Ending with a Bang: A Peaceful Goodbye to Our First Summer Camping Trip
As we came to the end of our very first camping trip this summer, I have to say—we ended with a bang.
One by one, the other families packed up and headed home, until it was just us—our little party of five.
And you know what? It was perfect.
The quiet that settled in as the last car pulled away felt like an exhale. We weren’t done yet.
Our canopy from the other site made its way over to ours, becoming our new little shade haven.
We set up our “kitchen” behind it, and laid out our humble yet reliable “banig foam mattress” from the Philippines—yes, the one we managed to stuff into a plastic months ago. Worth every inch of cost.
At first, we found ourselves checking our phones, playing video games, still holding on to the buzz of activity from earlier.
But slowly, the stillness drew us back outdoors.
We decided to go on a spontaneous little hike in the woods—not a long one, just long enough to walk off the spam and rice lunch cooked by our very own Chef Logan.
He was proud of his meal and even prouder to be chopping wood like a little lumberjack under his dad’s watchful eye.
It wasn’t about conquering a trail that day—it was about discovering.
A slow, steady pace through the woods turned into a treasure hunt of nature. The kids scouted for “historical data” (aka interesting rocks and old tree stumps), and even made a few tiny friends along the way—a turtle swimming peacefully in the lagoon, a schlug (we still don’t know if it’s a slug or a bug) riding a stick, darting chipmunks, and big, curious fish beneath the water’s surface.
And somehow, despite the trail being short, we kept bumping into signs that read “Thanks for coming…”—which cracked us up.
“That’s it?” the kids said every time, half-joking, half-serious.
Meanwhile, they had invented their own game of sneakily tapping each other’s heads during the hike.
Boys will always be boys.
We laughed.
We slowed down.
We breathed in the stillness.
That final afternoon, with no noise but the rustling of trees and our own laughter, felt like a gift.
A peaceful, solemn moment—just us five, wrapped in the simplicity of time together.
Our first camping trip of the summer ended without a rush, without a mess.
Just calm, joy, and togetherness.
If you're thinking about where to take your next family camping trip—come and visit Big Foot Beach State Park!
There’s so much to do:
a beautiful lake to swim in,
trails to hike,
paths to ride your bike or scooter,
friendly fellow campers,
and a quiet, cozy campground perfect for families.
Make sure to stop by the beautiful inn nearby where we met Chloe—she served us our morning coffee with a smile and gave us the sweetest recommendations!
Thanks to her, we checked out:
☑️ The Candle Mercantile — where you can make your own custom candle (such a fun family activity!)
☑️ The Geneva Lake Museum — where the kids had a blast doing a scavenger hunt through time
☑️ The Geneva Marketplace & Downtown — full of little gems and treats to discover
This trip had it all—adventure, connection, and calm.
And honestly?
That’s how I want to end more things in life.
Until the next adventure…
Thank you Big Foot Beach State Park!
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