While hotels are a popular choice for many people on a vacation, camping can be a better option. Camping costs less money, is ideal for large families, and due to improvements at many campgrounds does not require vacationers to give up too many amenities.
If you’re planning on going on a vacation this year, you’re probably going to need a place to stay. For most people, that place is a hotel. The recent spike in prices and decline in service at many hotels, however, has caused many people to take a good look at camping.
Even if you have never been camping before, there are plenty of campgrounds that are designed to make it easier. Camping can also increase the sense of adventure on a trip. Whether you have never gone camping before in your life, or you have plenty of experience, here’s why your next vacation should involve the great outdoors.
Saving Money
The average cost of hotel rooms has been increasing. Between the end of Covid driving up demand from people looking to travel to the increased costs of food and labor, nightly rates for hotels have experienced a sharp rise in prices.
In major cities, hotel room rates have increased by more than 20% since the start of the pandemic, and many travelers are reporting an increase in fees. It’s now difficult to find a standard hotel room that costs less than $100 a night in most areas.
In addition to the cost of the room, people staying in hotels will also have to pay a lot more for basics such as parking and food. When you’re staying in a hotel, nearly every meal will have to be eaten in a restaurant, driving up the cost of your trip even more. It’s possible for large families to spend over $500 a day on food just because they don’t have the ability to cook.
Camping, on the other hand, is a much more economical option. Campground rental usually cost a fraction of what a hotel room would cost, and equipment such as tents and sleeping bags tends to pay for itself after just a trip or two. The real cost savings, however, comes from a family’s ability to cook for themselves.
Camp cooking does not have to be over an open fire. A camp stove, which runs off of propane and works just like any stovetop in your home, and fairly cheap and easy to cook with. Being able to make a few simple meals can free up hundreds of dollars that can be used on other parts of the vacation.
Create Family Memories
Staying at a hotel can be fairly basic. After sightseeing and eating dinner in a restaurant, the family just goes back to the room to sleep. Camping, however, can provide a family with a ton of activities. Even the most basic campgrounds have the opportunity to go swimming and hiking.
Campgrounds that are attached to places such as national parks are often able to offer a lot more amenities such as canoeing and horseback riding. It’s not uncommon at all for families to make an entire vacation without leaving the campground at all.
Staying at a campground will also give you and your kids the opportunity to explore things that they just can’t access in a city. Whether your kids want to chase a bug or try fishing, camping can give them experiences that they’ve never had before. Even experiences such as setting up the tent and learning to make a campfire can become lasting memories for families.
Relax
Let’s be honest, the main reason most families choose not to go camping is because they’ve never done it before. Camping can sound intimidating to families who have never spent the night outdoors before. Fortunately, there are a ton of resources out there to help families to go camping successfully.
If you’ve never been camping before, start with a small trip to a well-known campground. Look for a campground with amenities such as hotel-quality bathrooms and outdoor lighting. While these types of camps are a little more expensive, they’re still cheaper than a hotel room.
These kind of campgrounds usually also have amenities such as swimming pools, water parks, and planned activities. Many families say that staying at these types of campgrounds gives them the feeling of staying in a resort hotel, but at a fraction of the cost.
Also go ahead and make an investment in good bedding. Air mattresses and good sheets and pillows can go a long way towards making a tent feel like a real bed. When it comes to preparing meals, make sure that you have equipment to make cooking easier.
Don’t feel as if you have to do everything at once. Many families start camping by staying in a luxury campground and driving outside of the camp for meals. Over time, they learn how to spend more time at the campground, saving themselves an alto of money, learning new skills, and building family memories in the process.