Taking a camping trip is a great way to do some family bonding and get in touch with nature. It is very relaxing and can be a lot of fun. There are all kinds of activities that can be enjoyed or you can simply do nothing at all. It’s totally up to you.

We take at least two annual camping trips a year. One on Memorial Day weekend and the other on Labor Day weekend. We submerge ourselves in the wilderness and try to disconnect from the outside world for a few days. It is very relaxing and we always have a blast! This year we had a large crowd of friends and family encompassing three campsites.

If you are new to camping, you are probably thinking “Why do I want to go sit in the woods and stare at trees?” I know, I used to think the same thing. Until I was bitten by the camping bug! That happened in my late teens and I have loved camping ever since. Trust me, if you give it a try, you will probably get hooked!

One of our favorite activities is the camp fire. We roast marshmallows, make Smores, make camp pizza, tell stories and just have a good old time! We also enjoy riding bikes, hiking and playing in the water.

Make Some Smores

You will need:

• 1 Box of Graham Crackers
• 1 6 pack of Hersey Chocolate Bars
• 1 Bag of Marshmallows

Directions:

1. Roast a marshmallow over the fire
2. Break off 2 Graham Crackers, 1-2 pieces of chocolate
3. Sandwich marshmallow & chocolate between 2 Graham crackers
4. Eat & enjoy!

One of our favorite campgrounds is John H Kerr Dam And Reservoir campground. This 50,000-acre lake is on the Virginia - North Carolina border and is one of the largest man-made lakes in the southeast. It is noted for its record striped bass catches and excellent camping facilities. The scenery is beautiful!

Some Camping Tips

• Book your camping reservations well in advance for best sites.
• Pack all of your camping gear into plastic crates. When it’s time to go, simply load the crates and run!
• Try to find camp grounds with water, preferably a small lake. This increases available activities.
• Get a bicycle rack for your vehicle and take your bikes along.
• Buy camping accessories at the end of season to save some $$$

Things You Will Need For Basic Camping

• A tent
• Tarps
• Sleeping bags
• Pillows
• Air Mattress (much more comfortable than the ground)
• Cooking utensils
• Cooler w/ ice
• Fire wood (can usually be purchased at camp store)

There are many different camping options:

• You can go primitive with no electricity and water
• You can “tent camp”
• You can take an RV, with all the amenities
• You can take a “Popup Tent”
• You can take advantage of State run camp grounds
• You can go the more commercial route, like KOA or Holiday Trav-l-Park
  These are good for people with children. They offer live bands, pools, game rooms, mini-golf, hay rides, etc.

Some Things To Do

• Go hiking
• Go biking
• Go fishing
• Go swimming
• Play horse shoes
• Build a camp fire
• Cook marshmallows
• Make Smores
• Tell ghost stories
• Enjoy the stars

So, I hope this gives you some ideas. Give it try! Anyone out there have a camping experience you would like to share? Please do, we would love to hear it!

Pictures from Our Memorial Day Trip:

Cooking marshmallows around the fire.

Life on the beach.

Me, caught by surprise by my daughter.

Our little girl Missy with her life jacket on.

My daughter (on right) and her friend.

My brother-in-law cooking dinner.

This past weekend my wife and I took a long weekend getaway to Georgia. We left Friday morning and returned Sunday evening. Our trip was multi-purposed. First my daughter had stayed with her Aunt, one of my sisters, for spring break. We needed to pick her up and bring her home. Also, my sister and her husband just had a baby boy nine weeks ago, and we wanted to meet our new nephew! My other sister and her two boys met us for the weekend. So, we had one of those family get-togethers that I’ve been telling you about.

We arrived Friday evening, and stayed up late getting all caught up. Saturday morning my sister and her husband cooked a wonderful breakfast. Saturday afternoon we ventured into Atlanta and had lunch at Willey’s Mexicana Grill. If you have never heard of Willey’s, think GIANT burritos. Very good, I highly recommend it. Next on the agenda was the Georgia Aquarium. What a wonderful time. Imagine fish, fish and more fish. There are more than 8 million gallons of fresh and marine water. And there is plenty to keep the little one’s occupied. My nephews loved the play area with lots to climb on and plenty of things to do. There is a touch tank full of sting rays. Exhibits featuring California sea lions, sea otters and African black-footed penguins will impress. We all stood in amazement as we watched the graceful Beluga whales. And the grand finale, the giant whale sharks, the largest fish in the world. Good times! I highly recommend this to anyone with kids or if you just love water creatures!

TIPS: Park in neighboring parking lots across the street to save a few $$$.
Purchase tickets online and check in at the will-call booth to beat the lines.

After leaving the aquarium we observed the remnants of destruction caused by the tornado that went through downtown just several weeks ago. Most of the tall buildings still have hundreds of boarded up windows. You never think of a tornado rolling through the middle of a big city! What a sight.

Next it was on to dinner. My brother in-law chose Teds Montana Grill. Serving up chicken, beef and bison, it was reasonably priced in a comfortable eco-friendly atmosphere. The food was good and we enjoyed the company. Sunday morning we had breakfast at a local pancake house and said our “good byes”. I hope my nephew doesn’t grow up to fast! We will continue get together as often as possible.

For those of you interested in Atlanta I recommend the following attractions from previous trips. As you will see, you could easily plan a week long vacation here. Years ago, one of the things that always intimidated us about planning a vacation or get-a-way was not knowing anything about the area. So, through our experiences, I will try to introduce places we have traveled, to help motivate you to plan your own trips. Oh and while I’m thinking about it, our family has been known for 10+ years as the “B-Family” by our friends and family. This included personalized plates on my wife’s vehicle! As I write about our family trips and vacations in the future, I’m going to include the “B-Family Hot Spots” tag line.  Here I will list places of interest that we have visited, that I feel you may wish to take your family. So here goes:

• Georgia Aquarium
• Zoo Atlanta
• Georgia Dome
• CNN Center
• Stone Mountain Park
• World of Coke

Additional Information:

For more info: http://atlanta.citysearch.com/roundup/40242/
For discounted admissions to area attractions: http://www.trustedtours.com/store/Atlanta-City-Pass-C263.aspx