There comes a point every summer when you realize school is right around the corner. The lazy days are almost over, schedules are about to get busy again, and there is time for just one more camping trip. For us, that meant one last weekend camping with grandkids at Jellystone Park Guadalupe River in Kerrville, Texas.
Our grandkids are 10 and 13 now, and they are beginning to outgrow some of the things they once loved about Jellystone. But there are still a few things that keep them asking to go back.
One is laser tag. The other, apparently, is a giant jumping pillow.
The Best Campsite According to the Grandkids
We pulled into Jellystone on Friday evening around 6:30 and settled into Site 114. According to the grandkids, we had hit the campsite jackpot. Site 114 sits directly across from the big jumping pillow. Not the smaller jumping pillow down by the river. Apparently, this distinction is very important. While we set up the RV, they headed straight across to jump.
And jump. And jump some more.
That gave us time to get settled and start dinner on the Blackstone. We cooked ravioli and tortellini, then added Alfredo sauce right before we ate. The kids came back long enough to wolf down dinner before heading right back to the jumping pillow.
One of the things I loved about our campsite was that we could sit outside at the RV and have a direct view of them. That is a big deal for this overprotective Noni. Jellystone is also one of the few campgrounds where I am comfortable letting the grandkids ride their bikes around the park without us following behind them. They get a little independence, and I can relax enough to let them have it. That combination makes camping with grandkids at Jellystone Guadalupe River pretty easy on the grandparents, too.
By the end of Friday night, the kids had spent close to three hours jumping, minus the few minutes it took to inhale dinner. We finished the evening with ice cream cups and various toppings before everyone crawled into bed.
Grandparents are allowed to serve ice cream at questionable times while camping. I am pretty sure that is a rule.
Saturday Started at 9:00 Sharp
Everyone woke up Saturday morning ready to go. The jumping pillow opens at 9:00 a.m. The grandkids knew this. They could also see it from our campsite. So there was really no chance of them forgetting.
We made pancakes, eggs, and bacon for breakfast. Once again, they ate quickly because there were more important things waiting directly across the road. At 9:00, they were back on the jumping pillow. We cleaned up breakfast and eventually called them back to the RV to change into swimsuits. The water park opened at 10:00, and we planned to be there when it did.
The big water slides don’t open until 11:00, which the kids made sure we knew. Those slides have always been one of their favorite parts of Jellystone. Except this time something funny happened.
They were having so much fun in the main water park that 11:00 came and went. The big slides suddenly weren’t nearly as important.
Admission to the water park is included with your campsite. Everyone receives a campground wristband, and you’ll need to wear it to participate in the park activities. It’s a small detail, but one worth knowing before the kids take theirs off and leave it somewhere in the RV. We eventually took a break for lunch and then headed right back to the water.
The bathrooms near the pool were about as clean as you can reasonably expect bathrooms to stay with that many wet kids and families constantly going in and out. We didn’t use the campground showers, so I can’t speak to those.
Ice Cream Is Hydration, Right?
Around 4:00, the grandkids somehow convinced DooDoo that everyone needed ice cream cones from the ice cream shop. I wasn’t involved in these negotiations. I also didn’t object.
We found some shade, ate our ice cream, and enjoyed a little break from the water. Then the kids were off again. By 6:30, we finally left the water park with two very tired kids. You would think that might mean they were finished for the day.
You would be wrong.
Back at the RV, we made what might be the perfect kid camping dinner: hot dogs. The grandparents upgraded ours to chili dogs. After a quick cleanup, the kids headed back to—you guessed it—the jumping pillow.
The Real Reason They Still Love Jellystone
Our grandkids are getting older, and we can see that they are beginning to outgrow Jellystone. They don’t need every organized activity anymore. Some of the things that once kept them entertained aren’t quite as exciting at 10 and 13. But there is one activity they definitely haven’t outgrown.
Laser tag.
We had reservations for 8:00 Saturday night. Laser tag costs extra and reservations are required, so we made ours at the activities center. Unfortunately, Noni didn’t think this one through very well. It was August in Texas. At 8:00 p.m., it was still daylight. Laser tag is considerably more fun in the dark.
Lesson learned.
They still had fun, though, and there were enough other campers playing to make it a good game. And apparently laser tag isn’t just for the grandkids. DooDoo may have enjoyed it just as much as they did. He finished the game with 71 “kill shots” and took first place.
Not that anyone was keeping track. Except DooDoo. He was definitely keeping track.
Once laser tag ended, it was time for the hayride. A huge tractor pulls a trailer with built-in seats around the campground, while some of the bigger kids ride their bikes behind it in a giant pack.
Our grandkids joined the bike group. At least temporarily.
When the hayride passed the jumping pillow, they broke away from the pack, parked their bikes, and went jumping again. At this point, I think we got our money’s worth out of that jumping pillow.
They stayed until closing time. Then we went back to the RV for—you know what is coming—more ice cream. This time the choices included ice cream floats or ice cream cups topped with chopped Snickers bars and a generous drizzle of caramel syrup.
Yes, they had already eaten ice cream that afternoon. Grandparents can do that.
And the Winner Is…
That night at bedtime, I asked the grandkids what their favorite part of the day had been. Laser tag won hands down. Second place? Not the water park. Not the big water slides. Even the hayride did not rank. Second Place was, you guessed it-the jumping pillow.
After all those hours of jumping, they still ranked it second. Apparently, I greatly underestimate the entertainment value of bouncing.
A Great Location with a Couple of Drawbacks
As much as the grandkids loved Site 114, I probably wouldn’t choose it again for our RV. All of the campsites at Jellystone Park Guadalupe River have full hookups, and Site 114 is a 30/50-amp pull-through site. Its location directly across from the large jumping pillow was absolutely perfect for our grandkids.
However, for our Class A with slides on both sides, it was tight. We fit, but we had to be careful of a tree near the driver’s-side slide, and there wasn’t much outdoor living space.
I think a family camping in something closer to a 24-foot RV would have a much easier time with the site. And if their kids love the jumping pillow as much as ours do, the location would be hard to beat.
There was one other downside to Site 114.
Apparently, walking around our campsite required several more steps than some campers were willing to take. People regularly cut straight through our tiny patch of grass, sometimes just a few feet from where we were sitting. There was already a worn dirt path through the site, so clearly, we weren’t the first campers to experience this. If you’ve read my campground etiquette posts, you probably already know how Noni feels about walking through someone else’s campsite. If you have not read the post, you can follow this link to find out.
One More Morning Before Going Home
Sunday morning started exactly the way you would expect. We made pancakes, eggs, and bacon again. At 9:00, the kids were back on the jumping pillow. At 10:00, we headed to the water park. There were mostly younger children playing that morning, and our grandkids didn’t stay long. That was another little reminder that they’re getting older.
So where did they go?
You guessed it – back to the jumping pillow.
While they squeezed every last minute out of their weekend, we started packing the RV and cleaning up our campsite. By the 1:00 p.m. checkout time, we were pulling away from Jellystone.
Camping With Grandkids Changes as They Grow
Camping with grandkids at Jellystone Guadalupe River looks different for us now than it did when they were younger.
They’re starting to outgrow parts of the campground. They don’t need us beside them every minute. They can ride their bikes around the park, decide what they want to do, and come back when they’re hungry.
And I think that’s part of what made this weekend so relaxing.
They had some freedom. Noni could still keep an eye on them when it mattered. And Doo Doo and I had plenty of opportunities to sit outside the RV and simply enjoy watching them have fun.
The campground wasn’t packed during our stay, either. There were enough families around that the jumping pillow stayed active and laser tag had a good group, but it never felt overwhelmingly crowded.
Would we go back? Absolutely. Would we stay in Site 114 again? Probably not.
The grandkids would vote yes without hesitation because of its location across from their beloved jumping pillow. With a smaller RV, I might agree with them. For our Class A, I’ll choose a roomier site next time.
But the campsite really wasn’t what this weekend was about anyway. This was our last little hurrah before the grandkids went back to school. We ate too much ice cream, cooked simple campground meals, watched them ride their bikes, spent hours at the water park, and discovered that apparently you are never too old for a jumping pillow. They’re getting older. Our camping trips with them are changing.
For now, though, they’ll still spend hours jumping on a giant inflatable pillow and come back to the RV when they’re hungry.
I’ll take it.
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Want to know more about this Jellystone? Read our full Jellystone Park Guadalupe River review from one of our earlier visits.
It’s not just Noni who likes this park. Jellystone Park Guadalupe River also made my list of award-winning Texas RV parks for 2025.