Posts Tagged ‘Campsites’

Save money by trying a staycation

November 18th, 2011 Tushar Mathur

Where are you planning to head this year for a vacation? Do you have a location in mind already? With everyone pinching their pennies these days, the idea of a vacation is often one of the first things removed from the family budget.

When you take into consideration all of the things that you need to pay for, it just seems like an easy solution to cancel the whole thing and stay home. But there is another solution, consider a staycation.

A staycation is exactly what it sounds like. Instead of going, you are going to “stay” somewhere close by. This trip won’t require plane tickets.

Most people choose to limit their destination to being only one tank of gas away. There is a good chance that something fun and exciting awaits your family right around the corner.

Just like any other vacation, some planning is required. You will still need to find hotel accommodations. You will still want to arrange for some fun activities for the family. In fact, the more you plan, the better your staycation will be.

Get out a map or check online to see what is located in the area around you. It can be as close as the other side of town or even in the next town over. Look around for activities that you and your family would enjoy.

If you like to camp, take this opportunity to look for campsites around your town. Are there places that you have never stayed before? Get creative as you look around.

As you search the area, think about things that you have always wanted to do with the family, but just haven’t had the time. Are there parks, recreation sites, or attractions close by that everyone will enjoy?

Don’t put off the visit any longer. This is the perfect time for you to enjoy the area where you live as well as the area surrounding it.

Remember that even though you are staying close to home, you are still enjoying that vacation experience. Everyone will still need to pack.

You will still enjoy eating out for part of the time. In some cases, you may still have a short road trip to spend time together. There are still vacation type benefits to a staycation.

Remember that a staycation does not have to be elaborate to be enjoyable. You don’t have to stay in a fancy hotel with room service every morning. You don’t have to spend money on theme park tickets if you don’t want to.

There are other things to do. It just takes a little research and a little creativity.

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Easy camping tips

September 19th, 2011 Tushar Mathur

When looking for an affordable holiday there really is no better way to do it than camping and caravanning. Whether you’re holidaying with friends, as a couple or as a family you’ll be amazed at how cheap it can be without needing to compromise on any luxuries. Here are some top tips for making your camping or caravanning experience go smoothly.

Buying your ‘accommodation’ – Buying a tent or caravan can be a little stressful due to the huge number of choices available but don’t worry, just take your time and do a little research once you know what type of thing you’re looking for. If you want to save money when buying a caravan you should look for used caravan sales, there are plenty of companies and websites out there who specialise in this kind of thing and who can take you through the whole process. Check out Park Resorts.com who deal with used caravan sales as well as having many different campsites across the UK. If you’re buying a tent then your budget will obviously be much smaller and you can benefit from an even larger selection. If you’re travelling as a party of four then a budget of around £100 can get you a really nice tent, or if you want a bit more living space then push your budget up a bit to accommodate this.

Choosing where to go – Where you go will depend largely on what kind of activities you wish to enjoy when you’re away. Some sites have swimming pools, bars and even whole water parks for guests to enjoy whilst others are quiet and more understated. Be sure to check exactly what the site is like before you book to ensure you don’t end up booking a busy resort when you wanted a quiet one! The Isle of Wight is a popular destination and is easily reached by ferry from the mainland. The tiny island becomes busier during the summer months, especially during festival season when the Isle of Wight festival is in full flow.

Choosing when to go – As with any type of holiday you can make a compromise on business and weather. If you’re willing to travel out of season, especially if you avoid the school holidays, then the sites will be much quieter and less hectic. However, travelling out of season, especially in the UK, means you can’t guarantee the warmer weather you might expect through July and August, so it’s up to you really.

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Overnight Summer Camps

February 3rd, 2009 Tushar Mathur

Summer camp is a supervised camp for kids/teenagers usually conducted during summer months in some countries. The traditional view of summer camp as a woodsy place with hiking, canoeing and campfires is evolving, with greater acceptance of newer summer camps that offer wide varieties of specialized activities. In fact nowadays summer camps organize number of activities such as performing arts, rock music, language learning and weight loss in addition to the traditional activities.

Sending your kid to overnight summer camp is one of the most popular choices made by parents today. For many kids, spending time in summer camps, away from home can be very exciting and adventurous. Here are some of the interesting features about overnight summer camping.

  1. Normally of one or two weeks, these summer camps offer accommodations and food to campers. Professional training, individualized care and security are provided with assistance of qualified coaches and instructors. An overnight summer camp cabin has bunk beds, toilet and dining room.
  2. Overnight summer camps extend coaching for tennis, football, basketball, volleyball and hockey. Advanced coaching lessons enable the campers to excel in the chosen sports event. To encourage creative skills, special art activities such as clay, pottery and beads are scheduled in overnight summer camp programs also.
  3. Dance and drama are also given importance. Lakes are generally preferred near the campsites so that children can participate in water sports such as skiing, boating, and canoeing and Jet Ski tube rides. Some other activities include archery, rock climbing and gymnastics.
  4. Overnight summer camps for and adults and teens include activities such as fishing, kayaking and snorkeling. Water safaris and wilderness trips are some of the activities planned for teenagers and adults.
  5. Because of the wide variety of summer camps today, you need to choose the one that fits your child’s needs, special interests and abilities. There are some-lesser known camps which focus on activities such as confidence building, grief counseling and self-improvement. So, if your child is in need of all this, you can even think of sending him/her to such special camps.
  6. Non-profit camps, such as those run by youths or some kind of agencies, range from $1200 to $3000 for four weeks and $2500 to $5000 for eight weeks. Specialized overnight camps can range from $500 to $1000 per week, depending on the program. However before you decide sending your child for a particular camp, always check the counselor-camper ratio to determine the no of campers for each counselor.

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Planning Your Family Camping Holiday In France

November 20th, 2008 Tushar Mathur
The global credit crunch is already having an impact on the spending habits of holiday makers and more people are considering camping in France for their holidays than in recent years. Camping holidays are cheaper than hotels, apartments and foreign rentals, but it’s also an ideal way to see the country and enjoying the wonder of nature right on your doorstep of your tent or mobile home.. Not only that but, if it’s been several years since your last camping trip, then you may well be amazed by the upgrades in comfort and facilities that have been made to France’s camping sites.

If you have indeed been out of the camping loop for a while, then you may need some advice when it comes to the planning and preparation of your camping in France break.

Here are a few tips to help you plan:

Where to Go?

Once you’ve decided that camping in France is for you, the question is which region to visit. Each of the areas have their unique charms, but best value, you can’t beat a camping holiday in Brittany – and doubly so for those with families. It has a great mix being close to Britain (cutting down on the trauma of driving long distances with impatient children), a good selection of family friendly local attractions and, crucially, some truly fantastic campsites. Brittany’s best include Camping Ty Nadan, Camping la Pointe St Gilles and Camping Château de Ormes. All of these are highly rated, with plenty to keep families occupied in delightfully scenic, spacious environments.

When to Go?

Whether you plan to follow my advice and head off to a Brittany campsite, or whether another area of France calls you, the advice of when to plan your trip remains broadly the same. The majority of campsites are open between May and September (some earlier, and some later). July and August are ideal for better weather, more onsite entertainment in the heat of summer and far more visitor attractions will be open. If you want a quieter retreat, then why not travel in May or June when the weather is still warm and the campsites and attractions are much quieter.

What to Bring?

What to bring very much depends on what kind of experience you’re looking for. The majority of campsites in Brittany have fully equipped accommodation including barbeques which means you will save money as you are not buying any extra equipment that you normally need on other camping holidays..

That said there are some things you should definitely take.

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