As a blogger, I may be compensated in some way (either pay, product, or experience) for sharing the post below All opinions are my own. ~Heidi
When I look back on my childhood, vacations and summer camping adventures are some of my fondest memories. We went on at least one special vacation each year and we spent a lot of time camping on summer weekends.
My husband and I have made the decision to move away from giving our kids so many things (for holidays, birthdays, etc.) and to start adding more experiences to our lives. For the past several years, we’ve been attempting to travel more (as we are able) and do things that create these long-lasting memories of family more than material things do.
This past year, we have been a host family for a student from Vietnam. Having him here has cemented the importance of “experiences over things” as I want to fill him with as many fun experiences as we can possibly fit in, in the hopes that he will treasure them in his heart over the years to come. (Plus, I don’t want him to have a lot of THINGS to pack in a suitcase to take back home with him!)
Our Former Camping “Adventures”
Several years back, I got the bright idea to purchase a camper so we could take the kids camping. We found what we thought was the perfect pop-up camper and got a hitch put on my van. Then, we tried taking the camper out and it moved around so much that it made me incredibly nervous. We parked it in our backyard and popped it up a few times that summer so the kids and I could “camp” in the yard. The next Spring, we sold the camper. I don’t regret selling the camper, but it makes me sad that we never really experienced those fun camping moments that I had as a child.
Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park at Kozy Rest
We are looking forward to trying camping again this summer … only this time, we’re going to do it a bit differently. Rather than having a camper of our own that we have to bring to a campground, we’re going to try “camping” in a cabin! I’m not a huge fan of roughing it anyway, so I’m very much looking forward to this experience.
The weekend after Thi graduates and before he heads back to Vietnam, our family will have one last hoorah at Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park at Kozy Rest. It’s location, about 50 miles north of Pittsburgh, will allow us to make a stop on the way at another location we’ve been wanting to visit – the Flight 93 Memorial. It’s close enough to home that it won’t take all day to get there, but far enough away that we can call it a mini-vacation.
The cabin we’ll be staying in includes a full-service kitchen with a refrigerator, stove top, sink, microwave, table, benches, futon, coffeemaker, toaster, pots & pans, silverware, dishes and glasses/cups. It has air conditioning, electric heat, a flat screen TV & DVD player. And, it also includes a full bathroom with shower & bathtub, toilet, and sink. Outside, there’s a picnic table, fire ring, and a charcoal grill.
We need to bring our own bedding, pillows, towels, and toiletries, as well as the food we’ll need for the weekend. It will be so fun to plan our menu and look for new camp recipes to try. Of course, we’ll do hot dogs and s’mores at the fire ring!
Would your family enjoy this?
Yogi Bear’s has several cabins available for rent and they’re all reasonably priced. Check out the website and see if this is something your family might enjoy doing this summer also. The campground offers fun Themed Weekends, so be sure to check those out and see if there’s one that appeals to you – or see what is happening on the weekend you’d like to visit. We’re looking forward to visiting for the Father’s Day Celebration.
The park has a long list of facilities and amenities! Here are just a few that we are looking forward to taking advantage of:
- Swimming pool
- 18-hole mini golf (and the Father-Child Tournament!)
- Half court basketball
- Bingo
- Laser Tag Battlefield
Which thing on the list of amenities most appeals to you/your family? There’s definitely something for everyone! While the boys are participating in sports things, I plan to find a quiet place to sit and read/relax!
Oh, and guess what? The park is pet-friendly! So, you can even plan to bring your furry friend with you.
Learn more!
I’ll be posting about our experience in June, after our visit. And, I’ll be posting in real time on social media. If you’re not already connected to me on social media, click the links below to follow:
And, to learn more about Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park at Kozy Rest, be sure to follow them as well:
***This post made possible by Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park at Kozy Rest.***
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