5 Reason I Enjoy Camping

Photo by Blake Wisz on Unsplash.com

Three years ago (I can’t believe it’s been that long), I wrote a post called The Stuff I Didn’t Buy. In that post, I talked about wanting to buy a camper or RV and how I had these grand visions of traveling with my family. Last year we bought a camper when we got a good deal on an old one that we could pull behind our Ford Flex. Naturally, it had some issues and I’ve made a couple repairs, but I have to admit we’ve had a great time with it. So much so, that I’m now casually shopping for a bigger one.
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With the pandemic this year, sales of RVs and campers are crazy. People aren’t vacationing at the crowded beach, a major theme park, a cruise, or major resort. Instead, people are taking their campers on vacation and getting outdoors where they feel a little safer. Aside from that, here are five reasons to go camping.

1. Family time: Not just family time together somewhere but family time where the kids can’t escape to their bedrooms to play video games or run off with their friends.
2. No TV: I purposely do not have a television in our camper and have no plans to ever have one. Yes, the kids have their handheld video games but it’s tolerable. If you have to, you can take them away and lock them in the car.
3. Limited internet: Most campgrounds have wi-fi of some sort but it’s often only available if you’re near the office. Even better, at a campground in Wisconsin this summer, we barely even had a cell phone signal at our campsite. It was fantastic.
4. No hauling luggage in and out of the car: When we stay at a hotel or at someone’s house, I usually make a dozen trips back and forth from the car to where we’re staying. Everyone overpacks and then disappears when it’s time to carry it all. I bought everyone a soft bag that fits in the closet of the camper. We stack them all up and everyone knows where their clothes are. My wife bought a hamper bag that I hung against a wall so when it’s time to do laundry, we just unhook it from the wall and go.
5. Camping forces me to slow down and relax a little: Yes it involves work, especially to plan the trip, buy the food, make sure the camper is packed, etc. but once we are there and set up, the most stressed I’ll be is when I’m trying to get the campfire going. I’m not good at it but I’m getting better. I spend some time cooking but generally don’t mind. When I’m at home, there is always something that I feel I need to be doing. When I’m camping, I have no problem lounging with a book or just sitting by the campfire.

True, it’s not all fun and games. The kids stay up way too late when we’re camping, especially the youngest. Since our camper is crowded, they always fight a little and whoever is sleeping on the dinette has to tear apart their bed so we can eat breakfast.

​All the work is absolutely worth it though. I enjoy sitting by the campfire and playing Connect-Four with my daughter even though she usually wins. I love that she makes s’mores for her little sister and helps her eat them. Plus, I can send messages to my family like this: “We’re camping in Ohio. It’s 10:30 at night. The 2-year old had like three s’mores and is dancing to Five Finger Death Punch by the campfire”. I may not win parent of the year for it, but that’s making memories right there.

I’m not saying everyone should run out and buy a camper. Check out sites like Outdoorsy.com, RVShare.com, or CruiseAmerica.com to rent one first. Many RV dealerships rent them as well. And if you do own one, you can turn it around and rent it out through one of those websites to make a little extra money. Alternatively, many campgrounds have furnished cabins you can rent for far less than a hotel at a resort, and you wouldn’t believe the amenities of some campgrounds.

Even if all you have is a tent and sleeping bags, get outside with your family and check out one of the thousands of campgrounds in America.

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