Camping is a favorite family vacation activity for quite a few Americans. According to the “2014 American Camper Report,” about 40.1 million people went camping during the previous year.
Many families choose to go camping so that they can spend more quality time with each other. The survey showed that 12% of adult campers went camping for the first time when they were growing up. This tradition appears to continue, as 13% of the survey’s adult campers said they took their family camping to spend more time together.
Whether campers are staying at local camping sites or traveling further to explore a new campground, they tend to travel an average of 186.7 miles. Even though there are so many campgrounds from which to choose, campers often have their favorite camping spots.
Family vacation campgrounds are a popular destination when vacation time rolls around. Since public campgrounds have a variety of welcome amenities, these are where about 70% of families enjoy camping together. For 47% of the survey participants, camping is enjoyable for its own sake, and this is reason enough for them to go camping.
There are so many activities to enjoy during a camping trip. In addition to hiking and backpacking, there are other outdoor activities that can be fun for the entire family. In fact, the survey showed that 87% of campers engaged in several different camping activities. At some campgrounds, this includes swimming and having a great time at the splashpark.
On average, Americans go camping for about 2 weeks at a time. While some campers bring along their RVs for sleeping accommodations, others spend their nights in tents, bivies, or yurts. Sleeping outside beneath the stars is also fun, and can provide parents and children with the opportunity to learn about constellations.
Since camping is so much fun and a wonderful way to connect with family and friends, most campers plan several trips at a time. The survey showed that some of the campers were planning 4.9 camping trips in advance, while about 66% were planning 3 or more trips for the near future. Nearly all of the camping participants, or 99%, said they were either “likely” or “very likely” to take a camping trip the following year.
It’s not surprising that camping is at the top of the list for family vacations. Whether this is a multi-generational family favorite or a brand-new experience, there will be so many wonderful stories to share with friends and other family members when they return home.