| hondacuraworld |
Been looking into possibly picking up a tent camper and hitting the road with the family this summer on weekends. I'm just sick of ending up sitting on my front step watching my kids ride their bikes and play while I end up sitting and doing not much of anything. So, family getaways camping seem like a great idea :)
Anybody have any experience using tent campers? How well does the family take to one......in other words, I don't want to buy one to end up with kids saying "I hear this" or "I hear that" or "I wanna go home" etc etc etc. My older boy is almost 5 and the little one will be 2 this summer.
I'd love to hear your experiences :) |
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| renov8r |
When I was a kid I went camping quite a bit. Got started with scouting and eventually was camping even without the scouting org.
My first concern would be for the two-year old -- diapers are no fun on any vacation, and camping usually means shared potties if any. Now I know some folks will say they've taken the kids since birth and love it, but I like to work less on vacation than at home...
That said, I do think that your idea about camping having a built-in family focus is true. Everybody has a lot to do to get the tents set-up, the campfire organized, the meals cooked, the campsite cleaned-up etc. I learned a lot about plants, insects, geology, geography & the environment. I think it is one of the reasons why I got a minor in botany -- great field trips!
Your five year old is probably right around the age that kids can get turned on to dinosaurs/fossil hunting & collecting identifying bugs.
Before you take the plunge and get a lot of equipment that might not get used you could do a "back yard camp out" as a trial run. You can use the house as much or as little as you feel comfortable with. You and your wife can plan some easy to cook outdoors meals and see if the kids will live w/o chicken nuggets. You can try sleeping out with the boys, but the safety net of their bedrooms are still available.
As you might guess, in my mind I am kind of planning this route for our family. My little guy is only 19 months and his big sister is only three, so I think it'll be a couple more summers of waiting... |
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| JimH |
| We first purchased a Coleman Tent Trailer when our children were 3 and 6 years of age. We used it periodically for taking vacations (visited numerous National Parks), going to Babe Ruth baseball sectional playoffs, and even to visit some metropolitan areas (e.g., San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Reno, etc. where we stayed in RV Parks nearby. That was one of the best investments we made, and we enjoyed it immensely. One can go explore areas without any conveniences (i.e., no showers/toilets), or one can stay in RV Parks which have facilities right there. |
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| trixie |
How well you family take to pop-up camping depends on...your family.
Pop-ups are great. I have also been thinking about the plunge. You can pick up a good used 2nd hand unit for a few thousand. Although two is a bit young, all kids love to camp. The big question is whether your wife will endure the experience. If she hates it, take the kids and leave her at home. Your wife would probably love the occasional break. |
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| G. COLTON |
Depending upon where you live you may be able to rent a pop-up.
Be sure to go to great pains to ensure that the first expenience is a good one. A bad start will sour everybody.
I think the idea is great and wish you luck.
George |
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| PsychoKnight |
Not to hijack the thread, but along the same lines . . .
I imagine it will differ with varying quality and feature sets of each trailer model, but generally speaking, how long does it take to get the trailer occupant-ready? Any features to look for in regards to ease of setup & take-down? And, are electronic brakes for a light trailer considered necessary?
Thanks. |
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| G. COLTON |
quote:
Originally posted by PsychoKnight
Not to hijack the thread, but along the same lines . . .
I imagine it will differ with varying quality and feature sets of each trailer model, but generally speaking, how long does it take to get the trailer occupant-ready? Any features to look for in regards to ease of setup & take-down? And, are electronic brakes for a light trailer considered necessary?
Thanks.
Neither electric nor hydrolic brakes would be needed on a standard weight pop up camper. Surge brakes may make you more comfortable but even they would probably not be necessary unless you are travelling in the mountains.
G |
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