Living the Camping Life

The Vice Family

Camping has looked a little different for Justin and Allison Vice in each season of life, from spontaneous trips as a couple to RV camping with toddlers at kid-friendly campgrounds. As their sons, Creek and Oakley, have gotten older, camping trips now involve venturing off the beaten path with tents in tow. No matter where they stay, Allison says, “memories are being made!”

On a typical camping trip, Allison and Justin sleep in a rooftop tent with their dog, Banks, while Creek and Oakley share a tent on the ground. Each day holds a new adventure, often spent hiking, mountain biking, fishing, or kayaking.

“My favorite thing about camping is how it forces you to disconnect from all of your other responsibilities, and you have no choice but to be present. At home, there’s always laundry to be washed or grass to be cut. When you are camping, none of those things matter,” shares Allison. “We hope our boys learn to stop, slow down, and enjoy not only God’s creation, but the people they are with.”

Allison recalls an impromptu trip to Colorado as especially memorable. After a day of facing frigid weather, the family huddled up around the campfire while Justin’s brother, Zack, threw together a meal with their leftover food. “As he was cooking, I remember thinking, ‘My kids are not going to eat that,’” she laughs. “They still talk about how good it was. Zack has since passed away, so we all hold all those memories from that trip very dear in our hearts.”

While it’s not always easy to find time to get away, Allison says “when we have made the decision to say yes to family time, we haven’t regretted it.” In recent years, as they balance school, work, and sports, the Vices have started setting up camp on their property alongside Lookout Creek, which has become one of Allison’s favorite spots. 

“Our advice to anyone new to camping with kids would be to embrace the chaos,” she finishes. “It’s going to rain, one of the kids will get sick, something’s going to break, or you will forget something and have to improvise. One day you will laugh and think, ‘Those were the best memories.’”

The Blazek Family

Having both grown up camping, it was an easy decision for Christopher and Amy Blazek to carry on the tradition with their four daughters, Emmarie, Isabelle, Zosephine, and Eleanor. “We said from the time we were pregnant with Emma that having children would not stop us from doing what we love,” says Christopher. 

After having kids, he recalls, “Sleeping in tents now included pack ‘n plays and diaper bags. That then morphed into sleeping bags and cots. Once Eleanor (our fourth) was born, we decided to upgrade to a travel trailer. We were outgrowing even some of the biggest Coleman tents at the time.”

Today, the family of six travels across the country in a 2012 Coachmen Catalina Deluxe travel trailer that houses a queen bed for Christopher and Amy and a bunkhouse for the girls, complete with a foldout couch for their two English bulldogs. Camping trips often involve hiking, biking, fishing, and time spent together around the campfire relaxing, reading, and playing board games.

With state and national parks being their campground of choice, the Blazeks have explored some of the country’s most scenic settings. On one trip, the family spent three weeks out West staying at 18 different campgrounds and driving more than 7,000 miles across 20 states. From hiking up the narrows of the Virgin River to braving Angels Landing in Zion National Park, they all agree it was an unforgettable experience.

They also have plenty of cherished camping traditions, such as recreating Amy’s childhood trips to Newport News Park in Virginia on Thanksgiving and trading their travel trailer for tent camping along Deep Creek in the Great Smoky Mountains every June. “The older girls have been involved in travel volleyball, so instead of staying in a hotel, we pull the trailer and find the nearest state parks,” adds Christopher.

After countless trips together, Christopher says the family functions like a well-oiled machine. “Having a crew of six is like having your own pit crew. Everyone has a set-up job and tear-down job, and they get faster and more efficient with every trip,” he describes.

Equipped with an eagerness to explore and a shared love for spending time in nature and seeing new sights with family at their side, the next adventure for the Blazeks is always just down the road.

The Klumpp-Cates Family

Camping has been a part of Pete Klumpp and Brooke Cates’ story since day one, when they met camping at a festival in 2004. Between living in Boulder, Colorado, for 21 years and now residing on Signal Mountain, the couple has spent countless hours outdoors exploring the mountains at remote campsites.

After having their son, Leven, in 2018, their trips continued – this time as a family of three. “Honestly, camping with Lev hasn’t felt any different … we crave the off-road, dispersed camping experience and thrive there,” Brooke says, smiling. “We also camp with our two pups and we’re pretty sure they prefer this way of life as well.”

The family shares a pop-up tent on top of Pete’s truck and focuses each day on simply spending time together in the great outdoors. “I think Leven loves the freedom and the constant play that we all seem to embody when we are camping, hiking, playing in creeks, and just being a family,” says Brooke. “It’s a slow day spent making memories that we’ll hopefully hold onto forever.”

The Klumpp-Cates devote time every summer to traveling the country and camping along the way. Brooke describes one road trip as “magical,” during which the family spent two months out West, from remote sites outside Yellowstone to creek-side camping by Glacier. She shares, “That entire camping adventure was one for the books, and I dream about the summer we do it again.”

Through camping, Brooke says she hopes Leven can gain a deep respect for nature, learn the value of slowing down, and see how, so often, less is more. “Nature reminds us that we require very little to experience happiness when we’re with the people we love,” she says.

She adds that camping has been just as meaningful for her and Pete. “When we unplug, it offers an opportunity for us to connect deeper and to see one another outside of the to-dos, the errands, and the stress that can come with being an adult. When we’re camping, time has a way of slowing down, and the presence of each moment seems to deepen in the most beautiful way.”

To other parents, Brooke advises, “Don’t overcomplicate it, and don’t miss out because you think navigating the kids will be too much. Nature doesn’t ask you to do anything but be exactly where you are. Just go – you’ll be glad you did.”

The Thomas Family

For Matt and Grace Thomas, camping as a family just made sense. Having worked as a river guide out West for many years, Matt was no stranger to long stretches of time spent outdoors. Grace adds, “When we married, his passion for overnight trips and our desire to give our boys adventure skills met, and the rest was history!”

Camping is a spring and fall mainstay for the Thomases, and summertime often means escaping the heat in the higher altitudes of the Appalachian Mountains. At least once a year, the family heads deep into the mountains to the headwaters of the Nantahala River to catch fish and cool off in the running water.

Once at their campsite, Matt, Grace, and their two sons set up tents and embrace leaving behind modern conveniences and constant connectivity. “There is no better way to reset and remember how good we’ve got it,” says Grace.

“A big piece of a successful trip is teamwork. There is always something to do, and contributing is a big part of the recipe for success,” she shares. “In recent years, seeing our sons get more involved and help at camp has been a real blessing.”

After a night under the stars, the Thomases fuel up for a day of exploring. “We usually have a destination in mind, whether it is a hike from camp or finding nearby gems to explore. Either way, we always get back to camp in time for an afternoon siesta and dinner. Meals are a camping event; everyone is involved, and the fruits are usually worth the labor!” says Grace, adding that no Thomas camping trip is complete without dessert by the fire after dark.

In addition to having fun and making memories, Grace says she hopes camping teaches her sons resilience. “Camping weekends don’t always go to plan. In fact, they rarely go to plan,” she explains. “We want them to be resilient, respect nature, and adapt to what’s thrown at them.”

To families considering a camping trip, Grace encourages, “Go! You won’t regret it. Your first few trips are ways to learn and gain experience. In our 15 years of family camping, we haven’t had a time we have regretted. You will always make memories, have a highlight, and something to learn from.”