Family camping slots open in Poway

If you’re looking for a quick weekend getaway, there are several camping opportunities available in Poway this month.

Families will be able to camp overnight in Old Poway Park and at Lake Poway at events this month.

The Spring Camping series at Lake Poway still has slots available for this Friday night, so any last-minute campers can still pack up their tent and spend an evening fishing, hiking and enjoying nature.

There will also be a second campout from Friday, May 29 to the following morning.

Reserving a camping spot at Lake Poway is $25 for a family of five. Campers can register in advance, or at the concession stand on-site the day of the event. For more information, contact Greg Sundberg at 858-668-4774 or gsundberg@poway.org.

Campers are welcome to set up their tents after 1 p.m. on Friday and spend the afternoon and night at the lake. Campers must be packed up by 10 a.m. on Saturday.

Unlike the summer family camping series which will start up again in July, there are no organized events. Families can rent a boat or get a fishing permit for an additional cost. Fires are not allowed, but there will be barbecues available to cook on. Campers can cook with propane or charcoal; wood-burning cooking is not permitted.

Old Poway Park is also offering an opportunity to camp this month as part of its Old-Fashioned Family Days on Saturday, May 23 to Sunday, May 24. This is the first time Old Poway Park has allowed camping.

“We’ve received a lot of feedback from people who want to camp in Old Poway Park,” said Sarah Heins, recreation supervisor for the City of Poway. “The camping series at Lake Poway have been very successful, so we decided to give it a try.”

The Old-Fashioned Family Campout has room for 25 tents, with up to five people per tent. To register for a space, campers need to visit City Hall and go to the Community Service Department. For more information on the event, potential campers can call Heins at 858-668-4575 or contact her at sheins@poway.org.

Old-Fashioned Family Days will feature a number of fun, old-fashioned games, including life-sized chess and checkers as well as badminton and horseshoes. The train will also be running on both days.

Saturday evening will include a campfire with a storyteller and songs, as well as s’mores.

Barbecues in the park will allow campers to cook, and Hamburger Factory will be providing coupons to campers for a discounted breakfast in the morning.