Tag Archives: Camping

Camping is Cool

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Camping seems to be the cool way to have fun this year.  It’s an outdoor activity.  It’s by nature socially distant.  It’s a way to travel without being in contact with people or eating in restaurants.  And there are options for every budget.

You may think of camping as a tent in the woods and cooking over a fire.  You may think of camping as a giant motorhome in an RV resort bordering on Disneyworld.  And there are a million variations in between.

When my husband and I decided to go to a pair of drive-in concerts this weekend, I didn’t think twice about where to stay.  More than one night at a place more than an hour and a half from home in the summertime automatically made me think of camping.  I booked a site at a State Park near the concert.  For $60 I got a place to stay for those two nights.  If I hadn’t wanted to pay a little extra for convenience (electricity and showers), I could have chosen a site in a State Forest for free.  I packed and cooked my own food.  And I slept in my camper bed, which is actually more comfortable than the bed in the last hotel I visited.

Camping is often thought of as an activity unto itself.  But it’s more than that.  It’s a low-cost travel lodging option.  For many (hopefully including myself after I retire) it’s a full-time living choice.

Break out the hot-dogs and marshmallows.  Camping is cool!

 

The Cheaper Vacation: Camping

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When I was a kid, a family vacation always meant camping.  A pop-up camper on the back of a giant station wagon, and we were off.  And I hated it.  Muddy campgrounds.  Long walks to public washrooms.  Trapped in the stuffy camper when it rains.  Long drives stuck in the back seat of the family truckster in the middle between my older siblings.  So I asked my mom why we always had to camp when we went on vacation.  Why couldn’t we stay in hotels or motels like normal people?  Her answer was simple.  We just couldn’t afford to take these trips if we had to pay for lodging.  But my parents wanted to give us experiences and make sure we could see places beyond our home in TheMiddleofNowhere Pennsylvania.  So we camped.

Pop up camper

At the time I didn’t really understand or appreciate what my parents were doing for me.  And when I was a Yuppie in Chicago in my twenties and early thirties, I made it my mission to vacation like a “normal” person.  In cities.  In hotels.  Eating in restaurants.  I didn’t have a mortgage or a car payment (or even a car) or any other significant financial responsibilities.  It seemed reasonable to spend my money this way.

Fast forward another ten years, and how do I vacation?  I camp.  I have embraced the tent.  I look forward to fully removing myself from the hustle and bustle of a busy life and disappearing into the woods.  The way I do it, it’s not quite glamping, but it’s pretty comfortable.  A big tent with a double high air mattress.  A shade canopy.  A folding table where I can cook on my propane grill and my propane stove.  Comfortable folding chairs where I can sit and read or play my guitar or toast marshmallows over a camp fire.  It’s relaxing.  It’s fun.  And it’s a really nice break from normal life.  And it’s cheap.  Now that I do have the financial burdens of mortgage and car payments, camping makes it possible for me to get away from home without spending more money than necessary.  Less expensive trips means more frequent trips.  And that’s a plus.

Think camping isn’t for you?  Give it some time.  You may change your mind.