Why Camping with a 2 Year Old and a Baby Isn't the WORST Idea...

I wouldn't describe myself as a nature person. I don't particulary like bugs or dirt and I'm fond of having a bathroom en suite. However, we took the boys camping two weeks ago and found that it was a great and cheap way to have a mini-vacation at the shore.

The pluses...

Cheap, really cheap. We stayed a Cape Henlopen State Park in Delaware which was $30/night for a no water, no electricity site. Our site was quiet, wooded, and near the back of the campground. Otherwise, we spent about $50 on gas, $100 on food and entertainment, and $50 on a ferry. All in all, it cost less than a hotel room for one night.

No child proofing. Other than the whole "eats twigs and leaves" issues that you encounter with children the age of our boys...There were no outlets to worry about, no death trap bathroom, to phones to unplug.

"Date" time. We put the boys to sleep at about 9:00 and snuggled by a campfire. In a hotel room, we'd have ended up watching CNN on mute.

Things to do. The campsite we went to was a short walk or drive from the beach and had forts to explore, walking paths, an ampitheater, RVs to check out...It was also about a 5 minute drive from historic Lewes and a twenty minute drive from Rehoboth.

Quiet hours. People really adhered to the rules and were quiet, almost silent, between 10 and 7.

The minuses...

You know, BUGS.

It took FOREVER to pack and unpack.

It was so hot that we went out to dinner to get some AC.

A few tips...

I love this idea: Bring two tents. One kid with each parent. They won't wake each other up and they'll go off to sleep more easily.

Obviously, bring citronella candles.

Bring enough toys from home to keep a toddler from running off to another campsite - a tricycle, a back hoe and dump truck, some playdough...

Go for three nights. It's not too long, but you'll be able to enjoy two days worth of activities. For all of the packing and unpacking effort, you really need at least three nights.

Wait until they're exhausted to put them to sleep!

Pack enough non-perishable food. Most of ours went bad by day 2. UHT milk, bread, PB, jelly, canned tuna, shelf stable mayo all come to mind.

Bring a multi-terrain stroller. An umbrella stroller or similar will cause you nothing but frustration. Our Phil and Teds SP was perfect for walking around the campsite.