Camping Questions

linzpinz14

DH, DD, my little sis, her fiance, and I are going camping next weekend.  We still haven't even decided where we are going to go, and I am slightly scared because I am not really the outdoorsy type.  So, please help me with a few questions:

1.  Where have you been camping? (I want to hear everything, but we are looking for no more than an hour/hour and a half from Dayton.  Electricity is not necessary, but flushing toilets/port-a-potty things and a place to get running water is a MUST.)

2.  What do you prepare for meals?  (seriously, the only thing I know we are making are smores )

3.  What do you do while there? (I know we will take a hike/walk and sit around a fire... what else do people do outside? Haha.)

Thanks in advance!  I really want this to be a fun, relaxing weekend for us and I am already thinking that it sounds hard!  Ahhh!

curlypie1

linzpinz14:

DH, DD, my little sis, her fiance, and I are going camping next weekend.  We still haven't even decided where we are going to go, and I am slightly scared because I am not really the outdoorsy type.  So, please help me with a few questions:

1.  Where have you been camping? (I want to hear everything, but we are looking for no more than an hour/hour and a half from Dayton.  Electricity is not necessary, but flushing toilets/port-a-potty things and a place to get running water is a MUST.)

I've been camping tons of places but the couple that I think would fit your requirements that I've been to are Brookville Lake, Cave Run Lake, and Red River Gorge. You can do primitive camping at Red River Gorge but I've also stayed in a campground there. The gorge would be beautiful this time of year! Also look into any of the state parks. We usually get a room when we visit the parks, but their campgrounds look nice as well. The two off the top of my head are Hueston Woods (near Miami U.) and Shawnee State Park along the river in Portsmouth. Plus, you'd get the added bonus of having a restaurant near by if you don't feel like cooking.

2.  What do you prepare for meals?  (seriously, the only thing I know we are making are smores )

We bring along chicken that is marinating in something, steaks, hot dogs...etc... Potatoes wrapped in foil and buried in the fire are quite tasty too.

3.  What do you do while there? (I know we will take a hike/walk and sit around a fire... what else do people do outside? Haha.)

We love hiking so unless we're with someone who has a boat or it's warm enough to swim, that's what we do.

Thanks in advance!  I really want this to be a fun, relaxing weekend for us and I am already thinking that it sounds hard!  Ahhh!

ryry1977

1.  Where have you been camping? (I want to hear everything, but we are looking for no more than an hour/hour and a half from Dayton.  Electricity is not necessary, but flushing toilets/port-a-potty things and a place to get running water is a MUST.)

I've been camping lots of places, but we usually go to Hueston Woods State Park since it is close to my family.  Not sure what type of place you are lookng for though...cabin,tent ect.  I assume not tent since it is getting colder, but it is supose to be nice this weekend. 

2.  What do you prepare for meals?  (seriously, the only thing I know we are making are smores )

Depends on what you are cooking on.  If you are using a fire then foil meals are great, just put meat, potatoes, and veggies in aluminum foil with some butter, salt, and pepper and stick along the fire.  My favorite is pie irons, 2 slices of bread with fillings in a pie iron (which you can buy at Meijer or Walmart for $10).  I love the ones filled with pizza toppings, but you can do cheese sandwiches, apple or cherry pie filling for desserts.  Just about anything for those to make yummy sandwiches.  Of course hotdogs on a stick are quick to make too.  If you have a camp stove your options are much more open...but I usually just cook over the fire anymore.  I also have a waffle pie iron (which you can also buy at those stores I think), and I make waffles for breadfast.  These are just a few of my favorites:)

3.  What do you do while there? (I know we will take a hike/walk and sit around a fire... what else do people do outside? Haha.)

A lot of the State Parks have activities planned also that you can do.  Animal shows, some kind of hikes, and movies.  We usually just hang out and do the stuff that is in the campgrounds.  So not too much.  Usually there are playgrounds for the kids.