Special memories are made in moments – many in RV parks and campgrounds

Talking to a friend about our upcoming camping trip for Memorial Weekend, I started reminiscing about trips I’ve made through my life – as a kid and as an adult.

As a kid, we camped in a popup camper that I truly thought was the most magical thing ever – I mean how could it be better, camping in a tent, sort of, but not getting damp with the early morning dew. And a place to hide from my cousins, when necessary.

We camped with my cousins almost every time we went out, along with some other various friends. It was these cousins I had spent a lot of time with anyway, so camping was great. Our families both had three kids close in ages, so we grew up together.

One of the best parts of camping with my cousins was catching frogs in the pond. Trying to grab hold of those slippery creatures was great for a laugh, especially because someone or all of us ended up in the water.

We also loved going to the camp store for that special candy. I remember being introduced to Swedish Fish and Gobstoppers. I still love both of those!

One time, our dads rented kayaks for us kids to play around in. But by the time our dads spent so much time playing around in them, trying to dump each other into the lake that we never got our chance! We complained a lot, but we sure laughed hard watching our dads!

As an adult, the memories are just as sweet.

My son, who is now 19, used to be our fire builder. He always wanted to help his dad bring the wood to the fire pit and build the fire, or f-a-a-r, as he used to call it. Once the fire was lit, he was mesmerized and rarely left his seat in the circle surrounding the fire.

My daughter, on the other hand, loved the dirt that came with camping. At the ripe age of 3, she thought making dirt angels was the best part of camping. She’d lay down wherever she could find a patch of dirt and start moving her arms and legs in and out to create the dirt angels. Now, at 15, she tries to stay clean in the campground, just in case she sees someone she knows.

How times change!

Here are a couple of my favorite camping places in my home state of Michigan. We frequented these many times when I was a kid.

Miller Lake Campground, Hopkins Mich. – The rural, wooded setting is on a private 110 acre lake that offers RVers and campers 73 sites, fishing, swimming and a boat launch. There’s also miniature golf and pets are welcome.

Sutter’s Recreation Area, North Branch, Mich. – With 220 sites, campers and RVers find a welcome place to park. This family-owned campground has 40 acres with a 4-acre pond for swimming and fishing. There’s also a playground, horseshoes and other activities.

We’d love to hear some of your favorite camping memories and your favorite spots!