Have you made your summer plans yet? If not, head over to Inn Town Campground in Nevada City! As of Monday, they have opened their site reservations starting in July.

I first discovered the project shortly after my exodus from Pittsburgh to Northern California. The leaders of Inn Town Campground also own the The Outside Inn, a quaint motel that sits at the top of the hill in historic Nevada City, deep in the mountains of gold country. The Outside Inn has been run by Erin Thiem and her family for years. Her blog is an incredibly comprehensive and easy-to-read guide to the area, highlighting the eclectic, creative businesses that make it one of the most unique places in the country.

I met Erin through Instagram. Her reputation long preceded her. The Outside Inn is known around town for being booked months in advance. Anyone I’ve ever talked to considers Erin a friend and holds a deep respect for her and her family. I can say after spending these last few months getting to know her and her businesses that I have never been more inspired and proud of where I’m from.

This undiscovered area of Northern California is home to the Yuba River, great wineries and unique restaurants. You can imagine my excitement when I learned that a luxury campground was opening up. Inspired by their family travelling experiences while living in New Zealand for five years the Thiems are making sure Inn Town Campground has something for everyone.

There is a communal space for cooking meals, showers set-up specifically to accommodate children and their parents, and you don’t have to Glamp. The campground invites and encourages people to bring their airstreams or tents -- making the grounds accessible to everyone. Nestled behind the tall pine trees of the Sierras, next door to the Railroad Musuem, you’d never realize how close to town Inn-Town really is. My heart melted a little as Erin’s husband Dan pointed to the tracks of the small train that will run along the perimeter of the campground.

The reason I’m most excited about the Inn Town Campground is that it’s the first of its kind and it’s opening in my hometown. The years of suffering through drought have significantly impacted the businesses in the area. Being 45 minutes away from Tahoe, people often stop through on their way up the mountain, but no water means no snow and not enough people. The Inn Town Campground makes the area an accessible destination for travelling. Who wouldn’t want that for the community that raised them?

I hope to see you all there!