A perfect long-weekend trip.
After driving almost 5 hours from Seattle, we pulled up McGovern Lane to a little green oasis right beside the Tuccanon River. There, we were greeted by Steven, who welcomed us as we unloaded our 5 children and camping gear. One of the first things the kids did was check out the hammock - always a hit! Later, as we got settled in, Derrick arrived and also came to do a little meet and greet. We felt so welcomed, and it felt really special to make new friends during a year we've been mostly shut in at home. The guys also showed us their garden, and let the kids play with one of their cats - and to top it off, Derrick even gave us an impromptu science lesson (I had told him we homeschool) about their new bee endeavor, which was super fun and interesting. While we often choose our campsite as kind of a "base" camp for hikes and other exploration, this time, we were really just wanting to relax. The Flat was PERFECT for relaxing. The river music was a calming ambiance, the trees, grasses, and flowers, too. We mostly just read books, played with the kids, painted our surroundings (we brought water colors), and played a few card games. We also brought our telescope and were amazed by the clarity of the views. We did hike up to the top of the property line one evening to catch the sunset - and it was beautiful. Steven and Derrick have really invested their hearts and souls into this property and are so fun to be around. We really enjoyed having them join us around the campfire our last night for a little while to tell silly jokes (Derrick even brought a fun thing that makes the fire burn different colors, which was a hit with the kids). As we "checked out" our last morning, we snuck in a little tour of their sweet storybook-inspired cabin to see all the work they've done, it's very impressive. We camp a lot, and several of our kids said this was one of their favorite stays EVER. We had a great time, left feeling happy, refreshed, and rejuvenated. Steven and Derrick - thanks guys, for making our stay so wonderful!
Past trips
Campsite 1 - Boulder Beach
in The Landing at Index WA, WashingtonFall camping
This was our second stay at The Landing. First ~ it is a beautiful đ place to camp, the views are just gorgeous, and this time of year (mid-October), the golden leaves are a treat. The bathroom is clean, the host is responsive, and though there are 5 campsites, you feel mostly alone. Overall, despite some rain (which is to be expected this time of year), we had a great trip with our kids. The 3 drawbacks, though, weâre the steep price point for camping (we are a family with 6 kids and have done several awesome hipcamps - this is much higher priced considering you get a pit toilet. Others in this price range are more âglampingâ - hot outdoor shower, provided tent/teepee with a couple of beds, some have kids stuff like zip lines etc). The cost is prohibitive to many families (this was a splurge/treat for us). Next - itâs just a fact of nature - the dead salmon all over the beach did make for a rather smelly campsite. I would probably avoid in the future during this time of year (though the foliage was so pretty! The dead fish and their odor was not!). Lastly, there is a cabin right across from the campsite, and it was painfully obvious (throughout half of the day and even through much of the night) that they were mistreating/neglecting their poor hound dog. It was the howl of a poor dog unattended. We felt bad for the dog, but it also made it hard to fall asleep for a few of us. Just being honest. Overall, a nice fall camping trip đđź
The Wild Rose: Site #1
in Wild Plumas, CaliforniaT1
in Paradise Shores Camp, CaliforniaAbove and beyond
We had such a great experience camping at Paradise Shores in early October. The hosts were super attentive and went out of their way to make sure we were comfortable and had what we needed. I was camping solo with my 5 young children, so I really appreciated their above-and-beyond kindness, and looking out for us. We stayed 3 nights and 4 days, and weâre in a tent site. It dipped into the 20s a couple nights, so it was especially nice having a bathroom and warm shower available to us. The communal camp kitchen and lounge-around-the-campfire areas were spectacular- and made car camping and meal prep a breeze - especially as it was generally dark by the time I was making our dinner. I had wonderful, pleasant conversations with a few of the other campers in this gathering space, which is always a treat. My kids absolutely loved the âsand boat/sandboxâ and sofas to read books or play while I did dinner or dishes. It was also awesome to have the huge table for meals - or to play card games or color between meals. We loved visiting Travertine Hot Springs, Bodie Ghosttown, Mono Lake, Yosemite, and Virginia Lakes for leaf peeping during our stay. Would absolutely recommend this place to anyone, and hope we can make it back sometime and bring my husband, too. Thanks especially to Peter, Alan, and Veronika for making our stay so enjoyable:)
Foley's River Camp
in Foley's River Camp, OregonTHE FLAT / Tucannon River Camping
in McGovern Residence, WashingtonA perfect long-weekend trip.
After driving almost 5 hours from Seattle, we pulled up McGovern Lane to a little green oasis right beside the Tuccanon River. There, we were greeted by Steven, who welcomed us as we unloaded our 5 children and camping gear. One of the first things the kids did was check out the hammock - always a hit! Later, as we got settled in, Derrick arrived and also came to do a little meet and greet. We felt so welcomed, and it felt really special to make new friends during a year we've been mostly shut in at home. The guys also showed us their garden, and let the kids play with one of their cats - and to top it off, Derrick even gave us an impromptu science lesson (I had told him we homeschool) about their new bee endeavor, which was super fun and interesting. While we often choose our campsite as kind of a "base" camp for hikes and other exploration, this time, we were really just wanting to relax. The Flat was PERFECT for relaxing. The river music was a calming ambiance, the trees, grasses, and flowers, too. We mostly just read books, played with the kids, painted our surroundings (we brought water colors), and played a few card games. We also brought our telescope and were amazed by the clarity of the views. We did hike up to the top of the property line one evening to catch the sunset - and it was beautiful. Steven and Derrick have really invested their hearts and souls into this property and are so fun to be around. We really enjoyed having them join us around the campfire our last night for a little while to tell silly jokes (Derrick even brought a fun thing that makes the fire burn different colors, which was a hit with the kids). As we "checked out" our last morning, we snuck in a little tour of their sweet storybook-inspired cabin to see all the work they've done, it's very impressive. We camp a lot, and several of our kids said this was one of their favorite stays EVER. We had a great time, left feeling happy, refreshed, and rejuvenated. Steven and Derrick - thanks guys, for making our stay so wonderful!
Campsite 1 - Boulder Beach
in The Landing at Index WA, WashingtonA magical place!
We had a wonderful stay at The Landing. Our trip was slightly up in the air, as the air quality was very poor due to the wild fires, however, David and I kept communicating about the air quality and cancellation policies and, thankfully, we were able to go. It was our family (we have 5 young children) and our friends (who have 2 young children) and we were delighted with the entire experience. We had a wonderful couple of days and even though the rain chased us out on check out day a little sooner than anticipated, we all agreed it's a magical spot, and one we would love to enjoy again (preferable in the summer next time!) I happened to meet David on a morning walk with a couple of my kids, and he was just as nice in person as he was in his other communication. He's done a fabulous job with the spot - it is clean, well kept up, peaceful, private - a truly *magical* place. Thank you!
in Mount Rainier National Park, Washington
We went Father's Day weekend (mid-June) on a Saturday and were able to get a first-come site. It was fun to bring my kids to a place I camped as a child :) Also - a downpour as we set up our tent, as well as warm sunshine the following afternoon. It gets pretty cold even on summer nights, almost downto freezing sometimes. So come prepared for all types of weather, even if the forecast is pretty clear. The old growth forest is just beautiful, and we loved the loop hike to Silver Falls, the trail of which leaves from right near the Visitor Center. Our kids enjoyed the Junior Ranger program. Great location to launch into other exploration and hikes nearby. Also close to the short but popular (and must see, imho) Grove of the Patriarchs trail.
in Olympic National Park, Washington
Just got back from 4 days at South Beach Campground. I took my 5 young children. We went early on a Sunday morning in late July - arrived just after checkout, which is 11am, and got one of 2 tent spots left. Later in the week, if early, you will have more options as the turnover is plenty. No privacy or shade, but hey, for $15/night this campground can't be beat. The ONLY thing I should mention (I didn't know this until we got there) is that there is NO water. There are toilets, but no water - none at all. So come prepared with water! You can pay by cash or check. If you can snag a spot, this is such a great launching point for exploring ONP and the Coastal Beaches of our gorgeous state! We had a blast!