Does anyone else love to do this? Dh and I pack up Kaitlyn (our 2 yr old) and head off to various Provincial Parks each summer. We thrive on these weekend getaways and love every relaxing second of it.

Kaitlyn even truly enjoys it too. We have our sleep tent and a tent that we keep our bags and such in - and up until now, we didnt even have mattresses to sleep on! This year will be very luxurious for us... hahah!

Our favorite thing is just being able to relax. No worries about what time it is - we get up when the sun rises and we go to bed once the campfire dies down :) Our days are spent wandering the park, hiking on trails that are compatible with our jogging stroller, swimming at the beach, renting canoes and paddling the shorelines and breathing the fresh air.

We rather do this, than pack up and travel out of country to a resort...

Is there anyone who is as passionnate (or somewhat as passionnate) about camping as we are?

We love camping Chantel! Last year was not a big year for us because of the fire danger, we couldn't have campfires....which spoils the fun. We hope this year will be different.

We have a very big tent that can be made into 4 rooms. When I was pregnant, I made sure we had an air mattress stand and there is no turning back now. It was worth the extra $40 to have mama comfortable. We also have a screen tent that goes over the picnic table to shield from bugs and the sun. Lots of chairs, even a loveseat, camp stove and lanterns. I love to sit around the fire with hubby after the kids are asleep and listen to *nothing but the wild*.

We are big campers as well. Our favorite is backpacking. I love heading off into the wilderness and not hearing/seeing cars/other people. Now that we are expecting our first we will be doing car/tent camping. I can't wait to take our little one on their first camping trip!

When we were kids, we used to camp a lot with my grandparents and my parents. We loved it. I think it is such a good activity for families, no TV, no commercials, lots of fresh air and exercise. Plus, the food always tastes so good camping (even if it is just plain ole canned spagetti--it is CAMPING food!) :lol:

We love to camp! I've been camping my entire life. We had a popup when I was a kid, and then as a teenager my parents got a motorhome. Since I've been with DH, we've gone from a tent, to a popup, to a travel trailer (which we jsut got last week!). Yea, I know, it's not exactly "roughing it" when you have a hotel on wheels, but with the baby, we thought this would be easier. We took DD camping last summer for the first time in our popup when she was only a month old. We absolutely love the fresh air, the quiteness, the hiking and biking, and the camraderie with other campers! We normally camp at state parks. There are quite a few within 30 minutes- 3 hours of us, so that's about as far as we normally go. It's nice, because we usually will leave Friday after work and come home Sunday evening, so we don't want to have to spend our entire time driving.

Its great to see others who are as passionnate about camping as we are :) We took Kaitlyn last year for her first tenting/camping trip - we had an absolute blast! She was in complete glory playing in the dirt, swimming in the lake (we would swish her around in the deeper water and she would play in the sand in the shallow water). This year we are taking an extra 2 days on our usual camping weekend :) Also, we bought a 2 room tent and will also be getting the inflatable air mattresses.

There is nothing like eating a hotdog that has been cooked on an open campfire - stuck to the end of a whittled stick :) I am not a big roasted marshmellow type of gal - but I love those roasted weinies :lol:

Its amazing how Kaitlyn (who was 1 1/2 at the time, last year) STILL remembers what we did when we were camping! I was shocked, she started talking about it, when we were walking through Canadian Tire, pricing out air mattresses! She is just as excited as we are to head back into the wilderness again this summer :) I have already booked 2 weekends in August (we will be at my parents house in the woods, for 2 weeks in July - my dad is going to set up the tent for Kaitlyn, so they can have an outdoor sleep night or two), and if the weather is nice in Sept, we will plan a last minute camping trip to another Provincial park that isnt too far away.

I am SO looking forward to this summer :) I just MIGHT get a tan this year... :lol:

There are quite a few within 30 minutes- 3 hours of us, so that's about as far as we normally go. It's nice, because we usually will leave Friday after work and come home Sunday evening, so we don't want to have to spend our entire time driving.
We are the same way... we head out to the Provincial Parks that are within a 1 hour drive radius from home. That way we can really enjoy the weekend :) We usually leave on Thursday night - I usually take the Friday off... but this year, for one of our camping trips, DH will head up with Kaitlyn on Friday AM - and I will meet up with them after my last daycare child is picked up.

A bunch of Eddies university pals get together for the long weekend in July each year. The first year we were invited we did not attend because Macie was too young and we were not too sure of this. Last year the three of us went and had a great time. We slept in the tent and cooked all meals out doors. It was a blast.

This year we are attending again, with both kiddies in tow. wont that be a challenge. Now they've gotten me interested there's no turning back. We've borrowed equipment but now we're slowly investing in our own. Can't wait for the weekend trip.

BTW we go to Port Burwell Provincial Park

We like camping but haven't tried yet with Carter. Hopefully this summer!

Hi, I'm Shannon, a new member over from OUH/UB...
I'm glad to see some other fellow campers! My husband and I love camping.. we kick if off every year with our annual 3 day camping/canoe trip over Memorial day weekend. we try to get in at least 4 trips after that, but depends on our schedules and the weather (we live in IN). We mainly head to southern IN to the Parks, great hiking trails and bike trails, but our camp/canoe trip is always at a regular "camping arear" down by the river in the woods. It is one of our favorite things to do. We tent camp, hope to get a small trailer by the time we have some little ones - none on the way yet.
Bunnybomb - I see you live in CO. DH and i haven't been out there yet, but plan to someday, we went to the candadian rockies for our honeymoon in 2002, but would like to get out and explore CO in the next few years!
Shannon

We love to camp, but haven't been brave enough to do it with Isabelle yet, and now that we have kid number 2 :dunno: I've been told that we absolutely have to go to Banff, this summer maybe? Who knows if we'll get to it. Our only requirement is that there MUST be real bathrooms- no pit toilets for us (I've been told that this makes us weenies, by some hard core enthusiasts :) )but otherwise, we tent camp.

Shannon- we did some camping in Southern IN a few years ago...I can't remember the park, but the town was Madison.

Hi Eleanor

Was it Clifty Falls. That is right down by madison! Very hilly and pretty..

We didn't camp when we went to Banff - we were too afraid of bears! LOL. Don't get to many of those in IN.

Shannon

Yes, it was- very pretty! (But very hot when we were there!)

Hello, my name is Michele! Dh and I lvoe camping too. Last year was a little crazy and we were only able to take Sadie camping twice but we are looking forward to taking her more this year.

I am very happy! We have booked our sites for 3 :) weekends this summer! The first weekend will be at Murphy's Point Provincial Park... then, 2 weeks later, we go to Silver Lake Provincial Park... and then, 2 weeks after that - we head off to Bon Echo Provincial Park :)

Feel free to check out www.ontarioparks.ca (http://www.ontarioparks.ca)

Dh and I even sat down and did up a checklist so that we can be sure to remember to bring everything. Its seems that each year, we forget something... like a flashlight, or a deck of cards, or a can opener :lol: Not fun trying to open a can with a knife :blush:

For those who have children... what is the cutest moment thus far that you have had camping with your kiddies?

We have a checklist too and it has been a lifesaver.

Anyone have any pics of their kiddos camping?
Here is Sadie last year (she was 4 months old)http://images.snapfish.com/33%3A57%3A6323232%7Ffp3%3B%3Dot%3E2328%3D4%3A6%3D% 3A3%3A%3Dxroqdf%3E23233%3A37%3A%3A%3A86ot1lsi
Not a very attractive pic of me - but a good BFing in the tent pic and one of Sadie in her sleeping bag.
http://images.snapfish.com/33%3A57%3A6323232%7Ffp8%3Enu%3D3237%3E3%3B5%3E949% 3Ewsnrcg%3D3232494734%3A7%3Cnu0mrj

We are really looking forward to camping with her this year as she will actually be able to do things.

Here is one from last summer :) Kaitlyn kept running around - gathering rocks and sticks :lol:

Here are some from last years trip to Port Burwell

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4da02b3127ccebd3da0b5cc5f0000001610 (javascript:openSlideWin(1, '67b0de21b3fafb6125c0', 3);)
waiting for food

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4da02b3127ccebd3da0ae4d740000001610 (javascript:openSlideWin(1, '67b0de21b3fafb6125c0', 5);)
enjoying the beach....she sat like that playing in the sand for ever. We found sand in places you never could imagine...

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4da02b3127ccebd3da0b1cc5b0000001610 (javascript:openSlideWin(1, '67b0de21b3fafb6125c0', 4);)
Enjoying some down time in the swing

Aww great pics!!!! Thanks so much for posting them :)

Hello. :) We tent-camp too...at least we did before K came along. But she'll be 1-1/2 this summer and we'd like to try at least one short trip. I'm a bit concerned about the campfire danger and all the icky stuff she might try to eat, but of course we'll have to be extra diligent.

DH and I like to go on canoe camping trips with various friends. We load a minimal amount of camping gear into our canoes and head down the Wisconsin River. You can camp on islands in the river overnight. It's rustic, but fun -- in fact, DH proposed to me while camping on one of the islands.

We love camping, we often go down the coast! We are looking into buying an on-site caravan so that we can go down most weekends. I'll have to post some pics of some of our trips too :) I can't wait to take Charlotte my 3 month old next summer as by then she will be walking

Another tent-camping lover here! DH and I LOVE to camp and can't wait to try it out with DS in another year or so. A few years ago we went to this gorgeous site in Northern MI and we were the ONLY tent campers there :disbelief: Everyone else had those humongous RV's with satellite TV, etc. Why leave home if you're going to watch TV at night anyway? :lol:
We love the open air, the smell of the fire, 'creative' cooking, no TV/cell phones, etc. What a great way to reconnect! :nod:

We love to camp too!! We're actually going Sunday night!!! :) I can't wait. I also think Josh and I are going alone for our anniversary in a couple weeks too!!! :)

We used to love to camp, before having children!! Chris and I would drive to northern WI and take a boat out to camp on one of the Apostle Islands in Lake Superior. No running water...nothing but a tent, a campfire, and a bear locker. We loved it...so peaceful. We also camp when we go on our whitewater rafting trips. We havent been brave enough to camp with children yet, but I imagine that we'll give it a go next summer, but will likely choose a more child friendly campground. Possibly in Door County.

My husband and I love to go camping! And we are total tent and campfire people! No trailer or whatever for us! We splurged on REALLY nice (and expensive) sleeping bags, to keep us warm and comfy no matter where we are camping. We've been all over- Oregon, California, Colorado, Tennessee, Georgia, Kentucky, Wyoming, Montana...

We like the quietness of the whole experience. We usually go for an extended weekend- Thursday through Sunday or something like that. We take a couple of our favorite games- cribbage, Scrabble, etc.