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Each of them always had a friend along. Maybe the nieces and nephews would be there, too.

“It’s a safe area,� she said. “Kids can ride bikes. They can go down and go swimming.�

Best of all, it’s an easy 12-mile jaunt from McCook, where Peters lives, to enjoy fishing, boating, swimming, kayaking or just find a place to relax.

That proximity to a town is great for travelers, too, who don’t have to drive far if they forgot a necessity at home.

This summer, there have more than the usual visitors to the 1,628-acre lake and its surroundings. Red Willow has been drawing more than 70,000 people a year.

Red Willow, which is about five hours from Omaha, is one of 70 stops in this year’s Nebraska Passport program, the annual tourism promotion effort that encourages Nebraskans and others to visit a variety of attractions, parks, coffee shops, restaurants, stores and more across the state. Each week, we’re highlighting one or more of the locations.

Passport participants collect physical or digital stamps at each stop and qualify for prizes based on how many places they visit during the program, which runs from May 1 to Sept. 30.

While the 48 camping pads with electricity usually fill up each weekend, Peters said the park doesn’t have the same crowded feel as some of the busier campgrounds in the eastern half of the state. Each site is 50 feet or more apart, so there isn’t a lot of complaining about noisy neighbors or dogs.

“It’s not that way out here,� she said. “Most people are friendly.�

There are also 50 basic campsites.

McCook resident Janet said the campgrounds are well-maintained with modern showers.

She and her husband, Chuck, usually bring their camper there during the week when it’s not so busy.

No reservations are accepted, so you might have to arrive a few days before the weekend to get what Peters calls a “primo� spot that overlooks the lake.

The outlook from there is beautiful, says Tyler Francisco, the southwest region supervisor for Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.

“It is just a really cool view,� he said.

Low water levels caused by last year’s drought are improving, he said. No drawdowns by the Bureau of Reclamation, which owns the land, are planned.

Gray and her husband, Rod, own a fishing boat, and they’ve had lots of luck catching bass, crappie, walleye, northern pike, stripers, muskie, bluegill and catfish.

“We caught a 23-inch, 5-pound wiper this week,� Gray said. “We fought it for 15 minutes. Just the sport of fishing is really good.�

Her husband pulled that one in. Gray said her big fish got away.

Although all types of boats are allowed, Francisco likes that a kayaker can find areas that bigger boats don’t often access.

“I think it’s one of those hidden gems if you are looking for adventure,� he said. “You have a nice, quiet atmosphere while paddling along the shoreline.�

For those who want a break from the water, there’s a walking archery trail. The wildlife management area on the northwest side of the lake means there’s an abundance of animals to see while hiking the hilly terrain.

The park stretches across 4,320 acres.

On Saturday nights, Peters likes to enjoy the live music at the marina. There’s sand volleyball, too.

“It’s very family friendly,� Francisco said.