Santillana Hillside Farms

For our fourth camping trip—and Roel’s 36th birthday—we stayed close to home with an overnight camp at Santillana Hillside Farm in Arayat, Pampanga. Just a 30-minute drive from the city, it was the perfect quick escape for fresh air and simple family fun.

We brought spaghetti for lunch, samgyup for dinner, and shared some food with fellow campers nearby. The campsite offers two main areas: by the pool or beside a scenic pond. Naturally, we chose the one with the view.

Setting up the tent was a little tricky with the wind, but tying guylines to nearby trees and using platform pegs made it manageable. It was our first time camping on a wooden deck, so we learned a lot—especially about keeping things stable when it’s breezy.

Even with the heat kicking in early at 6 AM, we made the most of the quiet morning and cooked rice for breakfast (after skipping it the night before 😅). Riven had a blast as always—running around, exploring, and being our campsite MVP.