Our Overnight Camp at The Dales – A New Tent, Familiar Fun

This past weekend, we spent a night under the stars at The Dales at Terracotta Manor. It’s not our first time here, but this trip was extra special because we finally brought our very own tent. There’s something exciting about setting up your own little home in the middle of nature, and we were thrilled to make new memories in it.

We went with our friends from the neighborhood, and someone suggested that this should become yearly tradition for us. When we got to Dales, we picked our usual spot since the owner already assigned areas for all campers. I have to picked the closest to the comfort rooms because I’m with my mom and nanny too. It was so hot while we were setting up our tent, and as a result, we ended up getting sunburned!

By 2:00 in the afternoon, we were done setting everything up, so we just relaxed, enjoyed the view, had some chitchat, and even started planning our next camping trip.

Our daughter Zadie was extra excited this time because she was with her neighborhood friends and she knew we’re setting up our new tent!

She has always loved the idea of camping, but having our own tent made her feel like we were pros. She even brought her picnic mat and placed it outside the tent so her friends could hang out and chill. She was hands-on in helping set it up and took pride in arranging our sleeping mattress and pillows. Seeing her so involved just confirmed why we decided to invest in this gear — we're hoping to make camping a regular family hobby, and she's clearly all in.

One of Zadie's favorite parts of camping is during the night — and I totally get why. We had a small bonfire going, and the kids gathered around with skewers ready to roast. They had s’mores and grilled hotdogs. She was so happy sharing her hotdog with me. We lay down on the picnic mat, watching the stars together while eating. It was a sweet moment to remember.

There’s just something about these simple moments — no gadgets for Zadie, just being together and having small conversations with her. I would say camping has a way of slowing things down, helping us focus on what really matters like connection, nature and finding joy in the little things.

Waking up the next morning to the sound of Zadie’s friend, already full of energy, and the gentle breeze blowing through the trees was the perfect ending to our overnight escape. After breakfast, we packed up slowly, savoring those last peaceful moments before heading back to our routines.

The Dales never disappoints, and now that we have our own tent, we’re already talking about when we’ll be back. Hopefully soon — there are more s’mores and stories waiting.

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