I’ve learned a few things during my familycampman quest. One of which is that many folks have some misconceptions about camping. These misguided fears often result in families that never experience the joys of camping.
Let me take a crack at busting those myths:
Camping is just for outdoorzy folks – This couldn’t be the furthest thing from the truth. Most campers you’ll find are just normal everyday folks who just need to get away from their day-to-day lives. In addition, cabins and yurts (tent/cabin hybrid) make good first outdoor dwellings for those taking their first step into camping and fear the whole tent thing.
You can’t bring little kids - Anytime you’re in the woods you will need to keep a close eye on your little ones. However, you may find that toddlers can be very good campers. They’ll be fascinated with the trees, water and wildlife, as well as find sleeping bags just plain fun.
Camping is boring – Camping is what you make it. Activities can range from hiking, fishing, swimming, board games and star gazing. If you tend to be a socialite then invite some friends and you can have a great old time around the campfire after the kiddos go to bed.
Camping is expensive – While camping does have some upfront gear purchase requirements, you’ll find that the costs are far more affordable than a hotel. If you’re interested in RV camping, I suggest looking into rentals prior to buying. Also, site rates vary based on your requirements, but tent sites at state campgrounds can be as low as $6/night.
You’ll get attacked by a bear – Yes, there are animals in the woods and bears do exist in certain regions. However, in most areas you won’t see any dangerous animals (unless you’re scared of squirrels). However, if somehow you do find yourself in bear country, I suggest not attempting this :
Since starting my familycampman quest, I’ve encountered a challenge I didn’t expect – starting a campfire.
Whether the wood hasn’t been seasoned properly (a common problem, according to my buddies at thatscamping.com) or completely soaked from from a recent downpour, I just have had serious difficulties getting a fire started.
During one such occurrence, in a moment of complete desperation, I ran to the local store and despite my embarrassment and my injured male ego , I purchased some outdoor Duraflame starter logs.
I hate to say it, but these logs may have saved my familycampman quest. Amazingly enough, they worked out really well and burned for a couple hours. Without them, my wife and kids wouldn’t have enjoyed the campfire and therefore every future camping trip may have been in question.
One added benefits of these starter logs is that they don’t carry the bugs and diseases that are destroying trees everywhere. When you have a minute, visit dontmovefirewood.org to find out more about the dangers of bringing your own firewood to the campground.
Despite how effective, affordable and convenient they were I cannot help but feel that I’ve strayed away from the roughin’ it camping method that I grew up knowing. Did I cheat or just use another perfectly fine resource to help make a camping trip enjoyable? I tend to believe that using starter logs is fine as long as they’re designed for outdoor use. Regardless, I expect I’ll be using them on many camping trips in the future.
Thanks again for reading.
Eric
ps. Check out this video I found on youtube. It’s too funny. Now only if I had the skills of this young girl. I want it noted that I don’t encourage children to play with huge camping knifes or starting campfires on their own. Enjoy!
What kind of camper are you – Hermit or Socialite? Are you the type of camper who prefers the solitude of the wilderness or are you the type of camper that likes being around friends and family?
The reason I ask is because I just got back from a family camping trip to Stateline CampResort in East Killingly, Connecticut. Well, first I have to admit that this wasn’t the typical camping trip. At my wife’s request/demand, we rented a cabin that had it’s own bathroom and shower. On top of that, the cabin was air conditioned, which I actually appreciated since we had three very hot and humid days. Unfortunately, the site we rented was too small to accommodate an additional tent therefore I was forced to take another step down the path of the dark side and left the my dome tent at home. I was able to get my wife and kids out for another camping trip. Score another one for the me.
Overall, I thought that Stateline was pretty good, especially for Socialites. The campground was clean and well maintained and the staff was really nice. The owners had a weekend full of activities for adults and children alike. Included in full agenda were kickball games, an ice cream social, as well as a honkey-tonk on Saturday night. These are the type of activities that Socialites love. Despite my strong hermit tendencies, I see these activities appealing for family campers who don’t have enough activities planned for their children. The true highlight of the campground however was their swimming pool. It was L-shaped and had a nice 9 ft deep end along with plenty of seating for all the campers. This is where we spent the majority of our time.
True hermit campers on the other hand would feel claustrophobic at Stateline. All of the sites were pretty small and right on top of each other while tent sites were somewhat hard to find among the sea of RVs. Hiking trails were non-existent which added to this campground’s not-so-outdoorzy feel. They did have row boat and canoe rentals, which my family took advantage of for two out of the three days.
In summary, StateLine Campresort wasn’t for me, but if you’re a socialite camper I’d suggest you give them a try.
I’ve learned a few things during my familycampman quest. One of which is that many folks have some misconceptions about camping. These misguided fears often result in families that never experience the joys of camping.
One added benefits of these starter logs is that they don’t carry the bugs and diseases that are destroying trees everywhere. When you have a minute, visit 
True hermit campers on the other hand would feel claustrophobic at Stateline. All of the sites were pretty small and right on top of each other while tent sites were somewhat hard to find among the sea of RVs. Hiking trails were non-existent which added to this campground’s not-so-outdoorzy feel. They did have row boat and canoe rentals, which my family took advantage of for two out of the three days.
