Finally! Spring break is right around the corner, and I don’t know about you, but I am dying to have a full week off of school! This past week, I have been waiting in anticipation of the camping trip my family and I have planned. 

Every year on spring break, my family and I must leave the house and take out the old camper on another whirlwind of an adventure. My Dad always says that we cannot spend spring break in the house, that no matter how horrid the weather is; he would rather be stuck in the camper on a rainy day than in our boring, old house. 

So as per usual, we take off early in the morning, ready to face whatever we encounter. This year, we plan to head out to Branched Oak, a state recreation area near Lincoln. From previous experiences, this campsite holds the best memories with family and friends.

What exactly makes these camping experiences so precious? Well trust me, there are loads of activities that we do together, indoors and outdoors! For example a classic activity we always do while camping is play “bored” games. 

Not “bored” in the sense that they are boring; on the contrary, we play these games when the weather isn’t as promising. We play games such as Sequence, Spot It, Uno, and Jenga. Don’t underestimate these games, because the competition that takes place truly makes time pass in an enjoyable way!

However, when the weather decides to show us some sunshine, you already know that we are out and about enjoying the good day. Most of the time, we take our dogs camping as well, so we take them out to explore the campsite. In past adventures, we have brought bikes, skateboards, and outdoor games to play all together as a family, such as Spikeball. One of my personal favorite things to do is play on the playground. Most of the time this just includes us goofing around trying to perform the best tricks. 

Another one of my favorite things to do is explore the lake! At Branched Oak, there is a massive lake that is surrounded by numerous campsites. While I like exploring the docks, our dogs love taking a swim after a long walk. In the summertime, this usually culminates by swimming in the lake. My Dad especially loves the lake; from fishing to paddle boarding, he’s always there early in the morning. 

However, we cannot leave the best part of camping out: the food! Whether it’s cold or not, we always grill hamburgers, hot dogs, fajita, steak, and corn. Most of the time, our grilled food is accompanied by rice, potatoes, and salad. After a good meal, we start a fire and enjoy family time together as we all talk and share stories. The cousins and I take out our gram crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate, and start on our smores. In the end, I believe the ones that enjoy this part of camping the most are our dogs because our relatives always have to share some of their food with them as well. 

At the end of a long day full of activities, we end the night with a good movie. I don’t think I can count the number of times we have screened “Jurassic World.”

All in all, those are just some of the fun activities we do while camping. Although I always have a great time camping, I believe what truly makes the experience great is the fun memories I make along the way with my family and friends. So, after listing all the activities you can experience while camping, I definitely recommend giving it a try! 

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