Other than cooking and gathering firewood, which at times seems like that's all you do at camp, there are plenty of activities to make the trip pleasurable and worthwhile. Even though there is a definite Thoreau-esque sense of accomplishment when staying in the woods all week with minimal essentials to accomplish all the camp chores, what's the point of living in the woods for a couple days to a week if you can't enjoy a walk in the woods, some photography, or a good book?
When we go on our camping trips, there's always different activities that we look forward to, and if you've brought the right "gear" you can get closer to nature and enhance the relaxation it can provide.
Day Hiking
Most times we like to camp at
Frozen Head State Park for our longer camping trips. Being there at camp gives us a distinct advantage that we "late to bed and late to rise" folks otherwise don't have. With over 80 miles of trails, being there at camp allows us to get on the trail for a nice long hike and not have to worry about driving back home when we get off the trail, totally exhausted. The only things to worry about after a good hike while camping is getting the fire going and what easy food we want to eat that night.
Bike Riding
Another great activity that we all love at camp is riding our bikes. In the campground and throughout the rest of the park, there's very little traffic, and it's usually slower than the bikes.You can really enjoy a good bike ride in this fashion as you don't have to worry about getting hit by a car like you might when riding in the city or some of the twisty and hilly country roads around here. Family bike rides are always a lot of fun and even more so while camping. It provides great exercise and the scenery is wonderful. If you are camping at a park with trails, you might even get the extra bonus of trail riding, but make sure bikes are allowed on the trail before you peddle down it.
Photo Walks/Scavenger Hunts
For those of us with an affinity for photography, what better time to whip out our cameras and start snapping away? Besides that, you want to be able to cherish these trips for as long as you live. There's always plenty of flora, fauna, and wildlife to capture not to mention all the silliness the family gets into out there. You might also decide to go on a photo walk. Taking walks with the camera at camp with the purpose of finding those once in a lifetime shots are priceless. You never know what you might come back with. You can also arrange a photo scavenger hunt. Just come up with a list of things,
or find one on the Interwebs, to capture on film or memory card and take off. This is a great way to introduce the yougin's to the wonderful world of photography and nature. Whoever wins can be king/queen of camp for the day. They can choose what's for dinner, who tells the first ghost story of the evening, or any other cool prize that will put a smile on their face and never forget their camping experience.
There's plenty of other activities you can enjoy while camping: throwing a football around or a frisbee, riding scooters around the grounds, playing at the playgrounds, fishing, you name it. However, camp just isn't camp if you don't indulge in some lazy activities as well.
Read a Book
Reading is a another favorite time of ours in camp. We finally have some time to read that trail book we've put off because of our busy and hectic lives. There are plenty of perfect, relaxing times to crawl into the hammock or on the lawn chair and get to reading that book you got for Christmas that now has an inch of dust on it. I don't know about you but I probably get more reading done in a week at camp than I do the rest of the year around home.
Play a Game
If you are anything like we are, we typically bring a deck of cards and from time to time an easy travel game like
Yahtzee
or
UNO
. This really gets the family together around camp for some good solid quality time without interruption of the TV or telephone. A good game of rummy or plain ol' poker are excellent card games at camp. And you can use rocks and sticks for money. After all, you are in the woods, right?
Tell Ghost Stories Around the Campfire
If you are like Robin, then you are very creative and haven't got a problem coming up with a ghost story or two on the spot. Heck, she usually has them thought up before we even get to camp most times. However, if you are more of the analytical/logical type like me and lack creativity or story telling ability, then there's nothing wrong with bringing a good ghost story book along. This is a great time to pass down traditions or teach lessons to the little ones about wandering around in the woods after dark and things like that. Your oldest kids - the ones wanting a
BIG scare - might enjoy the story of
The White Screamer. Tween ages like a bit of a scare, so a little acting and a story called
Taily-Po will have them jumping, screaming, and laughing in no time. But if you've got little bitty ones, you might try some of the funnier, cuter American Indian stories like "
Why the possum's tail is bare." You can usually get some good screams and laughs for that matter by acting out the parts, changing your voice around, and maybe even tossing things their way - like a previously hidden beach ball.
Park/Campground Hosted Activities
Usually, in the parks we camp at, there is almost always some sort of program/activity given by one of the park rangers. These are great opportunities to learn more about nature and/or the area you are camping in. Anything from Owl Prowls to Salamader Hunts, ghost hikes to astronomy viewings, you name it. Usually on any of the trail kiosks or the park/campground visitor's center they have a list of activities for the day. Be sure to check them out and take part. The rangers always love to teach and share with visitors their expansive knowledge of the area's history or natural wonders.
There's so many more different activities and plain ol' silliness that one can enjoy while camping. So many that it would likely require a week's worth of posts. However, we'd love to hear from you. What are your favorite activities while camping?
Happy Camping,
Tim and Robin
As most of you are aware, and for those of you who aren't, I am a brand ambassador for Terramar Sports. What is this Terramar Sports you ask? Well let me tell you, only the best base layers you can find to fit all sorts of bills for outdoors activity regardless of season. It's been over a year since I've been stumping for Terramar and still to this day it's a brand I love and believe in.
For this season, I've been outfitted with a great assortment of gear to keep the running going through the winter, and let me just say, they didn't disappoint. One of my favorite pieces this time around is the Body-Sensors Thermolator II Jersey. On those 30 something degree days with the sun shining, you better believe I'll be wearing it under some running jersey that I've acquired over the past year. This baselayer is awesome. Very warm, yet breathable, long sleeves, and it even has thumb holes, not something I've seen a lot of in men's clothing. I've been on a few trail runs with this top so far, and I've not been disappointed.
Spring is here! And
with spring comes warmer weather that is perfect for biking! There are many
different trails to take advantage of this spring. However, in order to ensure
smooth navigation and riding, you should consider what your trail is like, the climate
of the area, and which bike would work best for your chosen trail. There are
several different bike options available for serious cyclers. Having the right
bike for your chosen trail will make a huge difference in your riding and how
enjoyable your biking trip is. Here’s a breakdown on some of the most popular
bikes and which trails they work the best for. 
1. Mountain Bikes – Mountain
bikes are some of the most popular bikes for cyclists to use on trails. They
are perfect for mountain conditions, dirt paths, and other off-road conditions.
However, these bikes are also frequently used on an all-around basis due to
their durability and strength. If you want to use a mountain bike on the road
it will also be an excellent choice since they can handle rough road conditions
such as potholes very well.
Another great activity that we all love at camp is riding our bikes. In the campground and throughout the rest of the park, there's very little traffic, and it's usually slower than the bikes.You can really enjoy a good bike ride in this fashion as you don't have to worry about getting hit by a car like you might when riding in the city or some of the twisty and hilly country roads around here. Family bike rides are always a lot of fun and even more so while camping. It provides great exercise and the scenery is wonderful. If you are camping at a park with trails, you might even get the extra bonus of trail riding, but make sure bikes are allowed on the trail before you peddle down it.
Reading is a another favorite time of ours in camp. We finally have some time to read that trail book we've put off because of our busy and hectic lives. There are plenty of perfect, relaxing times to crawl into the hammock or on the lawn chair and get to reading that book you got for Christmas that now has an inch of dust on it. I don't know about you but I probably get more reading done in a week at camp than I do the rest of the year around home.
