The vacation approaches. My kid says camping is boooooring.

August 6, 2006 8:01 AM

So we're going to the Oregon coast camping for a week.

We'll be near Tillamook. I have kids ages 2/5/6/9, and we'll be there for 4-5 days. In addition to sandcastles (got that one book recommended via Cool Tools), smores, kite flying, assorted games and lounging around, what are some fun camping activities or things to do in the surrounding area? And yes, we will tour the cheese factory, and I believe there is a blimp hangar out there too.

What are your fondest camping memories?

added challenge: My nine-year-old told me yesterday that he's not looking forward to it, that we go to the beach every single year--boring!

posted by craniac to human relations (8 comments total)

The beach there isn't so beachy - it isn't exactly warm, so you don't really want to sit out there in your speedos.
posted by k8t at 9:13 AM on August 6, 2006

Well, it will be in August, so I'm guessing we'll break 70 degrees. I wish I could go back and edit this post, the first line is not that intriguing. Oh well.
posted by craniac at 10:17 AM on August 6, 2006

Clam digging? You can rent these tubes to that you sink into the wet sand, then "draw" the clams out via the magical force of suction.

I can sympathize with your nine-year old about the beach. I'm from Eastern Washington, and my family always went to the Oregon or Washington coast, every year, for vacation. I got pretty bored at times (there's only so much you can do). What changed my mind about the beach was getting one of those Trlby Stunt Kites (which are, incidentally, not made anymore - but there are other simple, inexpensive, easy-to-fly kites). Having my own thing to do when on the beach was fun for me, and I was never really bored again. I know you mentioned kite flying, but if you're having trouble getting one particular kid interested in any one aspect of beach camping, pick up a stunt kite and let him/her give it a shot.

Oh, and when you make s'mores, use chocolate covered mint cookies (Grasshoppers?) instead of graham crackers. Crazy delicious.
posted by rossination at 10:32 AM on August 6, 2006

Take the 9 year old and head south to Dune City and rent a dune buggy for a couple of hours. Guaranteed non-boring.
posted by woj at 11:15 AM on August 6, 2006

Take the 9 year old and head south to Dune City and rent a dune buggy for a couple of hours. Guaranteed non-boring.
Sounds awesome. My wife would be stuck with the other three kids, however, during that time. I wish I could rent a blokart. (safe kite buggy)
posted by mecran01 at 8:25 PM on August 6, 2006

Where are you camping? You didn't tell us which specific campground, which would help a lot. My favorite campground is Cape Lookout ... the cape hike itself is *awesome*, it's great to get to the final point where you can see forever.

Kites are a great thing to have fun with. I could take a full day with a kite.

Note: not environmentally healthy, do well away from other campers: Bring cans of cheap soda and place them in the fire with the tops down. (We did this with cheap beer, but I'm assuming that cheap soda will work just as well.) The fire will boil the water inside and the can will go "BOOM!" and shoot out of the fire. Bonus points for the farthest launch or the one you can't find. Guaranteed to not be safe, but to fascinate any young boys.

Sand Lake / Dune City is just south, as mentioned.

The best place to go for Breakfast is in Pacific City at the Village Coffee Shoppe. They *only* do breakfast.
posted by SpecialK at 9:47 PM on August 6, 2006

We are, in fact, going to be at Cape Lookout! In case you're in the area, you should be able to locate our camp by listening for the sounds of my two-year-old screaming herself to sleep around 9 pm. Good times!

I thought I was familiar with all forms of improvised camping explosive devices from my scouting days, but the pop can thing is new. Coooooooool!
posted by craniac at 6:12 PM on August 7, 2006

BTW, by 'fire' I meant 'beach bonfire', not your campfire at the campground.
posted by SpecialK at 5:46 PM on August 8, 2006