This past weekend we took Sylvan on his first camping trip. We went to Big Meadows campground in Shenandoah National Park, about 3 hours from DC in Blue Ridge Mountains. Stunning place, and a great weekend! We would have appreciated slightly warmer temperatures and more sun - it was middle-30s on Saturday night(!) - but we made the most of the campfire and went on some beautiful hikes. Sylvan collected lots of sticks and rocks, and we saw several herds of deer and some interesting birds. No bears though apparently there were several sightings nearby. The woods were the perfect balance of small bright green new leaves but with the tree canopy (mostly oaks) still open enough to see incredible views through the trees (and spring ephemerals on the forest floor). We highly recommend Shenandoah, just bring a warm coat!