tent camping with small children image
Beachy Kee
My husband and I recently got an RV and have been taking our 2 small boys camping for about the past year. What are the best campgrounds that are the most kid friendly. We have 1 year old and 3 year old boys.
Answer
If I could I would stay at the Disney Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground. You can stay there and enjoy all the ammenities of a Disney resort without even having to pay to go to the parks. There is a pool, horseback riding, tennis, archery, crusing on the Disney lakes, petting zoo, playgrounds and so much more. Be sure to click the link on the sources section, for much more detailed info from www.allears.net.
Here's a little more info:
There are 788 conventional campsites at FW located in 20 loops (100 through 2000). Most sites are fairly secluded from one another by a generous growth of brush and trees between sites. All campsites are back-ins and are a combination of paved driveway, which range in length from 25 to 60 feet, and sandy pad. Each site is approximately 25 feet wide and comes with a picnic table and charcoal grill. All sites have electricity (20/30/50 amps) and city water. There are 695 full hookup sites that also provide sewer. The 90 partial hookup sites, primarily used by tent campers and those with tent trailers, are located on loops 1500 and 2000.
It used to be that you couldn't have a campfire at the sites, because they worried about people letting them get out of control etc. But! this policy changed.
You can bring in your own contained campfire unit. Typically, stores call them firepits or outdoor fireplaces. It's a solid metal bottom on short legs with metal mesh sides and a top. A mesh top is okay at all campsites EXCEPT any of those that are creekside. If you have a creekside spot, you must have a solid metal top for your firepit. This is to better prevent embers from spreading to the greater amount trees and foliage (and wildlife) that are around the creeks. For example, the creek/dog walk along Loop 300 has a large wooded area with deer, eagles, armadillos and more making their home there.
Of course, Fort Wilderness also has the Campfire Program where you can enjoy campfires as well as everything offered at this special program.
If I could I would stay at the Disney Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground. You can stay there and enjoy all the ammenities of a Disney resort without even having to pay to go to the parks. There is a pool, horseback riding, tennis, archery, crusing on the Disney lakes, petting zoo, playgrounds and so much more. Be sure to click the link on the sources section, for much more detailed info from www.allears.net.
Here's a little more info:
There are 788 conventional campsites at FW located in 20 loops (100 through 2000). Most sites are fairly secluded from one another by a generous growth of brush and trees between sites. All campsites are back-ins and are a combination of paved driveway, which range in length from 25 to 60 feet, and sandy pad. Each site is approximately 25 feet wide and comes with a picnic table and charcoal grill. All sites have electricity (20/30/50 amps) and city water. There are 695 full hookup sites that also provide sewer. The 90 partial hookup sites, primarily used by tent campers and those with tent trailers, are located on loops 1500 and 2000.
It used to be that you couldn't have a campfire at the sites, because they worried about people letting them get out of control etc. But! this policy changed.
You can bring in your own contained campfire unit. Typically, stores call them firepits or outdoor fireplaces. It's a solid metal bottom on short legs with metal mesh sides and a top. A mesh top is okay at all campsites EXCEPT any of those that are creekside. If you have a creekside spot, you must have a solid metal top for your firepit. This is to better prevent embers from spreading to the greater amount trees and foliage (and wildlife) that are around the creeks. For example, the creek/dog walk along Loop 300 has a large wooded area with deer, eagles, armadillos and more making their home there.
Of course, Fort Wilderness also has the Campfire Program where you can enjoy campfires as well as everything offered at this special program.
What are views on folding campers / trailor tents?
0
We have three small children and want to camp in comfort - we have seen a trailor tent for a very good proce on eBay - what are your views?
I want to go away for 3-4 weeks and cannot bear the thought of staying in a normal tent for that time, and cannot afford a hotel...
Answer
Pop-up campers are ideal for families with small children. Most are light enough to be easily towed behind a 6-cylinder vehicle without a huge sacrifice in fuel economy. Unlike motorized RV's, a pop-up does not need separate liability insurance or expensive maintenance (though inexpensive RV insurance is advisable on newer units that still have good value).
One big advantage of a pop-up versus tent camping is your camper can be cleaned and re-stocked after each trip so you just need to add perishable foods and clothing to head out on your next adventure. There is enough storage space to keep all of your gear permanently inside the camper, either in the cabinets or in storage bins on the floor. So you don't need to shoe-horn your tent, sleeping bags, cooking gear, food and clothing in the car with the family, making the driving portion of your trip more comfortable and enjoyable.
The other big advantage is the additional comfort and protection. Thick foam mattresses and heavy canvas tent material, combined with the solid roof, floor and partial walls of the main body, offer additional insulation, weather protection and security versus a tent. You can choose a model that has a propane furnace to safely heat your camper in cold weather, and fans or even air conditioning to keep cool in the summer.
Most pop-ups have a galley with a sink, fresh water supply, and a propane stove that can be used inside or outside. They carry one or two 20Lb propane tanks externally so you don't have to deal with disposable propane canisters (you might need adapters and extra hose if you want to use a gas BBQ grill). There is a 12V battery to run lights and small appliances when no AC electrical hook-ups are available, but you also have the option to hook-up to "shore power" to run your air conditioner (if equipped or added), microwave oven (again, if equipped or added) or other higher-power devices. Small 3-way refrigerators are common in larger pop-ups.
Some things to consider when choosing a pop-up:
1. Where will everyone sleep?
_ a.) Small kids can share a bed, 3 small kids fit on a king-size mattress.
_ b.) The dinette folds into a bed, but only 48" wide, so sharing is "intimate."
_ c.) The dinette might be too short for a single teen/adult. Check before you buy.
_ d.) Older boys don't like sharing beds. Make sure you have sleeping options.
_ e.) Kids like to invite relatives and friends. Complicates all the above.
_ f.) An add-a-room and some cots can provide additional sleeping options.
2. Bathroom or not?
We never had a bathroom in our pop-ups and didn't miss it. Worst case is you setup a chemical toilet and shower bag in a privacy shelter outside, but mostly we relied on the campground facilities for toilet and shower needs. Our hybrid camper (a full-box travel trailer with fold-out bed ends) has a small bathroom, which we use when dry camping, but we prefer to use the campground facilities when available to avoid adding humidity or smell to the camper. No built-in bathroom also eliminates the most hated of RV chores: dealing with the sewer line and holding tanks.
3. Water heater or not?
Even without an inside bathroom or nearby facilities, a quick hot shower is a welcome luxury. When dry camping it is much preferred to bag showers, and at a full-service campground it makes quick clean-ups after swimming more convenient. The only disadvantage is a shower will use up water quickly when dry camping, and takes-up storage space.
4. Air conditioner or not?
They often ice-up and stop working when you want them the most, particularly in a pop-up camper that's not as well insulated as a full-box travel trailer or motorized RV. The A/C requires an electrical hook-up or a minimum 3500-watt generator. A/C is noisy and a generator makes things worse. We found that even in the desert during summer, once we acclimated to the temperatures, nights were comfortable with only fans. But in hot and humid, A/C might be desirable.
5. Awnings
One awning is highly recommended. Two is even better. We rarely ate or just hung-out inside our campers, even with the large hybrid, even in the rain and cold weather. With our last pop-up we had one awning on each side. The "front" awning was used as our hang-out area, sometimes with an add-a-room to keep out the bugs. The "back" awning was where we setup our kitchen and dining area.
6. Storage
An outside storage trunk is a great feature. Just remember to unload it before extending the front bed slide. Some pop-ups have a slide-out drawer that can be accessed when the bed is extended, but this cuts down on storage capacity and doesn't allow large items. Use stacking storage bins to storage space; small in cabinets, large to stack on the floor during transit.
Always buy used. Most people use their camper 2 or 3 times a year, so even a 10 year old camper - if well maintained - can be in great condition at huge savings.
Pop-up campers are ideal for families with small children. Most are light enough to be easily towed behind a 6-cylinder vehicle without a huge sacrifice in fuel economy. Unlike motorized RV's, a pop-up does not need separate liability insurance or expensive maintenance (though inexpensive RV insurance is advisable on newer units that still have good value).
One big advantage of a pop-up versus tent camping is your camper can be cleaned and re-stocked after each trip so you just need to add perishable foods and clothing to head out on your next adventure. There is enough storage space to keep all of your gear permanently inside the camper, either in the cabinets or in storage bins on the floor. So you don't need to shoe-horn your tent, sleeping bags, cooking gear, food and clothing in the car with the family, making the driving portion of your trip more comfortable and enjoyable.
The other big advantage is the additional comfort and protection. Thick foam mattresses and heavy canvas tent material, combined with the solid roof, floor and partial walls of the main body, offer additional insulation, weather protection and security versus a tent. You can choose a model that has a propane furnace to safely heat your camper in cold weather, and fans or even air conditioning to keep cool in the summer.
Most pop-ups have a galley with a sink, fresh water supply, and a propane stove that can be used inside or outside. They carry one or two 20Lb propane tanks externally so you don't have to deal with disposable propane canisters (you might need adapters and extra hose if you want to use a gas BBQ grill). There is a 12V battery to run lights and small appliances when no AC electrical hook-ups are available, but you also have the option to hook-up to "shore power" to run your air conditioner (if equipped or added), microwave oven (again, if equipped or added) or other higher-power devices. Small 3-way refrigerators are common in larger pop-ups.
Some things to consider when choosing a pop-up:
1. Where will everyone sleep?
_ a.) Small kids can share a bed, 3 small kids fit on a king-size mattress.
_ b.) The dinette folds into a bed, but only 48" wide, so sharing is "intimate."
_ c.) The dinette might be too short for a single teen/adult. Check before you buy.
_ d.) Older boys don't like sharing beds. Make sure you have sleeping options.
_ e.) Kids like to invite relatives and friends. Complicates all the above.
_ f.) An add-a-room and some cots can provide additional sleeping options.
2. Bathroom or not?
We never had a bathroom in our pop-ups and didn't miss it. Worst case is you setup a chemical toilet and shower bag in a privacy shelter outside, but mostly we relied on the campground facilities for toilet and shower needs. Our hybrid camper (a full-box travel trailer with fold-out bed ends) has a small bathroom, which we use when dry camping, but we prefer to use the campground facilities when available to avoid adding humidity or smell to the camper. No built-in bathroom also eliminates the most hated of RV chores: dealing with the sewer line and holding tanks.
3. Water heater or not?
Even without an inside bathroom or nearby facilities, a quick hot shower is a welcome luxury. When dry camping it is much preferred to bag showers, and at a full-service campground it makes quick clean-ups after swimming more convenient. The only disadvantage is a shower will use up water quickly when dry camping, and takes-up storage space.
4. Air conditioner or not?
They often ice-up and stop working when you want them the most, particularly in a pop-up camper that's not as well insulated as a full-box travel trailer or motorized RV. The A/C requires an electrical hook-up or a minimum 3500-watt generator. A/C is noisy and a generator makes things worse. We found that even in the desert during summer, once we acclimated to the temperatures, nights were comfortable with only fans. But in hot and humid, A/C might be desirable.
5. Awnings
One awning is highly recommended. Two is even better. We rarely ate or just hung-out inside our campers, even with the large hybrid, even in the rain and cold weather. With our last pop-up we had one awning on each side. The "front" awning was used as our hang-out area, sometimes with an add-a-room to keep out the bugs. The "back" awning was where we setup our kitchen and dining area.
6. Storage
An outside storage trunk is a great feature. Just remember to unload it before extending the front bed slide. Some pop-ups have a slide-out drawer that can be accessed when the bed is extended, but this cuts down on storage capacity and doesn't allow large items. Use stacking storage bins to storage space; small in cabinets, large to stack on the floor during transit.
Always buy used. Most people use their camper 2 or 3 times a year, so even a 10 year old camper - if well maintained - can be in great condition at huge savings.
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