So far we’ve covered why to go camping, what to eat while you’re there, how not to pull your hair out camping with small children. Today is an idea of how to fill your days.

Of course, what you do will depend on where you are and what your family is physically up for. A few ideas for finding things to do are:

Google the area (of course)
call ahead to a nearby ranger station
pick up maps and brochures from local visitor stations when you arrive
find a couple locals to ask for favorite spots
Find hiking trails and reviews on alltrails.com

The following is a picture tour of how we filled our days last year camping in western North Carolina. We tried to plan one big “event” each day, then spent the rest of the day at the campsite enjoying meals, the warmth of the campfire, and each others company.

Have you started planning your Fall trip yet?

Sample Itinerary & A Week In Pictures

Monday:

Drive to campsite
Set up camp
Explore campsite
Dinner and bedtime

Tuesday:

Breakfast at campsite
visit Grandfather Mountain (small zoo, museum, mile-high bridge(!) and beautiful vistas)
Picnic lunch at G.M.
Naps in van on return drive (approximately 1 hour)
Play at campsite, dinner, bedtime

mile-high suspension bridge…I definitely freaked out a little walking across…

A Week In the Woods: Sample Itinerary

one of the beautiful views from Grandfather Mountain

Wednesday:

Breakfast at campsite
Hike at a nearby state park (Mt. Mitchell)
Lunch at park restaurant
Naps in van on return drive (approximately 1 hour)
Play at campsite, dinner, bedtime

A Week In the Woods: Sample Itinerary

Thursday:

Breakfast at campsite
Hubby goes fishing, returns after naps
Mom and kids hang out at campsite: walk in the woods, paint pictures, read books, naps/rest time in the hammock, and target practice
Drive to a town about forty-five minutes away to have a picnic dinner at a park with local friends
Return to campsite, bedtime