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A little bit of serendipity happened to me this summer. When a backpacking trip with friends in California was cancelled due to wildfires, I found myself with a free week and no plans.
What did I do? I went camping.
I was a little nervous going by myself (plus the dog), but I picked a small campground a bit off the beaten path. It was an area I had been to before, and I know someone who lives nearby (not well, but enough to reach out if things felt iffy).
Once I had addressed security concerns, I started to plan all the things I wanted to bring with me—books, bathing suit, art supplies, a hammock.
That’s when I realized I was planning my own version of adult summer camp.
(Once a camp counselor always a camp counselor, apparently).
This is how I came to spend five nearly perfect days camped not far from the beach in a quiet nook of Puget Sound. I had a campsite with a view of the water (thanks to a friend who told me what site to request) and while I did sleep in the car the first night, due to nerves, I quickly got over it. The campground was quiet midweek, the rangers kind, and I quickly felt safe and at home.
What I found most interesting was how my days unfolded, what I wanted to do when I could do anything. The schedule went generally like this:
Wake up
Morning hike
Breakfast
Reading book with tea
Explore (new trail, beach, etc.)
Lunch
Arts and crafts
Swimming
Reading in hammock/nap
Sunset beach walk
Dinner
Reading in tent
Bed
There were some variations—one day we went into town, another afternoon we explored a different park. I often wished I had brought a kayak. But when it came down to it, I was so content hiking, reading, swimming, playing with art supplies. I had just come off two big work projects and it was an utter joy not to have my head stuck in a computer. I turned my phone off for days at a time.
I began to think we all should be able to have this sort of experience—the gift of a few days with nothing already planned in it.
I know camping is not the idea getaway for everyone. (My friend Karen famously says she’s not going camping until they find a way to attach the tent to a Four Seasons Hotel). But it’s something worth thinking about. What would your perfect days look like? Where would you spend them? What activities would you want to do?
I have a few friends who take regular retreats. Some of them go off alone, some meet up with friends; whatever it is that fills their cup. I’ve taken writing retreats before—carving out time from other projects to focus on a book—but that’s escaping your work to do other work. It’s good and worthwhile, but it’s not days to fill how you want.
This summer retreat was the result of a cancellation, but I am going to be deliberate about building this into my life in the future. I know it’s not possible for everyone to get away—even a camping trip costs money and there may be none to spare. Also, there may be children. But I bet there are ways to get creative, to make this idea more widely accessible. (Swapping houses/apartments with a friend for a weekend, for example, trading off taking the kids).
All I know is grown-up summer camp made me profoundly happy. I finished three books! I swam every day! I watched boats come and go, slept deeply, and began to dream again.
Our days get so cluttered, so full up. If you had the gift of free time, what would you do with it? I’d love to hear ❤️
Sounds perfect. Would you mind sharing the campground name?
Read. Write. Walk in the woods. Sit by the water.