Taking the Kids: Time to go Camping!
It's also affordable and more fun than corralling kids in a hotel room. Every time I've been at a campground in recent years, kids are (safely) out and about on scooters and bikes, making new friends -- as are the adults. That rarely happens at a hotel. It's also easier and less expensive to bring a friend along for the tween or teen (or only child), dogs too. All of the KOA parks, for example, are pet-friendly and have off-leash pet parks called Kamp K9s.
Another significant point: These days, camping isn't just about pitching a tent. It's about campgrounds like KOA's that may offer cabins, pools and organized activities. It's about RVing and "glamping," -- think of a resort where you may sleep in a platform tent with luxury amenities and someone else to do all the cooking and cleaning up.
As a result, there are more "glamping' resorts like Sandy Pines Campground in Maine (stay in a Conestoga wagon!), Terra Glamping in East Hampton, N.Y., (down bedding), The Resort at Paws Up in Montana (supervised kids activities starting at age 3), Treebones in Big Sur, California, (stay in an ocean-view yurt and feast on sushi) and Dunton River Camp in Colorado, where you not only have your own bathroom but a big soaker tub and a riverside sauna. The adventure company OARS lists seven over-the-top luxury camping resorts where rates can be more than $1,500 a night.
Of course, most campers aren't going that route, though I have met many families that have turned to a pop-up camper or an RV once kids were part of the picture. According to the survey, camping families with kids under 18 are the most devoted group of campers with two-thirds planning to camp more this year. They also equate camping with getting outdoors hiking, biking, kayaking.
"Campfires, hot dogs, fresh trout, s'mores! Food cooked on the fire always tastes so good," said Aaron, 12, from Freeport, Maine.
I agree, especially about the s'mores!
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