Although camping was once considered a privilege of the wealthy and rich in society, camping today has become available to many of those who would not have been able to afford to in the past. The joy of being in the great outdoors, sleeping in a tent or other accommodations, presents an appeal when the lives of many Americans are trapped in a large urban area with little green space or wild animal life.
Camping has long proven an important role in the education of young children in the form of the Boy Scouts or other organizations. Activities like tying knots or learning how to start a fire are seen as important skills to learn for any American. This may translate to wanting to camp later in life, alone or with a group.
There are many options for camping in the United States. There are national parks, designated campgrounds, and even family campgrounds. This last option is important as a family camping trip remains one of the most popular vacation choices for Americans (535 million days camped in 2011).
Most campers plan many trips and travel a great distance to reach their camp site. The majority of campers surveyed said they are planning approximately five trips during the year, with at least 66% planning three or more trips. The average driving distance to reach a camp site is 188 miles and the average stay per camping trip is 15 days.
Local camping sites can include a national park, a designated campground, or others. It’s important to recognize shady campsites from others, especially if you have children. Family campgrounds can be a smart move for many who are taking a family vacation as they often offer camping amenities not typically seen in a standard camp site.
And while camping is most associated with a tent, there are other options, including cabins and RVs, both of which provide the camping experience while offering other amenities. Family camping trips have been prevalent since the 1960s and finding the right family camping vacations spots can be important for the present or future trips.
And thought there are many reasons people enjoy camping, the primary motivation for taking a camping trip was actually the trip itself: 47% of campers said they camped just because they enjoyed it, without any auxiliary reason.
