by Lisa Nelson

Created on: June 22, 2009   Last Updated: June 24, 2009

Family camping is a great way to get away from it all, with little expense, and still have a great time doing so! I remember many fun, family times, as a young girl, centered around a tent, campfire, and fishing! They are memories that I will cherish forever! My mother and father planned these weekend getaways as family times that would be fun, and yet not too costly to tackle.

Hmm, the word tackle, brings to mind, another great part of the whole camping excursion. The tackle box and the fishing! Dad would always bring the fishing gear on the camping weekends. Mostly he and my little brother and I, did the fishing, while mom kept the campsite. We would go off to the river, while mom kept the home fire burning, waiting for the great catches, and the stories behind them! I know it was probably more of a headache for dad, having to continually unwind the tangled messes and rebait, all for that once in a while big catch, that bubby or I would finally get! But the memories are definitely worth the hassles! I know he would agree!

We had fun, with dad, which I will always remember and have passed on to my sons, with my husband! I still enjoy fishing as an inexpensive way to get away with the family and enjoy ourselves! It seems that the fun of fishing always went along with the camping experience! I would also bring along my guitar, and we'd make smores around a campfire and sing songs.

I still love the smell of the campfire and enjoy the brisk night air as we'd sit around and just enjoy the evening to the fullest! Nothing it seems beats the taste of a hot dog grilled over the open air fire! Or the hamburgers, baked beans, and pasta salads that would go along with the weekend of camping instead of the high cost of restaurants and such when going on other vacations.

Grilling out over the fire was another part of the camping experience that kept the cost lower. And to me, nothing beats the whole great outdoors experience. I'd love the smell of the fresh air and the fun nature walks that we would take while we camped. We'd find trails, take hikes, see deer and other wildlife, and always be amazed at the neat animals in nature. Some folks even add mountain biking.

This is still yet another way to take in the whole experience of all the wildlife and great outdoors! Our tent that we have today even has a separate room, like an entrance way to take shoes off and such. We'd have our picnic table set up under a tent like covering and hang out doors lights. Oh yes, it takes time, to set it all up, but once the area is put together, then it's time to enjoy and relax. And isn't that, what it's all about?

Life is so hectic and full of chaos and always running about, that its so worth it, to go on adventures that just simply bring you together to relax as a family. And with keeping the cost low, in today's economy, you can't beat it for a weekend getaway!

Camping is an adventure that is low cost, yet high in fun and adventures! If you've never tried camping, why not? A tent is really the biggest part of the whole camper's investment. But, once you have purchased that, you'll have it for years to follow. And the memories will follow along too!

Pass along a great pastime to your children. Something that they can do someday with their children! And like I've done, tell some stories around the fires to your children of how your parents brought you on a great adventure, that you'll never forget! Oh yes, when you get back home, there will be the piles of dirty towels and laundry, but it'll be all well worth the long winded fish tales that will last a lifetime!

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