5 camping trips I'd love to do with my kids

It's almost summer time where we live on Canada's west coast, and camping season is definitely here, or at least on the horizon. Lots of kids, including mine, really love the whole idea of camping out, having a campfire, cooking your food outdoors, and generally hanging out close to nature. I'm hoping to head out for a camping road-trip later this year, but I'm not quite sure where we'll end up for that.

Here are some places, near and far, where I'd love to go camping with my kids. (And if you think I favor western North America, that's because I'm thinking of places close enough to drive to with our camping gear!)

1. Yellowstone National Park
My husband and I camped in Yellowstone before we had kids, and I thought the park was absolutely amazing. It's one of those places you think might be over-hyped, but nothing can beat the reality of hot springs, boiling rivers, geysers, buffalo roaming the landscape, and bubbling, colorful mud flats. I'm hoping to take my kids here some time in the next few years. And what a great place to introduce them to some very exciting geology and natural history!

2. Redwood National Park
My kids love the woods, and they love hiking in the woods. That's a couple of reasons why I'd love to take them to Redwood National Park and see the tallest trees on Earth. I also think a road-trip to California would be pretty cool to do with them.

3. The Canadian Rockies
I've camped near Banff and near Jasper up in the Canadian Rockies, and it's an amazing place to be. The drive alone when you're coming from British Columbia is absolutely fantastic. Those peaks, the glaciers, the animals, and just the majestic scale of everything is literally breathtaking. I think my kids would have a blast up here, and if we managed to spot a bear (at a very, very safe distance), that would be icing on the cake.

4. Long Beach, Vancouver Island
We visited Long Beach when my son was only a couple of year's old, but I'd love to go back soon with both the kids. The scenery along Vancouver Island's west coast is so beautiful, and there's some serious beach-combing and hiking to do out here as well.

5. The Oregon coast
I have never been to Oregon myself, but so many friends and family race about the beaches, the sand dunes, the camping, and the cheese that I would really love to visit. It would make a great drive from British Columbia as well, and since my family is very much in love with sand and ocean, it seems like it would be a great fit!

There are lots of other places I'd love to go camping, including several of the places mentioned in these two articles:

• From USA Today: 10 most beautiful places to camp in BC, Canada
• From The Vancouver Sun: A guide to B.C.'s best camping parks

Also, for more camping with kids resources, I love to check out Tales of Mountain Mama.