Recently I was asked why I like to go camping. I’ve been doing it for so long that I guess I never really considered that other people don’t like it or don’t understand why it is so much fun. I tried to explain, but I didn’t have the words to describe it. Camping always made me feel better and I was always more relaxed during and for a while after. I had to think about why I feel the way I do about camping and came up with these nine reasons that I like to go camping.
To unplug or disconnect from technology.
This is a big reason why I enjoy camping. At home I almost always have my phone open browsing the internet, playing a game, or watching something on You-Tube. I’m always distracted and never focused on anything. When I’m camping it is easier for me to unplug. I still have my phone, because it’s a great camera, but I make a serious effort to stay off it otherwise. My computer stays at home during camping so there isn’t the temptation to write my blog or do any other types of work. Most of the time I still have cell service, but being out in nature helps me to stay disconnected.
Camp Food
I love the food at camp. We grill everything and do most of our cooking outside. At home we have a barbeque once a week, but at camp it’s every meal. We hang out, cook, and eat our meals outside. I don’t know why, but food seems to taste better outside. You can find countless recipes for cooking over an open fire. You can use cast iron pans and Dutch ovens or more simple meals like cooking in a foil pack. Foil pack cooking makes it easier to include children in cooking. They can put their ingredients in the foil, wrap it up and put it over the fire by themselves.
Connect with nature-
It’s one thing to read about or watch documentaries about nature, but it is totally different when you can experience it for yourself. You can sit at your campsite and listen to the birds, you can watch the squirrels chase each other, or listen to the sound of the rain on your tent. If you are lucky enough while out hiking you can see deer, turkeys, foxes, or any other animals that live in the area. It is incredible to go around a bend in a trail and see a mom and baby deer. I love being able to see nature like that, you never know what you are going to see.
Access to nature-
Many people live in cities where they don’t have easy access to the outdoors. By driving outside of town and staying at a campground, you can easily gain access to a number of outdoor activities. There is a place where we like to camp where we have easy access to mountains, lakes, and rivers. It takes a few hours to drive there but is totally worth the trip. From there we can hike, fish, boat, take in the beautiful scenery, and look at the stars.
Low cost of lodging.
Once you have the equipment you need, camping can be a cheap vacation or weekend getaway. The cost of a basic campsite in a state park starts at $15 with no electricity and goes up to $35 for an electric site. Prices can vary greatly by season, location, and amenities. For example, a tent only site at Disney’s Fort Wilderness is $108 and a premium RV site is $205 a night. While it is much more expensive than a state park, it comes with electric, water, and sewer hookups, plus has access to the Disney Parks. Depending on where you are camping will still be much cheaper than most hotels.
Lots of activities for kids.
Camping is a great way to keep kids busy and entertained. When I was camping as a kid, we were always doing something. We would go fishing and swimming in the morning, take a break for lunch and then play baseball and run around all afternoon. Then we go for a walk after dinner before having smores and hanging out by the fire before bed. There was never time to be bored and we always had so much fun. I learned a lot about the woods and nature just by being out and exploring as a kid.
Away from the responsibilities at home.
When I am at home, I always have something that I could or should be doing. Right now, I’m writing this and looking out the window at the yard that needs mowing and the trees that need to be trimmed. There are piles of clothes that need to be folded and boxes of things that need to be taken to the thrift store. Every time I walk upstairs, I’m reminded of several projects that need doing and I walk past the honey-do list on the refrigerator. No matter how much I do, I feel like there is always something else that needs to be done. Next weekend though I can get out to camp and forget about all my chores and home projects for a few days.
Chance to slow down.
I feel like from the moment I wake up in the morning until the moment I go to sleep I’m just going, going, going. I always have something to do or I’m thinking about what needs to be done next. At camp I can slow things down a bit. I can wake up when I want and start the coffee. Then take the dog for a walk while my wife sleeps in. I love being in the woods in the morning, it’s still and peaceful. Most other people aren’t up yet, and I can enjoy the sounds of nature without any disruption. On a good day we’ll spot a deer on our walk or watch the sunrise. After our walk I’ll sip my coffee and read the novel I’ve been trying to read for weeks and start my day at whatever pace I feel like. There’s no pressure to be awake and doing something by a certain time like there always seems to be at home.
Distraction free family time.
Camping is a great way to spend time with family without all the distractions of home. We can all put away our phones and computers. There is no homework to do or emails to respond to. No TV means we can just hang out and talk instead of just watching a show together. Going for a walk is just that, a walk. There are no neighbors to run into for a chat and the kids won’t try to run off with their friends. It’s a great way for the whole family to spend time together and catch up.
Road trip to get there.
I think the most underrated benefit of camping is the road trip to the campground. I love stopping in little towns and exploring things along the way. One of our favorite places to camp is a seven-hour drive away from home. To break up the drive we stop at little shops and random roadside attractions. Sometimes we will pull over and have a picnic lunch in a park or a roadside viewing area. Now that we have a daughter these pitstops will be even more important and I can’t wait to show her all the cool little places that we have found.
