06/02/2026
Here's something nobody tells you when you become a parent:
Your kids won't remember the birthday party with the bounce house and the custom cake. They won't remember the expensive vacation where everyone was exhausted and overstimulated by day two.
They'll remember the summer they caught their first fish.
They'll remember the night you let them stay up past bedtime to watch the stars come out over Lake Shetek. They'll remember the way the water felt on their feet at 7am when the rest of the world was still asleep. They'll remember Grandpa teaching them how to skip rocks, and the look on his face when they finally got it.
Those memories don't cost what you think they cost. They cost a long weekend and a willingness to put the phone down.
We've watched thousands of families make those memories right here at our family campground in southwestern Minnesota. Kids who came here as toddlers are now bringing their own kids.
What's a memory your kids made outdoors that still sticks with you? Tell us in the comments.