T -24, Why You Need To Be Ready To Plan Your Summer!

March 14, 2016January 12, 2021 / Camp That Site / 10 Comments

Let the count down begin! In less than 24 hours campers across BC will plant themselves in front of computers, anxiously ready to hit ENTER, and crossing their fingers hoping to reserve a campsite at one of BC’s coveted Provincial Campgrounds.

You can only book 3 months in advance so reservations for dates of June 15th and prior are only accepted. In June, if you are able to camp during the weekdays, you should be okay getting a reservation but weekends will book up within minutes. As the calendar moves into July and August any date is near impossible to secure. We have been able to get into most of the popular Provincial Parks at some point over the last 20 years but each year it gets harder and harder.

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5 New Years Resolutions Every Camper Can Easily Achieve!

January 1, 2016January 13, 2021 / Camp That Site / 12 Comments

Many people refuse to set New Years resolutions but for me it is one of my favorite things to do. I often set around 20. Some are simple, ones that I know I can achieve, and then there are those that make the list each year. Being more patient, stressing less and reading more all seem to be far more difficult to achieve than one might think.

As I enter the second year of my camping blog I felt it would be appropriate to set some Camping Resolutions. I have narrowed it down to 5 that could be adapted or adopted by any camper. Continue reading →

Camping in the USA

April 24, 2015January 25, 2016 / Camp That Site / 8 Comments

We live within 30 minutes of 5 US border crossings so it is not unusual for us to drive state side for camping. It is not that camping in the USA is better than camping in Canada it is just another option. As mentioned in an earlier blog, Why it’sHard to Find a Campsite, it very hard to get a campsite anywhere in BC so we expand our options by camping in Washington and Oregon. Many State Parks offer campsites that are equally private, well kept and beautiful as any we have found in BC so there is no reason to avoid considering them as an option.

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Ice Cream – My top pick of places to stop!

April 10, 2015January 24, 2016 / Camp That Site / 11 Comments

Two favorite summertime activities are camping and eating ice cream so its no wonder that many of us campers love to ‘hike’ to a nearby parlor. I won’t say these are the 5 ‘best’…all ice cream is great ice cream…but these stand out as a “To Do” list activities when you’re in these areas. Continue reading →

Golden, BC

April 8, 2015January 25, 2016 / Camp That Site / 10 Comments

Check out Camp That Site‘s banner photo above. It’s such a fantastic mountain view from a private woodsy campsite that, to me, it epitomizes the perfect British Columbian camping getaway. Problem is, we can’t remember what campground this is so I haven’t been able to do a review! If anyone recognizes this place, please let me know.

Here is what we do remember about this campground

it was just east of Golden on the south side of the TransCanada Hwy. Or maybe it was just outside Revelstoke? Or maybe it was Canyon Springs??
it was an older, private campground
on the south/west side of the campground, was this gorgeous mountain view with a nearby town down in the valley
in August, down the slope lives a herd of big horn sheep
it was 2008 when we visited, so the place may have closed down since then. We can’t locate such a place or find similar images on Google.

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D – Down with Dogs!

April 4, 2015April 4, 2015 / Camp That Site / 13 Comments

D = dogs, so for the A to Z Challenge I have decided to make my D post about camping with dogs.

Go to any RV Park or campground and you will find a variety of campers from young couples, to families and often empty nesters enjoying their freedom but in all cases you will likely find a dog in most units. Yes we campers love our four legged friends and all the work that goes along with them. For that reason I am always surprised at how pet unfriendly many campgrounds are. It seems hotels are more accommodating to dogs than campgrounds. Hotels often offer dog bones and beds at check in, maps to dog parks and dog daycare services. It’s time that campgrounds took note and started adding pet services to their list of facilities.

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What should you look for in a campground when you are traveling with dogs.

1. An off leash option: I agree all dogs should be required to be on a leash at all time but campgrounds would do well to offer an off leash area for dogs to run. If there is no room for an off leash area then provide a map to where the nearest off leash area is.

2. A dog friendly beach: Dogs love the water as much as people, we always check to see if a campground has a dog beach. It is a much more relaxing day if we don’t have to worry about our pets sitting in a hot trailer.

3. Reasonable dog fees: An extra buck or two each night is the average rate for your four legged friend. If a campground wants more, it is likely they don’t want your dog at all, so make another choice.

4. I have never seen this but a doggie daycare service would be great. We would pay a premium if we could find a campground that offered this service. It would be great for those days that you were heading off white water rafting or to an amusement park for an extended period. The dog and your neighbours would both appreciate.

What should you take if you are camping with a dog.

Recently I did a blog, Great Camping Items For Fido, and it gave some cool gadgets for your pet but here are a few more tips and options.

1. Vaccination records, always have this on hand. You never know when your dog may need to be taken to a local vet but also if you decide to put your dog in a day care for some reason, they will require this information.

2. Extra leashes, one for the RV, one for the truck and then one for good measure. We arrived in Leavenworth one year only to discover the leashes were packed in the back of our tent trailer. It seemed easier to buy a new set even if we were paying tourist prices.

3. A radio or a fan – if you have to leave your dog in the trailer for the day put on the radio or a small fan. The white noise will help drown out the outside noise reducing unnecessary stress for Fido.

4. Stainless steel dog bowls – stainless steel cleans better and does not absorb food odors. You should always bring your pet bowls in each night or when you leave the site. Even the smell of an empty dog bowl in your tent can lure unwanted visitors.

Dogs are part of the family and with the right research and planning your camping trip can be enjoyable for all of you.