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    “The Descendants” Arrives March 13th

    By 136 Comments

    A Guide to Camping

    Experience the Heartbreak and Humor When the Academy Award® and Golden Globe® Winner Comes to Blu-ray Combo Pack and DVD March 13

    In The Descendants, it was a tradition of the King family to go camping on their ancestors’ land. In this feature, we will explore some cool places and interesting new ways to camp with your family, including the best time of year to go camping, what to bring, and fun activities to do on site.

    Based on the best-selling novel by Kaui Hart Hemmings and set in Hawaii, THE DESCENDANTS is a sometimes humorous, sometimes tragic journey for Matt King (George Clooney) an indifferent husband and father of two girls, who is forced to re-examine his past and embrace his future when his wife suffers a boating accident off of Waikiki. The event leads to a rapprochement with his young daughters while Matt wrestles with a decision to sell the family’s land handed down from Hawaiian royalty and missionaries.

    Where to Camp

     

    If you’re a beginning camper, you probably want to start by finding an organized campground within driving distance. Campgrounds can be either public (usually run by a government agency, like national forests) or private (usually run by individuals or businesses, like campground resorts or RV parks). Public campgrounds will likely offer you the most options and are usually set up by the government to preserve the area, so you should research those near you. You will also want to make sure that the campsites you are looking into offer the amenities that you need. Think about whether or not you will require things like a shower, bathrooms, and areas for cooking and cleaning your dishes. Also, consider what kinds of activities you might want to engage in before booking your campsite. Will you want to play water sports or swim? Do you like to hike? Look for sites that will be able to accommodate your needs, and remember to book ahead because popular campsites can fill up many months in advance.

    When to Camp

     

    Though people typically assume that the summer is the best time to go camping, the spring might actually be your best option! Though the summer boasts warmer nights and less hectic schedules for families with children, the spring often has less busy campgrounds (which means you have a great selection to choose from, more privacy, and usually less expensive reservations), similar temperatures to summer (though perhaps not as scorching during mid-day), and less pesky summer bugs like mosquitoes! In most regions, camping in the spring offers you the same things that you love about summer, but without the added burden of camping during peak season.

    What to Bring

     

    Knowing what to bring on your camping trip really depends on where you’re going, what time of year you’re planning on camping, and what activities you want to do while you’re there. In general, there are some basic things that every camper will need. Unless you are camping in an RV, you will need a tent so that you will be adequately protected from the sun, wind, rain, bugs, etc. Tents also provide you with privacy from other campers and give you a place to store your clothes and other necessities away from the elements. You will also need a sleeping bag, a pillow, and a pad. Remember that you are, essentially, sleeping outside on the ground, so you will want something that will make you as comfortable as possible and provide you with enough warmth for whatever region you’re camping in (in some places temperature will drop drastically at night, even in the summer). Additionally, don’t forget to bring plenty of water (you may not be near a water source), food and cooking supplies. Some campsites have grills, but if yours doesn’t you might want to bring something like a propane stove for cooking, and all the necessary accouterments (pots and pans, utensils, spatulas, charcoal, etc.). Also, remember to bring basics like a first aid kit, any medications you may need, extra clothes, etc. Before packing, make sure you have planned your trip out thoroughly and make yourself a checklist of everything you will need.

    Fun Activities

     

    For some people, the mere act of leaving the city and setting up camp to relax in the wilderness is enough. If you’re not one of these people, there are still plenty of things you can do while camping to keep yourself (or your kids) entertained. Depending on your locale, you can do things that are unique to your locale. If you’re camping in a mountainous region, try going for a hike, or doing a photo scavenger hunt for animals and plant life native to that region. If you’re camping near a lake or another body of water, you could take a leisurely swim, fish (if the area permits it), or try canoeing, sailing, jet skiing, etc. Some campsites also have areas for sports, like baseball fields, basketball courts, etc. Check in advance to see if your campsite has these things, and then make sure that you bring the necessary equipment to play! You can also bring desks of cards or small board games and play with your group around the fire after a long day of hiking or swimming. Another fun (and practical) activity is to have a picnic. Get your whole group involved in setting up a table, getting a fire started, and cooking. Finish the meal off with some good old-fashioned s’mores around the campfire!

    BUY IT:  Look for “The Descendants” wherever DVDs are sold.

    WIN IT:  (1) US/CAN winner will receive the DVD “The Descendants”

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    Comments

    1. brian e. says

      Thanks for the giveaway…our family goes camping every summer at least once !

      senorpiero [at] yahoo [dot] com

      Reply

    5. Susan D says

      It depends on your definition of camping. Some camping sites are true camping; others are essentially outdoor hotels/resorts. Once in a while, true camping can be enjoyable if you get a good camping space but, if you don’t, it discourages the family from wanting to do it again (e.g., too many rocks under the tent, bad weather, unruly or danger-provoking crowds, etc.).

      Reply

    7. mary gardner says

      i haven’t camped in years and would love to but my kids are not the least bit interested so it is not something we have done

      marygardner49 at aol dot com

      Reply

    11. Vicki D. says

      I’m not really much of a camping person. I love being outdoors fishing on a quiet lake, but at night, I like to go home or to a hotel where there’s a soft bed, lights, and my own bathroom.

      Reply

    14. renee says

      The last time I went camping with my family we almost froze to death and had to sleep in a van. True story!

      yeloechikee at hotmail dot com

      Reply

    15. Samantha says

      My family isn’t into camping, but I would love to go camping with my boyfriend. We just haven’t had the time to yet.

      Reply

    19. Lisa says

      Love camping and getting my kids in touch with nature. Teaching them to love and appreciate the environment is very important to me!

      Reply

    20. Mildred says

      I like it once we get there and relax, but the preparations can be more effort than a non-camping vacation, so we really have to want to go camping at a particular location, such as the beach in summer

      Reply

    24. Wayne Lecoy says

      Please Enter Me In The Descendants DVD Giveaway.
      It Would Be Great To Win This DVD Because
      I Haven’t Watched This Movie Yet.
      In Response To Your Question No I Do Not Go Camping With My Family.
      Thanks For Having This Giveaway!!!!!!

      Reply

    28. rebecca says

      ok we’ve gone camping before. but needs to be with an establish restroom nearby. no venturing out in the woods in the dark of the night anymore for me 😉

      Reply

    29. Tiffany Salvia says

      We love to go camping together! We are looking forward to the warmer weather so we can start going a lot more often!

      Reply

    35. Carrie Baird says

      I love to camp with my family! I just don’t get to do it often enough, sadly. wgbc1446[at]yahoo[dot]com

      Reply

    36. Renea Greathouse says

      We go camping at least twice a year, but Camping with 5 kids is definitely an adventure. A tiresome, worn out to the core, need to get home so I can rest… adventure. lol. I’m hoping it will be less tiresome as they get older.

      Reply

    39. Dara Nix says

      We used to take the kids on our boat to an small island off of Pensacola Beach to camp! They absolutely LOVED it and we loved getting away from everything and just relaxing!

      Reply

    40. Lucy Schwartz says

      I am a Holiday Inn kind of girl. roughing it would be a hotel without a pool. Camping out is packing up your home with enough food for the trip and it just didn’t seem like a vacation to me.

      Reply

    47. Jennifer T. says

      I grew up camping with my family. I plan to take my kids camping once they are older.
      jtmagmom73(at)gmail(dot)com

      Reply

    50. Christina says

      We love camping, once in awhile, especially the fresh air, the woods, and campfires (I personally don’t like sleeping in a tent, though)!

      Reply

    51. bina edwards says

      first time we all camped together was in a tent, horrid LOL, the next year we got a popup camper and that was a whole lot more fun, except for the bbquing in the rain and stuff . Every morning we did go out for breakfast to the hotel and we loved that cus of the internet !!! We got rid of the popup camper and got a boat instead and we do that now cus the kids are teens and they can do that on their own, they can’t go camping on their own as our country doesn’t allow teens to be by themselves in campgrounds

      Reply

    53. Jill H says

      I think camping is a great way to spend time with your family without computers, TVs, etc. and bond with each other and spend time in the beautiful outdoors. Love camping!

      Reply

    55. Joni Owada says

      From the time the children were born, we did backyard camping..Set up the tent outside, with all the fun stuff, but still had use of the indoor potty, and if someone couldnt make it through the night outside, they were still welcome to come on inside to their own bed!!!!

      When we suggested to the kids that we go somewhere to camp, they all voted to stay in the backyard, for it was so much fun!

      Reply

    56. ferriz says

      i think it sounds fun in theory but we would end up killing each other… or ourselves. we are not outdoorsy.

      ferriza2(at)yahoo(dot)com

      Reply

    58. Tara Liebing says

      We have never gone camping overnight however my son would love to. I think it would be fun if it’s not too hot or too cold out.

      Reply

    61. Patti Hess says

      I love to camp with my family! It takes us away from electronics and tv for a while and I think it brings us closer..

      pattifritz2000 at yahoo dot com
      thank you

      Reply

    62. Heather Fawcett says

      My family loves to camp. We own a pond down the road from our house and we set up camp there all the time. We set up the tent, build the camp fire, roast hot dogs on sticks and marshmallows. It is great. My son is also in cub scouts and we go on camping trips with is group. Great times.

      Reply

    67. Gabrielle says

      My family members unfortunately aren’t fans of the outdoors. But I think with proper camping equipment and tons of bug spray, it would be a fun time.

      Reply

    72. alh1203 says

      think it would be fun but I don’t see it ever happening – hubby enjoys a/c way too much to camp by choice!

      Reply

    73. Mare S says

      I’m not really a camper thanks to bad experience at Girl Scout Camp when I was a kid. My idea of roughing it is sharing a bathroom…so our family days with nature tend to be day trips.

      Reply

    75. kirsten rodrigue says

      I think that camping with my husband sucks. He is like a little girl. Otherwise, I love him to death!

      Reply

    76. Debbie Welchert says

      I would love to go camping with my family. It would be so much fun roasting marshmallows and hot dogs over the fire. I think my grandchildren would love it.

      Reply

    79. Denise G says

      Being over 50 I would find it hard camping getting up and off the ground. Not like when I was younger

      ontariohappychick at gmail dot com

      Reply

    84. Dreena says

      At first the idea made me cringe…ugh, spending nights outside in a tent in a sleeping bag on the ground…But we went on our first camping trip and I had a super time! Relaxed, cooked over a fire, told ghost stories, swam in a lake. It was a fun family time holiday and I can’t wait to go back this year in the summer!

      Thanks for the chance to win.

      Reply

    85. Krystal R says

      We used to camp a lot when I was a kid, haven’t done it much with my son. He’s camped in the back yard a few times. 🙂

      Reply

    89. Charlotte Padgett says

      Frankly, I cannot imagine going camping myself, but most of the famiy loves it and goes whenver they get the chance.

      Reply

    91. Andrea Williams says

      I think camping is a nice idea, but our family has never really gotten in to it. We enjoy the comforts of home too much!

      Reply

    98. Rachel Robertson (Azrael) says

      I think it would be great, but we’ve never done it! We even bought a tent and everything lol. One of these days we will actually go 🙂

      Reply

    100. Andrea Amy says

      i have never gone camping with my family. haven’t gone camping since i was a teenager, but i never enjoyed it.

      Reply

    102. Kayla @ TheEclecticElement says

      Unfortunately, my family and I have never been camping before. But I’m hoping my boyfriend will take me this year 🙂

      Thank you for this giveaway!

      Reply

    103. melissa williams says

      I like camping, but we will probably wait a little bit until my daughter is older so she can enjoy it more.

      Reply

    105. Christina says

      Hubby and the kids love camping… I tolerate camping because they love it so much! We go a few times a year and while its fun for a day, I’m not a huge fan (I love hiking, exploring, playing games, being together, the campfire and cooking over the campfire – I’d just prefer to come home to a nice shower and my bed at night lol)

      Reply

    107. Shane R. says

      I love camping with my family! Sadly we haven’t gone camping in over ten years. But now that my folks are getting older, it’s harder for them to sleep on the ground or even on cots.

      Reply

    114. Ashley H says

      It would be a nightmare sorry but my family are not survivors lol they wouldn’t know what to do If they got attacked by a squirrel let alone a bear!

      Reply

    115. Julie Wood says

      Oh, I just love camping with my family. We go on two trips in the summer months and we all have such a blast!

      Reply

    116. Patricia Wojnar Crowley says

      I think it would be fun…we have never braved the wild though…maybe someday when the kids are older.

      Reply

    117. Anita Yancey says

      Camping with my family would be a terrible experience, because we all hate camping. Thanks for having this giveaway.
      ayancey(at)dishmail(dot)net

      Reply

    118. Anne Taylor says

      I loved camping with my family, here on the island! I remember when I was a kid, we went camping up island and we were able to tent right on the sand. We woke up in the morning to find that a bear had visited in the night; there were bear prints around our tent!! ahhh lol

      Thanks

      Reply

    123. stacey dempsey says

      My kids love camping, the older i get i have to admit it is less and less something I love lol, but we still go from time to time

      Reply

    124. Pauline M says

      My idea of camping is a nice hotel room and room service! But I will admit my kids would love roughin’ it!

      Reply

    128. Jennifer Donohue says

      love camping with my family. Good getaway. Quiet time to talk and know what’s going on, and everyone works together!

      Reply

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