There are few activities left, in the hustle-and-bustle of today's world, that provide a family with the kind of "quality time" that creates lasting memories and strong bonds. Even sports, the current family pastime of choice for millions, typically doesn't involve the entire family in the activity. Family camping is the last bastion of family togetherness, away from the distractions of modern day life. The best part about family camping is that it runs the gamut of inexpensive tent camping to extravagant motorhomes; there's an entry level for every pocketbook. Family camping is also an equal opportunity activity when it comes to your geographical location. I live just outside the sprawling metropolis of San Jose, California, population one million and growing. And yet, there are no fewer than twenty county and state parks that offer campsites within an hours drive. Will you have such a breadth of camping opportunities in Ames, Iowa or New Haven, Connecticut? Probably so, and you probably won't have as much trouble reserving a campsite, as I do!
Okay, So Where Do We Start?
Like all recreational activities, you can spend as much, or as little, on family camping as your budget allows. $80 will buy you a 17' by 10' family tent at your local superstore. Sleeping bags and a camp stove will run you another $150, for a family of four. There is really no limit to what you can spend, on the high end. Million dollar motorhomes are not uncommon these days, although $150,000 to $350,000 is much more common for the "Class A" category. You'll never get wet or cold in one of these babys, but you certainly don't need to mortgage your house to get started in family camping! If the thought of camping in a tent doesn't suit your fancy, there are hundreds of options between tents and Class A motorhomes.
I'd like to think that we're fairly typical of the "middle-class Amercian family"; we have two cars, three kids, and the usual bills associated with that. We certainly couldn't afford a Class A motorhome, and my prior service as a Paratrooper in the Army had soured me on ever being hot, cold or wet again - so we chose a travel trailer that could be towed behind our family SUV. The most important consideration, if you choose this route, is to know exactly what your vehicle is capable of towing. This information can be found in the user's manual for your vehicle. Of particular note would be the amount of weight that your vehicle can tow, along with the GCWR or Gross Combined Weight Rating - that is, the total weight of the vehicle and trailer, completely loaded with fuel, family, and food. Ideally, you want to look for a trailer that is light enough to leave you with a 20% cushion against the maximum rating of your vehicle. For instance, my Ford Expedition is rated to tow 8,900 pounds and has a maximum GCWR of 14,500 pounds. That told me that I could effectively tow a 7,120 pound trailer - if the combined weight of my fully loaded vehicle and the trailer was less than 14,500 pounds.
Travel trailers come in all shapes and sizes. Your needs will be dictated by the size of your family, and what your vehicle is capable of towing. You will undoubtedly have an RV dealer in your area, so stop by and walk through a dozen different kinds of trailers. Just remember, you need to know exactly how much weight your vehicle is capable to towing, before you visit an RV dealer. The RV dealer has an incentive to sell you the largest trailer possible, so their interests are not neccesarily aligned with yours. Be an educated consumer, and don't waste your time looking at 30' fifth wheel trailers, if you have a half-ton pickup. Along those same lines, also understand that the weight stickers on trailers tend to be lighter than the trailers actual weight. Use the stickers as a guide, but make sure you have 200-400 pounds of cushion.
Won't the Kids Get Bored?
I know what you're thinking, how are you going to keep the kids occupied for an entire weekend, without movies and video games? While this may seem like a daunting taks at first, you will quickly discover that there is no better stimulous to a child's imagination than the great outdoors. On a recent trip to the coastal Redwoods of Northern California, my two girls spend a half-day collecting bananna slugs - not the most thrilling activity for mom and dad, but sometimes scrifices must be made! The best way to keep the kids occupied when camping is to involve them in the camp activities. Time to start the fire? Kids love to gather wood. At breakfast time, there's nothing more exciting than cracking eggs on the edge of a cast iron skillet over an open flame. Camping is a family affair, so involve the whole family!
Where Can You Go Camping?
If camping isn't something that you are familiar with, you might be surprised at just how many campgrounds there are in your area. Campgrounds also come in many different flavors, some may offer AC power and sewer hookups for campers, while others might simply be a small clearing in the woods, with a fire pit and room for a tent. As with most research efforts these days, the best place to locate campgrounds in your area is the Internet. Start with your county's website, which probably has a Parks & Recreation section that describes the local county campgrounds. Likewise, your state will also provide a listing of State Parks that offer camping facilities. The best part about camping in county or state parks is that they are much more natural and serence than most private campgrounds. That's not to say that private campgrounds, such as the popular KOA brand, are not without merit, however. KOA Campgrounds in particular, are very family-oriented - which means they usually have playgrounds, ice cream, and activities for families. The price you'll pay for these luxuries is privacy. For-profit campgrounds maximize their useable space by cramming campsites as close together as possible. Some are better than others, but generally the country and state parks will be much better.
What Are You Waiting For?
If your children are growing-up as fast as mine are, then you know that the time for creating lasting family memories is now. Of course there's always the "big" family vacations, that once-every-three-years excursion to one of the Disney properties. But family camping is something that can happen all the time. It is something special that can be done every month!
