Why (and how) we started camping as a family

My family LOVES to go camping. We have been 11 times since last Labor day, stopping in October and starting again in April. When we started, it evolved from an all day trip to the park. We would take the kids to the park for the whole day, pack the cooler, and bring lots of things to make us comfortable for the whole day. I would set up a little area for naps, pack two meals, and lots of stuff to keep the kids occupied. We would stay all day, and always be sad when it was dark and time to go. It was also a lot of work for just one day. But, the kids always had so much fun, and so did Hubby and I. The kids were experiencing nature more, and were fighting less. So, we decided to try camping, even though we had no equipment, and no experience. We ended up renting a rustic cabin at Millersylvania State Park in Olympia, Washington. It was several hours away, but was the only thing available that weekend, and we were lucky to get it. Someone must have canceled because finding a cabin is rare. It was also scheduled to rain (and rain it did !) and there was a fire ban in Washington when I booked it (which was lifted the day we got there) 

Our first camping trip

Millersylvania State Park

Memorial day weekend, 2015

We had a great time, despite the rain. There were some things we liked, and some things we did not. We decided we would keep camping and find a better place for our family. This first campground had no playground and the tent sites did not have electricity. We could not afford to continue to camp in a cabin (nor could we even find any available anywhere!). 

We started discussing this and looking for campsites, and couldn't find any really at all After calling looking for some, we were advised of walkup sites. These are only available on a first come, first serve basis and cant be reserved   That sounded crazy to us. Basically, we would have to pack up all our stuff and just go and hope we could get a campsite. We were not really sure about that but we decided to try and if we couldn't get anything, we would stay for the day and then come home. 

We ended up going to Fishermen's Bend near Lyons, Oregon. They  have electricity in the sites, and a playground. We were able to get a site and were so very excited, The camp host was so nice. He looks like Sy from Duck Dynasty and everyone calls him that! He was very helpful to us. He taught us how to make a fire and even found us a tent when we forgot ours once! We ended up going there three times last fall and had such a great time, we became hooked on camping. 

First camping trip at Fishermen's Bend Recreation

September, 2015

Our kids seem to sleep so much better in the woods. There were several times we felt colds coming on, and the fresh air really seemed to help. We get a lot more family time while camping, and there is less fighting between my kids (if I keep them entertained!). My children are making childhood memories they will never forget, are learning about nature, and seeing new places. They love camping, and hopefully will continue the tradition with their own families some day. 

We tried another campsite last fall. We went to Beverly Beach State Park and got rained out. When we left on Sunday, all of us, and all of our stuff was soaked! We were done for the season after that! 

Beverly Beach State Park 

October, 2015

We spent the next few months gathering equipment and doing research to be better, more efficient campers.When Spring Break rolled around, we decided to go camping during our time off. We booked another cabin at Battleground Lake State Park. It didn't take but an hour to get there, but it rained most of the time. We had Easter there. I did an egg hunt for the kids, and they met a boy who took them fishing for the first time. For some reason, I have no pictures from that trip. Although it may have been a better experience in the summer, being able to go to the lake and really enjoy the area, we haven't been back and I'm not sure we will be. We booked another trip to Beverly Beach after that, and the weather was great. We were right next to the park, so the kids played there pretty much all day. It didn't rain, BUT, some guy backed his truck into the main water line, and all of the water ended up in our campsite! Hubby was not happy. 

After that, we have been back to Fishermen's Bend three times this year. We tried to go in the middle of March, but they were closed so we ended up at Silver Falls State Park. That place is beautiful. We were lucky to get a site. That campground is always booked. But we don't care, we love Fishermen's Bend the best. The first trip to Fishermen's Bend this year, we got rained out. We have been experimenting with tarps, and ours was not placed right that first time. It sagged and filled with water and our canopy, which was tied to the tarp, fell over, on to the top of the tarp, getting everything wet underneath. 

That didn't stop us. For memorial day weekend, we ended up at Viento State Park in the Columbia River Gorge. We were right on a busy train line, but it didn't bother us much. We were happy to be there for the long weekend and that we were able to get a spot at all. Once it got hot, we went to Fishermen's Bend again. It was hot but we brought a fan, and were just really happy to not be in the rain. We actually planned that trip on a Friday after work, and arrived before it got dark to set up. We were very impressed with ourselves. We keep boxes packed with camping equipment, which makes it alot easier to get out  and on the road quickly. 

Fishermen's Bend 

Spur of the Moment trip

June 2016

Now that school is out, we have been back to Fishermen;s Bend once more. We had such a great time there last weekend, for four nights. The weekend started with rain, but we have improved with our tarp skills drastically. My friend and her kids came with us on this last trip and her oldest son was such a big help. He found a long stick with a smaller stick nailed to the top, that formed a T. We used that to hold the tarp up and it worked perfectly. 

This last trip was the most successful and the most fun. We ate well, relaxed, and spent a lot of time together. The weather improved greatly over the four days were were there and we didn't want to leave when it was time to go. 

Fishermen's Bend, Again, for 4 nights (with friends) 

June 2016 

 We have another trip planned in August there, for eight nights. Next weekend we are headed back to Beverly Beach. We are very excited to go there in the summer. 

As you can probably tell, we love camping. I have a lot of blog ideas for campers and families with children who like to go camping like we do. I have recipe  ideas, packing tips, and ideas to keep kids entertained. Follow my blog for more  posts on camping.