Plan Camping Trips Now
Have you seen that meme that reads “Adulthood is just saying ‘after the next few weeks things will slow down’ over and over til you die.” I chuckle whenever my husband and I discuss our schedule or upcoming events because I think of that meme. We do tend to slow down a little in the winter though. We spend many evenings at home in our toasty living room under cozy blankets.
It’s good to have restful times that help us gear up for longer daylight hours where we’ll be much more active. One hazard I have to fight (and I’m sure I’m not alone) is getting lost in my social media feeds as hours slip by. I’d much prefer to accomplish something with my leisure time. Sitting with my feet up at night is the perfect time to research places we want to visit this summer.
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Why should you work on summer plans during the winter? I can think of four specific advantages to using this time to hammer out an agenda.
Get It On The Calendar
I’ve had many seasons slip by where I meant to plan this or that. The days slipped by and I never got to some sites or trips on my list. Getting a date on the calendar allows you to turn your wishlist into an event schedule. Whether you want to do a one-day hike, camping trip, or other overnight trip, planning those things now reserves the time for them.
Put It In The Budget
It’s not just time that you spend when camping, hiking, or biking beyond your home trail. Using some of your winter evening time to figure out your summer outings gives you a better idea of what you’ll spend on trail adventures. In some cases, it will be a preliminary sketch. You can have an idea of what food you’ll bring on a camping trip. But you can look up the costs of campgrounds or hotels and know the exact cost. That leads to the next benefit.
Book It Before It Fills Up
Accomodations in the most popular destinations book up in advance. Gorgeous trail towns like Jim Thorpe and Ohiopyle experience in-season crowd surges that could leave no room for you in the inn. We also like staying in cabins at campgrounds that have them. These usually fill up before tent sites. If you want specific accommodations at your destination, book as much in advance as possible.
Some campgrounds and parks don’t let you book a swathe of campsites. If you’re planning for a group, each family must book individually. Advanced booking assures that a detail like this doesn’t ruin your trip.
Ninja Vacations
Have you ever booked a trip and didn’t tell your kids? We call it a ninja vacation. We have done this a few times and it’s super fun! It takes a little more forethought to pull it off, depending on the type of trip. Older kids might be harder to fool, but it’s definitely worth it. To pack bags for unsuspecting kids, I skim a few items off the pile when we do laundry. Then we go “grocery shopping” on our way if we need to bring food. I recommend trying a ninja vacation this spring or summer. They are instant memory makers.
Don’t let the winter evenings slip by as you scroll on your phone. Use the time to plan some summer fun so that season doesn’t slip by either. Visit trailfamily.blog and tell us about your favorite places.
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