Going on vacation with family is an important part of a kids life. Some of my favorite memories as a child are our annual family vacations that we used to take. One memory in particular that stands out is the camping trip we took when I was about twelve. My dad and brother had gone out the day before the woman of the family did to get set up. Once we got there, they felt like they were camping pros. Right before sun down, my dad hushed us all and told us to listen. For about ten minutes we sat quietly and listened to nature. Right as the sun was dipping behind the mountains, my dad and brother exchanged a knowing glance and my brother said ‘here it comes.’ The last of the sun disappeared and all of a sudden an eery silence fell in the woods. We hadn’t realized there were hundreds of cicadas singing in the trees around us and for some reason, when the sun’s light disappeared, they would all stop singing at the same time. It was incredible! My father is a computer engineer and is not one for appreciating nature so it immediately showed us that this vacation was going be different. Which brings me to another point.
Electronics
When going camping there is no reason to bring laptops, tablets and entertainment unless you plan on watching a family movie. One of the greatest joys about camping is the lack of the real world. We can get so caught up in the stresses of day to day life that entertainment and technology is the only way we shut it out. But when you are sitting, listening to the cicadas sing their last song of the night and your father is not staring at the insides of a computer and your mother is not talking on the phone and your siblings are not playing video games or using social media, there is a special bonding that takes place. This bonding goes deeper than just not being distracted. It shows a child that they are the most important factor in life even those life can get hectic. Sure, we need technology to live in this age but there is nothing wrong with setting aside a few days to camp out in family vacation cabins or under the night sky and enjoy one another every now and again.
Accommodations
Sleeping in a tent on the hard, cold ground may not be very appealing to you but there are still ways to enjoy the outdoors without having to do that. It’s called cabin camping. You can enjoy all the perks of camping without having to worry about bears and bugs. Family vacation cabins offer a great many amenities including showers, kitchenettes and beds. It’s the perfect balance of camping and staying in a hotel. You can still enjoy the outdoors and take advantage of the mountains or woods during the day but can still stay safe and dry and warm inside your family vacation cabins during the night times. Many family vacation cabins will have nearby theme parks and restaurants for the whole family to enjoy also.
Thing to Do
If it is a family vacation and you are not alone, you should try and fit in at least one thing that everyone wants to do. There are some great activities available like water bubbles, theme parks, bike rides, mountain explorations, tours, fishing and more. A good way to not overwhelm the trip but make sure everyone has fun is to have everyone have a day. On their day they get to make all the decisions about what the family does (within reason, of course.) This makes it fair for everyone and then on the other family member’s days, there is no complaining allowed.
Camping is a great way to inexpensively take the family away for a little rest and revitalization. You do not even have to go far. There are so many camping sites to choose from that there is bound to be one close to you. Just make sure you do the research before deciding which camp site you will go to. Check prices and safety factors and policies of each camping site to make sure you are within their regulations.
