“Virginia is for Families”

Our trip to Virginia was the highlight of our summer. This was our second, long vacation of the summer and one we were excited as it was the last trip before the start of a new school year. We had nine days and two destinations. Stop one was in Chincoteague Island. This is a site my husband and daughter had camped previously, back in the days when they were doing tent camping. The first camping video my husband created was during this trip. The first time I felt a tinge of jealousy was during this trip; as I sat home, eating my Digorno’s and watching Real Housewives (most likely). 

Alas, we return to the scene of the crime that started this RV East Coast adventure off! We pulled up to an amazing site with a patio and multi-colored furniture. After I switched some of the chairs with the neighbors, so we donned one of each color my OCD was satisfied and it was so enjoyable. There is something so nice about having real patio furniture and not just a picnic table. 

Our first day I was a little hesitant. The campground was crowded and there were a lot of people running around. I consider myself a “people-person” but that is mostly limited to my friends and family. I’m not always great with other people and especially crowds. It didn’t help that I yelled at a teenager doing back flips on the bounce pillow and he remarked back, “fuck you.” Great start! The anxious mom in me saw a broken nose and hospital trip and was having none of it!

Day two turned out to be much better. It was a Sunday so a lot of people were checking out and the crowd started to disappear. It was then I found myself able to relax. Adjacent to the campground was an open field. Staring off, over the green field, wisps of grass blowing in the breeze, the lighthouse in the distance, felt whimsical and freeing. “Mom! Mom! Mom!” the screams of my kids breaking the whimsy. Despite the tantrums, the mental breakdown on our bike ride due to the many, MANY mosquitoes and the absence of bug replant, we had an amazing time in Chincoteague. 

Our next destination was Cape Charles. When we arrived, I again felt a little frustrated. It had recently rained and our site had a giant puddle in the front. We thought the sun would dry it out in no time but at the end of the day we were still stepping around a soggy yard. It also seemed, at first, to lack some amenities. We asked the lady at the front desk what there was to do in the area and her statement to us was, “very little.”  I decided I would just make the most of it and try to enjoy the fact that we were at least near the beach. Day two came and my brother was expected to arrive with his three children. He arrived with a mountain of stuff, far more than one would need for three days of camping but that has always been him – over prepared. That day didn’t go super well either. Some of us (ok mostly me) were freaking out about the sand crabs and all the wildlife you can see in the water. Later that evening the kids were having a melt down and everyone seemed miserable. I am reluctant to say I had a brief meltdown myself and threatened to never take children on vacation again. I’m pretty sure I also went on a tangent of how much money it cost and the effort that we put into this vacation. Not a proud moment but, well, it happened. 

The next day, things turned around. We planned a jet ski outing and it was amazing. This was everyone’s favorite part of the trip. The tour was about two hours long and even those of us that were a little anxious (okay me again) had a tremendous time. We also started to become a little accustom to the crabs and the fish and began to enjoy the ocean. We had a chance to rent some paddle boards, a floating disk and the calm of the bay was perfect for our young kids. By the end of the trip the kids were all having a great time, getting along well and enjoying the campground. 

The rest of our time went smoothly and we ended up loving this campground. The kids did not tire of the beach or the pool and in many ways the trip drew us closer. Vacationing with family can sometimes be challenging. If you are anything like my family, we are different in many ways, even the kids. I tend to be the family planner, always wanting a schedule and timeline while everyone else wants to take things as they come. It can be stressful and at times painstaking but then you have moments that remind you why you stick it out. When, for the first time, your nephew begs to sit next to you at the restaurant, when you play for hours asking silly questions in the water, when your kids are playing together and helping one another it makes you feel like it was all worth it. Virginia ended up being a great destination for us. We laughed, we played, we did the most and we came together as family. I will treasure this trip and tuck those moments with my brother and his kids in the pocket of my heart because they are seldom and they are special.