Great Camping Location for First Time Trip with Young Children

We are having a Father's Day campout in Colleyville that Sat/Sun if you want to join us...the fee of $25 for adults and $15 for kids (under 5 are free) includes dinner Sat night, smores and hot chocolate around the campfire, and a full breakfast Sunday morning...we'll have activities for the families as well...this is a very "low key" campout for those who are new to it, don't have time to plan, or just want to join those in the area for a fun weekend. We just had one in Grapevine before Spring Break and had about 40 people...was a lot of fun. We might have another one on Lake Grapevine Memorial Day weekend as well...still deciding....had a request from a group...

State Parks in Texas are fabulous! I grew up going to different ones - we camped quite a bit. There is tons of info on each park on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website...good luck and have fun!

Hi D.,
I would highly recommend that you give Lake Ray Roberts a try. It is just up 35E North outside of Sanger/Pilot Point, which will be about 45 minutes for you to get to from Lewisville. It has wonderful ammenities, concrete trails so that you can push a stroller if you need to (afterall, little ones like you have can't handle very far on their own two feet), a wonderful "beach" with a playground right next to it, clean bathrooms with showers, not to mention a beautiful view of Lake Ray Roberts where you can fish or put out a boat if you have one. I would check in to the Isle of Du Bois part of Lake Ray Roberts, you can tent or trailer camp there. I can't express enough how much you would enjoy it there and with it being so close if the weather doesn't cooperate (or the kids don't), then you can pack up and get back home pretty quick!
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/ray_ro...

Check out this link to see all about Lake Ray Roberts :-)

There is a great place just north of Lewisville on the lake. It's called Hickory Creek. Once at the campsite, you feel like your hours away, but very close to I35 to get home quickly if you need.

There is also a WalMart within a 5 minute drive. Campsites 52 and 54 are directly across from the playground, so you can watch the kids from your site. All the sites in that area have great lake views and access if they want to swim or put their feet in.

There are hiking trails and woods to go exploring, and a boat dock to go fishing down the road in another area. In the sites where I've suggested (52 and 54), each site has electricity and water if you need.

I think this is a great place, especially for first time families due to the proximity, facilities and nearby shopping, etc.

We've had great fun out there with friends/family and have had kids out there from ages 3 to 12 and everyone has fun! ENJOY!!

http://www.recreation.gov/camping/map_of_Hickory_Creek_Tx...

I like this nature preserve just East on Denton. It's small and they have programs for family camp (so there's activities). It's usually just 2 nights. There are no showers. There are very nice outhouses that look like a bathroom and do not smell. Really. And there's a great outdoor kitchen. Sometimes they have treehouse builing camps (they have a great tree house in the woods there), or horse camp, or nature camp etc. It's very nice.

http://www.camptonkawatexas.com/

They have a family camp coming up on April 18th.

I second Isle Du Bois. Don't go on the other side of Ray Roberts further north. We didn't like it at all.
Be careful when you pick an area and make sure it has the bathrooms you want if you need to go in the middle of the night nearby. The primitive sites are lucky to have porta potties nearby and you will have to walk your stuff to the site. IMO, not a lot of fun with 2 youngsters. Believe me, that is a voice of experience talking. I had the 2y/o there twice. It was very pretty though. It had a lot of privacy so if the kiddos weren't having a good time it wouldn't bother a lot of people.

My first pick is actually Hickory Creek park just north of Lewisville for a first time. It isn't far away but they have a beach, several sites near flushing toilets, a playground, and trails and places to ride bikes. You can pull your car right next to the site which makes clean up and unloading much easier. The people have always been very friendly. We chose a site right across the "drive" from the bathrooms. It was far away enought that you didn't hear noise but close enough that you weren't dreading having to get up at night or 6 times while you are trying to cook dinner.

Remember to keep it simple in every way. The kiddos will have fun just getting to run around, pick up sticks, and just be outside. It is amazing how many fresh vegetables and fruit they will eat when it is just sitting out there for them to help themselves. It is so much fun to be able to give them more independence b/c it is alright to make a mess.

Get bright lanterns and consider "head" lamps for everyone. We got those for Cmas and it was a lifesaver. Much easier to get jammies on and make potty runs when your hands were free. I found $10 ones at Home Depot of all places at Cmas time.

Oh, the other thing we learned was depending on how you wanted to handle bedtimes, you may need to go to sleep with the kiddos. Our littlest at 2y/o wouldn't stop crying and go to sleep in the tent. She was the last to sleep even once we went in there. I was really looking forward to Mommy and Daddy time by the fire. This last time as a 3y/o she conked out with a lantern on low inside the tent. It may have been the fact that it was 10:30 at night too. : )

Anyway, after my novel..... if you want to chat more feel free to PM me and we can talk more.