Summer Vacations

Most people take a summer vacation; the kids are off from school, work in corporate America is usually less frenetic, people are in a summer state of mind.

I've been a campground owner for going on 30 years so summer vacation is not something I or my family have ever really participated in. I would take my kids out of school in November, before or after NJ Teachers Convention weekend and we would go on vacation in November.

Recently someone said to me, you work all summer, you should take time to smell the roses, life is short, tomorrow's not promised, and all that other stuff people say to people they think are workaholics. #1, I'm not a 12 month workaholic, just July and August. I like being a workaholic here at Indian Rock RV Park & Campground because what we do here is provide a nice place for nice people to make nice new friends and make nice summer memories that last a lifetime. #2 I do stop and smell the roses and additionally I like to think I offer a place for other people to stop and smell the roses.

When I was a kid, we didn't camp (!) but we did take 2 weeks every year "down the shore" in Seaside Park. My cousins would come down for a week, we would have a blast playing in the ocean, playing board games, walking the beach and boardwalk, riding bicycles ... the houses we rented had no TV, no telephone (no cell phones in the 1960s and 70s!), no air conditioning. It was roughing it!

When my family bought this property in 1988, we made the decision to not put in cable TV because we believed a camping vacation was time to relax, recharge, disconnect from the everyday. Everyone did not have a cell phone, everyone did not have cable tv in their home, everyone did not have a lap top, tablet, game system, etc. In these 29 years, a lot of that has changed in that regard. When I say "no cable" to someone calling for the first time, sometimes that's all it takes to lose a reservation. Other people say, no problem, we're camping.

Do you tent camp? Did you camp as a kid? Introduce your own kids to camping and make it device free vacation. Don't give them our wi-fi code. Don't bring your work computer. Stop and smell the roses!

I love it when we get 2 or 3 families camping together with their kids... it reminds me of the days we went down the shore with our cousins. There's always one ring leader, the cousin who comes up with the ideas. There's usually one crybaby (that was me!) the one the older cousins don't want to play with but their mom makes them let her/him tag along! There's usually the naughty idea cousin (sometimes also the ring leader). The older cousin who is too cool for the camp fun. All these family dynamics I can see my family and also my kids and their cousins in. Which cousin were you?

So this post rambled here and there, but that's how I am today... summer time and it's all good.

Come see us soon!

Disconnect for a Weekend

So my last installment I was talking about TV Turn Off Week.
I believe we need to disconnect on a regular basis to stay sane. 
Here's my proposal:

Next time you're camping (preferably at Indian Rock 😀)

1. Tell your friends before you leave for the weekend "I'm turning off my phone at 8 pm Friday and not turning it back on until 12 noon on Sunday."

2. Arrive at the campground and pretend it's 1990... in other words, no cell phones! Put your phone in your glove box and lock it so you're not tempted to take it out! Same with your laptop, tablet, and other i- or android device! Make everyone who's with you do the same thing! 

3. Don't forget before your leave home, to bring a deck of cards or a puzzle, game or other family friendly activity to pursue *just in case* the weather is crummy. 

4. Participate in our Saturday activities or spend the day lazing by the pool or even take a walk in the adjacent state park.

5. Use a camera to take photos, you know you can find it if you look for it! (Last time I went on vacation I admit I forgot my camera because my phone has such great clarity! Then when it was time for fireworks, my battery was dead so that stunk!)

6. Enjoy and reconnect with your family and friends without the distraction of phones and facebook and snapchat, instagram, twitter, etc!

Just a suggestion! 

How to Effect Positive Change in the World

While I was thinking about waking up yesterday, I was thinking about American politics and how we are such a divided country right now, more so than any other time I can recall in my life. Many people are so concerned about what's going on in Washington; they're protesting in the streets, writing angry Facebook posts, disowning family members and unfriending people for divergent views. 

Here's what I think. And it has nothing to do with Washington.

It has nothing to do with Politics.

It has to do with Family.

We need to, as a society, spend more time with our family. Carve out the time to make our Family First. Foster camaraderie between our children. Present a united front to everyone else.

How to do that in such a busy world? Parents' business obligations, children's school work and sports obligations, take up so much time. Dinner with the family every night impossible? How about a couple of times a week? Make that a priority. Every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday night, we're having dinner together. In my family, I try to make our together time Sunday morning brunch. Now, my children are all adults and don't all live with me, but that's our aim, even now that we are not all under the same roof. When they were young, we always tried to have dinner together as much as possible and Sunday brunch was only for Christmas, Easter and other special days. Sunday brunch is what works for us now.

What can you do to foster that family time? (You had to know this was coming)

Take a family camping vacation. 

Disconnect from the plush comforts of every day. I'm not saying sleep on the hard ground and scavenge for nuts and berries to eat. I'm just saying disconnect from the hectic schedule you may have.... and reconnect with your family!

and here's a really novel idea... everyone disconnect from electronics including phones for ONE day of your vacation.  Put your phones in a cabinet in the camper and leave them there. It might be too much for some for a whole day... so ease them into it... how about put your phone and tablet and laptop and kindle/nook and game system and tv and everything else electronic away for an evening. Put together a puzzle or play a game together instead. 

When my kids were young the school would sponsor TV Turn Off Week ... it was usually around this time of year when the weather was warming up to encourage kids to go outside and play after school.

Positive Change in the World starts at home. Show your kids, your spouse, your nieces and nephews, your brothers and sisters, your parents, whomever is important to you, that you love them. 

 "Be the Change you wish to see in the world"(~Gandhi)

Kindness begets kindness.

If you can't be kind, be quiet. 

Our children learn through our actions.

"...you are a child of the universe. No less than the trees and the stars, you have a right to be here..." (~desiderata)

So those are some of my thoughts on how to change the world. Start at home. Set a good example. Take your kids camping. Don't sweat the small stuff. 

Getting Things Ready

We've been busy getting the campground ready for guests.
Now that the weather is a bit more temperate, we've been raking and evaluating sites for improvement this season.

Seasonal guests are welcome to return the weekend after Easter this year...Easter is April 16 so we're talking April 21 for returning Seasonal guests. (Please make sure your seasonal fees are paid in full prior to arrival)

Weekend Guests in Recreational Vehicles (motor coaches, travel trailers, 5th wheels) are welcome as of April 28. Tent campers, after May 1.

We are out of sites for the weekend of June 9-11.

Next week, April 4 and 5 we will be representing the NJ Campground Association at the JBMDL travel shows... Lakehurst on Tuesday and McGuire on Wednesday, so if you have access to JBMDL, please come and visit our booth!

Currently the office is open Monday through Saturday for anyone wishing to see the campground or make in - person reservation. We are here on Sundays by appointment or here for a few hours, but please call ahead to make sure we're here if you want to see the property or make a reservation in person.

That's all for today, I'm going to try to post more frequently and hopefully build a following audience.

Thanks for stopping by.

Anita

January 19, 2017

Join us at the NJ RV and Camping Show this weekend at the Raritan Expo Center in Edison NJ.
We'll be sharing special promotions for the upcoming season and our New Brochure!

This season we're all about that it's time to MAKE NEW MEMORIES!

Remember how much fun you had camping as a kid with your family? Now its time to take your kids on a camping adventure!

We love our location right here in Central New Jersey. It's a whole different world from the congestion of Bergen, Essex, Passaic, Hudson county (all those congested northern NJ counties) ! I'm from Bergen County and while I loved everything about Bergen while I was there, there is nothing like kicking back in the quiet of Indian Rock RV Park and Campground.

Having a campfire, roasting marshmallows for S'mores, sharing family time; these are the things I still love to do with my family...