Ohio Camping Adventures: Two Weeks, No Water, and an Unexpected Mall Escape!

Miles, Memories & Pawprints | The Spicer Family Adventures

They say every camping trip is an adventure… but apparently, ours came with midnight water runs, highway lullabies, and getting locked inside a mall!

Our three-week Ohio adventure started with excitement, a packed camper, and the expectation of making some wonderful family memories. Dustin was heading to Ohio for training, and instead of staying behind, we decided to turn his work trip into a family camping adventure.

After all, that's one of the things we love most about RV life—getting to explore new places, spend time together, and make memories along the way.

What we didn't expect? That our first two weeks would turn into a crash course in camping without water, learning Ohio's campground rules, and trying to escape a mall after closing!

But hey, what would an adventure be without a few unexpected twists?

🏕️ First Stop: Alum Creek State Park

Our home for the first two weeks was Alum Creek Campground, located just north of Columbus, Ohio.

On paper, it sounded like a pretty great place to stay. A beautiful state park, a large lake, plenty of campsites, and what we thought would be the convenience of full hookups.

We booked 14 nights at $37 per night, ready to settle in and enjoy our temporary home.

And then we learned something very important about camping in Ohio during the off-season.

Full hookups don't necessarily mean full hookups year-round!

We arrived during the park's off-season, which runs from November 1 through April 15. Unfortunately, that meant the water hookups and bathhouses weren't available.

That's right. Fourteen nights. A camper. A baby. And no running water at our campsite.

Not exactly what we had pictured!

💧 Dustin vs. the Water Situation

If there was an award for Most Dedicated Camper Dad, Dustin would've earned it during this trip.

Every night, he made trips to fill our camper's water tanks using five-gallon water cans.

Not once. Not twice.

Three trips. Every. Single. Night.

And did I mention it was COLD?

While most people were settling in for the evening, Dustin was outside hauling water through the chilly Ohio nights so we could continue using our camper like a normal home.

Meanwhile, we were quickly learning just how much we take something as simple as turning on a faucet for granted.

It's funny how RV life can make you appreciate the smallest conveniences!

Would we voluntarily sign up for two weeks of this again? Probably not.

Did it make for a memorable experience? Absolutely.

🚛 Nothing Says Peaceful Camping Like Highway Traffic

You know that peaceful feeling you imagine when camping?

The crackling campfire. The sound of crickets. Maybe some leaves rustling in the trees.

Well, at Alum Creek, our nature soundtrack came with a little something extra.

Semi-trucks. Lots and lots of semi-trucks.

The campground is located near highways, and the traffic noise was pretty constant throughout our stay.

If you're someone who enjoys complete peace and quiet while camping, this might not be your dream destination.

And the campsites? Let's just say you're definitely going to get to know your neighbors!

The sites were fairly close together, leaving less privacy than we personally prefer.

We're all for making campground friends, but we also enjoy having a little breathing room around our camper.

🌊 The Good Side of Alum Creek

Now, we don't want to make it sound like Alum Creek has nothing going for it!

The park actually has some really nice features, including:

• A large 3,387-acre reservoir

• Approximately 3,000 feet of sandy shoreline

• A beach area for campers

• A boat ramp for enjoying the lake

• 286 campsites with electric service

We could definitely see how this campground would be a completely different experience during the warmer months.

With the beach open, boats out on the lake, and water hookups available, it could be a fun summer destination for families.

Unfortunately, March just didn't give us the full experience.

Our verdict? We'd consider giving Alum Creek another chance during camping season, but we probably wouldn't choose it again for an extended cold-weather stay.

📅 The Ohio Camping Rule We Didn't Know About

Here's something we wish we had known before planning our three-week stay.

During our visit, we learned that Ohio state park campgrounds had a 14-consecutive-night stay limit, along with restrictions on returning to the same campground shortly after leaving.

And guess how long we had booked Alum Creek?

You guessed it. Fourteen nights.

Because Dustin still had another week of training, we couldn't simply extend our reservation.

Instead, we had to pack everything back up, hitch up the camper, and find another place to stay.

The downside? Our next campground would be approximately an hour farther away from where Dustin needed to be for work.

Not exactly ideal when you're already balancing training, family time, and living in an RV for three weeks.

But that's part of the adventure, right?

A little advice for fellow RV travelers: Always check maximum stay limits and seasonal restrictions before booking a longer trip. We learned this one the hard way!

🛍️ A Family Night Out That Turned Into a Mall Escape

Of course, our time in Ohio wasn't all campground challenges.

We also ventured into Columbus to do a little exploring!

One evening, we decided to visit the Polaris shopping area and enjoy dinner at The Cheesecake Factory.

Sounds like a pretty normal family outing, right?

Shopping, dinner, maybe a little walking around afterward.

Well, apparently normal wasn't on the itinerary for this trip.

🍰 Dinner at The Cheesecake Factory

We arrived around 6:00–6:30 p.m. with Ryker in his stroller.

Now, traveling with a little one means bringing along quite a few essentials, and the stroller makes outings much easier.

Unfortunately, we immediately ran into an issue.

The restaurant initially didn't want us bringing the stroller inside, even though it folded down and could fit underneath the table.

Not exactly the welcoming start we had hoped for.

Eventually, we got settled in for dinner, but the service was incredibly slow.

By the time we finished and left the restaurant, it was after 7:50 p.m.

Little did we know, the real adventure was about to begin.

🚪 Wait… Are We Locked Inside the Mall?!

As we attempted to make our way back through the mall to our vehicle, we quickly realized something.

The mall was closing, and the doors we needed were locked.

Okay. No big deal. We'll just follow the exit signs, right?

Wrong.

We followed the signs, only to find ourselves wandering through hallways that appeared to be designated for employees.

At this point, we're just a family with a baby, trying to figure out how to get out of a mall.

Not exactly how we imagined ending our evening!

Thankfully, two employees eventually helped us find a way outside.

Problem solved?

Well… almost.

🥶 A 30-Degree Walk Back to the Car

Getting outside was only half the battle.

Our vehicle was parked in an upper parking area, and the exit we ended up using was nowhere near it.

So there we were, walking outside in approximately 30-degree Ohio weather, trying to get back to our car with Ryker.

Remember when this was supposed to be a relaxing family dinner?

Yeah, us too.

By the time we finally made it back, we were more than ready to call it a night.

Needless to say, we have a new family travel rule:

Know when the mall closes—and where your car is in relation to the exits!

At least we can laugh about it now.

And honestly, getting accidentally locked inside a mall makes for a much better story than simply saying we went out to dinner!

❤️ Finding the Fun in the Unexpected

Looking back at our first two weeks in Ohio, things definitely didn't go exactly as planned.

We dealt with freezing temperatures, hauling water, constant highway noise, cramped campsites, unexpected campground rules, and a family dinner that turned into an escape mission.

But here's the thing we've learned about traveling together.

Not every memory has to be picture-perfect to be worth making.

Sometimes the moments that frustrate you the most in the moment become the stories you laugh about later.

We might not remember every meal we ate or every road we drove, but we're definitely going to remember Dustin hauling water every night and our unexpected adventure through a closed mall.

And most importantly, we got to experience it all together.

That's what Miles, Memories & Pawprints is really about.

Not just the beautiful destinations, but the real-life adventures in between.

The good, the bad, the chaotic, and everything else that comes with exploring the world as a family.

🚐 Coming Up Next: Ohio Camping, Week Three!

Just when we were finally getting settled, it was time to pack up and move again!

With our 14-night stay at Alum Creek coming to an end, we were headed to a new campground for the final week of Dustin's training.

Would our next stop be a little more relaxing? Would we finally have water hookups? Or would Ohio have a few more surprises waiting for us?

You'll have to come back for Part Two of Our Ohio Camping Adventure to find out!

Until next time, keep making memories, embracing the unexpected, and enjoying the journey.

Adventure awaits,

The Spicers 🐾

Miles, Memories & Pawprints

💬 We'd Love to Hear From You!

Have you ever arrived at a campground only to discover an important amenity wasn't available? Or had a family outing turn into a completely unexpected adventure?

Share your funniest camping or travel mishap in the comments! We'd love to know we're not the only ones who seem to find adventure everywhere we go!

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