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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Ocala/Marion County VCB for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.
Mickey and the kids have always loved camping. I have only gone once, but the older the kids get, the more they are asking me to come along. I told Mickey that I would only be able to go if we had these ten things. 🙂
1- An appropriate place to camp! We added it to our calendar to go camping on our next trip to Ocala/Marion County in Florida. (AKA: Horse Capital of the WorldTM).
Since Ocala/Marion County has so many activities, the kids can go fishing while I relax & read a book. 🙂 That’s my kind of camping!
2- A place to explore.
There are a lot of Ocala/Marion County Activities so we like to be near water (not too close) to do it all. We are planning on staying by the (crystal clear) springs, filled with good old-fashioned swimming holes for the kids to jump into (which we will need in the Florida heat!). I think we will probably stay by Alexander Springs, Juniper Springs or Salt Springs. Again- the kids can snorkel while I watch (with a camera in my hand, of course!)
3- A tent that is big enough for all of us.
The last time that we went camping, we didn’t have four kids. This year, for Christmas, my brother & sister in law bought us a HUGE tent. We will be taking that. There are a lot of options for Ocala/Marion County Lodging like cabins, hotels, bed & breakfasts and even vacation rentals for an extended stay in Ocala/Marion County, but we are sticking to camping this time, so a big tent is a must.
4- S’mores ingredients.
What can I say? In my mind, camping & S’Mores go together like bread & butter.
5- Blow up mattress
A little blow-up mattress is more my speed than sleeping on a tent floor. We have one that I think will work perfectly.
6- Flash Lights
It gets really dark at night and this is perfect for walking around the campsite at night. We love to look for things at night, too. The kids are always on a hunt for animals and special “clues” for things, so the evening is the perfect time to get started.
7- Portable grill
I love having a mini grill when I’m camping. The kids like to have hot dogs & hamburgers and its one of my favorites, too.
8- A deck of cards.
Mickey and I love to play card games. We have taught the kids a few of our favorites, too (plus, it’s good for teaching them math skills). We bought UNO, too, so we like to bring that game everywhere that we know we will have some time to play. Camping is perfect.
9- A good book!
When the kids are finding things to do in Ocala/Marion County, I would happily sit and read a good book. Don’t get me wrong- I love exploring with the kids… but if it involves fish, frogs or snakes, they can count me out of that adventure. 😉 haha!
10- FAMILY.
My favorite part of camping is being with my family. I want the kids to remember that we had a tech-free weekend, away from everything, just enjoying each other’s company. We love Florida Travel because it means more time together. We love to go zip-lining, horseback riding, swimming and take bike rides together (the bike riding is my favorite!)
