JellyStones the best choice for young kids?

[Threebutchers]

I had to chuckle while following this thread....

Which teaches kids more about camping? Going to a State Park in a 30' rolling condominium with granite countertops?..... or going to a Jellystone in a pop-up camper?

I think the kids will enjoy both "rustic" and "fun" camping....it's what you make of it

 

[clubhouse]

Said so well.

I was having the exact same reaction to some of the more critical feedback. The criticism was almost starting to sound like another RV Forum out there.

As father of 3 small kids -- I wish there was a JellyStone type campground we could mix in once in a while in California as a treat to the kids.

UPDATE -- To my suprise there is JS CG in California. We may have to make a visit.

 

[Threebutchers]

Stayed at a Jellystone last year on a "premium site". It was close to $80 a night, but the wife loves putt-putt and paddle-boating.....almost all activities are free and I'm sure we got our monies worth. I was very pleased with the prices in the Gift Shop / Camp Store (this varies, no doubt)

Plenty of family and kids activities... I bet your whole family will enjoy it (I'd camp there again)

 

[glsimms-JAY]

I had to chuckle while following this thread....

Which teaches kids more about camping? Going to a State Park in a 30' rolling condominium with granite countertops?..... or going to a Jellystone in a pop-up camper?

I think the kids will enjoy both "rustic" and "fun" camping....it's what you make of it

Said so well.

I was having the exact same reaction to some of the more critical feedback. The criticism was almost starting to sound like another RV Forum out there.

As father of 3 small kids -- I wish there was a JellyStone type campground we could mix in once in a while in California as a treat to the kids.

UPDATE -- To my suprise there is JS CG in California. We may have to make a visit.

I think you guys mis-took Bassdog's comments. There wasn't any criticism, just offering another insight to camping other than the glam parks.

For me, down here in So. Indiana where I live, there is a SP and less than 10 miles away, there is a glam park, Lake Rudolph at Holiday World in Santa Claus, Indiana. I much prefer the SP. The campsites at Lake Rudolph are too close to each other, and the kids dart in and out on golf carts (day and night). The SP's sites are more spacious and a lot quieter.

Just my 2 pennies......

 

[tanracing]

Tex1961

We are looking at the week of June 22nd through the 28th. I have a road event (cycling) on the 28th so we would be going up the first part of the week. Good to know about the tack and saddle store as my family has several horses and probably know your friend. I wonder if he could make a bicycle seat?

 

[Bassdogs]

I think you guys mis-took Bassdog's comments. There wasn't any criticism, just offering another insight to camping other than the glam parks.

For me, down here in So. Indiana where I live, there is a SP and less than 10 miles away, there is a glam park, Lake Rudolph at Holiday World in Santa Claus, Indiana. I much prefer the SP. The campsites at Lake Rudolph are too close to each other, and the kids dart in and out on golf carts (day and night). The SP's sites are more spacious and a lot quieter.

Just my 2 pennies......

Thanks for the support. Clearly this isn't "I'm right and you're wrong". If that were true and my way was the only way, all the glam parks would have closed a long time ago. If I had a critisism it would be that they tend to be over crowed "in season" and too expensive.

My comments speak not to the occasional trip to a "theme" or glam CG for a special outing for the kids. We took our kids to DWorld way back when. I am rather speaking to the concept of what it takes to make something special for the kids. There are families who Glamp at a resort CG in Gatlinburg and others who head into the park to enjoy Cades Cove or Elkmont and may or may not get back to Gatlinburg during their stay. Life is afterall a series of choices. I have a brother in law who can spend 2 weeks in Galtinburg and less than 4 hours one morning driving into the park. They enjoy all the glitz of the shops and bouncy stuff for the kids. Wrong? NO, for sure, but now that they have reached the grandparent stage, guess what, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

I love the Go RVing ads you see on tv with the family waking up on the shore of a hidden lake somewhere in paradise.

 

[exjay]

We stay at our local Jelly Stone (45min drive) about 2-3 times each Spring/Summer season. Kids love it and tons of organized activities to keep them entertained (and tired!) through the entire visit. What nice is the time schedule of each activity that we can plan to attend and skip those we don't want then we just hit the pool, put put, fish etc..

 

[emjayuu]

We have gone to Jellystone in Niagara Falls for the last 4 years... First tenting and now with the pop up. We love it... Always clean and lots of activities for the kids. Going to the JS park in Java NY in another month... We can't wait.

 

[kvangil]

We've camped with our 4 small kids over the past 10 years, starting in a pop-up for 9 of those years... We mostly frequented the state parks. It's funny that our 2 worst camping trips were to the Jellystone at Wisconsin Dells and a private "all-amenities" campground... Honestly, we never worry about what the kids will do; we don't pack a TV, they can't touch the iPhones/iPods, etc--"no electronics" is the rule. In all these years, the kids still love to go camping and can't wait for the next trip. They go fishing, swimming (if it's warm enough and available), collect leaves/twigs/rocks, draw in the dirt, throw random things in the camp fire, chase each other, etc... Kids will find a way to entertain themselves. Being in Northwest Indiana, you might try the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, or Warren Dunes state park too. We've found them to be quite enjoyable. Have fun whatever you do!

 

[livelylittlecampers]

We have three young boys--5 and under--and we often stay at KOA's. There tends to be many kid friendly activities with KOA and many at no additional cost. You also tend to get a nice playground and pool etc... Of course any campground on a lake or river or stream can keep us entertained for days!

 

[mike06081969-THOR]

I've stayed at two different Jellystone campgrounds, and had two different experiences. The one at Natural Bridge, VA was a very large and spacious park in a beautiful setting. However, to say it was kid friendly would have been a stretch. It was probably 1 or 2 in the morning before we were able to get to sleep because of all the drunks raising cane. It seemed to me that they were allowing a lot of seasonal campers to stay that had parties on the weekends. Maybe that's for you, but it isn't for me. The other one we have stayed at was the one on Music Valley Drive in Nashville, TN. It wasn't nearly as nice as the one in VA, but it was much better managed. I would call it very kid friendly.

All that said, I think you will find that the state parks are your best bet for kids. The private parks are nice, but as another poster said, they are quite expensive and the sites are often very close together. That is especially true for a KOA.

 

[j_shoe99]

I went camping ONE TIME when I was young. It was with a friend and his family, in their pop-up. It was to JS in Sturgeon Bay, WI. It was the only memory I have of camping, since it was my only camping experience. I had so much fun that weekend, and it was 20+ years ago!

My parent's never camped.

I'm now 33yo, and my wife and I decided that we want our child/children, to grow up camping, and experiencing the outdoors. Her parents never camped with her either. We both felt we "missed out" on the experience and memories from what "amping brings.

So, I guess that ONE camping experience, which happened to be at a Jellystone, made me go out and buy a pup, and want to make some memories with my up and coming family.

Now that I have a 1yo DS, I'm more of a State Park camper, than a JS camper. I want my child to grow up camping in "nature"(hiking, beaches, etc), instead of pools, putt putt, and waterparks. I can picture, eventually, camping at JS every once in awhile, just to change it up a bit. I don't want my kids thinking that "going camping" means "going to waterparks and chlorinated swimming pools."

Again, it's a personal preference and to each their own.....(Just don't sit home on your couch all weekend!)

Word of advice to all, or more of a favor to all.....please try and take a "non-camper" with you at some point. Whether it's your friend, your child's friend, or a family member/friend. I was a non-camper when I was young, until a friend's family brought me camping. From that point on, I really wanted to be a "camper", but had to wait another ~20 years until I could do it myself, as an adult. Pay it forward. Who knows, you might even make a non-camper into a camper. Win/Win.

 

[SouthCo]

We are at jelly stone in luray va right now. We stayed here last month as well and love it. Full hook up sites are only 85 a night on the weekend this time a year. Actually we only paid 85 for two nights this time because we bought an online voucher that offered half price. I think that is cheap and don't know what calling this place a glam park means. Oh well, we are loving life so everybody have fun wherever u are. We sure are......