A little over a year ago we were trying to decide how we could take a much-needed vacation in the middle of a pandemic. Airplanes, hotels, and tourist attractions were all either closed or too dangerous. Then it hit us. A camping vacation, or campcation. We enjoyed camping on weekends, but that always limited us to campgrounds close to home. With an entire week to work with, we could explore somewhere new.
We ended up camping at 3 different campgrounds in 2 states and even explored 2 National Parks. We saw Crater Lake in Oregon, watched a sunset over a lake, hiked through giant redwoods in California, and ate seafood in a quaint seaside town. It was so awesome we decided to do a campcation again this year!
After two successful years, this seems like the perfect time to reflect on the good and bad of our experiences. Let’s start with the potential issues so we can finish strong with the positives of taking a campcation.
Potential Issues
Dependent on weather
Spending time outdoors can be amazing, but your plans are always dependent on the weather. Many places that are amazing for camping are in locations where the weather can be unpredictable. Some of the most beautiful spots are around mountains where the weather can change in a matter of minutes. If you live in the western US like us, you could also find your camping trip derailed by smoke from wildfires.
Gear Can Be Expensive
If you’re new to camping you might not have all the gear you need. Even with entry-level gear, the cost can add up quickly. Buying a tent, sleeping pad, sleeping bag, camping chair, propane stove, and cooler can easily cost hundreds of dollars. The good news is you probably have friends or neighbors with most of the gear you need so you can borrow instead of buying.
No luxury options
If your idea of vacation requires luxury accommodations, camping might not be a great fit. You won’t find extra fluffy beds, mints on your pillow, or room service. Depending on the campground your options for taking a shower will either be non-existent or a primitive bathhouse where you’ll want to have shower sandals.
Space Limitations
Camping requires gear, and hauling that gear requires space. If you drive a small car you may need to summon your Tetris skills to bring along everything you’ll need. You could also explore options like renting a truck or an SUV. While that would be an added expense, it’s probably still cheaper than a traditional vacation with airfare and hotel rooms.
The Good Stuff!
Cheaper
If you’re considering camping for a vacation, chances are you already have the basic camping gear you’ll need. That means the only things you’ll need to pay for will be gas, food, drinks, and any fees the campgrounds or parks charge. Depending on your hotel preferences, your entire campcation could easily end up costing less than 1 or 2 nights at a hotel.
Environmentally Friendly
You can’t get much more environmentally friendly than camping. You’ll be driving to your destination instead of flying, and swapping the usual hotel for a tent. Think about how much electricity goes into running a hotel. Now compare that to what’s required to power your tent. Even if you find a campsite with electric hookups, you’ll still use far less than you would at a hotel.
New Experiences
Traditional vacations usually take you to beaches, cities, etc. Those places are awesome, but camping allows you to break out of the usual destinations and discover nature. It could be seeing giant redwoods for the first time like we did on our first campcation. Or hiking around a snow-capped mountain peak in a national park. Or standing under a waterfall. The possibilities to explore the natural beauty around you are endless, but you usually can’t get there by plane.
Mid-week means more availability
If you’ve been camping recently, especially during the pandemic, you know it’s usually very hard to find available campsites on weekends. Some sites often get reserved months in advance. Going camping for your vacation means you can choose to camp mid-week. That opens up a lot of potential campgrounds that would otherwise be unavailable.
Less human contact
If you love solitude camping is a great option. Most campgrounds let you reserve a site online, and depending on the campground you may not have to interact with anyone at all. Often you just wave to a camp host as they pass by to check on you, or briefly pass someone as you head to the restroom or bathhouse.
Conclusion
Whether you’re looking for new experiences, a safer option during the pandemic, or a good way to relax in nature, we highly recommend making your next vacation a campcation. If your plans include Washington, Oregon, or northern California, shoot us a message and we’ll be happy to point you towards our favorite spots!
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