How Outdoor Afro got much-needed 'Sun Outdoors' 2022
State-of-the-art nature experiences are what Sun Outdoors brings to the picnic table for staycations, vacations, and even “bae”cations. A leader in the outdoor hospitality world, Sun Outdoor offers more than 175 campgrounds and resorts across the United States and Canada. During Outdoor Afro’s annual Outdoor Afro Leadership Training (OALT) held in Granby, Colorado, in April 2022, network staff and volunteer leaders received a rare opportunity to spend three days at Sun Outdoors Rocky Mountains. Waking up each morning to movie-like sunrises, TikTok-worthy trails, snow capped mountain views, and National Geographic wildlife.
Like OALT 2022, this new partnership with Sun Outdoors shared with Outdoor Afro the luxury RV and glamping possibilities. What transformative moments can look like for local networks to recreate outdoor recreation across the network’s four regions: Northeast, Midwest, South, and West. The leadership training alone showed the network how Sun Outdoors locations can redesign into spaces for panel discussions, hands-on workshops, nature exploration activities, and places of rest and healing. What distinguished Sun Outdoors Rocky Mountains from previous network training sites: its ample accommodations to manage extreme weather.
The site’s cozy vacation rentals and tent options allowed Outdoor Afro volunteer leaders to practice their wilderness survival skills while ensuring safety under snow storm conditions. This particular location featured prairie schooners and Airstream trailers equipped with modern conveniences for beginner to veteran outdoor enthusiasts. Additional outdoor housing choices the network can explore on future training trips. And do know Rocky Mountains is just one of many interpretations of what Sun Outdoors has to offer in outdoor travel fun. Other destinations for campers, glampers, and those somewhere in between:
Sun Outdoors Coos Bay in Coos Bay, Oregon, comes with never-want-to-leave-here outlooks of the Pacific Ocean. Literally camp by the ocean or cozy up in a Seaside Shanty vacation rental. And for travelers wanting more vacation rental space, Oceanside includes premium cottages to still capture the sights and sounds of the waypoint. Sightseers will appreciate resort amenities such as nearby state parks, wineries, and museums.
Sun Outdoors Myrtle Beach in Conway, South Carolina, is a Southern region camper's delight. This property sits near Atlantic Coast vacay community Myrtle Beach, which means instant access to the area’s water park, miniature golf course, low country dining, a video game plaza, and cabana-vibe poolside leisure time. Southern charm meets campsite vistas, this location speaks to cottage life fused with Deep South customs and old-fashioned fun.
Sun Outdoors San Diego Bay lives in Chula Vista, California – dubbed “The Lemon Capital” for its sundry of citrus trees. It’s also laden with nature parks and beaches. Therefore, San Diego Bay is all about creating bayfront memories in nature. This fairly new resort in Southern California furnishes RV sites and some of the coziest, open-air cottage rentals. Fresh Mexican and SoCal cuisine are just steps away. To deep dive into local marine life, the Living Coast Discovery Center and waterfront park are in the vicinity as well.
El Capitan Canyon in Santa Barbara County, California, holds the birthplace title to "glamping." That said, El Capitan is the nature station to indulge outdoor living in the state's central coast. Post up in cedar cabins, safari tents, or adventure yurts surrounded by historic oak and sycamore trees. Soak in the sun on top of rippling mountains that overlook the Pacific Ocean. More activities to check off: dining, wine tasting, hiking, llama farm touring, swimming, and listening to live concert music.
Sun Outdoors Frontier Town revisits the Old West from Berlin, Maryland. Snuggled on the scenic shores of inland waterway Sinepuxent Bay, the resort is lined with rustic tents and covered wagons. The Mid-Atlantic scene replicates an 1880s country Western town. Once settled into the RV site, explore farm-inspired shops, cowhand saloons, and iconic American fare.
ABOUT OUTDOOR AFRO: Outdoor Afro is a national not-for-profit organization that celebrates and inspires Black connections and leadership in nature. What started as a kitchen table blog by Founder and CEO Rue Mapp in 2009 has since grown into a cutting-edge nationwide network with 100-plus volunteer leaders in 60 cities. “Where Black people and nature meet,” Outdoor Afro reconnects Black people with the outdoors through outdoor education, recreation, and conservation. Follow us @outdoorafro on social.
ABOUT SUN OUTDOORS: Sun Outdoors is a leader in outdoor hospitality and committed to its mission of offering guests exceptional and transformative outdoor experiences. With over 175 locations across the U.S. and Ontario, Canada, Sun Outdoors offers guests several ways to stay: from RV sites to vacation rentals, from tent camping to glamping, whether they stay for a weekend, season or longer. Visit sunoutdoors.com to learn more. Sun Outdoors is a division of Sun Communities Inc., a publicly traded company which, as of September 30, 2021, owns, operates and has an interest in 584 developed manufactured home, RV and marina properties comprising over 155,900 developed sites and nearly 44,900 wet slips and dry storage spaces in 38 states, Canada and Puerto Rico. Sun Communities is a fully integrated real estate investment trust (REIT) listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol: SUI. suncommunities.com.
Outdoor Afro Goes Glamping "Kamping" with KOA!
"Did we really just go camping?" I asked myself as we pulled up to our house this afternoon and unloaded our clothes and remaining weekend groceries from the trunk. I realized there was no gear to put away; no layers of dirt to wash off our bodies, and I felt rested and energized for Monday. “No,” I realized, “we did not go camping, we went ‘Kamping’!”
Awesome! Fabulous! Wonderful!
These are some of the words that come to mind after such a terrific weekend at California’s Central Coast near Santa Cruz camping with KOA with my Arwen and Billy, plus family friend Milan Martin. KOA is a private campground franchise with over 475 locations around the country. As part of our partnership with Camp California to demonstrate the various ways families can choose to camp, we decided to try a KOA for our third RV experience.
Unique about KOA are the many options to experience camping. You can sleep under the stars in a tent, pull up in an RV, or stay in a cabin or lodge. Some KOA sites offer novel arrangements such as the iconic Airstream, a Tree House or a Caboose! In addition to the sleeping options, there are many recreational activities available on site, such as swimming, mini golf, banana bikes, a climbing wall, playground, horseshoes, basketball, volleyball, and outdoor movies during peak season.
We stayed in a lodge, which I learned is technically classified as an RV since it can be hitched up and rolled out, but inside and out the structure screamed condo! We had a sleeping loft, a private bedroom (linens provided), and bathroom with shower. The kitchen was equipped with a fridge/freezer, sink, microwave, coffee maker, plates and utensils. There were electrical outlets everywhere, wireless internet, and a flat screen TV - so off the hook!
Nice, Nice, Nice
I think the staff here must train with the folks from Disneyland. I am pressed to remember a time when I have encountered such over-the-top positive, welcoming, and attentive customer service anywhere. Checking in and out was a breeze, and everyone made sure we had what we needed in between with a smile or a good joke.
The guests were super nice too, and we noticed this KOA attracts diverse visitors from around the world. Poolside we overheard several languages spoken, and made some new local camp friends Saturday who plotted to join us later in the evening for s’mores. Maintenance of the property was impeccable, clean, and there was a well-stocked camp store in case you forgot anything from home.
This central California coast KOA property sits between the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, and is less than a mile away from a few beaches that overlook the Pacific Ocean. As I have learned from our previous RV experiences, KOAs can be used as a basecamp to explore surrounding nature and other attractions nearby.
Check out the rest of our photos!
Learn more about KOA “Kamping”, and check out our other RV adventures over the last year.
Thank you Camp California, KOA and its marvelous Santa Cruz staff for supporting such a wonderful experience to share with the Outdoor Afro community!
Photos courtesy of Jeff Crider and Rue Mapp
Camping in Comfort: An Outdoor Afro RV Experience
"Concerns about dirt, crawly critters, outhouses, bears, and bugs top the list of real and imagined outdoor pet peeves."
If you have been following Outdoor Afro for a while, I am sure you have gathered by now that we are striving to connect people to the outdoors in a variety of ways. But far too often, I hear people say they don’t like to camp, or fear trying because of perceptions about what must be given up in order to experience nature. Concerns about dirt, crawly critters, outhouses, bears, and bugs top the list of real and imagined outdoor pet peeves.
So for all our camp fearing friends, we dedicate this series of California RV trips to you. Outdoor Afro, along with sponsors Camp-California, El Monte RV, and Big Sur Campgrounds and Cabins, aim to share a way people can camp within another comfort zone, while enjoying the all splendor of the Great Outdoors.
As you may already know, we embarked on our first RV trip using a teardrop trailer last summer, but this past weekend, the four of us rolled in a motor home to Big Sur, California. And all I could say for the first six-hours of our trip was…wow. Our late model RV was well equipped with a stove, microwave, granite counter tops, refrigerator/freezer, flat screen monitor, three large beds, and a bathroom with a sink, shower, and flush toilet. All I had to bring was enough food for the weekend; pots and pans, bedding, and we were more than good to go!
I have to admit, in my roaring child-free 20's, I viewed RVing as non-committal camping. I thought there was too much of a buffer between the outdoors and the personal experience. Over the years, I have camped in all sorts of conditions, from rainy and wet in a leaky tent, to nestling on the ground on a foam pad between rock formations; to platform tents with cots at family camp – so I found the RV experience to be something completely new, yet really familiar at the same time.
And I’ve got a whole new attitude about it.
Maybe there is also something about turning the big 4-0 that has slowed my roughing it roll to a skip. As a mother, I no longer feel the need to test the limits of ease with three kids in tow in order to experience nature. This weekend’s experience met me more than half-way in the comfort department, uncompromising in its connection to the outdoors. And my children were all smiles. Together, we enjoyed the amenities of home on the road and arrived in a pop-up community along a beautiful river amidst the redwoods.
Next Up…Discovering Big Sur
Follow Our Upcoming RV Trip to the California Coast!
Our next RV trip will be October 21-23 in Big Sur California!
Following our last Outdoor Afro RV trailer trip to the Sierras this summer, we have been thrilled and grateful for the positive responses from the RV community, and many news outlets that are helping spread the word that African Americans do love the outdoors, and inspiring people to get involved!
For instance, as the result of one recently published article, I received a Saturday morning telephone call from an elderly Atlanta woman who got my number from the print version of the article. She owned a trailer, and asked if I had any advice about how she could find other African Americans RVers. Since her husband passed away, she yearned to camp, yet needed support. While on the phone with her, I did a quick web scan and was able to put her in touch with a regional coordinator from the National African American RVers Association right in her hometown. She was thrilled! I so valued my leisurely chat with her; learning about her love for nature, and glad to connect her to a relevant resource.
These are the kinds of real-time, authentic connections we hope to facilitate through Outdoor Afro -- helping camping, and a general enjoyment of nature, be more accessible and relevant to the lives of all Americans.
So on Friday, October 21st, my family will ease on down Highway 1, explore the coast, and camp two nights at Big Sur Campground and Cabins that will serve as our base camp as we explore the many hiking trails, waterfalls, and scenic coastline in the Big Sur area. I also hope to explore some of the local African American history of the area.
Of course, we will videotape, tweet and blog about the trip so Outdoor Afros everywhere can follow along and share in my family’s experiences as we explore the splendor of the outdoors!
I want to acknowledge and thank Camp California, Big Sur Campground and Cabins, and El Monte RV, who are each generously co-sponsoring and promoting this trip! - You Rock!
Discovering Important History During Our RV Experience
Our last stop before turning in our teardrop trailer on Sunday was to check out nearby Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park. It was our intention to learn about gold panning and history of the California Gold Rush.
James W. Marshall discovered gold in 1848 on the South Fork of the American River in the valley known as Cullumah by the Nisenan Indians who lived in the area sustainably and peacefully. But Marshall’s discovery led to the greatest mass movement of people in the Western Hemisphere, and it was the spark that ignited the rapid appropriation of the West during the ensuing decades. The gold discovery site, located in the still visible tailrace of Sutter's sawmill, in present day Coloma California, is one of the most significant historic sites in the nation.
But as my children and I moved about the site, we were surprised to learn about a nugget of African American history in the area: The Monroe Family.
According to Bill, our interpreter, Monroe was the grandson of Peter and Nancy Gooch, who were freed from slavery when California became a state in 1850. The Monroe family in particular became successful fruit farmers and prominent property holders in Coloma. The family grew and prospered with an estate that grew to eighty acres.
For decades, the Monroes were well liked and respected for their integrity, good citizenship, and an insistence on being accepted as they were. The end of this pioneering family came in 1988 when its last member, Jim Monroe died at the age of 99. Unfortunately, the Monroes did not have any heirs; therefore their land is now preserved as a public monument to remember an important era of California history.
Follow the trip from the beginning!
Outdoor Afro Goes White Water Rafting!
It was important that our RV adventure last week include activities to help us explore the surrounding, beautiful Sierra Nevada region. And with the American River in sight of our campground, whitewater rafting made perfect sense.
Along the American River there are several companies that provide a range of whitewater experiences. You can choose half or full day tours, and each typically come with meals, and experienced instructors who educate and enliven the experience.
American Whitewater Expeditions (AWE) has been around for over 30 years as a premier whitewater rafting company on the American River. While researching them, I learned they have a reputation of quality rafting adventures that are exciting, relaxing, and most importantly, lots of fun! Jon, the owner, suggested we take the a full-day tour of the Lower Fork of the river, as a trip more suited for beginners, but with lots of whitewater action.
Our trip covered about 15 miles, which lasted five hours, with breaks to jump in the water for a cool swim, and a terrific spread for lunch along the river. Kaitlyn was the source of much laughter with her funny jokes and river trivia. The views of the canyon were simply stunning on this summer day, and we saw interesting birds and other wildlife, such as a rarely spotted river otter!
As the ride went on, I noticed my son cared less about his shoes, and became more courageous! And at the climax of the trip, at a rapid named Hospital Bar, he volunteered to “ride the bull” and take on the rapid while sitting atop the front of the raft. We all wailed with laughter as he predictably got soaked, and fell back into the raft with his feet sticking straight up!
Would we do it again? Oh yes! American Whitewater Expeditions provided an exceedingly competent, fun, and accommodating experience for all. AWE provides raft trips on the three forks of the American, South, Middle & North Forks, Class III -V, and I also discovered they have a fabulous family-friendly campsite on the river that provides camping the night prior, lunch on the river, and use of a thick foam sleeping pad. Two and four person cabin tents are available to rent, some with cots, tents if you need one, and great food you can purchase as a weekend rafting package!
So if you plan to visit the area, I highly suggest connecting with AWE to help you have an awesome rafting experience, but also to help create memories with your family to last a lifetime like I did with my son Seth.
Outdoor Afro thanks American Whitewater Expeditions and Sierra Nevada Photos, and their staff for sponsoring such a perfect day!
Next up: African American Connections to the Sierra Nevada!
A First Time RV Experience
It’s been a wonderful summer of travel for Outdoor Afro, but the highlight was our RV Trip to the Sierra Nevada region in California last week! Check out our story...
We are also thankful for proud sponsor American River Sales in Auburn, who generously provided us with one of their innovative teardrop trailer designs, and Ponderosa Resort who provided a rich base camp for our Sierra Nevada adventure.This was the first time my family had ever had an RV experience, and in this case, towed a trailer along to set up camp in an RV Park, in spite of many years of tent camping and a range of other outdoor experiences. Over these two years in the Outdoor Afro community and beyond, I have heard the persistent concerns about wildlife and dirt as being a major reason why some African Americans choose not to camp.
Therefore, it was our goal in this trip to demonstrate that you can camp with comfort, yet find ways to enjoy nature too! In our case, we planed to use both the teardrop trailer and a tent to accommodate the entire size of our party. Getting the trailer hitched was a cinch thanks to the expertise of Gary from American River Sales. The trailer came with a long list of cooking supplies, utensils, and a stove, so all we had to bring was food and our favorite spices!
With limited time to spend at a site like this, there was also a more immediate sense of welcoming among our fellow campers that maximized a sense of neighborhood. Everyone who walked by our campground had a friendly word or a smile, and our teardrop trailer was the belle of the ball with a design unlike any other at our resort.
Preparing our food was also a wonderful experience using the stove provided in our teardrop, I was especially inspired by Evanne Schmarder’s website the RV Cooking Show, where she shares many recipes tailored to the RV experience. The kids and I enjoyed creating together our own recipe improvisation of grilled salmon with garlic and lemon, steamed veggies, and a Caesar salad our first night. Yum!
My younger kids did not even mind doing dishes!
Next up: American River Rafting!
Outdoor Afro Goes RVing!
THIS Weekend! - and you get to come too!
On Aug. 12th to 14th I will take Outdoor Afro to the foothills of the Sierra Nevada with my nephew and three children for a three-day camping trip at Ponderosa Resort in Lotus, California!
Camp-California.com and Ponderosa Resort are co-sponsoring my trip along with Auburn-based American River Sales and Rentals, which is supplying a teardrop trailer for our use. They are equally eager to learn of our experiences, and how they can expand their collective efforts to reach out to the African American community and get us involved in the Great Outdoors.
Another goal of this trip is to share an outdoor camp experience that still reserves a few creature comforts that the most tentative campers can appreciate. So I want to share how RVing or trailer camping is a terrific option for those who feel intimidated to try more rustic camping experiences.
Over the course of the weekend, we plan to do a day of white river rafting, thanks to our friends at American Whitewater Expeditions, and explore the surrounding California Gold Country. I also plan to test my culinary skills with some RV friendly recipes. From camp, I will tweet, blog and film all of our fun so that the Outdoor Afro community can follow our journey and share in our experiences.
See the full press releases HERE
We can't wait!
How many of you RV already?
I Hate Camping!
Some of my best friends swear on a stack of <insert sacred item of choice> they hate camping, won't ever go, and there is nothing I can do about it. But I know they could not possibly hate on the mobility of a car, the comforts of home, and the serenity of nature (from a distance) all rolled into one. Enter the Recreational Vehicle or trailer camping trip, an experience that can transform what most people imagine about camping.
I know some of my traceless camping folks probably want to throw a pointy carrot at me for the mere mention of this gas guzzling option, but there are many variations, such as using a hip trailer (see above) hitched to a sedan and you don't have to drive far necessarily as there are hundreds of campgrounds dotted all over the US.
Who says you have to buy an RV? There are many great companies who rent you the whole outfit just like a rental car by the day or mileage, such as El Monte RV and Cruise America. Some campgrounds have trailers on site available for rent as well.
It’s still not too late to book for the upcoming Labor Day weekend and several campgrounds are running specials, that include theme dinners, live music, local excursions and programs for people of all ages.
If you’re not up for driving an RV, several campgrounds have cabins, such as the Albion River Campground, south of Mendocino, California, which is one of the many sites promoted by the California Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds. This campground has private cottages with wood-burning stoves for chilly nights, in addition to trailer rentals and campsites for folks who have their own “rig“. And there are plenty of boating, fishing and kayaking opportunities nearby.
Don't think black people RV? BUZZZ! Check out NAARVA, the National African American RV Association, a club who puts together a slammin’ rally, regular educational tours, and social events for all levels of participants!
So if you hate camping, give RV and trailer options a long look, or even a try before summer ends. You might be pleasantly surprised by how much you enjoy yourself!
photo courtey of squob.com
How did an Oakland girl like me come to love getting her camp on anyway? Pt. 3
After getting married and starting a family of my own, camping took on a new meaning. For just a short drive and little money, I found camping was one of the most economical ways my new family could take a vacation. During these years I collected essential camping gear, like our first family-sized tent and propane stove from local garage sales and eBay -- my family still uses these items today.
But as my family grew, so did the effort of camping. Thus the city of Oakland's Feather River family camp, situated about two- hundred miles north, became a very attractive option for us. For about $75 per day back then, our family could camp at their beautiful developed site where: three delicious meals a day were prepared (and announced with the toll of a bell), a kind nurse dispensed an endless supply of band-aids, platform tents and cots were already set up, and a refreshingly cool swimming hole was observed by attentive lifeguards. Another bonus of family camp, were the many fun, organized activities and special relationships we developed with the other Oakland families we joined each summer.
Now my children (ages 12, 7, and 6) love the outdoors and every February they begin humming camp songs around the house and double check with me to make sure we are registered for the upcoming summer season!
Aside from our annual Family Camp, we also venture out on local hikes or family bike rides at least monthly. My eldest son is a Boy Scout and he is now developing outdoor skills and going on camping trips with his peers just as I did at his age. I recognize that the fun my kids have now in the natural world is the foundation for a love and engagement with nature that lasts a lifetime and is likely to be shared with their own children.
I still do enjoy tent camping sometimes, but I find that as I approach the big Four-O, I more frequently choose to balance comfort with my outdoor fun -- nights of sleeping on just a tarp under the stars have passed me by. I now fantasize often about a future of creeping along the highways in a well-equipped RV, enjoying each state of the Americas, one campground at a time.
Catch-up!: Part 1, Part 2