Night Owl
I have two young sons ages 7 & 5 , and they have a desire to have a legitimate camp-out.
Where we can pitch a tent, have a barbecue, roast marshmallows on an open fire. Stare up at the stars at night. maybe take a swim in a lake too.
My only problem is, we never did any camping before.
Where can a family of 4 go without any camping experience to enjoy such a weekend without costing me a small fortune on all the camping accessories needed if i were a full-time camper.
Is there such an establishment around the NYC area ?
What governing bodies should the campsite belong too ?
Answer
I am a native NYer and have never considered myself above the "inexperienced camper" certification. You do not mention it in your question but I will assume that you are talking about a period when the weather is warmer. I will tell you of 2 places I had a good time at and were alot of fun for the group I went with. Without knowing exactly where you are stationed right now I will suggest 1 spot north of NYC and another east of NYC out on Long Island.
Hunter Mountain in upstate Ny is about a 1 1/2 to 2 hour drive north and it has a few very good campgrounds. I have stayed at 2 of them, the names escape me at the moment but we found them on the internet. The reason we picked Hunter is because the festivals they have in the summer months. We went to the Celtic Festival and I also know that they have a German Alps Festival as well. There is plenty to do there and it is very scenic. Hunter Mountiain is a big attraction in the ski season and the town at the base of the mountain remains vibrant and fun throughout the year.
My recommendation for Long Island is Eastern Kampgrounds in Greenport, which is out on the North fork. Here is a link, http://www.easternlikampground.com/welcome.htm
the location is right near the Long Island Sound so there is beach access. There is a swimming pool and the town of greenport is nearby. You will have alot of fun exploring the town, it is a nautic community with alot of good shops and eateries.
Have fun, I hope my tips helped you.
I highly recommend the Celtic Festival by the way, the sound and sight of a thousand bag pipers coming over the crest of a mountain at sundown with fireworks going overhead is something to behold.
I am a native NYer and have never considered myself above the "inexperienced camper" certification. You do not mention it in your question but I will assume that you are talking about a period when the weather is warmer. I will tell you of 2 places I had a good time at and were alot of fun for the group I went with. Without knowing exactly where you are stationed right now I will suggest 1 spot north of NYC and another east of NYC out on Long Island.
Hunter Mountain in upstate Ny is about a 1 1/2 to 2 hour drive north and it has a few very good campgrounds. I have stayed at 2 of them, the names escape me at the moment but we found them on the internet. The reason we picked Hunter is because the festivals they have in the summer months. We went to the Celtic Festival and I also know that they have a German Alps Festival as well. There is plenty to do there and it is very scenic. Hunter Mountiain is a big attraction in the ski season and the town at the base of the mountain remains vibrant and fun throughout the year.
My recommendation for Long Island is Eastern Kampgrounds in Greenport, which is out on the North fork. Here is a link, http://www.easternlikampground.com/welcome.htm
the location is right near the Long Island Sound so there is beach access. There is a swimming pool and the town of greenport is nearby. You will have alot of fun exploring the town, it is a nautic community with alot of good shops and eateries.
Have fun, I hope my tips helped you.
I highly recommend the Celtic Festival by the way, the sound and sight of a thousand bag pipers coming over the crest of a mountain at sundown with fireworks going overhead is something to behold.
What kind of tent should I buy?
Jade Orchi
We bought a pretty expensive tent at Walmart last year and it leaked when it rained (horribly), was hotter than all get out, and blew flat to the ground in a stiff wind. We are going to buy a new one this year and trash the other. Which tent should I buy or what features should I look for to combat rain, heat, and wind.
Thanks.
Answer
No, you did not buy an "expensive" tent at Walmart. Walmart does not sell any expensive, high-quality, lightweight tents. Walmart does sell cheap tents that can be effective for casual use IF you buy a strong seam sealer, like a silicone rubbery adhesive, and spread it across every seam and joint between different fabrics. Furthermore, the reason that your tent "blew flat" or contortioned is because you purchased a tent with cheap fiberglass poles that flex in the wind rather than break. Your existing tent is fine for car-camping in fairly pleasant weather. I even use one for certain car-camping outings when I want a little higher ceiling and am not concerned about weight. For backpacking, I have two $300 tents, a one-person and a two-person backpacking tent, weight respectively two pounds and four pounds, hub-design, low-profile, aluminum poles.
If you want a higher performance tent, then you will need to spend, depending on capacity and style, $300 to $1,000. Do not go cheap on a tent, since failure will end your vacation or force you to spend a lot more money on motels. Features that you need to consider ~ Rain protection: full-rain fly. Heat: adequate ventilation design. Wind: high-grade aluminum poles and a low-profile dome rather than a high-ceiling cabin tent or a very expensive four-season tent. You did not specify sleeping capacity. However, "we" implies a family, so I will offer links to several tents that may meet your criteria. Purchase a tent at least one-person larger than the specifications imply, unless you want a very tight fit. If heat and bugs are a significant problem, then consider also purchasing a screen room.
As best as I can figure from your description of necessary criteria, look at the Big Agnes Flying Diamond 6 Tent, $540, 19 pounds, 5' 6" ceiling height or Big Agnes King Creek 6 Tent, $470, 16.5 pounds, 6' ceiling height. If you want smaller and cheaper, Big Agnes Coulton Creek 4 Tent, $300, 9 pounds, 5' ceiling height. I own a Big Agnes Fly Creek UL-1 that holds up well in high-altitude tundra backpacking, $300, 2 pounds, 3' 2" ceiling height.
No, you did not buy an "expensive" tent at Walmart. Walmart does not sell any expensive, high-quality, lightweight tents. Walmart does sell cheap tents that can be effective for casual use IF you buy a strong seam sealer, like a silicone rubbery adhesive, and spread it across every seam and joint between different fabrics. Furthermore, the reason that your tent "blew flat" or contortioned is because you purchased a tent with cheap fiberglass poles that flex in the wind rather than break. Your existing tent is fine for car-camping in fairly pleasant weather. I even use one for certain car-camping outings when I want a little higher ceiling and am not concerned about weight. For backpacking, I have two $300 tents, a one-person and a two-person backpacking tent, weight respectively two pounds and four pounds, hub-design, low-profile, aluminum poles.
If you want a higher performance tent, then you will need to spend, depending on capacity and style, $300 to $1,000. Do not go cheap on a tent, since failure will end your vacation or force you to spend a lot more money on motels. Features that you need to consider ~ Rain protection: full-rain fly. Heat: adequate ventilation design. Wind: high-grade aluminum poles and a low-profile dome rather than a high-ceiling cabin tent or a very expensive four-season tent. You did not specify sleeping capacity. However, "we" implies a family, so I will offer links to several tents that may meet your criteria. Purchase a tent at least one-person larger than the specifications imply, unless you want a very tight fit. If heat and bugs are a significant problem, then consider also purchasing a screen room.
As best as I can figure from your description of necessary criteria, look at the Big Agnes Flying Diamond 6 Tent, $540, 19 pounds, 5' 6" ceiling height or Big Agnes King Creek 6 Tent, $470, 16.5 pounds, 6' ceiling height. If you want smaller and cheaper, Big Agnes Coulton Creek 4 Tent, $300, 9 pounds, 5' ceiling height. I own a Big Agnes Fly Creek UL-1 that holds up well in high-altitude tundra backpacking, $300, 2 pounds, 3' 2" ceiling height.
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