Airstreaming with Kids

[WineStream]

Just throwing it out there in case anyone else is out around the holidays...

We plan to have the family (+grandma!) in Williamsburg, VA around Thanksgiving.

Also, it looks like we will take the 2 weeks around Christmas and New Years and go down to TX and then work our way along the coast to New Orleans before heading to home in Ohio.

[SCOTTinNJ]

Originally Posted by WineStream

If you plan it, they will come...

Actually, July 4th is always a camping weekend for us, but always at the Birthday Bash in PA. Although not advertised as such, it really is a family / kids rally. But, we'd be up for a rally in TN pretty much any other time in the summer. Our kids are out of school literally at the end of May and go back mid-late Aug.

I agree, Obey lake looks like a nice place. I always favor government campgrounds. Usually very big sites. Another place in that area of TN is an Airstream park. I typically enjoy staying at these too because they are cheap and usually have uber-full hook-ups.

Plan it...we're game.

What's the birthday bash? Where?

[boondockdad]

Originally Posted by WineStream

It dawned on me the other day that some of the best camping experiences I have are those where my family (and kids) have been able to camp with other kids. Each time I camp with another family, everyone comments how they would like to know more families that camp (and Airstream), myself included.

Whether it be a rally or just one or two families getting together on a weekend, there's a different dynamic among people that have kids. You have to attend to them; occasionally check where they are, deal with a scrape from bike riding, possibly a moment of hurt feelings, going to the pool, meal times, bed times, and thankfully usually parent time by the fire after kid bed time. And for those with the really young there's the added fun of nap time, feeding, changing, and night time disturbances.

There are a number of us families out here. I'm hoping to generate some interest with this post and get more of us together here on the forums or as well to gather for camping. So let's get everyone that camps with kids to post here. Hopefully it develops into a network of knowing who we all are and maybe we can get so far as to put together a couple rallies that are centered around our families and our kids.

Camping with the family is what it's all about. Great thread!

Always a good time when there's other kids camping, the more the better... the kids love meeting and making new friends.

[WineStream]

Originally Posted by SCOTTinNJ

What's the birthday bash? Where?

It's held every 4th of July in Slippery Rock, PA (western side of the state, just off of I-79). The group has their own part of a huge campground reserved for the rally. It's a rustic setting and near a lake. Lots of kids' activities and tons of space to ride bikes.

Thread from last year's rally (Bash 5): http://www.airforums.com/forums/f290/bash5-109208.html

And the thread from next year's rally: http://www.airforums.com/forums/f290/bash6-122225.html

If you search on airforums, you should be able to find the threads from previous years as well. Lots of pictures posted on each.

[Silverflames]

We will be at Ft Desoto next weekend, anyone is welcome to join us!


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[Skatiero]

We would, but we will be at Falluminum, it's a favorite rally! It's next weekend in Hiawassee, Georgia.

[SCOTTinNJ]

Originally Posted by WineStream

It's held every 4th of July in Slippery Rock, PA (western side of the state, just off of I-79). The group has their own part of a huge campground reserved for the rally. It's a rustic setting and near a lake. Lots of kids' activities and tons of space to ride bikes.

Thread from last year's rally (Bash 5): http://www.airforums.com/forums/f290/bash5-109208.html

And the thread from next year's rally: http://www.airforums.com/forums/f290/bash6-122225.html

If you search on airforums, you should be able to find the threads from previous years as well. Lots of pictures posted on each.

Looks awesome. On the calendar.

[WineStream]

Originally Posted by Skatiero

We would, but we will be at Falluminum, it's a favorite rally! It's next weekend in Hiawassee, Georgia.

That is a great rally in a great location. We've only been to sister rally (Springstream) once, but the park is awesome. I can only imagine how it looks in the fall. I kinda recall my kids being the only ones there, but it was so long ago that my youngest was still sleeping in a pack'n'play (now 6 years old). The demographic could have changed by now.

Nevertheless, we have been trying to get back to one of the two rallies ever since having gone originally. Tough for us to do now with both kids in school and a 10 hour drive one-way (without stops).

[BoldAdventure]

Saddly even though I seem to live in a Florida I can't manage to reserve a state park to go out on the weekend. All you snow birds

[PharmGeek]

Florida seems like "RV hell" in that respect ?

In general we have found that for most places - if we don't get a very early reservation - popular places in the southeast can be easily booked solid


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[BoldAdventure]

I just found a place for this weekend, Salt Springs in the Ocala National Forest! Had lots of empty lots, full hookups, 3 hours away.

We spent all of the past two weekends in the Smokey Mountains and 1 day in Kentucky at Cumberland Falls. Was a blast, a bit of a heavy tourist area. So beautiful! I cried on the drive home at the thought of having to sit at a desk Monday morning at 7 am, lol. ~ I blew up my Instagram feed during the last week.

Every Airstream we saw was heading south, lol. But on our way home we drove thru the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest in Georgia. I didn't realize Georgia had a mountainous area, and it's about a 6hr drive vs the 14 to the Smokies. It might be a new region on our list of places to venture before we go full time. If the weather there isn't bad.

The up swing of Florida is it's suppose to be in the mid 70's this weekend. The winter months are pleasant. But otherwise, there is nothing particular interesting about this state to me.

[PharmGeek]

Blairsville GA - Vogel state park - we loved it


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[Paddledipper]

Originally Posted by BoldAdventure

I just found a place for this weekend, Salt Springs in the Ocala National Forest! Had lots of empty lots, full hookups, 3 hours away.

We spent all of the past two weekends in the Smokey Mountains and 1 day in Kentucky at Cumberland Falls. Was a blast, a bit of a heavy tourist area. So beautiful! I cried on the drive home at the thought of having to sit at a desk Monday morning at 7 am, lol. ~ I blew up my Instagram feed during the last week.

Every Airstream we saw was heading south, lol. But on our way home we drove thru the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest in Georgia. I didn't realize Georgia had a mountainous area, and it's about a 6hr drive vs the 14 to the Smokies. It might be a new region on our list of places to venture before we go full time. If the weather there isn't bad.

The up swing of Florida is it's suppose to be in the mid 70's this weekend. The winter months are pleasant. But otherwise, there is nothing particular interesting about this state to me.

The Ocala National Forest is our favorite! Salt Springs, Juniper Springs, Silver Glen, Silver Springs and Alexander Springs all close together and just beautiful places to spend a weekend!

[Silverflames]

We spent a week at Salt Springs over the summer. Very nice.. It's on my short list. It's a national park.


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[WineStream]

A few pictures from last weekend at the Anniversary / Chili cook-off rally at Findley SP in Ohio. The boys found a new Airstream friend.

[BoldAdventure]

Originally Posted by PharmGeek

Blairsville GA - Vogel state park - we loved it

Ha! Thanks for the recommendation! We drove right by it on the way home. We stopped on the side of the road when we spotted the Waterfall. Saw some big 5th wheels coming out of there. It's going on the list.

[PharmGeek]

Most folks camping there will not be in 5th wheels I suspect - access in there is pretty tight

We (my wife and I) are chatting tonight about in 6 years a 3 week trip out west - I have zero idea if that is doable at this point but enjoying the dreaming of the day

4 weeks will be impossible sadly unless she flies out 1 week early and I finish off the last 1 week solo with two kids (ages 10 and 8 by that point)


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[WineStream]

As we all sit around during this Christmas season, my wife and I have been discussing where we are going in the next year. So far, there's not much rally-wise. We have an old-faithful rally in the spring. Our usual summer rally has been cancelled. So I thought it would be time to organize a new rally. So how about a kids / family rally? We've talked about it informally here, so I'd like to start the ball rolling toward making it happen. Some loose suggestions that I have for a kids rally would be (in no particular order):

1. Land between the lakes (western KY)
2. St Louis, MO (City Museum, Anheuser-Busch, Arch)
3. Washington DC
4. Williamsburg, VA and surrounding area (historic triangle, Busch Gardens, Tree Frog)
5. Cedar Point, Sandusky, OH (Kalahari nearby, too)
6. Stone Mountain, GA (Stone Mountain Park, city of Atlanta nearby)
7. Asheville, NC (Biltmore Estate, Kids' museum, Blue Ridge Parkway, Gatlinburg, Smokey Natl Park)

Feedback? Other location ideas that are good for kids?

For timeframe, I was thinking summer (school out). I know some people don't have the traditional June-Aug off of school anymore (wish I was you!) so if you want to go to something like this but have limited summer time, please let us all know.

[SCOTTinNJ]

Any of those sound great. For us timing will be important. The better the timing the farther we can travel. Otherwise dc is an easy 4-5 day trip for us and a great city for kids.

Another option is to find a great campsite with lake and stuff for kids. Then you don't need another local attraction necessarily.

[SCOTTinNJ]

My wife just voted for williamsburg. I guess that's our vote...