by Liz Hamill

© Miroslav Ferkuniak | Dreamstime.com

Want to take a vacation with your kids this summer that’s more than just fun — it’s also healthy, and cheap into the bargain? Take a break from the theme parks and hotels, and go on a family camping trip on the San Mateo County coast.

For families that don’t fear sleeping on the ground, tent camping can be a fabulous adventure. School-aged kids can set up and sleep in their own tent, making them feel more grown up and providing a modicum of privacy for their parents come nighttime. Tent camping runs cheaper than almost any other type of overnight excursion, and good tents can last for years even if they’re used often.

A more comfortable option is to rent a tent trailer, camper or RV. RV rentals for a weekend or a week cost about the same as a mid-priced motel for the same period of time. But you can take an RV out to a campground and enjoy an outdoor, active vacation in the woods, up in the mountains, or down on the beach while still enjoying little luxuries like indoor plumbing, a refrigerator and a heater in the bedroom.

© Goldenkb | Dreamstime.com

What makes camping such a healthy vacation option? It’s so easy to take advantage of the environment surrounding your campsite to entice your family to exercise — with the exercise cleverly disguised as playing games, taking hikes, or hunting for shells or rocks or bugs. Instead of spending days planted in front of TVs and computers, your family can take a camping trip and spend the days surrounded by plants, animals and glorious scenery.

To most people, camping means hiking. And hiking certainly makes a great daily activity for a family on a camping trip — whether a “hike” means a standard trek up a trail, a contemplative comb along a beach, or an amble around the campground.

But don’t limit your camping activities to hiking! Even the grown-ups can take a break from the super-serious adult world to join in a family-wide game of hide-and-seek, freeze tag, or capture the flag. If you’ve used a GPS unit to direct you to your destination, put it to further use by seeking out any geocaches near your encampment. Scavenger hunts around the campground are especially fun when two or three families are camping together and can divide into teams. What all these games have in common is that they get the players up and moving, often running around, laughing and having a great time as they burn calories. (Sh! Don’t tell anyone that a scavenger hunt can actually be exercise!)

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But what about traditional campfire cuisine? Canned beans, hot dogs and s’mores don’t exactly make for cholesterol- and calorie-conscious meals. But you don’t have to fall back on these tired clichés, nor must you try to cook over a campfire unless you want to. Propane- fueled camp stoves have gotten fancy — most have two burners, and many have options to add griddles and grills.

Small and medium-sized pots and pans fit fine on a camp stove — there’s no need to buy special cookware for camping. There’s also no need to eat franks ’n’ beans for a week. Instead, fill your cooler with a selection of fresh veggies, lean meats, pre-made soups and stews that can be easily heated, dried fruits-and-nuts trail mixes and fresh fruits. Get the kids involved in meal planning and meal preparation on a camping trip can help a normally busy parent sneak in a lesson or two about cooking and nutrition.

Francis Beach. Staff photo.

For more adventurous outdoor cooks, a cast iron Dutch oven and a campfire can create a fabulous opportunity for culinary adventure. San Jose stand-up comedian and dad Daymon Ferguson made seared duck breasts, roasted vegetables, and chocolate chip cookies over an open fire for his family on a 2010 camping trip to Pinnacles. Fun-loving cooks can make stew, soup, fruit cobbler, and even fresh bread in a Dutch oven propped over a campfire.

With delicious and nutritious haute camping cuisine, plus the endless physical activity, it’s hard to have anything but a healthy family camping trip!

Coastside residents suffer from an embarrassment of riches when it comes to beautiful campgrounds. Here are a few places to camp along the San Mateo Coast:

Memorial Park — tinyurl.com/camp-memorial-park

Francis Beach — www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=531

Butano State Park — www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=536

San Francisco RV Resort Campground — www.sanfranciscorvresort.com