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I'm thinking of this camping trip and can't decide if I'm nuts or if this actually doable without losing my mind.
Backstory- I grew up camping, did some in college too, but now I'm in my 40's and have 2 little girls (who have gone on ONE weekend camping trip last summer). They had a blast--but it was short. My husband-he grew up doing a little bit of camping but probably not as much as me. We know what to expect, but also realize the potential for disaster as well.
We are considering a move to CO and wanted to visit a few of the cities, to explore some just to figure out if this is something we really want to do.
We have pretty much all the gear and have a week camping trip planned about a month before this one to work out any kinks.
We plan on exploring Colorado Springs, Boulder, Fort Collins, Denver and the 'burb areas. I am hoping to find one or two places to use as a base and spend a few days in that spot while exploring the area. We will be going during the summer months.
Here's what I need to know
-where can I get info to plan stops between NC & CO?
-how far can a family of four (my girls will be 6 & 8 years old) travel in a day with meals, set up, tear down, etc. realistically.
-I am planning on getting a new stove-suggestions?
-any wise/sage advice for us?
-how much are campsites per night in family campgrounds with water/electric hookups? I'm trying to figure out what I should budget.
-where can I get info to plan stops between NC & CO?
There are camping books that list campgrounds--Trailer Life and Woodalls are two
-how far can a family of four (my girls will be 6 & 8 years old) travel in a day with meals, set up, tear down, etc. realistically.
Are you sightseeing as well? If so you might travel less than 200 miles a day. Going straight through? What time will you start? On the road by 10 am and stopping by 4 or 5 pm..At the height of the season it might be hard to get into a camp after 5 or 6 pm.
-I am planning on getting a new stove-suggestions?
I would get a Colemen 3 burner gas stove. There are propane and possibly a portable propane gas grill?
-any wise/sage advice for us?
HAVE FUN!! Take in the sights and share / learn the history of the places you pass through.
-how much are campsites per night in family campgrounds with water/electric hookups? I'm trying to figure out what I should budget.
Nightly fees will range from $10 to almost $25 or $30 at places like KOA--but there is usually more for the kids to do at franchised campgrounds.
-where can I get info to plan stops between NC & CO?
I've done a lot of research of campsites on the internet, as well as in my old 2D navigator (road atlas). I would recommend that you decide on what type of campground you will be seeking, since that can play a major factor in deciding where you will stay.
I like USFS (Forest Service) and NPS (National Park Service) campgrounds for their (relatively) low prices and (usually) incredible scenery. Most of them, however, do not offer hookups, so this may not be to your liking. To choose this type of site, I use my atlas to determine what National Forests will be on my route, then I use the internet to check out the campgrounds within those particular forests. The same process can then be used for NPS sites, as well as for State, County, or City park sites.
Other campgrounds, such as KOA sites, offer hookups, on-site recreation, hot showers, flush toilets, and often, convenient locations that provide easy access to nearby cities. What they lack in scenery, they make up for (and charge for) in other areas. The Woodall's or Trailer Life campground guide, as suggested by zthatzmanz28 earlier, is a great source of information for these types of campgrounds. You can also search on-line, but it's a little harder to find what you're looking for when it comes to privately owned campgrounds.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mom2edna
-how far can a family of four (my girls will be 6 & 8 years old) travel in a day with meals, set up, tear down, etc. realistically.
I've traveled extensively with my kids over the years. I would say that if you plan to camp each night of your trip, you will want to be in camp by about 5 p.m. most of the time during the summer (it would be even earlier in winter). Of course this depends partly on whether or not you plan to eat dinner in camp. If so, you will want time to set up camp as well as time to cook your dinner. Usually, I've found it is nice to do these things while it's still light out, so I prefer to arrive early enough to make use of daylight for this purpose. You could push your arrival time back a little bit if you eat "out" while on the road, and just set up camp as a place to sleep for the night. If you do this, though, be aware that some campgrounds might be filled up by the time you arrive there.
With the above considerations in mind, I usually plan my trip based on where I will be around 4 or 5 p.m. I have typically traveled 300 to 400 miles in a day (6 to 8 hours), but that did not provide for seeing attractions along the way. I've pushed the limits a few times and have traveled as far as 600 or more miles in one day, but usually ate while on the road, and arrived in camp in the dark. This is hard on both the driver and the passengers, so I don't recommend it unless you absolutely need to do so.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mom2edna
-I am planning on getting a new stove-suggestions?
It depends on the type of cooking you intend to do. I have a single burner backpacking stove that is small and light, and does a good job with cooking a typical "backpacking" type of meal (freeze dried, pre-packaged). I also have a two-burner propane stove that works well for trips with small groups. It allows me to cook for my family, and will work well for most meals.
I also have a large Camp Chef three-burner propane stove that I use the most, because it does well for cooking for large groups. I also often use it for family outings because it is free-standing, and doesn't use up any of the table space in camp. I find I use this stove more than all the others combined. I just used it this morning to cook breakfast for a bunch of folks at church. In total, I cooked 5 dozen eggs, 4 lbs. of bacon, 12 hot links, and about 5 or 6 lbs. of hash browns, and still had one free burner to heat a pot of coffee. I purchased the optional griddle (great for breakfasts) and a BBQ box that allows it to work as a propane grill. It is quite a bit pricier than most camp stoves, but in my opinion, is well worth the investment.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mom2edna
-any wise/sage advice for us?
I would suggest that you map out a proposal of the route you wish to take, along with the attractions and highlights of your selected route, so you will know what things you feel are "must-see" sights. Decide how long you intend to spend visiting each of them, and what time of day is best to do so. I have visited some places for an hour or two during the day, and just subtract that time from my allotted driving time. Other times, I've spent a whole day somewhere, and have stayed two nights in the same place. Plan these stops ahead of time, so you can alter your driving time accordingly.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mom2edna
-how much are campsites per night in family campgrounds with water/electric hookups? I'm trying to figure out what I should budget.
While I don't look specifically for water or electric hookups, from what I've seen, they typically add $10-$15 per night to your basic campground fee. You don't specify the type of camping unit you're using, or what you intend to use the hookups for, but you may find that you can do without these things for some, or possibly even most, of the nights of your trip.
For campgrounds on public lands, I would expect fees of up to about $24/night for a site with no hookups. Many sites are less expensive than that. Many of them have water available, but you'll have to carry it to camp in a jug or bucket. Most also have restroom facilities ranging from pit toilets to flush toilets with available hot showers.
For private or franchised campgrounds (i.e. KOA), expect fees of $30 to $50 per night, depending on the amenities. Tent sites are usually a little less expensive, but don't usually offer hookups.
-how much are campsites per night in family campgrounds with water/electric hookups? I'm trying to figure out what I should budget. Free Campgrounds for RVs Campgrounds CAN BE $30-$40 / night, thus I use FREE (often city parks / fairgrounds in small towns), and take showers at public pools. (or parks or cemeteries with lawn sprinklers going). Remember you ARE creating a unique family experience AND having fun...
thanks so much.
-any wise/sage advice for us? I spent my first 25 yrs in Colorado (Between Estes Park and Ft Collins... Masonville) I have lots of ideas / advice, but Denver would not be included in it. YMMV. CS is pretty good if you have some work there. Being close to WY has significant benefit if you like to 'get-away' to beautiful wilderness. I prefer living in Loveland. Ft Collins traffic drives me nuts (I don't do stoplights) FC has REALLY long and crowded through-fares. Lots of moms in a hurry in SUV's That concerns me (in my StealthRabbit)
I WOULD not go in June (Hail, rain ...)
I would travel light and fun and take a different way home than there (There are many fun routes you can take based on American History and expeditions. ) We did many 6-12 week 'homeschool 'fieldtrips' and always met many others doing the same.
I would stay in Private Guest homes ($10 / night) NOT B&B's. You stay with locals and learn LOTS about the area. (Much more than you will learn out on the streets). We used a Homeschool Guesthome directory when kids were quite young, then we found a few other directories. You get a profile of the hosts, so you can pick and choose stays that interest you. After Thousands of stays throughout the world, I have not had any BAD experiences, and only a couple that were less they superb.
We ended up learning to eat very frugally and fun (this became essential when in Europe $$$ and time). Banana and yogurt for breakfast, Meats and cheese from local markets, no pop (soda). One treat / day (Usually a fruit slush at Sonic during 'happy hour' 2-4pm 1/2 price). Only eat 2 meals / day when driving (not enough exercise, 'don't BURN daylight sitting in a food joint'... you are better off making a simple picnic in a historical area, or talking to some old folks learning about the area you are traveling through.)
Have a blast, and make it fun for the kids. We often took a VW camper van and gave our kids squirt guns since we didn't have AC. The VW camper van is very adventurous, similar to Conestoga. It is worth the $3000 cost for the interesting tales you will have to tell the grandkids. We met SO many friends that way (all 'suffering' through the weirdness). They KIDS treasure those trips... not a feeling 'remembered' / shared by all... We have been able to sell all our vans for more than we paid for them, so all was not lost.
While I don't look specifically for water or electric hookups, from what I've seen, they typically add $10-$15 per night to your basic campground fee. You don't specify the type of camping unit you're using, or what you intend to use the hookups for, but you may find that you can do without these things for some, or possibly even most, of the nights of your trip.
I just realized in the title of the thread that you indicate that you'll be tent camping. I would not worry about getting "hookups" for a tent. Most of your cooking and cleaning will be done outdoors, so you can just carry a bucket of water to wherever you need it. For that matter, most everything else you're likely to be doing will also be outdoors (except sleeping, of course), so you really shouldn't need electricity for use in camp. For those few items that you might want to use that require electricity, I would suggest getting them in 12V versions, so you can run them off a car adapter. Most of the gear you'll need to use in camp can be run off propane, so I can't think of too many cases where you'd need to "plug in."
Here's what I need to know
-where can I get info to plan stops between NC & CO?
-how far can a family of four (my girls will be 6 & 8 years old) travel in a day with meals, set up, tear down, etc. realistically.
-I am planning on getting a new stove-suggestions?
-any wise/sage advice for us?
-how much are campsites per night in family campgrounds with water/electric hookups? I'm trying to figure out what I should budget.
thanks so much.
I think what kind of camping you do can depend a lot on what you intend to do. If you're traveling to a national park to hike and see the sights, then it's worth driving out of the way to camp and they're the most affordable usually but not always as convenient to the highway.
State parks can be very nice even when traveling but with a lot of them you not only pay for camping for the night but a vehicle pass, some states have gotten pretty expensive. They can be convenient to the highway but not always, sometimes you have to go 5 miles this way, 8 miles that way and another 20 miles to get to one. State parks can be nice if you're swimming, hiking and spending time exploring them.
But for just pulling over and getting some rest after driving, sometimes you can't beat the parks like the KOA's. They're pretty standardized, you know pretty much what you're getting, you'll have bathrooms, showers, laundry, a playground, plenty of others people around. It's not "real" camping but it sure beats a motel when you have kids who need to get some outdoor time and play. Since these parks are right off the interstates, you're not going to burn a bunch of gas trying to find them. They also give you catalogs so you can know where they all are and the prices are on their webpages.
How far you can travel depends - if you get a little campstove or portable grill, you can have meals at the rest stops. It depends also on how much driving you want to do in a day.
It can be easy to set up a tent, they have some tents that pop-up like umbrellas in just seconds and then you just put in some stakes. Kids should be able to unroll and roll up their sleeping bags and flashlights, you don't need much more than that.
The storage bins make it nice - you can keep all your eating and cooking supplies in one. Paper plates, aluminum foil, silverware, ketchup, mustard, salt pepper, matches, plastic table covers, cheap plastic rain panchos. Another for cereal, oatmeal packages, dry milk, canned foods, crackers, trail mix. A cooler for the cold food if you want to mess with cold food. A little grill or stove and propane, you don't need much more than that. For myself, the simpler the better.
If it rains, you want to be able to get everything put away fast. You can set up and tear down in about 5 minutes if you stick with just some basics.
But for just pulling over and getting some rest after driving, sometimes you can't beat the parks like the KOA's. They're pretty standardized, you know pretty much what you're getting, you'll have bathrooms, showers, laundry, a playground, plenty of others people around. It's not "real" camping but it sure beats a motel when you have kids who need to get some outdoor time and play. Since these parks are right off the interstates, you're not going to burn a bunch of gas trying to find them. They also give you catalogs so you can know where they all are and the prices are on their webpages.
I completely agree! KOA's are great for those nights that you just can't drive any further and the kids are screaming to get out and unwind. Though I like to book stays in advance to make sure I get a good cabin. They are great places to stay when you have a family, because they cater to the kiddos big time.
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'... you are better off making a simple picnic in a historical area, or talking to some old folks learning about the area you are traveling through.)
). They KIDS treasure those trips... not a feeling 'remembered' / shared by all... We have been able to sell all our vans for more than we paid for them, so all was not lost.
They are great places to stay when you have a family, because they cater to the kiddos big time.
