When I was young, I used to wonder why anyone would enjoy camping! We had a family camping trip every year but it was because my parents enjoyed it and I just tagged along. I couldn’t imagine actually choosing to do this on my and assumed that I would have no interest in it once I “grew up.”
Fast forward 35 years and now it’s one of my favorite things to do! There are just so many things to love about it and as you mature in life, you tend to appreciate all the good things camping can bring to your life.
Camping is popular because it offers an escape from the modern world and allows you to recharge. It’s an affordable way to travel and experience nature up close and personal. Social media has also made it very attractive as people post alluring photos of their glamorous camping lifestyles.
Whether it’s glamorous or not, it certainly helps me to overcome brain blocks and anxiety issues as well as a host of other problems that I, as well as many other adults, encounter in life.
Let’s look at some of the reasons why camping has become so popular.
1. Social Media
It’s not hard to find a plethora of camping posts on all sources of social media. It seems to have become a popular thing to post adventurous photos of camping and other outdoor, adventurous activities in amazing locations. Because of this, people have swarmed locations in search of that perfect social media post. This has made camping seem like a glamorous lifestyle and as if you are truly living the life!
Many of these photos are a misrepresentation of what camping is really like but it has made camping more and more popular for all of those who constantly see it in their social media feed.
It makes you want to go out and do it on your own and experience it yourself. Camping has become a popular activity amongst people of all ages and even younger people are taking hold of the idea. Whereas camping used to be a lifestyle that more mature adults enjoyed, younger people are starting to see the value that it provides.
A camping trip can have many wonderful benefits and is great if you just want to get away from it all. Social media posts have proven that the lifestyle can be amazing but be careful because everything you see online isn’t true.
These posts are often faked or at least set up to look more glamorous than it actually is. A photoshoot set in a perfect scene may have taken a user a long time to get that perfect shot. Most likely, if you could see the location and spot where the picture was taken, it wouldn’t look as attractive as the picture had led you to believe.
However, nature is beautiful and amazing locations are found in all corners of the Earth.
Social media has provided the world with a glimpse of the possibilities while camping. It’s been the motivator that has put the idea in many people’s minds and caused them to try it out. This has caused the popularity to rise in recent years and only time will tell how it plays out.
2. Camping Provides Affordable Fun
Camping provides an affordable fun adventure. As the cost of living continues to rise and people are looking for ways to make their money go further, camping is a good way to ensure that you can still enjoy adventures while not spending tons of money. It’s a way to get away and still be considerate of the amount of money you are spending.
A night in a campground, will be much cheaper than it will be spending it in a hotel room or other type of rental.
Of course, you still have to consider the cost of your camping equipment whether it be an RV or a primitive tent set up. There is always a cost to enjoy things but once the initial cost is out of the way, camping can be enjoyed for many years and can save money over the long run.
You don’t need a lot of gear to enjoy this type of adventure. You can trek into the backcountry with a small tent on your back and enjoy the peace and serenity of nature for almost nothing!
RVs can be rented or small units can be purchased at an affordable price. My camper van has allowed me to enjoy lots of adventures for very little cost once the initial cost of the camper van conversion was complete. I am always amazed at being able to stay out in the middle of nowhere in my camper van while having most of the amenities that I am used to at home.
There are times when I stay free at places and times when I have to pay a small fee depending on where I am parked at. Either way, it is less expensive than I would pay if I were traveling via car or airplane and then shacking up in a hotel.
Camping can certainly be enjoyed while being cautious of how much you are spending. This is especially true if you have a family and would like to go on adventures with them. Everyone can pile into an RV and stay comfortably and it will be a journey that will not easily be forgotten. The children may not like it now but they will come to appreciate it as they mature.
3. Camping is Stress-Reducing
We are stressing ourselves out nowadays and not taking the amount of time off that we should. There is more to life than just working away and stressing over things that we can’t control. Camping provides a little relief from this. When out in the wilderness or at the campground, life moves at a slower pace and it gives you time to reflect and re-center yourself.
It’s the perfect time to prioritize your values and the time spent in nature can be very healing.
A camping trip will likely be less stressful than one where you are running through airports, catching planes, driving long distances in a small car, and checking in and out of hotels. The camping experience allows you to slow it down a bit and leave the stress at home. With camping, there is nowhere to be but in nature.
You can chill in your tent or spend a nice relaxing day or night in your RV while the worries of the world just drift away.
It’s not to say that camping is always smooth sailing. There will be times when camping can become stressful as you race to check-in or out on time at campgrounds. However, in my experience, the stress relief that I get when I go on a camping trip is always amazing and I come back refreshed and wishing that it could’ve lasted longer.
If you are looking to reduce the amount of stress in your life, it’s an inside job and the time spent camping and appreciating nature allows us to go inside our minds, reflect, and go about our lives in a different way. A good camping trip is what you need if you are currently stressed out and feeling as if you need to rethink some things in your life.
4. It’s an Escape From Everyday Norms
Life can get quite boring if you just do the same thing day in and day out. While we are living with more conveniences than we ever have before, it’s still nice to break away from the norm and do something different occasionally. Sure, you could go on a beach vacation or travel to Disneyland or some other destination but that will just give you more of the same.
What’s good about camping is that it completely breaks the sameness that we experience daily. Rather than just another trip or just another vacation it’s a vacation that challenges us to think differently and live outside the box a little further.
While camping, we will experience things that we would’ve never experienced from our offices or another work environment. It forces us to think differently and appreciate things more than we would otherwise. Many of these things you don’t even think about until you are in that moment.
When I go camping, I delight in the abundance of nature around me as I dig deeper to appreciate and find gratitude in my life. Being in nature just does something for me that is a healing experience.
The normal routines of life can get boring and if you are looking for a good way to break up that boredom, camping will add some excitement and adventure and perhaps a little unknown to the mix.
5. Camping is Perfect for Social Distancing
With all the recent outbreaks of pandemics, we have become accustomed to social distancing and there is no better way to social distance while still being able to do something than camping. Camping, by nature, is a great way to get away from others and surround yourself with the quietness and stillness of nature.
Whether you are looking to social distance from others so that you can avoid getting sick or you simply want to social distance because you’re sick of people, it will happen naturally when camping.
During the covid-19 pandemic, people continued to choose camping. In fact, it was one of the busiest camping seasons that the US has seen in quite a while. This time was perfect for those who enjoy the camping lifestyle and they were able to continue enjoying trips and vacations without as many regulations or worries about getting sick.
I traveled more than usual during the pandemic and was rarely around anyone else. That’s just the nature of how it is when you are traveling in a camper van, RV, or another type of camping setup. Camping only requires that you go to your location set up your camp and then enjoy it.
You don’t have to converse or be around others if you do not choose to. Of course, this will also depend on where you go and things you do while you’re out camping but in general, camping is one of the best ways to avoid other people and enjoy time alone while you are out.
6. It Provides a Sense of Roughing It
We live in a society where modern conveniences have made everything easy for us. For as long as humans have existed, we have had to make our way through difficult times living in rough environments, working with our hands, and warding off predators and other natural enemies.
However, in today’s world, almost all of these things are only found in the history books. When camping, you may experience a small similarity to that old rough lifestyle that our ancestors had to endure.
When you are camping, you will likely get your hands dirty, sweat a lot, be stinky, encounter wild animals or bugs aplenty! You will need to fend for yourself out in the wilderness or even in the campground. While campgrounds often have running water and bathrooms, it’s still a little rougher life than you would experience in your home.
This rough experience may be just what the doctor ordered if you live a sterile lifestyle that leaves you with little worries. Sometimes it does you good to get your hands a little dirty. A week of “roughing it” will give you an appreciation for the simple convenience as we do have as humans these days.
7. Your Dog(s) Can Join You
Perhaps the best thing about camping is that you can bring your furry friends along with you. The camping community is a dog-friendly community and nearly any campground you visit will allow them to stay.
People who own dogs want them to come along with them on trips but can’t always make that happen. Camping is the exception and your best friend can jump in the RV with you and will enjoy the getaway just as much as you will.
With over 38% of US households owning a dog, many of them are looking for ways to include them into their travel plans. Camping fits the bill in this regard and makes a logical choice for those seeking to spend some quality together rather than leaving them behind.
Conclusion
Camping has become very popular and for many good reasons. There are just so many places to go and explore and camping is one of the best ways to implant yourself directly in the middle of nature in order to appreciate it all. Whether you travel long distances on a camping trip or stay close by, it can be a fun experience that will allow you to take a different approach than you would on other types of trips.
If you have never been a fan of camping, similar to me when I was a child, now is a great time to give it a shot. You can rent an RV or buy a cheap tent and find a great place to park it or pitch it. Places such as Hipcamp, and Harvest Hosts, or just any ole campground will allow you to get off the beaten path and add some variety into your life.
The conveniences available for campers nowadays are amazing. You can pitch a tent and have electricity and other essentials just as you would in your home.
Perhaps this is the year for you to add camping into your lifestyle if it’s not already. If you enjoy the scenic pictures that obliterate social media networks then it likely speaks to you. It speaks to a lot of people as they have given camping a try and have made it more and more popular.
Join in the fun and make the lifestyle even more popular by getting out, exploring what nature has to offer, and gaining a new sense of appreciation in the process.