When Eli and Ian were young we couldn’t afford fancy vacations so we went camping — a lot.

We still like to go camping; however, as we have gotten older Gary and I prefer more comfort than a tent and a sleeping bag on the ground, so we look for places that provide the outdoor setting we like with a little more comfort. We would rather not camp in a busy campground so we also look for places with privacy to enjoy the sounds of nature without the annoyance of somebody’s generator running or someone playing their music too loud.

One of the places we love to go is the Lobster Creek Youth Camp. This camp is located about 18 miles inland from the coast and has 52 acres of forest to explore. There are several camping cabins and primitive RV spaces (no electrical hookups), restroom facilities, and a duplex cabin with its own bathroom. There is a large A-frame with a dining hall, a kitchen, walk-in cooler, fireplace, and a sleeping area with lots of bunk beds and a bathroom upstairs. (http://www.co.curry.or.us/departments/parks/lobster_creek_camp.php)

Lobster Creek runs right through the campground and provides opportunities to swim and teach the kids about the aquatic life in the creek and other critters that live in the area. (There are footprints in the mud, leaves that are munched by deer, and scat that is left by raccoons, foxes, and other animals.)

Every year we do a few family vacations and one of those vacations usually centers around a camping adventure. We rented this campground for Memorial Day weekend in 2018. Although this is a rather large campground and we most certainly did not need all of the sleeping facilities for our small group, we rented the whole campground anyway to be assured we would have the privacy and peacefulness we wanted. We all have many good memories associated with this campground (Eli, Ian, and all of their cousins went to 4-H summer camp here) and the setting is perfect for us. So perfect that Ian and Jamie decided to have their wedding there several years ago.

We spent a few days exploring, visiting, and enjoying nature. The grandkids had a blast! They played in the creek, held their own little skits on the outdoor stage, had nerf wars in the forest, and generally ran around exploring with no boundaries other than to stay within shouting distance and away from the creek without adult supervision.

If you are looking for a private, but comfortable place to camp — this is it! You can rent individual buildings, RV sites, or primitive cabins with no doors, or do like we did and rent the whole campground. They will even rent the day use area for a wedding, company picnic, or other group event.