Do you ever wake up and decide that you and your family need to experience the outdoor wilderness? Immediately, you begin to search for some pretty cool uncharted territory. Something not too dangerous, but challenging enough to test everyone’s willpower. Your main objective is to force everyone to lay their phones down and communicate the old-fashioned way. The only problem is, you booked the camping trip and confirmed your reservation through the phone.
Our first family camping trip took place at Fort Yargo State Park. Fort Yargo State Park is a 1,816-acre Georgia state park located in Winder. My initial reaction to this place, when getting out of the car, made me wonder how this can be a wilderness–until it was time to hike. The hiking trails were relentless. The terrain challenged everyone’s stamina, including our dog, Princess.
The park features a log fort built in 1792 by settlers, for protection against the local natives, the Creek and Cherokee. There is a 260-acre lake with a public beach. The park was filled with teepee huts and log cabin accommodations, if you desired. We desired a more rich, full camping experience, so we stuck to the outdoors.
Cooking all our meals outside still felt like a usual barbecue, as everyone twiddled their fingers from the absence of their smartphones. I surprised everyone back at the parking location by telling everyone that the phones stay, no exceptions. I had no clue what to expect during our camping experience, so I did bring a small track phone for an emergency. I had to keep this alternative concealed for 96 hours knowing my daughter would try to con her way into bringing her phone if she knew.
Activity-filled camping trips are important if you are traveling with teenagers versus younger children. Fort Yargo made this a lot easier than I expected. The state park had a huge lake and beach, plenty of fishing spots, along with some challenging biking and hiking trails. As we all soaked in our surroundings, we noticed everyone in the family seemed to be enjoying themselves without the internet or some new phone app.
Princess had many new dog encounters which were great for her. Observing that we weren’t the only family around who needed to disconnect from the everyday life and routine felt encouraging. This truly gave the family an opportunity to catch up with the growth of our family. As parents, there are times your children can leave you in disbelief for the better or worse.
I had no idea my son was such a fast learner until we prepared the sleeping grounds, while my wife and daughter gathered important items we needed. The trip made an ideal getaway for some beautiful memories between us all. Being a tourist in our own country felt amazing. Pondering on the success in our quick camping trip made me question myself. Should we find a way to become tourists more often?
Being a tourist in some form or fashion creates a higher level if bonding. Camping can bring out some of our best natural emotions. Some people become so intrigued with camping they transition into making it their lifestyle. Couples get married around campfires. People decide to build homes in the wilderness. The possibilities are endless because today more U.S parks and attractions are offering online reservations.
If you are looking forward to planning your first camping trip, consider Aspira campground manager software. Be mindful of your activities, children, and attractions when planning so that will make it worth your time. Think about creating your own family games and traditions. Your children just might pass the tradition down to their children.
Every adventure isn’t action-packed, but it makes it special because of the people you spend time enjoying the attractions with.
It’s always a pleasure knowing your family has a vacation place they enjoy revisiting. Most tourists attractions are pretty boring after the second or third time. Each camping trip invites the family to a whole new experience. Depending on the location you decide to camp out, each location offers a different look of mountains, lakes, rivers, trees and animal species.
Mother nature is an amusement park within her own self. There are no boundaries, limits or waiting lines. No expectation is far and she can accommodate with some of the best experiences life can offer.
