We have been camping in my backpacking tents but as a family we had outgrown them. When REI had their summer sale and the Marmot Limestone 4 family tent went on deep discount we bought it. So with sunny skies and nothing on the agenda we decided to put it to the test at no-longer-a-State-Park Fay Bainbridge.

We day-trip to the park frequently but only camped there once before and not as a family nor at the beach. Being the good Midwestern-raised rule-followers we are we chose one of the less-than-spectacular gravel sites for our tent because that’s what the signs say to do (though it was near an enormous thicket of salmonberries of which I ate my share – if this cold, wet spring is good for anything the salmonberries have been outstanding!). After our camp was set up we saw a whole city of tents appear on the lawn closer to the beach – we learned later the common sense school of camping now applies to Fay Bainbridge and though it’s not explicitly stated you can camp on the lawn. Next time!

After a great dinner of onions, peppers and sausages cooked over an open fire in our favorite Lodge we broke out the smores – there was much delight.

I went down to the beach near sunset and was greeted with a wonderful view of the fading light on Mt Rainier. The photos don’t do justice to the way the Mountain dominates the horizon.

The tent was great. We had two adults, a kid and a dog in a crate all nicely snuggled. It goes up extremely easily and when the fly was off during the day the breeze through the tent encouraged all of us to nap (ah camping!). I’m looking forward to more family outings in our can-be-seen-from-across-the-park orange tent!