The Gift that keeps on Giving

The greatest gift I hope to give my children, my nephews and nieces is the gift of wonderful childhood memories. Things they can laugh about. Tell their children about. Oft-times parents get caught up in giving their children "things", the newest cool toy, the most expensive video game.

I was that parent once.

Now I love the looks on their faces when they share their memories with each other. The words "Remember when..." are like music to my ears. I want to show them the world, give them the gift of seeing things some people only see on tv or in magazines.

I want them to be fearless adventurers. To not be afraid to follow their dreams. I want their spirits to be awakened to all the beauty there is on this planet. I want them to marvel at the tiniest bug and the biggest tree.

That is my motivation. My driving force.

Finding the Perfect Campground

Finding the best place to go camping is a fun, yet daunting task. There are so many things to take into consideration. How big are the sites ? What kind of recreational activities are there ? What's the campground atmosphere like ? Will there be room for my tent (or RV)? Where are the bathrooms located ? Is there a camp store ? An ATM ? WiFi ? Pool ?
So here are my 4 hints on finding your perfect campground. Happy travels.

#1. Know What You Want. Looking for peace and quiet ? A family atmosphere ? Beachfront camping? Do you need hook-ups ? What kind? Only you know what type of place will meet your needs. Make a list of all the things you need your campground to do. My list includes lots of recreational activities (to keep the kids busy), restrooms (you know why), Beach or a Pool, and nice big sites. (cause I hate feeling crowded)

#2. Look Online. Pick your area and Google campgrounds in that area. I love looking at campground websites. When searching online I look for a campground map, pictures of the amenities, rate details and campground rules. I would like to see pictures of each individual campsite...but I haven't ran into a campground website that does that yet.

#3. Go Visit in Person. Sure the pictures online make the place look like Club Med, but in reality you might not like what you find. I, for one, don't like surprises. So we go out a few weekends before a camping trip and tour campgrounds. It's actually fun and you get a feel for the environment and the people who run the place. I also pick up any literature the campground has (activity schedule, campground maps, etc) I have a file I keep all our campground info in.

#4. Check the Reviews. Trip Advisor, RV Park and Campground Reviews are my go to sites for checking out what other people are saying about a campground. Also take the time to review a campground when you return from your trip. Whether you loved it or hated it let people know.

Snow Tubing (Mad River Mountain)

Sometimes it's hard to find an activity the the entire family loves, especially when you have kids ages 7-16. I found this cool place and we decided to go on New Years Day. For $25 per person you could go up and down the tubing hill for 3 hours. At first Iwas concerned that three hours was too long....but it wasn't.

I also figured it would be pretty busy, since it was a holiday weekend. I was wrong. We got there by noon and it wasn't crowded at all.

***TIPS***

To save money bring your own snacks and beverages.

Dress warmly in layers. (The kids were coming down off the mountain sweating)