Disclosure: This post is sponsored by KOA and Mom It Forward.
Last week my good friend and I, along with our kids, met for a couple days in Waterloo, Iowa at Lost Island Waterpark KOA campground. I drove down from Minneapolis and they were in the Des Moines area. It ended up being a fabulous little trip with great friends, perfect weather at an amazing campground.
I wanted to share a little bit about our stay with you and encourage you to look at KOA campgrounds when you’re planning trips and want to have a more outdoor experience. You can find our full review along with lots of other stories on the KOA/Trekaroo site.
We also have a bunch of Campfire Dessert Ideas at the bottom of the post that will make you want to plan your next camping adventure just so you can make these yummy goodies!
When you think of camping, do you just think of tents and campfires? I think that’s the traditional camp experience that a lot of us grew up with but as I have changed and gotten older, I’ve found that I really love camping but I really love sleeping in a bed and having a bathroom. So, when I started to look for a camping trip I tried to focus on campgrounds that had cabins available for us like KOA. I was actually surprised by how many locations have cabins, this opened up whole new travel and vacation options for us!
Our cabin was the next best thing to being at home. It was large enough to sleep 8 people comfortably and had everything we needed. There were two bedrooms and a loft area, one bedroom had a full sized bed and the other had a set of bunk beds while the loft had two twin beds.
There was a full bathroom with a shower so we didn’t have to leave the cabin to clean up. We also had a kitchen with a coffee pot, microwave and refrigerator. The deck off the side of the cabin was huge with patio furniture and a bench, providing plenty of room for eating meals outside will we got to look at the beautiful lake.
We were very impressed by the staff at this location, they were extremely helpful and knowledgeable about the park. When we first arrived, they were very kind and gave me a tour of everything. They wanted us to be comfortable and know where to go if we needed anything. They continued to check in with us during our stay, to make sure that everything was as we expected. They rock!
The kids favorite part of the campground was the paddle boats, kayaks and bikes that we were able to rent. Now that they’re getting older, the kids are able to paddle around on their own together while us Mom’s followed along in our Kayaks. We all had a blast in the summer sun.
My boys were so thrilled to be outside enjoying the weather with their friends. Since moving to Minneapolis, they just don’t get to see them as much as they’d like to so this was a great little surprise for them.
Right out the door of the cabin was the beach. It was a beautiful and very clean beach that the kids were able to swim in. We could see them from our deck so that was a bonus!
No camp trip is complete without a campfire and roasting marshmallows! Right? This is a requirement for camping and you can be sure that the kids won’t let you forget!
One of our favorite parts of camping is the campfire and the goodies we make out camping. I pulled together some delicious Camping Dessert Ideas that will make your camping trip amazing!
10 Delicious Campfire Dessert Ideas
Campfire Banana Boat Dessert from The Taylor House.
Peanut Butter Dough Filled Smores from Lauren’s Latest.
Brownie Smores Pie recipe from The Taylor House.
Smores Rice Krispie Treats from Cook Like a Champion.
Berry Camping Cakes from My Recipes.
Campfire Cakes from Tablespoon.
Smores Pops from And Everythings Sweet.
Smoreo from Made From Pinterest.
Campfire Tarts from Cooking Classy.
Apple Pie Packets from The Country Cook.
I have received a complimentary stay at a KOA via Kampgrounds of America. The opinions stated are my own. This is a sponsored post for Mom It Forward.
Looks so nice, I’d love to be out on the water
These look so yummy! We will have to make some of these on our upcoming camping trip!
The Peanut Butter Dough filled S’mores look absolutely amazing!
Wow! I gotta try the Peanut Butter Dough Filled Smores.
Looks like a fun camping trip! I love the nice cabin.
Yum this post made me hungry, & I will be trying a few of these recipes very soon! this looks like a fun KOA location!
My kids would have so much fun camping! Thanks for a great list of yummy desserts! We are planning our first camping trip so this is perfect!
I must try the desserts! They look amazing and perfect for camping!
Yum my kids would be spoiled if I could plan something like this for them.
We have never done anything beyond traditional s’mores- I think it’s time to step it up!
paddle boats are loads of fun! Looks like they really enjoyed them 🙂
I love the idea of being able to experience the great outdoors without all the fuss of preparing for a campout!
Those cabins look cozy and clean! That’s my idea of roughing it–running “HOT” water and a coffee maker.
Summer is the best time to camp, so fun!
Looks amazing! What a fun way to camp!
I think my kids would love the paddle boats but my favorite would be to go swimming on the beach!!
wow! Looks like an amazing trip and experience!!
The KOA campsite sounds great and that cabin looks wonderful. I would love to plan a camping trip with the convenience of a cabin/beds/bathroom.