Would you go camping, just you and your 11yo DD?

[LibraryLover]

Sure. I go away with my kids without dh quite often. If camping particularly concerns you, try a family campground area. Don't camp anywhere you might feel isloated.

[Susan C.]

Neither DD and I are thrilled about camping. We'd much rather stay in a nice hotel on the beach with a pool and a view and cable for the evenings. But we can't afford that. DD wants to go somewhere where we can do some beachcombing for shells.

 

 

I didn't read all six pages, but what about a KOA campground? Some even have little cabins.

[HappyCamper]

I will be going on a big camping trip with my daughter this summer. We are sticking to national and state park campgrounds. I feel quite relaxed about it, with no need to bring guns. (stuff happens in hotels too!) Maybe you could call the ranger station at the non-reservable campgrounds and find out what time you need vto get there in order to get a site. They usually have a good idea and are willing to let you know. Good luck!

[joannqn]

Ugh! I showed DD where I was thinking of going and she wants to go to the ocean instead. I'll have to make some calls tomorrow to find a place.

[Satori]

I would! I go camping all the time with my little girl, since she was 4. My DH travels so much and doesn't feel like going camping on the weekends, so we go by ourselves. We stay in a campground that has other people in it. It feels safer than going somewhere in the deep backwoods and no one knowing where we are.

 

Before I went with my daughter, I had never built a campfire or even grilled out by myself. Now, I can make a campfire, grill out, setup a tent!

 

Then again, we are also used to being in a huge mountain house all alone and isolated.

[joannqn]

Well, I just reserved a site at a KOA campground. All we really need is a place to sleep near the ocean and it was the only place I could find where I could reserve a site for the days we want to go. At least, I feel more comfortable with it being a large family campground. Now we just hope for sun and not rain.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Well, I just reserved a site at a KOA campground. All we really need is a place to sleep near the ocean and it was the only place I could find where I could reserve a site for the days we want to go. At least, I feel more comfortable with it being a large family campground. Now we just hope for sun and not rain.

 

Have fun! Dh is wanting to take the dc camping/backpacking later this week. We're having a hard time finding a place with no snow! The coast sounds great for your needs.

[YLVD]

Yes, I would, but I tend to lack judgment in being fearful stuff, lol

 

That said, I hate camping and will only go if taken against my will.:lol:

[DianneR]

I agree with many posts that mentioned family friendly campgrounds. Perhaps requesting (or reserving) a site close to the camp host might be possible. My daughter and I go camping - but we have an Airstream that is secure. I would consider tent camping with my daugther if we were camping near friends.

[Geo]

In your situation, yes.

 

For me, in my body, no.

 

Hey, how did you do that? I thought the words...and you posted them. Weird.

 

Geo

[Pippen]

I would go, but I would pick the location and time that I knew there would be people around.

 

Last year I took my daughter alone and we had an absolutely wonderful time. I felt safe the first part of the trip but we decided to stay an extra night (Sunday) and the place was emptied out that afternoon--it was a little creepy being out there alone at night in that area of the campground.

 

Go for it, just take reasonable precautions.

[Wheres Toto]

I would but I would go to a family friendly campground during a peak time. We've gone camping as a family in early spring and been the only ones in a campground. I would not want to do that if it was just dd and I. I would probably prefer a place that wasn't very wooded so there were obviously people around (we usually do the opposite).

 

If I felt nervous, I'd probably throw a foam mattress in the back of our Suburban and sleep in there with the doors locked.

[michelle l]

I absolutely would go. We usually camp as a family at the state parks here, and I would feel comfortable with any of the ones we've been to. It might be a good idea though to introduce yourself to the campground host. You can usually see a map of the campground online, so maybe you could reserve a site close to the host as well if you would feel more comfortable. It sounds fun!!:)

 

Oops, just read back in the thread that you found a place. It sounds like it will be nice! Have a great time with your dd.

Edited June 13, 2011 by michelle l

[Maus]

We use KOA and/or Good Sam a lot. We used to tent and now we have an RV. They vary in quality and maintenance because they are individually owned and operated, but I think there is a certain minimum standard they have to have to be able to say they are KOA (or Good Sam).

 

A big plus is that they have showers, and almost always a small camp store with basic groceries and stuff for simple repairs to your tent or rig.

 

The sort of people that stay there (families and retired full-timers) make them feel very safe, and I actually feel more secure there than at cheap motels. I wouldn't even think twice about staying at that kind of campground alone with my kids. (The only reason I have not yet done so is because I have not yet mastered backing up our rig, so I haven't gone solo with it.)

 

Make friends with two of your neighbors who don't seem to know each other (or who don't seem to have known each other prior to meeting there) and then there will be sort of a cross check going on with both of them keeping an eye out for you.

[MorganClassicalPrep]

If I were a camping person- sure! I have big dreams of taking DD camping. It sounds so exciting, and I know my way around a gun enough to protect us from anything we need protecting from.

 

But I have a horrible phobia of snakes. I'm scared enough that I won't camp just in case. :tongue_smilie:

[elinnea]

Yes.

 

I have taken my two boys camping alone from the time they were 5 and 8. We haven't gone since my dd was born but I think we'll try next summer.

 

My dh is gone most of the time and he's not much of a camper anyway so I don't have many options but to go alone. We always pick places that aren't remote. We've gone to Mt Rainier, the San Juans, Whidbey Island, and the Oregon Coast.

[Pretty in Pink]

In theory, I would go. Realistically, I know my dh would be extremely worried about me and would rather I not go alone, so I wouldn't out of consideration for his feelings.

[jen3kids]

I'm just back from a 2 night camping trip with 5 kids (ages 10-16). I was very nervous about being 'out there' on my own, responsible for 5 kids (2 of whom are not mine). I could tell from the park website that there were very few people camping in the area, which kind of freaked me out.

 

But, we had a great time. The people who were there were either young families or older couples - everyone was very friendly.

 

I agree with the others to stay near the camp hosts' site if you are at all concerned. Just knowing someone is nearby will make you more comfortable.

 

FYI my worse moment was when ds (13) wanted to light the propane lantern we had borrowed from his scout troop. I hate those things (thinking they'll blow up) and this one was making hissing noises, which ds wasn't sure was normal, so I made him turn it off and put it away. He was miffed! I explained that at scouts there are adults there who know what is normal with these lanterns and can help him if something goes wrong. I don't have that knowledge. He understood, but wasn't thrilled. He had to resort to an battery operated lamp - :rolleyes:

[Lady Florida.]

I have a RL homeschool friend who traveled up and down the East Coast camping with her 11 year old daughter. Her dh just couldn't take time off and they really wanted to go, so they did. They had so much fun, and posted facebook pictures all along the way. I would go with just my son if the occasion presented itself.

[Jenny in Florida]

I camped regularly for a couple of years with just my son. Yes, he was male, but at the time he was 10 and 11 years old.

 

I never worried about it, honestly.