This year we will not have the opportunity to go on a long vacation. So we can only rest on weekends. Therefore, we took a tent in the car and went on a three-day vacation to the sea. In the report, we provide information about the trip, the cost of accommodation and meals, as well as suggest what to do in bad weather.
The idea of spending a short vacation in a tent was born partly from sentimentality, partly from economy, but also to show the children that an all-inclusive hotel is not always necessary for a holiday. After all, this form of holding a protracted holiday weekend has been cultivated in our family of four for several years. Most often they go to the Polish Sea.
Another new place on the map of Poland
This time we went to Gdański Orel to a campsite located on the island of Sobieszewo. Why there? Firstly, a convenient access from the capital (DK No. 7 - 325 km in about 4 hours or motorways A2 and A1 - 455 km in about 5 hours), secondly, we wanted to see the place where the Wisla (that is, adjacent to our district) flows into the Baltic Sea.
The stress of packing luggage
In the evening before the trip, they packed the car - a B-segment crossover with a 350-liter trunk. The gear and luggage room was quite a challenge, but we managed with some savvy. Well, in the reserve niche, located under the floor, the so-called. repair kit (compressor and fluid), and next to it is a fire extinguisher and a warning triangle. All elements were able to fit in the side niches of the trunk, hidden behind a plug, and the frame, floor covering and trunk shelf remained in their basement. Thus, we received several tens of valuable liters of cargo space. The heaviest item, i.e. a tent, an extension and a plank, as well as two folding tourist chairs, perfectly filled the space of the wheel niche. Directly above these objects, we placed a table and two chairs, a single-burner induction cooker, and two air mattresses. The space above them was filled with heavy bags of clothes, and at the very top (to the roof) they placed blankets, sleeping bags and pillows. These lightweight items, resting on the rear seat headrests, posed no threat to our second-row children.
Two ways to Gdansk
On the first weekend of July, we flew from Warsaw towards Gdansk at 6.30. We were driving along a section of the motorway, because on the way to the Pikutkovo junction we picked up the children who were brought to the place by their grandfather. We arrived at the campsite in Gdansk Orel just before noon. 11. The route was calm, the traffic was moderate. Since we traveled on June 30, we had to pay 30 PLN for the A1 section from Novaya Vesya to Rusocin (if we were traveling on a holiday weekend, this section would be free).
Camping is no longer cheap
Even before leaving, we tried to “reserve” a place at the campsite, but the staff replied that they did not book. Arriving at the camping, it turned out that there are a lot of them and we can choose a place to spend the night ourselves. For a three-day stay (two nights) we paid PLN 314 in advance (tent, 4 people, car and electricity). In addition, it was necessary to pay a refundable deposit of PLN 100 for an electronic ticket that opens the barrier at the entrance.
Camping is not a hotel room.
Since the sky that day was overcast and rain was predicted, we chose a flat area located near the toilets and the kitchen, in the area of u200bu200bthe wooden gazebo. As it turned out later, this decision had its pros and cons. The gazebo on the same day and on Sunday morning protected us from the rain, but other guests had the right to stay in it, so in the evenings the place was crowded, as was the toilet nearby.
“Terrible bill” for dinner?
Having qualitatively set up the tent and connected the electricity, we set off in the afternoon to meet the sea. However, we started our two-hour walk along the deserted beach with a visit to a bar, where we ordered two fish soups and two vegetable soups (PLN 62). Back at the campsite, the children went to play in the common room, while the adults prepared the second dinner course.
Good level of camping
The camping kitchen was equipped with three stations with gas burners and six refrigerators. This fact made us go shopping at the grocery store that day (PLN 80). Thanks to them, we have reduced the cost of meals by preparing them in a well-equipped and clean kitchen. Assessing the infrastructure of the site, it is worth mentioning the toilets with showers, which in this campsite were recently renovated and were regularly cleaned throughout the stay.
On the second day the weather pleased us. We planned to visit the old town of Gdansk in the afternoon, but the sun forced us to spend the whole day, with a break for lunch (also brought from home), on the beach, swimming in the bay.
First it rains and then it gets better
Sunday morning was not kind to us. It rained until 10. But the aforementioned pergola allowed us to have breakfast in a dry place, and was also a great place to store luggage and stow the (unfortunately wet) tent. We left the campsite at exactly noon. 11 have a plan of action in case of bad weather in advance. On the way back we stopped at Grudziadz (located about 1.5 hours drive from Gdansk Orel, close to A1) and then took a slightly longer road to Warsaw, stopping at the Grunwald fields. The day turned out to be very successful. Firstly, after leaving the coast, the sun came out, and secondly, great sights were waiting for us. The old town in Grudziadz was full of interesting monuments (granary complex, Klimek tower, city panorama and view of the Vistula valley), and a stay in this city was accompanied by a delicious and inexpensive lunch at the market square (PLN 98).
historical tour
The road from Grudziadz to the fields of Grunwald was about 100 km, but we drove along it for almost 2 hours. No one regretted, because the time was compensated by beautiful views along the way. Once there, we stopped in the parking lot next to the modern Grunwald Museum. Parking was free that day, but we paid PLN 124 to visit the museum with an audiobook. It was worth it, because the exhibition turned out to be interesting, as was the audio presentation (1 hour 30 minutes for adults, reduced to 45 minutes for children). We left Grunwald for Warsaw at 17:30. Overcoming less than 200 km section on Sunday evening took 2 hours. 30 minutes.
The cost of a 3-day weekend trip for 4 family members:
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fuel - PLN 400 (average fuel consumption 95 Oct. 6.8 l / 100 km, 900 km)
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motorways - PLN 30
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food from home (sausages, bread, butter, vegetables, eggs, cold cuts, cheese, jams, fruits, spaghetti, drinks, snacks) - about PLN 150
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ice cream, coffee on the beach - PLN 36
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shopping in a supermarket - PLN 80
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soups at the bar - PLN 62
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lunch in Grudziadz - PLN 98
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tickets to the Grunwald Museum - PLN 124
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camping accommodation - PLN 320
Total: PLN 1300
Source: Wprost
I am Jason Root. I work in the news website industry and mostly cover the automobile industry. I have also written for Daily News Hack. My work revolves around new car models, prices, and features. In addition, I often write about used cars and tips for buying them. My articles are meant to be helpful for those who are in the market for a new or used car.
