Ok, it’s been about a year since my last post, but here we are in the midst of a pandemic and I’m finding myself with more time on my hands, so back at it. I’m really missing our family adventures and I’d like to share with you one of my favorite weekend trips from last year. I’m hoping that by the end of May or June some of the world will start to open up again. I think that traveling will look a little different for people this year, including us. Camping is definitely on my radar again for this summer. What better way to social distance than in a camper, on your own site, out in the fresh air. Bring on the warmer days.
Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial kick off to summer in New England. The weather is getting warmer, days are getting longer, and color is starting to flood in. For our family Memorial Day weekend usually means a soccer tournament down the Cape. What better way to start the summer than with a soccer tournament and camping trip on Cape Cod.
We have spent the last four years kicking off summer by coming to Brewster, MA and camping. I sure am going to miss it this year, but you never know. Things are changing day by day so there is always hope. We owned a pop-up trailer for about six years but sold it a few years ago because it was in need of repairs, and so this year we rented a pop-up from MDC RV Center located in West Yarmouth, MA. https://www.mcdcorp.com/ The best part about renting from this company was that for an additional fee, they brought the camper to the campground and set it up for us Friday and then when we were leaving on Monday they came and took the pop-up away. I grew up camping and absolutely love it, but the prep and packing is so much work. Being able to have the camping experience but not having to deal with the upkeep and expense camper and not having to pack it and unpack it makes it so much easier. We will definitely be doing this again.
Last year we tried a new campground. Sweetwater Forest offered nice wooded sites with fire pits and picnic tables. Many campgrounds on Cape Cod do not allow fires, and to me nothing says camping more than sitting around the fire pit at night, having a few adult beverages while the kids roast marshmallows. Sweetwater is located on Griffiths Pond and although there is no swimming, you can rent canoes and also fish from the dock an shore. There is a nice camp store and lodge with pool table, sitting area, and games. For Memorial Day weekend they had plenty of planned activities to keep the kids (and adults) entertained. If your kids are anything like mine they like to be busy. What I love most about camping is that there is tons of stuff to do for kids that doesn’t require any electronics. They played candy bingo, sang karaoke, and there was a camp party with a BBQ dinner and band. We will never forget the karaoke band the kids came up with “Bee Kites”! Jon and Sean also rented a canoe and caught a fish to enter into the fishing derby. I would highly recommend the campground. http://sweetwaterforest.com
Not only was there a lot to do in the campground, but this area of the cape is full of things to do for a family. The campground is located directly across the street from the Cape Cod Rail Trail Bike Path. We took a 4 mile ride to Cobies https://cobies.com/ and got ice cream and then turned around and stopped for a quick break at Rail Trail Bike and Kayak Shop where they had a band playing called the Placeholders. We couldn’t have asked for a better day.
On Monday we checked out of the campground and took a our annual ride to the Brewster Store. It’s a blast from the past. The kids love filling a bag with penny candy.
It’s not like me to have a little trip or adventure planned for our family, but until the dust settles and we know when it it safe to plan our next trip it’s nice to look back and reminisce about past trips. If you have a family that loves outdoor adventures then camping down in Brewster checks all the boxes. I would highly recommend it.
I’m currently looking into planning a summer adventure. Whatcha’ got for me?
Thank you for reading and stay safe.
Heather
