by Katherine Kopp
Photos by Jenn McKinney Photography
It’s summer travel season, and perhaps you’re looking for a new kind of vacation adventure this year. Camping as a family, whether a novice or an experienced camper, offers many benefits from exploring new places and learning different skills to spending quality time together outdoors.
Amie Scott of Durham and her husband began tent camping with their four daughters, now in their early 20s, when the oldest was 4.
“We found camping as a family to be a lot of fun for everyone,” Scott says. “It also helped our daughters build confidence and teach them responsibility. We talked about the importance of being good stewards and being sure to leave our campsite clean.”
Scott recommends that if you are new to camping, start at a campground that is not too remote. “If you are reasonably close to a town, if you forget something–which we often did–you can dash to a grocery or dollar store to pick it up.”
Her family spent many weekends and summer vacations tent camping in one of North Carolina’s state parks. One of their favorites was Falls Lake State Recreation Area in Raleigh, conveniently close to home and a place where they could swim in warm weather. They also enjoyed camping near Brevard. “There are so many beautiful waterfalls to hike to in the area,” she says.
As her daughters grew up, Scott began the tradition of taking each one on a camping trip at the age of 12, just the two of them. “One of the most memorable trips was when my third daughter was 12. We were camping on the Appalachian Trail, and it rained the entire time. I started crying because I was so disappointed, but my daughter just said, ‘It’s okay, Mom. It’s just water!’ We both laughed about it later!”
WHY CAMP?
Camping as a family allows parents and children to connect in ways that diverge from the usual daily routines. It’s an opportunity to detach from cell phones and computer screens, and simply enjoy quality time with one another and time spent in nature. Kids and parents alike can learn a lot by observing birds and other wildlife, as well as native plants and trees near their campsites.
Camping also gives everyone the chance for new types of physical activity, like hiking in the woods, pitching a tent, and gathering wood for a campfire. It can also be a more affordable vacation. Instead of spending a lot of money on hotel and restaurant meals, you can camp a short distance from home, save money on gas and pack food in coolers for the weekend. If you have active grandparents who live close by or can visit you, invite them along. They may have outdoor skills and campfire stories that will add to everyone’s enjoyment.
Richard Andrews of Chatham County often takes his two children, ages 9 and 7, on camping trips within two hours of the Triangle, giving his wife, Margaret, a chance to catch up on things at home.
“Though my personal preference is for something a bit more remote,” he says, “with the kids, it’s usually better to camp at a place where you can pull off and park at a campsite. They like to take their bikes and ride around and meet other kids who are camping nearby with their families.”
Andrews takes a cooler with basic food, like eggs and bacon for breakfast and hot dogs and sandwich supplies for lunch or dinner. “I like to take a cast iron skillet with us for cooking over the campfire,” he says.
Two of his family’s favorite camping spots are Doughton Park, off the Blue Ridge Parkway, and Julian Price Campground, near Boone, where his kids enjoy going fishing. Andrews has also camped near Linville Gorge. “It’s a little more rugged, but you have world-class views if you go up a dirt road to Wiseman’s View,” he says.
Lucille, Walter and their dad, Richard Andrews, often go camping to give their mom, Margaret, time to catch up on things at home.
CAMPING 101
If the thought of going camping as a family is intimidating, there are local organizations that kids and parents can join to learn skills to prepare for camping.
Scouting America (formerly the Boy Scouts of America) and Girl Scouts of the USA were both founded in the early 1900s and have more than a century of experience teaching young people outdoor skills and personal responsibility.
Children as young as 5 or 6 can join a Scout troop, where they will have opportunities to make new friends, spend time outdoors with troopmates and family members, and learn new skills, including camping. In the Triangle, the Occoneechee Council coordinates activities for Scouting America and the NC Coastal Pines coordinates activities for Girl Scouts.
4-H programs also offer the chance to learn more about camping. Tory Lukusina, coordinator for 4-H camps in North Carolina, says, “Our programs help kids learn skills that will help them in family camping, such as setting up tents, starting fires, and cooking in a camp setting, as well as other skills like canoeing and climbing.”
The Triangle Area YMCA’s Y Guides program offers “crews” for parents and kids in first through third grades. The crews meet monthly and do activities together. Depending on the interests of the crew members, activities might include hiking, outdoor cooking and tent camping. As in Scouting programs, Y Guide crew members can earn badges.
Y Guides sponsors Family Camp adventures each year, with a kick-off ceremony at Camp Kanata in Wake Forest in the fall. “The fall event is a day- long event with activities like archery, shooting BBs and more,” says Lindsey Kilpatrick, senior program director for Y Guides.
In the spring, Y Guides offers family outings at Camp Seafarer and Camp Sea Gull in Oriental. Families are housed in cabins and spend the weekend participating in a range of outdoor activities.
While Scouts, 4-H and Y Guides offer opportunities to learn some camping skills, there is no substitute for packing the car and heading to one of the many state parks with camping sites.
CAMPING ESSENTIALS AND REWARDS
If you need supplies before you go, some retail stores in the Triangle sell camping equipment, including Great Outdoor Provision Company and REI. If you’re not ready for a big investment in equipment, Play It Again Sports sells gently used camping supplies. You can also borrow equipment from a friend or neighbor before buying your own.
Basic supplies include a tent, ground cover, sleeping bags, camp stove, and a lantern or flashlight. “We always bring a hammock that we can put up between two trees,” Andrews says. “The kids really love that.”
He also recommends bringing a first aid kit, insect repellant, extra batteries for flashlights and a phone charger for the car.
Depending on where you go camping in North Carolina, you can experience beautiful sunrises at the coast or incredible vistas and sunsets in the mountains. Camping away from city lights allows you to see the stars, perhaps to view a meteor shower like the Perseids, which will be active this summer from mid-July until late August.
Natural beauty, new skills, family time: it all adds up to the perfect summer vacation. And one more piece of advice from an experienced family camper: “If it rains, don’t feel guilty about going to the nearest Cracker Barrel!”