As I write this post, my husband is strapping four bikes to the top and back of our station wagon, and the kids are getting in their last LEGO fix before we drive up to San Francisco’s family camp outside Yosemite. We went for the first time last year, and we were a bit uncertain — curious about the meals, mostly, and wondering if there’d be good choices for our vegetarian family (and my choosy boys).

And we loved it.

When we started talking about our plans for this summer, Camp Mather was at the top of both kids’ lists. “What do you look forward to most?” I asked them.

“The food!” they both answered.

Ben loves to hack the salad bar and Eli loves cocoa at every meal. And while I still wouldn’t put the actual food at the top of my list of Top Ten Reasons to Love Camp Mather, I do put the experience of eating there at the top of my list. I find I can’t wait for my twenty-one meals at camp, and I will report back (with pictures!) next week.