Our family camps. We love it. Ok, we don’t always love it, setting up a tent is a real drag, haha! But for the most part, it is a cheap, wonderful, refreshing family vacation if you learn to embrace the experience.
Enjoy The View
The second vacation my little family ever took was to the Upper Peninsula, to the very tip in Copper Harbor, Michigan. We stayed in an adorable little cabin that had running water and a small kitchenette with access to a lake nearby. It was incredible. Close to camping, but not full-blown tent camping. We had such a great time even though our kid threw up once, we got into a fight canoeing and my husband got pooped on by a bird. There’s just something about sitting around a campfire surrounded by nature that really resets your soul.
Camp With Friends
The first actual camping trip we ever took, we borrowed a tent {shout out to our amazing camping friends Sam and Alex!}. We’ve been camping with their family for eight years now. Our kids get along and that really helps make it fun for everyone. We stayed in the best campground: Oak Knoll near Muskegon. I highly recommend it. It is near Michigan Adventure too, which is a fun option! I really suggest borrowing camp gear the first time around if your family has never camped. We struggled through setting up the tent but were thankful our friends were there to help.
Pack Your Patience
Speaking of, setting up the tent usually sparks an argument with me and the hubs. I suggest not arriving too late and making sure you are not hangry. Seriously. One time we set up in pitch black and we were starving. Imagine how well that went. Remembering to have extra patience during set up is key, as my husband usually does a lot of the work. Also, make a point to be helpful and not just watch the process happen. I took our tent with my daughter’s girl scout troop last summer and the girls helped me set up it up with no husband to help. Proof it can be done!
Embrace Upgrades
We recently upgraded to a pop-up camper. It feels very boujee compared to our tent, but it totally changed our camping game. There is nothing quite like sleeping in nature {I suggest an air mattress}, but being off the ground in the pop-up was incredible. It provides a bit more coverage in case of inclement weather. During one camping trip with our friends, it thunder-stormed in the middle of the night. Our tent flooded. We almost lost my husband’s phone. My friend stood in her pop-up waving us in while we ran around like wet crazies trying to rush around packing up in the rain. Still… a hilarious memory. That being said, pop-ups do provide more coverage from rain, which is inevitable.
Once you upgrade to a camper it’s a slippery slope. We already want to upgrade again, but for now, we will enjoy our little pop-up all summer.
