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Cooking for kids on a camping trip can be…fun. Often it goes something like this: You’re 20 minutes into trying to find the griddle that you know you put at the bottom of that one box, and then Jimmy asks what we’re having for breakfast, and then you find the griddle, but now where is the mix? Then Ashley wants to know where the Band-Aids are, and can you get poison ivy if you touch it with your clothes on? And, by the way, she announces, she hates pancakes. Jimmy comes back to announce that he’s hungry, right now. The banana-peanut butter recipe makes great waffles. They want this, they want that. “Ewwwww” to that. Are we having (fill in the blank with something you didn’t bring)? And you’d better have the stuff for s’mores on hand. Cooking with kids, though, that can be a different story (a messier one, yes, but it’s all trade-offs here…). When they’ve had some say about what’s being made and they’re invested in the outcome, they’re usually – well, I say usually because we all know ...

Most campers have a love-hate relationship with gear – love to get a shiny-new toy, hate it when it breaks or wears out. And there’s nothing worse than gear that doesn’t work as advertised, or winds up not being worth the money in the first place. The roadtripster feels your gear pain, and so is always on the lookout for gadgets and gizmos that live up to their billing. Here are three that recently passed the road -test: Rio Adventure Roll-Up Table Finding a reliable, sturdy table that you can eat at or let kids play games on but still fold down into a reasonable size for transport can be a challenge. This has long been my favorite camp table, and now I have several. When open, the table top measures 32” square, and it sits 26 inches high. The slatted top rolls up for  easy storage, and the X-frame sides give it extra stability, but they’re still narrow enough to get your legs under. Made of easy-to-clean, very lightweight aluminum that’s nonetheless hearty, and best of all, you...

When the weather starts to warm up, but it’s not yet so humid that you feel like you’re walking around in the armpit of a hairy man in a Turkish bath, a weeklong jaunt through Napa Valley wine country is just the ticket. And, let’s face it, the chance to drink some wine, especially if it’s free, can’t hurt. There are more than 300 wineries in Napa, so it’s a good idea to pick a few that really interest you for sampling. Then base the trip on hopping from one charming town to the next, starting with Napa and ending in Calistoga (with Yountville and St. Helena between). You can fly into San Francisco, rent an RV, towable or car there and drive up – it takes about an hour on either Interstate 80 or U.S. 101. There are several campgrounds and RV parks situated around the towns. A few tips to make your visit more enjoyable: Visit the vineyards before May, after November or midweek – The crowds pick up in the summer and steadily increase through the “crush,” or harvest, which is late August...

Periodically – and not nearly as often as many of us would like – some of us transfer a large percentage of our belongings into a scaled-down version of our homes, except that it has wheels and often it’s much cleaner. And it might be a toss-up as to which one cost more. Then we drive this rolling house hundreds, even thousands, of miles – sometimes on treacherously narrow, steep and even icy or snow-packed roads – to live in close proximity to others of our kind, mostly strangers. Who usually don’t stay that way for very long. What's not to like about fresh air and freedom? There are those who call this behavior “crazy.” We call it “vacation” or “retirement.” And, yes, “fun.” It’s fun even when your son brings the pet mouse along and then, oops, it gets loose just as you’re about to get on the interstate. It’s fun even when it’s March Madness, and you’re at the one campground that has no signal. It’s fun even when you spend half the day loading everything, drive for seven hours an...

Check out the following for great ideas on where to go in your RV :)  Don't have an RV, then check out renting one from El Monte RV.  http://www.elmonterv.com/ Their blog, Monty's Musing - RV Travel Blog is a great spot for info:   http://blog.elmonterv.com/

Thinking about a little family camping getaway/vacation this summer?  If so, stay tuned to GoCampingAmerica.com....we're partnering with some of the leading outdoor/camping industry companies to offer HUGE discounts on camping!  So whether you're a newbie to camping or an experienced RVer, you'll want to check out our website for HOT deals for use June 1-June 25!