DL Bliss Camping With Kids: We Pivot, We Don't Panic

A real first-timer’s guide to camping at one of Lake Tahoe’s most beloved campgrounds

If you’ve been waiting for the perfect time to take your kids camping for the first time — this post is for you. Because we are here to tell you that perfect doesn’t exist, and the imperfect version is so much better anyway.

This was our first camping trip as a family of five at DL Bliss State Park in Lake Tahoe. First time for Brielle. First time for Jayce. First tent camping trip for Devin. And the first time DL Bliss had been open in years.

We had no idea what we were getting into. And we wouldn’t trade it for anything.

🏕️ Family Verdict

⭐ 9/10

Best For:

First-time family campers
Beach lovers
Rooftop tent camping with kids
Lake Tahoe locals and visitors alike

Watch Out For:

Cold nights even in late May
Long walk to Lester Beach from upper campground
Wind exposure on open sites
Weekend reservations go fast — set a cancellation alert

Why We Chose DL Bliss

DL Bliss State Park on the west shore of Lake Tahoe had been closed for years and just reopened. For me this wasn’t just any campground — it’s the place my mom brought me when I was a kid. Walking back in with my own three kids for the first time felt like something I can’t quite put into words.

Full circle doesn’t even cover it.

The campground had barely been open two weeks when we went — the second weekend after reopening, right after Memorial Day. Reservations were already competitive for weekends but there were still some weekday openings available. I booked about a month out and snagged our spot for around $36-40 a night.

If you have flexibility on dates and have your heart set on a specific campground don’t stress about booking months in advance. ReserveCalifornia has a notification system that alerts you by email when a campsite cancels — and spots open up more than you’d think. We actually just used this trick to snag a spot at another campground for my birthday trip. Set the notification and let it come to you.

First Curveball: The Broken Bear Box

We arrived at our assigned site 123, started unloading the car, and immediately discovered the bear box was completely broken.

At DL Bliss storing food in the bear box isn’t optional — it’s required and non-negotiable for good reason. So we went back to the camp host and asked to switch sites.

We ended up at site 124 next door. And honestly? It worked out better. The site was more flat which was perfect for setting up our XL Smittybilt rooftop tent. Sometimes the universe just knows.

The Rooftop Tent Test

We have the XL Smittybilt rooftop tent and it fit all five of us comfortably. We’d been practicing setting it up at home before the trip so the kids already knew what it was — and to them it felt like sleeping in a tree fort.

We had an annex attached but with temperatures dropping to 34 degrees overnight we wanted everyone up high and together where it would be warmest. Good call, as it turned out.

Before the trip Jayce — our little homebody — wasn’t totally sure about the whole sleeping-outside situation. He wanted to go home to sleep in his own bed. He didn’t know what to expect. So when he woke up the next morning, looked around, and said “Oh wow. I thought I was in my bed at home” — I absolutely lost it. The kid who wanted to sleep at home slept better than any of us. 😂

Lester Beach With Kids

Before setting up camp we headed down to Lester Beach and I need to prepare you — this beach looks like something out of the Caribbean. Crystal clear turquoise water, white sand, stunning views. There’s even a sign warning visitors about the cold water temperature.

We are Tahoe locals. We jumped in anyway.

Devin and I walked over to some of the rocks and jumped off together. Brielle and Jayce played on the shore. It was one of those simple family moments that felt bigger than it was.

The beach is about a 20 minute walk from the upper campground. Worth every step.

Surviving 50 MPH Winds

Dinner was ambitious for first-time family campers — chicken thighs, rice, and leftover beef short ribs from our Memorial Day BBQ. We brought our camp stove but the wind kept blowing out the flame.

So we pivoted. We cooked over the fire instead.

We weren’t exactly prepared for that but here’s our family motto: we pivot, we don’t panic. The food got cooked, the kids ate, and nobody complained.

After dinner the kids ran around collecting firewood and learning which pieces would burn well — one of those small outdoor education moments that happens naturally when you’re not trying to force it. We made s’mores, waited for the stars to come out and just sat together around the fire.

Then the wind picked up. And picked up.

By later that evening the campground was getting battered. I kept hearing banging and thought for sure a bear was trying to get into the food bins. I was just lying there in the rooftop tent listening to what sounded like chaos outside while all three kids slept completely through it.

In the morning I looked it up. 40-50 MPH winds.

More than half the campsites around us had packed up and left in the middle of the night. I genuinely picture their tents rolling through the trees like tumbleweeds.

Our Smittybilt rooftop tent? Didn’t budge. Didn’t even shake noticeably. That thing is a tank.

Morning — One Last Pivot and We’re Out

We woke up to cold — real cold — but the wind had calmed down. We set the kids up in the car with the heater running while Bryce and I packed up camp. It wasn’t a mad dash — we’re Tahoe locals, we knew we had time. We stayed calm, got everything loaded, and headed home right as the weather started turning.

Snow was forecast for that afternoon. We made it home just in time to cover our garden boxes and watched the snow start falling about an hour later.

Perfect timing. Barely.

What We Forgot — The Honest List

In the spirit of helping other first-time family campers here’s what we either forgot or wish we’d brought:

An umbrella for the beach — the sun at Lester Beach is no joke
Sand toys — the kids would have played for hours
Our paddleboard — the water was perfect for it
Firewood — yes, actual firewood. We had to improvise.
A lighter — we used the camp stove to light paper to start our fire. Very pioneer of us.
Baby wipes — always. Always bring baby wipes.

In our defense we had a packed Memorial Day weekend with family visiting and were a little rushed getting ready. We pivoted on all of it. But future us will have a packing list on the fridge.

Would We Go Back?

Without hesitation. Yes.

DL Bliss is one of the most beautiful campgrounds in California. The fact that it just reopened means the crowds haven’t fully discovered it again yet — go now while you still can get a spot.

We learned more about camping with kids in one night than we could have from reading ten blog posts. The broken bear box, cooking over the fire, the wind, the frozen kids who slept through everything — those are the stories we’re going to tell forever.

Extraordinary childhoods aren’t built in perfect conditions. They’re built in 40-50 MPH winds when everyone else goes home and your four year old wakes up thinking he was in his own bed.

Start where you are. Go anyway. Pivot when you need to.

DL Bliss State Park — Quick Info:

Location: West Shore, Lake Tahoe, CA
Reservations: reservecalifornia.com
Cost: approximately $36-40/night
Upper campground to Lester Beach: about 20 minute walk
Bear boxes: required for all food storage
Best for: families, rooftop tent camping with kids, beach lovers
Tip: Set a cancellation alert on ReserveCalifornia for weekend spots

This was Weekend Adventure Series #1 for the Hiob family. Follow along as we document every trail, campsite, and misadventure — because ordinary families can create extraordinary childhoods one adventure at a time. 🏔️

Keep the Adventure Going

Looking for your next family adventure?

Download our FREE Trail Blazer Adventure Cards and get simple, family-tested adventure ideas you can start this weekend.

→ Get the Free Adventure Cards