Camping vacations remain very popular in the United States. In 2010, at least 40 million people headed outdoors for a grand total of 515 million camping trips. That number went up to 42.5 million people in 2011. There are a great many resons people love to camp. It is an economical way to treat an entire family to a great experience and gives people a chance to unwind and reconnect with their loved ones. All 50 states have great national and state parks for families to check out. Whether you are looking for ideas for camping in Illinois or California, if you look, you will find a great campground for you and yoru family to enjoy.
Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Family Camping Trip:
- Decide what you and your family like to do. Most campers like to di multiple activities while they are out on their trip. About 87% say they enagge in more than one kind of fun while camping. Look for camprgounds that offer activities that you enjoy. Hiking is offered at most campsites and is one of the most popular things to do. Other people really enjoy water activies such as swimming, fishing and canoeing. Look for sites that offer a variety of things to do and your whole family should be able to enjoy the experience. There are a lot of camp sitres with water parks, for instance.
- Plan a trial run for camping before you go. If your family has small children who have never been on a camping trip, it might make sense to do a trial trip in their back yard, for instance. Before take everyone camping in Illinois, set up a tent in the back yard and spend a weekend with your children there. That way they can get used to the idea of sleeping in a sleeping bag and in a tent. You can work out some of the kinks in your vacation plans by doing a dry run before you all head out into the wilderness.
- Not all camping trips are the same. “Roughing it” is not always a part of modern camping trips. While tent camping is far and away the most popular way to camp, it is not the only way to go. If you are traveling with older family members or people with back issues, you can look into other accomodations. Many people prefer RV campaing or cabin camping. These can offer a wide varity of amenities and cooking options so think about what your family likes and needs. Now, maybe your family is all about roughing it and you can always find a nice yurt to camp in.
- Decide how far you want to travel. As there are camp sites in all 50 states, you can probably find one near you (if that is what you are looking for). It is sometimes fun to check out things in your state that you might not have seen or experienced before. If you are in Chicago, heading out for camping in Illinois areas may be a fun way to learn more about your home state.
- Plan, plan and plan some more. Plan the kinds of meals you want to eat. With a little forethinking you can prepare some of the meals before you leave on your trip and this will save you time and effort during your vacation. Plan for bad weather, too. It may happen and you should have some activities to do should Mother Nature decide to not cooperate with you. You can get great games at your local dollar store or make some of your own. Try a round of “family Trivial Pursuit” to see how much you all know about each other.
Camping allows people to do something most of us do not do enough; unplug from the computer, smart phone, tablet and television screen. While your family may complain, no matter if you are camping in Illinois, New York or Hawaii, you and your kids will survive a few days away from Facebook, SnapChat, and their other social media channels. These trips help you bond with your family while enjoying the outdoors and will create lasting memories.
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