During our stay in the Black Hills of South Dakota, our campsite was situated under several evergreen trees that had recently showered the ground with pinecones. Our kids were eager to scoop some up as souvenirs of our stay. So we bagged them up and they traveled all the way back to Pennsylvania. With Christmas around the corner I was on the hunt for something
Rockin’ good times
Last year I saw a fun idea on Pinterest that I decided our family was going to embrace this camping season: rock collecting. Wait, wait. Before you roll your eyes and move on, this isn’t just rock collecting. It’s memories collecting, too. At each of the campgrounds we visited this season, we picked up a rock representative of the area we camped. We have a
A family fun guide to the Black Hills of S.D.
Our visit to the Black Hills of South Dakota in 2015 was our favorite stop along our Wild West adventure. The region is rich with natural wonders, man-made marvels, and roadside Americana. It’s a great place to bring the whole family–with enough variety to keep everyone a happy camper. (Plus, it is home to one of the BEST campgrounds we have ever stayed at: Click here to find
Indiana Dunes State Park
Indiana Dunes State Park in Chesterton, Ind., seemed to be a popular destination for many families escaping city-life in nearby Chicago. The campground was nearly full both nights we stayed on a Thursday and Friday night. Unfortunately we did not have the best weather during our stay and it was extremely buggy in the campground while we were there, so we did not leave with
Interstate RV Park, Davenport, Iowa
Interstate RV Park in Davenport, Iowa, was a one-night stop for us as we made on our way east back across the Heartland. Since this was a stopover for us we did not do any touring of the area* but if we were going to stay for more than one night in the area we would most likely look for different accommodations since it is located
Lake Thompson Recreation Area, South Dakota
We were surrounded by corn fields as we drove down the road to the entrance of Lake Thompson Recreation Area, located just a few minutes from De Smet, S.D. What we discovered at the end of the road was a camping oasis in the middle of rolling waves of farmland. Whether you are coming to visit the local Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum or you are just looking for
Rafter J Bar Ranch, Hill City, SD
Rafter J Bar Ranch in Hill City, S.D., is a fantastic campground that is well-located for those eager to explore the Black Hills of South Dakota. Of all the places we visited on our 2015 West Trip, the Black Hills was by far our favorite stop. We spent five nights here and only began to scratch the surface of all the things to explore in the Black Hills
Rangers in training
If you asked our kids what their favorite part about traveling is, they would not even hesitate before replying, “Camping and earning Junior Ranger badges!” We first discovered the National Park Service’s Junior Ranger program on our 2015 West trip when we visited Devil’s Tower, Yellowstone, Mount Rushmore, and the Badlands. At each site the kiddos worked to earn their first badges, and from then on they
Ponderosa Campground, Cody, WY
On our Wild West adventure we made it as far West as Yellowstone, but our camper only went as far as Cody, Wyo., where we base camped at the Ponderosa Campground. The Ponderosa Campground is situated in the middle of bustling Cody, with easy access to key attractions like the Buffalo Bill Center of the West and the famous Cody rodeo. But if you are looking for quiet