Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in Philadelphia, PA

Before I had my daughter, I loved camping. My husband and were avid "car campers" (meaning we camped at campgrounds where you can park your car right in your site), often spending nearly sixty nights out under the stars during the camping season (from April to October). It was our favorite activity during the warm season.

But then came infertility and pregnancies and having a child, and we lost our camping mojo. But this year, we are getting it back! My daughter is nearly three and has become a great hiker and I think she will love camping as much as we did. Luckily we did enough exploring various campgrounds that we have great information about which spots are best for us now that we have a young child. Listed below are my five favorites! One note: we camp with our dog, so all of the below also allow dogs in parts of their campground. 

1. Cape Henlopen State Park in Lewes, Delaware. What's not to love about this great campground? The sites are shady and pleasant, and with paved trails leading throughout the dunes and to the beach, it's a great safe place for biking, walking, and even roller skating or skateboarding. One word of caution: book your trip well in advance, and be warned that some of the inner ring sites are quite tiny.

2. Promised Land State Park. This lovely spot offers a great family retreat. With beautiful sites, nice trails, and a cute lake beach, you can't go wrong. And if you are NOT camping with a dog, the Pickerel Point section of the campground offers sites directly on the lake -- lovely!

3. Pioneer Campground. This private campground is great for families. Not only are there tent and RV sites but there are also cabins. There's a pool, a playground, and events every night. You can have the best of rural camping AND a family campground -- the trick is to book their "remote" campsites where you'll have privacy and direct access to walking trails, as well as just a short walk to all the amenities. Near Worlds End State Park (which also offers campsites to non-dog owners).

4. Dingman's Campground. Located right in the heart of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation area, this campsite re-opened with new owners a few years ago and has become an amazing place. You can camp in the woods or right on the river (although it gets noisy down by the river, although it's better since they do not allow alcohol anymore). They also rent canoes so you can enjoy the singular pleasure of floating down the Delaware River. 

5. Shenandoah National Park. This huge park offers everything -- cabins, lodges, and beautiful campsites. I would save this spot for mid-summer, though; we've camped there in late May/early June and been caught in some pretty severe weather, ranging from snow to endless downpours. There are multiple campgrounds, but I love Big Meadows right in the center where you can get an amazing batch of buckwheat pancakes at the local camping store.

I'm eager to hear your suggestions. Where do you love to camp in our area?