Anonymous wrote:I am looking for something to do the last week of August with my 8, 6, and 3 year old boys that will get us away from the norm here. I discovered the idea of Family Camping Vacations and wonder if anyone has done this before and can offer any BTDT? I would love to have a week away where we are all together, and thought it might be fun to spend a week in a rustic cabin (or even tent, if I plan well) and have semi-structured stuff we can choose to do. Has anyone done anything like this before and can give recommendations on camps or places to go? Willing to drive, and even fly, if need be- but it would be one parent with three boys- so hopefully not too much hassle to get there.

Veteran parent camper here. We have been camping several times a year since before we were married, while pregnant, with babies, toddlers, etc. and now our kids are 10 and 5. To pull off what you are considering, however, with kids as young as 6 and 3, you really need two caregivers. Someone needs to be able to watch the little ones while you shower, go to the bathroom, get water, etc., and 8 is kind of young for that responsibility. My 10YO could do it, though. So unless you can bring a friend, I would give it a couple of years. By then, your 6YO will be 8 and the 3YO will be 5. 3YOs and younger tend to like to wander from camp and they really don't think about danger, so someone needs to be vigilantly keeping track of them at all times. Camping is a fabulous way to vacation with kids. They love being outside all the time, biking, fishing, hiking, hanging out by the campfire. We have done it for up to a week at a time. This is pleasant so long as you are not at an overly crowded campground. Even one that is crowded during the weekends, but thins out during the week is fine. It does get old having to wait for toilets, showers, etc. day after day. In late August, places like Assateague and Shenandoah will likely be crowded all week long, but most others should be fine during the week.

Anonymous wrote: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.

Not all locations have big mosquito problems. We have camped a lot of places within 5 hours or so of DC, and mosquitos tend to be a problem to the east more so than to the west. We camp a lot in western Maryland (Garrett County) and have never noticed it to be a problem.

Anonymous wrote:I agree with others that if you are tent camping, 2-3 nights is about as long as you should plan for, and obviously car camping rather than backpacking. There are plenty of places that will have nice, clean facilities and hot showers (key for me!)

For a week, I'm a big fan of renting cabins. Virginia state parks are really nice and they have great cabins. Full kitchen with all of the cooking equipment and utensils you need, beds, showers, etc. Also air conditioning!

Only downside is your timing. If you go the last week of August, the state parks won't have as many activities, and they might have closed down the swimming areas, as they can't get the staff for lifeguards that late in the summer.

So, if you want to try the state park cabin idea, I'd try to find a week in late June - mid August. If you go that time of year, the parks will have daily activities for your kids, in addition to you all just doing family stuff on your own.

VA State Parks website is here:
http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/cabin-rentals.shtml

I swear I don't work for them--just a long-time fan!

for a new camper, a tent with 3 kids will be a huge leap. organization is key and it helps if you grew up camping.

as pp suggested, rent a cabin, and douthat park we had a GREAT time. take bikes and fishing poles. eat out once a day. there is not much around there but there was a grocery store and camp store. limit time to 3 to 4 nights first time.

one of the happiest part of my lives was at douthat before layoffs and job loss took its toll

Anonymous wrote:I have three boys and they love it. LOVE it. It's been, by far, their favorite thing that we've done as a family. I mean, dirt and sticks and roasted marshmallows and sleeping in a tent, what else could you possibly want?

Our very first camping trip was to Prince William Forest Park, which is just down I-95, between Woodbridge and Stafford. May I suggest going there for about two nights before you plan on a true camping vacation? It's close enough to civilization that you can run out to Walmart if you fail to pack something that you desperately need. (This happened to us on our first trip.) It's also close enough to things that we saw some of the other campers with Starbucks coffee cups in the mornings. Despite its proximity to things, it feels like it's in the middle of nowhere.

My idea of camping is a Best Western but PW forest is lovely place. We have gone there for day hikes.

With the 3 and 6 year old I would start small - go for a night or 2 somewhere close, so that of things don't work out be able to come home easily and build up from there. My own camping trip when I was small was about your eldest age and my brother was about 6. We stayed 2-3 nights beside a river. It was great! Swimming, fishing, playing all kinds of games.

This might not be as feasible with kids, but pre-kids, we did a few out west camping road trips where we camped at a different placw every night or two and stayed in hotels a couple of times for showers.
With kids, we've only camped 2 nights in a row but have a great time.
If you stay at a campground, a kid being in diapers is no big deal. I've camped 7 months pregnant, and also with a 4 mo old. We go at least a few times a year, mostly in spring and fall. But, OP, a week is a lot, especially if you aren't used to it.

Don't forget to schedule into your camping trip time for packing and unpacking. It seriously takes me and dh a whole day to pack for camping. If you forget to schedule this in, then you end up showing up at your camping site at 10 pm.

I like camping in a cabin at ygggi Bears jellystone. Most have water parks, fishing and tons of structured activities you can pick and choose from.

Agree that weather has a huge amount to do with how fun it is. Have been in windstorms and rain at Assateague but once it passes and the sun comes out you are glad you are at the beach - if it doesn't blow away your tent and last all day