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Rain likely. High 63F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch. Locally heavy rainfall possible..
Light rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers late. Low 58F. Winds ESE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
From left, my brother Kevin with my nephew Weston, nephew Carson, niece CC, my daughter Megan, my son Jason and my nephew Holten. A good time was had by all — most of the time!
My brother and sister brought their kids to Ludington State Park for tent camping and they rarely left the state park.
From left, my brother Kevin with my nephew Weston, nephew Carson, niece CC, my daughter Megan, my son Jason and my nephew Holten. A good time was had by all — most of the time!
My brother and sister brought their kids to Ludington State Park for tent camping and they rarely left the state park.
Whew. It’s always nice when the humidity breaks.
When we had the kids at home, we always aimed for the last three weeks of August to tent camp. Late July is hit-or-miss with extreme heat and the first week of August was usually a rain-out in the humid rainforest, but from now until school starts is a great time to camp.
Of course, once your kids hit high school, you’re kind of stuck because of fall sports practices – but if that doesn’t apply to you, get out of town!
Tent camping with kids is about trying to make a positive memory for them.
You want everyone comfortable while still getting a little bit of the “roughing it” experience.
For that, we loved Michigan State Parks. Yes, the hardship of walking uphill both ways to the restrooms will probably scar them for life, but it will build character in the end. And who knows, they might even look up and see the canopy of stars.
Our favorite parks were Straits State Park – because we could make it there after work on a Friday – and Bewabic State Park because it was near family and friends in the Western U.P. As a kid my family hit them all, though – from Proud Lake State Park near Wixom to Metamora near Pontiac up to Tahquamenon Falls.
There’s something to do near all of them, but sometimes the best trips are the ones with no plan except letting the kids run around the campground with the other kids they might meet.
What follows are some tips for late summer camping.
If you’re a tent camper, you may have noticed that you’re in the minority.
You can’t just roll into a campground and expect to find a site with two empty ones on either side of you. So it’s important to have realistic expectations about what you’re going to find.
I’ve found that I have a very low tolerance for late-night partiers and their LED-fangled campers.
If you’re in that mold, ask at the check-in station where the traditionally quieter parts of the campground are.
Steer clear of the sites with high-amp electric service as they are RV magnets.
Even if it means a longer walk to the bathroom or the beach, it might lower your stress levels – and that’s what you’re there for, right?
If you have zero tolerance for noise and light pollution, a state forest campground may be for you.
However, the advantage of the state parks system is that you can reserve a spot, you’ll have flush toilets, hot showers and rangers around if you should need assistance.
As I said before, sometimes the best trips are the ones that aren’t near attractions.
Campgrounds near the Great Lakes are often full, while some of the inland ones are less full. You can get a feel for this by spending some time on www.midnrreservations.com.
The site has come a long way in being more user-friendly in the last decade, to the point where you can usually find three photos of every site in a given park.
You can also check out the amenities at every park. I always like finding a park with trails, something we have no shortage of here at Ludington State Park.
Bike paths are also nice if you have the room to transport bikes.
First, understand that all manufacturers of camping equipment are big, fat liars.
Disregard the numbers on a tent regarding how many people it will hold.
Depending on your family makeup, you’ll want a bigger tent than the ratings.
I promise you, a few nights in a four-person tent will not be a happy trip for the four people in your family.
We lucked out and got a 12-foot by 16-foot tent at a Gander Mountain clearance sale when our kids were young and it really made life comfortable.
We had two queen air mattresses inside and it made for peaceful co-existence.
When the kids got into their teens, my son, Jason, opted to get out and use a hammock for sleeping. Still, that giant tent made it a nice hangout if it was raining or if we all needed naps.
It’s nice to be able to stand up straight when you first get out of bed and while changing your clothes.
Of course, you’ll want a tent with a charging port. Initially this was to keep the one family cellphone charged, then it became a lifeline for my CPAP machine and to keep all four phones charged.
As I said, air mattresses are nice, although they won’t keep you warm.
The nice thing about August, though, is that you really don’t have to stress too much about bedding.
A standard-weight sleeping bag works great most of the time.
Even if you get a night in the 40s (it happens in the U.P.), you’ll still be relatively comfortable.
You’ll also want a deck of cards and an UNO deck, as well as a hanging light.
My daughter, Megan, demanded card games. She feels no remorse while dropping a “Wild Draw 4” on you.
We had a fan/light combination we could hang at the top of the tent.
It made playing cards before bed or during the rain easier and the fan helped a little on the humid nights.
I usually ate breakfast on my boat during our family trips.
The only way to keep everyone happy was for me, the early riser, to sneak out at dawn and come back at noon.
The kids, though, enjoyed eating a leisurely breakfast at the picnic table once we put up a bug tent. Having something to keep the bugs away while you eat is really crucial to keeping everyone happy – particularly little ones. Our afternoons were often spent berry picking, so blueberry pancakes were a standard. Holly cooked these on our two-burner Coleman propane stove, which I think is really still the gold standard. If you’re camped right next to your car, there’s no need to fuss with micro-burner backpacking stoves.
Once you have a stove and a pot, you can easily cook up canned meals like Spaghetti-Os, which was a favorite when I was a kid.
A folding chair for everyone is a must, as are the various hot-dog/marshmallow sticks. I hated the dirty hassle of bringing hobo-pie makers, but the kids like cooking sandwiches over the fire.
Remember that it’s illegal to transport firewood between peninsulas in Michigan. Please don’t spread any of the tree diseases we have here or bring any back with you from wherever you go. That’s not to say you can’t bargain shop for wood in the vicinity of your campground. Buying dry wood is always wise, just remember to put it in a place it will stay dry.
There are a number of commercially made fire-starters available, but it’s fun to experiment with your own fire-starting methods. Turn on YouTube and see if you can make a fire with friction or a ferro rod. I’ve recently made my own fire starters using some dryer lint and Sno Seal waterproofing beeswax. It burns surprisingly well. Make it a family activity to put the fire together and you can use that time to teach safety as well.
And yes, if it’s wet out, I have been known to use a piece of paper towel and axle grease from my boat trailer as a firestarter.
Remember that you’re away from home to relax and have a good time. Don’t stress over the cell service or the weather. Don’t worry if you can’t hit every attraction. I guarantee you my kids remember the night we called owls into our campsite more than they do any of the roadside attractions we just had to hit. “Just camping” is an activity unto itself and if you let it move along at its own lazy pace, you’ll make great family memories and you’ll come home recharged – after you dry out and clean up the gear and stow it back in the attic or basement.
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