At the beach | The Kotter Nest

We spent a Friday/Saturday camping at Ludington State Park the 1st and 2nd of August. First time camping with our kids. The heat and a thunderstorm had me thinking the kids would wake up as zombies, but they slept fine and had a great energy level the next day.

I loved camping as a kid. On this trip we did a lot more laying on the beach and a lot less hiking than I did with my family growing up, but there were still cheetos and those tiny individual boxes of sugar cereal. Sort of nostalgic for me.

I think the beaches here in Michigan (west coastline) are the best I’ve been to. The water was warm and shallow for a 100 ft out and the waves were super fun to play in. Really fine, clean sand to build with too.

The second day we walked to a lighthouse. There aren’t a lot open to the public to climb up. This one had a tour and gift shop. I liked the lighthouse so much I bought a miniature of it with a string to hang on the christmas tree.

Click on the first photo and look through them with the arrow keys (or just click on the photo with the mouse to see the next one). There’s so much better that way.

: Just arrived in Luddington and waiting to check in. Four hours from Ann Arbor, but very nice/clean rest stop bathrooms along the way.

: Nabby said she wants to be a mermaid when she grows up. Seaworld trainer maybe?

: Castle Oliver and I made. Oliver dumped water with a bucket in the mote.

: Setting up the tent. Kids are drawing pictures in the dirt. No grass at our spot, but no trailers right around us either so that was nice.

: Nabby putting eyes on her alien picture.

: Our campsite

: campground playground close to us

: At the beach again. This one is part of the campground unlike the first one we stopped at. Not at all crowded.

: Oliver was in heaven.

: Nabby said she would stay there, in the lake, forever.

: We did get tired and hungary and went back to dry off and eat.

: Fire for hotdogs and pigs in a blanket. And marshmallows.

: Finally got to use that camp stove in the basement closet.

: Huge logs to climb right behind the tent.

: Sunset after dinner

: Finding shells and rocks and driftwood

: Just before leaving we noticed this carved in the log we sat on. Sort of hard to hear over the waves, but it does squeak when you walk on the sand.