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Spring Cove Campground, Bass Lake
Doing a mountain/ lake camping trip is one of our favorite traditions, and this summer we discovered a hidden gem of a campground: Spring Cove Campground at Bass Lake. If you’re looking for a California lake to camp at, this might be just the spot for you. We love camping in Yosemite, but those campsites are so hard to get, especially when coordinating with a group. So for the past several years, we’ve been trying out other campgrounds on lakes. Choosing Where to Camp We spent a week camping at Pinecrest Lake (and we loved it!) over the last two summers, but this year we decided to venture out again…
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Nevada Beach Campground: One of Lake Tahoe’s Best Spots
We just returned from a beautiful week of camping in Lake Tahoe. I love trying new campgrounds each time we visit, and this time I was lucky enough to score a campsite at the popular Nevada Beach campground. It’s one of the few Lake Tahoe campgrounds that allow dogs, plus it’s located right on the beach. When looking at a map of the area, I was a little worried that it would feel very much in the middle of a city. There are casinos nearby and plenty of options for nightlife. And while that’s a lot of fun, that’s not what I was looking for during this mountain escape. Lucky…
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Thor 30.2 Ace Motorhome – Our New RV
Prior to purchasing our Thor 30.2 Ace motorhome, my husband and I had been tent campers our whole lives. When I was a child, my family actually bought a motorhome, but it was a punishment for us kids to have to sleep in it. We all had our tents and we loved sleeping in them, so we only slept in the motorhome if it was raining or if we got in trouble. I still genuinely enjoy tent camping. There’s something special about sleeping in a tent. But there’s obviously a ton of prep work, packing and loading that goes along with tent camping. After 11 years of tent camping with…
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San Elijo State Beach Camping Guide: Best Sites, Tips & What to Know
Having grown up in San Diego, I don’t think I’ve ever missed a summer of beach camping in my life. And it’s a tradition I have continued with my kids. Every summer we go camping at the San Elijo State Beach campground. It’s one of our most favorite summer campgrounds. And I know I’m not alone because beach camping in Southern California is extremely popular and downright difficult to get campsites. But I do have tips on how to improve your chances at booking a beach campsite. If you haven’t ever gone beach camping, I highly suggest you give it a try. There’s not much better than relaxing at the…
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How to Make Ice Last Longer in a Cooler
An ice chest is an important camping essential. But when you’re camping, the last thing you want to be doing is making an ice run every day. It’s important that your food stays cold, but there are things you can do to avoid extra ice runs. And many of these things won’t cost you a penny. These simple tips on how to make ice last longer in a cooler will help you to spend less time and money on ice during your camping trips. How to Make Ice Last Longer in a Cooler: Invest in a Good Ice Chest If you feel like you’re going through ice too quickly, it…
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Lake Jennings Campground, San Diego
I’ve lived in San Diego all my life and somehow had never been to the Lake Jennings campground prior to this previous weekend. Ideally when we go camping, we love to explore new territory and venture a little bit further from home. However, there is definitely something to be said about the ease of camping 20 mins from home, especially when trying to coordinate with a large group of campers, which we were. We decided about two months ago to try to go camping with a bunch of families from our youth sports team. As you can imagine, many popular campgrounds are full two months out, especially when you need…
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How to Plan a Multi-Family or Group Camping Trip
We just got back from our second-annual group camping trip at Yucaipa Regional Park. This has quickly become one of our favorite traditions, and it has a lot to do with the families who join us on this trip. While there is no large group camping site at this particular campground, it’s easy enough to get lots of individual campsites near each other, making for a fun group camping trip. There’s a lot that goes into planning a group camping trip. If you’re the brave soul volunteering to plan a multi-family or group camping trip, you deserve a high five—and a little help. Here’s a guide to making it fun,…
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Yucaipa Water Park & Campground
When I first heard about the Yucaipa water park at the Yucaipa County Park & Campground, I knew I needed to plan a trip. I’m always down for a campground with waterslides! I tried looking for campsites right away, but soon learned that this is one of the most popular campgrounds in SoCal. So it books up far in advance. And we wanted to camp with a big group of friends, so looking for cancellations probably wouldn’t have worked well. We decided to book for the following summer, and it was worth the wait. The Yucaipa Regional Park is located in the middle of a city with houses and grocery…
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Rainy Day Camping Hacks for Families: How to Stay Dry, Happy & Sane
Let’s be real—rain and camping don’t exactly sound like a dream combo, especially when you’ve got little ones in tow. But here’s the good news: with a little prep and the right gear, camping in the rain can still be a fun, cozy, and even memorable family adventure. We’ve done some summertime mountain camping where it’s clear and sunny one minute, and the next minute the clouds are coming in for a torrential downpour. While it’s not usually ideal, it does always add a bit of excitement to the day. Last time we were camping in June Lake, we had about two hours of solid rain that came out of…
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15+ Things to Do in Lake Arrowhead with Kids (Family-Friendly Guide for Every Season)
Planning a family trip and wondering about the best things to do in Lake Arrowhead with kids? This mountain town in Southern California is packed with family-friendly activities year-round—from scenic hikes and lakeside adventures to unique attractions like SkyPark at Santa’s Village. Whether you’re visiting in summer for water fun or winter for snow play, this guide covers the top Lake Arrowhead family activities to help you plan the perfect trip. We visit Lake Arrowhead every year and we never have trouble entertaining ourselves, no matter what time of year we visit. Here are our favorite things to do there. 1. Explore Lake Arrowhead Village Start your trip in Lake…
