Picture this: An epic summer family road trip along the California coast up through Oregon, with a final destination in the San Juan Islands off the coast of Washington. The goal? To see orca in the wild, No. 2 on my list of top nature sights I want to see.
This trip will take us some 2,700 miles before we’re finished, with more than 50 hours on the road. There will be camping, lots and lots of camping – in state parks in California, Oregon and Washington. Plus many new-to-us adventures along the way as we explore the shores of the Pacific Northwest, giant redwoods and wildlife that’s different from home.
There’s just one catch: I’ll be solo parenting for half the trip. That’s right. A week on my own with The Explorers (ages 10 and 7) before dad joins us. Which might not seem too overwhelming until you start to realize what it entails – hours in the car without dad to help referee backseat arguments or navigate our route. Packing and unpacking the car each day and somehow managing to make everything fit each time. Setting up and breaking down camp every night for a week. Preparing camp meals. Planning awesome outings each day. And somehow staying sane through it all.
To be fair, I will have company. My wonderful NaturePlayTrips.com partner, Michele, help set this whole trip up and invited me along. She will also be sans hubby with her kids for the first part of our journey.
I suppose a week traveling without your partner might not seem that crazy to some of you, but don’t forget: I’m not really not a big camper. Usually the hubby takes the lead on all things camping, leaving me to sit by and oversee it all. Not this time.
As the packing lists start growing and the camping gear gets dusted off (and new items purchased!), I’m beginning to wonder what in the world I was thinking. I have no idea how this is all going to go.
But isn’t that what adventure is all about? I hope you’ll stay tuned as we undertake this grand summer road trip. You can bet I’ll be sharing the good, the bad and the ugly with you.
Michele’s already sharing some of her wisdom on how to budget for a family camping trip. But if you’ve got tips on staying sane while camping solo with kids, your favorite simple camping meals or your must-see sights for families along the Pacific Coast, I’d love to hear them in the comments below!
I took three kids (my oldest was almost 5 at the time) camping in the Mendocino, California area a few years ago. And I was pregnant with my fourth at the time too. It turned out to be a fun trip, but I love that area, so any trip there is a good one.
Every camping trip is solo for me, as I’m the single parent of my five year old. We have a great time together! She is an expert around camp, helps me put up the tent, and is pretty good at entertaining herself while I’m doing some of the more mundane jobs. You’ll be fine and your kids will probably enjoy the responsibility of taking on some of the camp duties.
You can do it– and you’ll have a blast (most of the time)! As someone who travels alone with two boys all the time, my advice is to let them play video games the whole time they are in the car (I know, I know…but it works!), then give them a couple jobs during camp set up and take down. The key is to make it jobs they can really do, not ones that make more work for you 🙂
You’re going to do awesome!
Well, I certainly do admire your adventuresome spirits. Can’t wait to read all about the good. (no bad or ugly stuff going on!!) LOL
Hats off to you guys for doing it solo! My son is 7 and I’m a single mother. I sooooo want to take him camping. Here’s my question: How do you stay safe when you are alone? That’s the biggest drawback for me.
Looking forward to meeting up in Portland!
On the Oregon coast, Oswald West State Park is amazing, and in southern Oregon off the coast highway is a small but really neat spot, Darlingtonia State Natural Area.
Oswald: http://www.oregonstateparks.org/index.cfm?do=parkPage.dsp_parkPage&parkId=139
Darlingtonia: http://www.oregonstateparks.org/index.cfm?do=parkPage.dsp_parkPage&parkId=81
Hello! I used to write for the blog Trails, Tents and Tireless Kids (a while ago now but maybe you still remember?) Anyway, my hats off to you, camping and road tripping solo! Wow.
I love to camp and do it solo quite often with my boys (I went last weekend and am packing up to go this weekend again, solo. My husband is working out of state for the next 3 weeks!). I actually find we all get along better when we are camping 🙂 I think it has a lot more to do with my own mood, so much time to get everything done, no distractions of “real life”, so I am more present, which makes everything run smoother. I am also so much nicer to myself when camping, keeping meals simple, if they want hot dogs in the morning, so be it. We just do what we need as we need it.
We moved recently, to Arcata, CA (Humboldt County, redwoods, lost coast, more camping spots than I can sleep in, in a year). I am sure you are heading up here to enjoy all this area has to offer. Depending on how long you are here I have lots of suggestions 🙂
Beaches, College Cove or Camel Rock Beach are our favorites. I can give you directions, just e.mail me.
Fern Canyon, which is in Prairie Creek Redwood State Park is a must do (you turn at Elk Meadow within Redwoods NP to get there)! You walk up a stream through 50 ft high fern covered canyon walls, it is epic and my boys LOVE it. You climb over huge trees and get to act like you are transported to another time period.
If you are in this area for more than a day or two let me know, there is so much to do here! It is beautiful.
Good luck on your trip, safe travels and you will do great. What a fun way to start the summer!