Our First Camping Trip

Was a success!

We camped at the zoo and had the best time. They offer four nights each year where they open up the festival field to camping. It is $30 for a member and Batman was free. You set up between 4-6pm. From 5-8pm they had free carousel rides, a craft for the kids, a keeper talk animal show in the auditorium and a hayride. Then at 8, you get a hot dog and marshmallows and they light two big fire pits. Then in the morning they provide breakfast.

My tips for next time (and I hope we will do it again!)
1. Bring your own marshmallows and chocolate and graham crackers so that you can make smores. We did and it was perfect.
2. Set up as close to 4pm as you can so that you can get a good spot close to the bathrooms, breakfast and closer to the playground and amphitheater. It wasn't "packed" so we were good but I imagine some of the campouts later in the summer get busy. Also, so that you can take advantage of the activities that start at 5pm without having to feel rushed (and to get as many carousel rides as you would like!)
3. Bring some extra for breakfast. Yes, they did provide breakfast but it was pretty small with a scoop of eggs and 1 slice of ham. The kids devoured the ham and eggs but I would have liked something more substantial.
4. There were kids of all ages from smaller than Batman to young teenage girl scouts to just families like us. I think everyone had a good time.


We arrive! Batman had a soccer game and Ladybug had an away game in Portland so it was 5:30 before we got down there. They have a tractor that will pick up all of your stuff at the entrance and trailer it over to the field for you so you don't have to carry everything.

Picked us a nice shady spot.

Oh the kids loved helping with the tent.

Just one shot of the field. I would say there were maybe40-50 tents, just guessing.

Our tent. Chris bought us a great tent. It actually had two rooms. More than big enough for a King size and a full size blow up mattress, so we had plenty of room.

free riding!



Craft time. They were making paper origami. Planes and butterflies and flowers. Batman loved the planes!



Daddy had to try his expertise at making a plane.

Hayride. This is the one thing I would skip next time if you didn't have time. It just drove you around the back. No narration or where you were going so I would have preferred to ride the carousel again.

Keeper talks!


Kids walked down to see the bird at the end of the show. After the bird flew for us, she was holding his feet so he couldn't fly again. Well at one point he actually got away. You could tell the fear in her face that she wouldn't get him back. She did finally coax him back with some food.

My little man absolutely loved camping. Ladybug did too and they have both asked several times when we could go again. While walking the zoo today, Ladybug had to show everyone where our camping spot was.

The next morning we slept in. I think we were one of the last ones at breakfast. We actually slept pretty good. It got into the 40's but our sleeping bags kept us warm. And of course Batman was curled up between us. We ate breakfast and then tore down our campsite and loaded it back up in the car. Then we could go back in to enjoy the zoo before it opened.

So we walked by the monkeys and then went to the playground. When do you get a chance to play and not be scared you are going to loose your kids!

Batman loved the water and hung out there for a good 30 minutes.

I played too.


Then I had to shoot this picture. This is the back of Scott Hamilton (aka ice skater). Chris saw him and said he looks really familiar. So he went over and started talking to him. Of course I didn't want to be paparazzi so I just shot a picture from far away. But he was super nice. We stood and talked to him for probably 30 minutes. He had camped over night with his son. Kind of neat huh.

Verdict - Great time. Would definitely do it again. What might make it more fun? Going with a group of friends and setting our tents up all together and hanging out. Next one is on Memorial Day weekend?????