Family Camping Vacations
By drutle, March 17th 2010 in Travel Guides Comments (1)
There's no better way to get away from the rat race of everyday life than by taking family camping vacations. It is a very inexpensive and fun time for all ages. The family will grow closer and communicate with each other and get back to basics. There are many fantastic options to choose from, beach, lakes, bush, or even your own backyard.
If your family loves the beach, you can have a exciting and fun filled vacation. Most beaches in the U.S. will offer some type of camping facility near the ocean. You can't camp on the beach, but some offer a transportation service that will take you from the campground to the beach and some other local areas. You never have to move your car the entire time you are camping.
If your family would prefer to be out in the bush, it will allow your family an opportunity to communicate with nature, breathe fresh air and to enjoy a relaxed life style. Sitting around the campfire at night is time when the entire family and sit and relax and reflect, tell stories and communicate with each other. Most state and federal national parks offer both primitive and modern campsite facilities, and at a very reasonable rate. Here you can enjoy the raw beauty of nature.
A hiking vacation can be fun for the experienced and inexperienced. Numerous park systems offer pre-made trails. They vary from short 1 to 2 hour hikes to an all day track. Be sure to check all regulations in the area where you want to hike. Make sure someone knows where you are going and when you are expected to be back.
A camping vacation definitely requires some planning ahead. Be sure to take everything with you that you will need, prices are very expensive at or near the parks. Be sure to take something for everyone to do in case of rainy days when it is impossible to get out of the camper or tent.
You will want to check all the facilities the camp has such as water connections,bathroom facilities, and firewood availability if you are planning to use wood. Don't forget the lanterns, flashlights and extra batteries for night time. It is a good idea to print your list on the computer so it can be printed out and then stored and changed if needed for the next trip.
Be sure to check with management about the rules and regulations that apply at your campground. Obey rules about feeding or attracting wildlife so not to be in danger and to not get booted out of the camp.
Family camping vacations allow you to get back to nature and enjoy the simple things in life. Pick destinations that offer variety of things to do so everyone will enjoy themselves. A camping vacation can be one of the most enjoyable and memorable things that you can do as a family. Whether you are in a tent, or take a RV or camper, you can relax and unwind. It is a great chance to spend quality time as a family and get to know each other a lot better.
Some places allow dogs, otrehs don't. In my area, dogs aren't permitted in state campgrounds, but most commercial campgrounds allow them as long as you clean up after them, don't leave them unattended, and keep them on a leash. I bring my 85-Lb shepherd with me and she is happy to sleep next to me in the tent, on top of an old sleeping bag I cut in half. However, dogs are never allowed in or around rental cabins/trailers. Not a problem if you sleep in a tent or your own RV.Start off on short trips close to home and make note of the things you used, things you brought but didn't need, and things you forgot. Organization and lists make for happy trips. And yes, it does make sense to plan and pack things in groups: Shelter and Furniture (table, chairs), Cooking/Eating Gear, Clothing/Foul Weather, Food, Water, Warmth (fire), First Aid/Safety. Some tips: Make sure to practice setting-up camp at home a few times before you go camping, especially your tent.Tie a silvery ribbon at chest and shin height on any guy lines to help prevent tripping over them. Your tent should go on top of a ground sheet or footprint. The ground sheet should be a few inches shorter than the tent floor on all sides to avoid collecting water if it rains.12-hour chemical light sticks are handy for marking your tent and any obstacles in your campsite and also make good night lights for younger kids.Get a cheap set of tableware (knives/forks/spoons), reusable plastic plates and bowls, and a plastic tub to hold them. Add some pre-soaped scouring sponges in a zip-lock bag, a couple of old dish towels and a piece of cheesecloth. Use the tub as a sink, running the dirty water through a cheesecloth before throwing it out (away from camp and all water sources). Put the debris collected in the cheesecloth in with your trash.Coghlan's Mosquito Coils do work. Off Bug Lanterns work too and look nicer, but mosquito coils use the same chemical, take less space and are and less expensive.DEET is still the best bug repellent, but keep it away from synthetic materials. Permethrin is an insecticide that can be used to treat clothing, including synthetics, but should not be applied to skin. I wear a Permetrhin-treated buff to keep the bugs away from my head, then spray DEET on my arms and legs if exposed. Skin-so-soft and other alternative products never worked for me.Never bring food into or nearby your tent. Unless specific bear protection measures are recommended, it is best to store the food and trash in the trunk of your car. Setup your kitchen/dining area away from your tent. Scented hygiene products such as toothpaste, soap and deodorant may also attract animals and insects, so store with your food. Leave make-up and hair products at home.Use separate coolers for food and beverages. Your food will keep better without people opening the cooler frequently for drinks. Use frozen disposable water bottles, filled 3/4 full of water and frozen, instead of ice. They will last longer, your food won't wind up soaked in water from melting ice, and can be reused. When you do need to add ice, block ice lasts longer than cubes.Freeze any food you can that won't be needed the first day or two. Your ice will last longer.Give everyone a good emergency whistle and teach them that when you hear the whistle blow, stop whatever you're doing and head back to the tent. If you're lost, hug a tree and blow your whistle until help arrives.LED flashlights last longer and are brighter than bulbs. LED headlights are the same, but leave both hands free.Energizer Ultra Lithium Batteries, available in AA and AAA size, are lighter and run longer than alkaline batteries, especially in cold weather. Keep bucket full of water, or two buckets of loose dirt/sand, and a shovel near your campfire for emergencies.Coleman makes many fine grills, many of which use aluminum grilling surfaces, which saves both weight and cost. Resist the temptation to put a pot or griddle on top of this aluminum BBQ grill it will cause the aluminum to overheat and melt in a most spectacular way. Instead, get the appropriate Coleman Griddle or Put Burner accessories if desired, or bring a separate stove.I could go on and on. Check out the Expert Advice section on REI.COM (see below) for more help..