Let me start off by saying: I am not a camping person. Or at least – I thought I wasn’t a camping person. A night at Kings Island Camp Cedar Luxury Campground in Mason changed my mind.
Life in the cottages
My family and I stayed in one of Camp Cedar’s luxury cottages. Think tiny houses, impeccably furnished, with a full kitchen, bathroom and 50” TV. There are several configurations of the cabins, sleeping anywhere from 4-12. We stayed in the Hickory, which easily accommodated the four of us, and really, we could have squeezed in a few more.
If You Go
For more information about Camp Cedar, or to book your stay, go to visitcampcedar.com.
My younger daughter commandeered the upstairs loft, my older daughter grabbed one of the bunk beds and my husband and I dumped our stuff in the back bedroom before heading out to check out all that Camp Cedar had to offer.
Camp Cedar offers golf cart rentals, which was a great way to see the entire 53-acre property. In addition to the 73 luxury cottages, there are 180 RV parking spaces.
But that’s just the beginning.
Right in the middle of the property are two pools, a playground for the kids and Belize Street, full of food-truck inspired restaurants attractive to even the pickiest of eaters.
Cabanas are available at the pool, which we took full advantage of in this midwestern heat. Right next to the family pool is a 21-and-up pool, with a full-service bar nearby.
Frozen drinks without the sounds of screaming kids can have its advantages, you know. :)
But the kids who will love this: splashing in the zero-entry pool, enjoying crafts and activities led by Camp Cedar employees, exploring the areas surrounding the cabins, making s’mores at the fire pits.
There’s also a brand new pickleball court, a workout room, cornhole and bocce ball. The Little Miami walking trail is a cedar-chip (get it?) mile-long path around Camp Cedar’s perimeter.
And if you forgot something, the Coyote Creek Camp store has everything you need: from s’mores fixins to swimsuits.
To cook or not to cook: it’s not a question
The cabins have an eat-in kitchen and an outdoor grill, but if your idea of vacation is not cooking, a quick walk or golf cart ride to Ironwood Grill & Tap is your best bet.
There, in addition to a lovely lobby with board games and TVs, you’ll find a full-service restaurant with the friendliest servers you’ll find.
The girls enjoyed virgin strawberry daiquiris, the adults sampled Camp Cedar’s beer and wine selections and we all munched on delicious bar and grill food: wings, veggie burgers, mozzarella sticks and pizza.
The night ended watching the fireworks at nearby Kings Island, which you can easily see from the porches of many of the cabins. But if you have tickets to KI, Camp Cedar provides a free shuttle every 15 minutes throughout the day for pickup and drop-off.
The next morning, we stopped by The Dry Bean for a quick cup of coffee and a muffin before we headed out for a day at Kings Island.
A staycation that feels like a vacation
Camp Cedar somehow makes you feel like you’re not just a mile away from Kings Island, within spitting distance of the highway. But its proximity to Cincinnati combined with its getaway feel makes it the perfect summer staycation spot.
– Kathrine Nero