packing for vaction?

lilbritt91

im going to virginia for a week to camp with my family and friends name some stuff im going to need... please be specific and serious answers only! and thanks alot in advance

Answer
tent
sleeping bag
air mattress
water bottle
water purifier
stove
dishes - pot, bowl, spoon, fork
multi tool
sun screen
bug spray
tarp for under the tent if it's wet
flashlight/lantern
hiking boots
wool socks, extras too
deck of cards/book/entertainment of some sort
rain gear
uhhh that's all i can think of from the top of my head!! have fun

My family and i want to take a simple vacation with our 8 mo old baby we just dont know where to go.?

katweenie

We want to stay near the indiana,ohio, Illinios area.

Answer
I cant believe the people that say camping is great with a baby. They may be right, but I wouldnt try it with my kids (ages 2 and 3 weeks). Why? Because when we take my son to a new place to sleep, it bothers him- be it grandma's house, a hotel, a condo, whatever. So he gets fussy, he doesnt want to go to bed, he cries a lot, etc. And this is a laid-back kid that started sleeping through the night when he was 10 days old. I can only imagine how much worse it would be, being stuck in a tent with him.

When my son was 9 months old, we took him down to Hilton Head in SC. We left at like, 3AM, so when he woke up around 8:30 AM, we were already almost halfway there. We're thinking about maybe going back later this summer, after the baby is a few months older. We get a 2-3 bedroom condo. That makes it seem more like home to the kids. And they get their own rooms, which means they dont see us if they wake up a little bit at night, so they go back to sleep, rather than screaming to get our attention.

That being said, it sounds like you want to stay closer. Cedar Point is great, but an 8 month old would hate it, and would make it no fun for parents too. Same with Kings Island. I'd suggest someplace more laid back- like rent a couple bedroom cabin at Hocking Hills. You're still in a nice, quiet, natural area, but you've got a house which will make your baby a lot more comfortable. If you are willing to consider Tennessee/North Carolina, then you could also get a cabin on the Smoky Mountains. Its a very straight shot down I75, so its an easy and relatively short drive- shorter than many parts of Illinois and around the same as going to Chicago.
You could also consider renting a place on Put-In-Bay up on Lake Erie.
Or make the drive to the beach at Myrtle, Hilton Head, or Virginia. Kids like the beach a lot more than mountains anyway, stop halfway and spend the night if 8-12 hours driving is too much for your little one. Just be sure to get a place with 2 bedrooms if you can, you will all be a lot happier.

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what is virginia Beach like? ?

DianeDog

Is the North section of Virginia Beach nice? will be booking a hotel next week. Any details appreciated!

Answer
Virginia Beach happens to be the most populated city in Virginia. Of course, during the summer time, the hotel prices are pricy any where near the beach. There is a family camp ground close to the beach called Holiday Trav'l Park. I recommend that if you're into the outdoors. It's only 5 minutes from the beach. You can even rent bikes. If pitching a tent is not your thing, you can always stay in a cabin. They even have some with AC/HEAT and running water. It's a good value!

camping in PA, where can we go roughing it?

So a few friends and I are planning a camping trip in the first week of August. We live in western PA, so we're looking for places towards the middle of the state, and the far right side of Ohio. The whole point of the question is that we don't want any old campground. We want to be somewhere that is in deep woods, not next door to some family in a pop up. Basically a place that will let us "rough it" with lots of tent sites. Any good suggestions?

Answer
The only way you will find quiet deep woods camping in PA in the summer is if you are willing to hike at least a few miles into the forest. Anyplace you can drive up to will be occupied by others. So a place with "lots of tent sites" may be problematic if you are looking for solitude.

That said, there are many places in the Allegheny National Forest to your north and in Monongahela National Forest in WV, to your south. Both are about a 4 hour drive from Pittsburgh. The West Virginia mountains will tend to be more rugged and less populated. Due to increased logging and gas well development in the Allegheny Forest it is getting harder to find your way away from people and roads.

I've backpacked and camped extensively in both areas. As the previous answer mentioned, the PA department of Natural Resources has excellent state maps and guides on line to all the camping areas in the state. Some of the more spectacular and remote areas in WV are Cranberry Backcountry, Dolly Sods, Otter Creek and Spruce Knob and you can find info on line from the state of WV on those.

Even closer to Pittsburgh, there are nice campsites along the Laurel Highlands Trail that runs roughly north-south 50 miles to the east. And the John P. Saylor Trail near Johnstown has several loop trails with great campsite areas for multiple tents. Go on line and check the reservation requirements for any place you are headed to make sure you comply with location restrictions and that areas are not already overbooked. There are published guides to both National Forests available in outfitter shops and book stores. I recommend taking a book -- easier access than on on-line when you're beyond "civilization".

The closest really deep roadless wilderness is the Adirondacks in upstate NY.

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where is the best family vacation spot?

family tent camping virginia image

barbie

i want to go to a place that would interest my parents, boyfriend, and myself. last year we went to topsail North Caralina.

Answer
This depends on so many things but here are some suggestions to get you started:

Camping...you can go whole hog and do tent and make fires, or you can rent an RV or a cabin with all the amenities.

If you all get along really well and don't need stuff to 'do' try the beach. Just lay around, talk, play board games.

If you need things to keep you all apart, go to a theme park.

If you all fight a lot, don't go shopping all day. Makes you tired and spending money encourages fighting unless you have oodles of it.

If you all get along, but need a little fun, try Colonial Williamsburg. Tour the old town, eat at very authentic restaurants by candlelight, and there are overpriced 'outlet' shops to spend money in. At CW you can take part in a court trial, take carriage rides, go on a ghost tour, visit the old jail (goal) and all kinds of neat places. Plus their way overpriced shops are fantastic. Be sure to go to The Cheese Shoppe and get a real Virginia Ham sandwich with their amazing sauce, ohmygosh. Don't miss the Williamsburg Pottery Factory, it's soooo much more than pottery and a unique experience. Plus it's close to Busch Gardens, VA Beach etc.

camping in PA, where can we go roughing it?

So a few friends and I are planning a camping trip in the first week of August. We live in western PA, so we're looking for places towards the middle of the state, and the far right side of Ohio. The whole point of the question is that we don't want any old campground. We want to be somewhere that is in deep woods, not next door to some family in a pop up. Basically a place that will let us "rough it" with lots of tent sites. Any good suggestions?

Answer
The only way you will find quiet deep woods camping in PA in the summer is if you are willing to hike at least a few miles into the forest. Anyplace you can drive up to will be occupied by others. So a place with "lots of tent sites" may be problematic if you are looking for solitude.

That said, there are many places in the Allegheny National Forest to your north and in Monongahela National Forest in WV, to your south. Both are about a 4 hour drive from Pittsburgh. The West Virginia mountains will tend to be more rugged and less populated. Due to increased logging and gas well development in the Allegheny Forest it is getting harder to find your way away from people and roads.

I've backpacked and camped extensively in both areas. As the previous answer mentioned, the PA department of Natural Resources has excellent state maps and guides on line to all the camping areas in the state. Some of the more spectacular and remote areas in WV are Cranberry Backcountry, Dolly Sods, Otter Creek and Spruce Knob and you can find info on line from the state of WV on those.

Even closer to Pittsburgh, there are nice campsites along the Laurel Highlands Trail that runs roughly north-south 50 miles to the east. And the John P. Saylor Trail near Johnstown has several loop trails with great campsite areas for multiple tents. Go on line and check the reservation requirements for any place you are headed to make sure you comply with location restrictions and that areas are not already overbooked. There are published guides to both National Forests available in outfitter shops and book stores. I recommend taking a book -- easier access than on on-line when you're beyond "civilization".

The closest really deep roadless wilderness is the Adirondacks in upstate NY.

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Does anyone have any suggestions for a budget vaction for a pastor and his wife with access to a lake?

family tent camping virginia image

preacherha

Answer
I don't know what state you live in or if it is warm...but here is my suggestion.

There is a wonderful place in West Virginia called Ace Adventure Center that is a great inexpensive vacation. I am enclosing the website and they will send you a brochure. They offer whitewater rafting, camping (cabins, tents, or bring your own), horses, hiking, biking. Just about everything. The best part is that you can plan your own trip and the costs. I strongly suggest it. It is family friendly and you can bring your congregation if you like.

Any suggestions on camping sites (not RV but tents) in/near DC area (Virginia, Maryland)?

AtypicalHa

Any suggestions/recommendations on sites where one could set up a tent for a weekend. Somewhere with nice scenery and a little bit of history but not too far from the city center. I took a look at some websites but there's just too much to choose from. I'm hoping for some suggestions to narrow down my choices.

Thanx

Answer
I would be happy to give you some suggestions. My family and I just went this summer for a two-week trip to Washington DC, and we stayed at two campgrounds during our visit.

Before we went I did some pretty extensive research to try and find us the closest campground to the city as we planned on going back and forth daily.

The three campgrounds that are closest to DC are all in Maryland and are:

Cherry Hill Park: http://www.cherryhillpark.com/
This one is supposed to be the closest one to DC, and very nice as well, but we did not stay at it so I can't tell you exactly how long it takes or what it is like. The only reason we did not stay there was because they did not have enough room for us for the entire two+ weeks we were going to be there.

Capitol KOA: http://www.capitolkoa.com/
We stayed here the last ten days of our trip. Typical of a KOA, it was very busy, but the tent sites were set back towards the woods. You didn't say if you are bringing kids, our kids loved the activities there, and Jennifer, the activities director, is a down-to-earth nature-lover so all of the activities had a nature theme to them, such as leave no trace, nature hikes, leaf identification, etc. There is a nature trail on the premises. It was about 35-40 minutes for the commute between here and DC, although they do provide transportion either into DC or to the metrostation if you prefer.

This campground was closer to Baltimore for us, than to DC.

The third campground, which is where we spent our first week of vacation is Duncan's Family Campground.

http://www.duncansfamilycampground.com/

This is a former KOA so the layout is similar, but far quieter, homier and more rustic. There were also many activities here and the staff was very warm and friendly.

This campground was much closer to DC for us than the Capitol KOA was, taking us 20-35 minutes, depending on traffic, to get there.

It was repeatedly recommended to us to not drive in DC and take the Metro. Based on our experience, especially on the weekends, we were able to drive in and get free parking right on the Mall. If you end up having to pay for parking, it will probably cost you close to what you would have spent for a family to go down on the Metro anyway.

In addition, all three of the campgrounds I mentioned provide some form of transportation to DC and to the Metrostations. The only disadvantage of that, however, is that you are on their schedule for your sightseeing hours.

There are also some state parks in the area, but again, my understanding was that they were much farther out of the area then the campgrounds I mentioned, so your daily commute into the city and back might be a little longer.

If you are interested, I blogged about our entire DC trip, which includes the historic sites we saw, our commutes back and forth, and about the campgrounds and what we did while we were there. You can find that at:

http://www.your-camping-guidebook.com/Camping-Tips-blog.html

If you have any other questions about camping in the area, feel free to let me know. Otherwise, have a great time!

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camping in PA, where can we go roughing it?

family tent camping virginia image

So a few friends and I are planning a camping trip in the first week of August. We live in western PA, so we're looking for places towards the middle of the state, and the far right side of Ohio. The whole point of the question is that we don't want any old campground. We want to be somewhere that is in deep woods, not next door to some family in a pop up. Basically a place that will let us "rough it" with lots of tent sites. Any good suggestions?

Answer
The only way you will find quiet deep woods camping in PA in the summer is if you are willing to hike at least a few miles into the forest. Anyplace you can drive up to will be occupied by others. So a place with "lots of tent sites" may be problematic if you are looking for solitude.

That said, there are many places in the Allegheny National Forest to your north and in Monongahela National Forest in WV, to your south. Both are about a 4 hour drive from Pittsburgh. The West Virginia mountains will tend to be more rugged and less populated. Due to increased logging and gas well development in the Allegheny Forest it is getting harder to find your way away from people and roads.

I've backpacked and camped extensively in both areas. As the previous answer mentioned, the PA department of Natural Resources has excellent state maps and guides on line to all the camping areas in the state. Some of the more spectacular and remote areas in WV are Cranberry Backcountry, Dolly Sods, Otter Creek and Spruce Knob and you can find info on line from the state of WV on those.

Even closer to Pittsburgh, there are nice campsites along the Laurel Highlands Trail that runs roughly north-south 50 miles to the east. And the John P. Saylor Trail near Johnstown has several loop trails with great campsite areas for multiple tents. Go on line and check the reservation requirements for any place you are headed to make sure you comply with location restrictions and that areas are not already overbooked. There are published guides to both National Forests available in outfitter shops and book stores. I recommend taking a book -- easier access than on on-line when you're beyond "civilization".

The closest really deep roadless wilderness is the Adirondacks in upstate NY.

My family and i want to take a simple vacation with our 8 mo old baby we just dont know where to go.?

katweenie

We want to stay near the indiana,ohio, Illinios area.

Answer
I cant believe the people that say camping is great with a baby. They may be right, but I wouldnt try it with my kids (ages 2 and 3 weeks). Why? Because when we take my son to a new place to sleep, it bothers him- be it grandma's house, a hotel, a condo, whatever. So he gets fussy, he doesnt want to go to bed, he cries a lot, etc. And this is a laid-back kid that started sleeping through the night when he was 10 days old. I can only imagine how much worse it would be, being stuck in a tent with him.

When my son was 9 months old, we took him down to Hilton Head in SC. We left at like, 3AM, so when he woke up around 8:30 AM, we were already almost halfway there. We're thinking about maybe going back later this summer, after the baby is a few months older. We get a 2-3 bedroom condo. That makes it seem more like home to the kids. And they get their own rooms, which means they dont see us if they wake up a little bit at night, so they go back to sleep, rather than screaming to get our attention.

That being said, it sounds like you want to stay closer. Cedar Point is great, but an 8 month old would hate it, and would make it no fun for parents too. Same with Kings Island. I'd suggest someplace more laid back- like rent a couple bedroom cabin at Hocking Hills. You're still in a nice, quiet, natural area, but you've got a house which will make your baby a lot more comfortable. If you are willing to consider Tennessee/North Carolina, then you could also get a cabin on the Smoky Mountains. Its a very straight shot down I75, so its an easy and relatively short drive- shorter than many parts of Illinois and around the same as going to Chicago.
You could also consider renting a place on Put-In-Bay up on Lake Erie.
Or make the drive to the beach at Myrtle, Hilton Head, or Virginia. Kids like the beach a lot more than mountains anyway, stop halfway and spend the night if 8-12 hours driving is too much for your little one. Just be sure to get a place with 2 bedrooms if you can, you will all be a lot happier.

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