should start again, now that kids are 6 and 9. We went tent camping with them once when they were 3 and 6 and it was HELL. Even though it was car camping at a state park (and mercifully there were showers and bathrooms) it was HOT as HELL (it was like the hottest weekend of the summer). We ran a fan into the tent and that helped some but still. HOT. Mosquitoes were BAD. One child got two ticks and the other got 1. The real kicker though was that everyone said, oh, the kids will wear themselves out and they will sleep like a dream. Wrong. They were so wound up by the novelty and the bouncy blow up mattresses they did not go to bed until almost midnight and woke up at 6 am. AAAAAHHHHHHH. That's been enough to turn us off camping ever since. We will bunk up in my parents winnebago though once a year or so (AC, beds, lights, microwaves, etc). I feel so inadequate.....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ignore all the wussy PPs who say camping is hell. Just pick where you want to go and make sure there are hot showers and somewhere nearby for supplies if you run out. There are books and online directories of campgrounds. Just pick somewhere scenic like a national park, lake, mountains, etc. and find a campground with good facilities. The closer to nature the better. That's the whole point.

+1. Camping was a big part of my life growing up and I'm glad it's a part of my kids' lives, too. We have so much fun- and I tent camped at 8 months pregnant- it can be done!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you talking about a "Family Camp" or camping as a family for a week?

We go to a YMCA Family Camp every summer, used to be a full week but now just Labor Day weekend. It's great! We started when the kids were 3 & 4 and it was the first actual vacation I had as a mom -- all the meals are provided (served family style), the kids were off doing stuff with their group during the a.m. DH and I got to sit and read a book, go for a bike ride or hike, horseback riding, etc. Afternoons were for family time. Very little logistics to have to deal with for me. My kids are in middle school now and we all still love going every summer. Our family camp is Deer Valley,http://www.deervalleyymca.org/ They are likely fully booked for the summer but do sometimes have cancellations.

Actual camping for a whole week I wouldn't love. I don't want to do all the cooking in that setting. I have enjoyed the Jellystone or big KOA style campgrounds for a weekend, but that is my limit.

+1

We went to Deer Valley for a decade. It is a magical place.

[Anonymous]

Mosquitos!

Definitely rent a cabin with A/C. Find an area with a lot of things to do. Even supervising 3 boys swimming is exhausting and can be stressful so make sure you are planning for something restful for yourself as well.

[Anonymous]

I think you can get cabins in Penna. State Parks and also in W. Va. State Parks. But you probably need to reserve now or it may already be too late.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We love camping, but 2-3 nights is amout my limit.

This is what we do. Leave by lunch time on Friday to arrive at the park with plenty of daylight and energy to set up camp and have dinner and time to relax.
Sunday morning we get up and pack so we can return home and unpack and get ready for the workweek.
We don't go any longer as then I have to worry about showering and washing hair. SHowering is a pain and the kids are dirty within minutes again anyway, so why bother?
Plus it's a TON more stuff!

I'd start with pitching the tent in the backyard, then renting a yurt or cabin then try a weekend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Go to Jellystone in Luray. You'll have a blast. It's only just barely camping. You can rent a cabin or bring a tent. All tent sites have water and power (coffee maker, fan, etc). There is a pool, water slide, playground, café on site and they have crafts and games throughout the day.

I'd avoid Jellystone. Shenandoah National Park is far preferable.

Agreed, some kids at a Jellystone said some sketchy things to my kid.

Anyway you'd want a National Park or State Park at least. They have strciter rules about camping and staff will be about checking things out. The chain campgrounds don't have the scenery of a National Park.

[Anonymous]

My one piece of advice would be to do a couple local one-night camp outs with the kids to get your feet wet before you commit to a whole week. Personally, I only like to camp in late spring and early fall, because the bugs and sweltering heat make it much less enjoyable mid-summer.

[Anonymous]

If you are talking about a family group camp experience at a lodge type place I'd say go for it and be prepared to send the 2 older kids off to do stuff with other kids and spend a lot of time with the 3 year old.
As for tent camping we did it every summer since before I was one (in Yosemite!) but only in later years did we hear my mom's complaints about how inconvenient it was to do all the family chores campside. We waited until our 2 kids were 5 and 7 and have had some very fun long weekends.