Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to travel. You’re not necessarily “wrong” and certainly not ignorant for having your own tastes.
If you prefer to travel the country by train, that can be a wonderful approach to take, helping you see a range of vistas you might not see when driving the highway. Maybe you enjoy heading to Europe and interrailing a number of countries depending on your tastes. It’s all about flexibility and fun.
For this reason, it might be that you’ve sworn off certain means of travel, such as camping or solo traveling with hostels. However, just like trying foods you may have decided you dislike in your teenage years and realizing your tastes have matured, it can be healthy to consider if camping is for you again.
After all, camping isn’t just a form of accommodation but also a flexible, cheap alternative to a more expensive and curated trip. Camping using your own gear could save you over 90% of the cost of a hotel room, a rented cottage, or any other option.
Moreover, there are many ways to camp. You might find joy in camping in style with the best equipment, using simple one-man layers, or enjoying a hybrid caravan for easy setup and transportation.
Either way, if you haven’t been a fan of camping in the past, let’s consider a better method of moving forward from here:
It’s All About The Location
The secret is that camping is rarely about the campsite itself, that’s more of a comfort and a place to retire to. Of course, it’s essential to make sure you have access to amenities – a campsite with good public toilets and shower facilities, a local shop, and certain rules like no noise after a certain period or welcoming families, can be healthy. You can look up the reviews of certain businesses online to make sure they have clean well-kept lots and stringent rules to make sure campers are considerate of one another.
Depending on what country you’re in, you may also be able to camp in certain parks or publicly-owned areas. For example, in Scotland, wild camping isn’t prohibited for the most part. But remember that camping is about being in nature, too. Opt for local areas that allow you access to places you want to visit. This might be near to a beach, a seaside town, or perhaps a fantastic river known for its temporary fishing licenses. Make your camping adventure an explorer’s dream, a means of really connecting with a place from the bottom up, as opposed to looking at it from a high-storey hotel room.
Pack Conveniences & Comforts
It’s true that camping tends to be less convenient and comfortable than sleeping in a king bed in an air-conditioned hotel room. That said, you do get to enjoy the freshest air around, a sense of relaxation in nature, and we tend to connect with that more than we do with four walls.
You can also keep good conveniences with you. Hot water heaters, small camping propane tanks you can use to cook in cleaned utensils, and Peak Refuel meals so you have a filling and tasty snack you can carry with you. Having relative proximity to the local shops and amenities can make a big difference too, allowing you to pick up sun lotion or whatever else you need. A careful balance between survivalist living and the comforts of local amenities is important to find. Of course, if you head to beautiful villages then you can still do away with all the urban convenience, it may just be that you have access to a local tea room and a village shop for mail, that’s it.
Head To Music Festivals
Of course, camping doesn’t have to be a slow affair where you take a breath in nature and go fishing, then not much else. If you’re looking for more excitement, then music festivals are a good way to start camping again.
Some might laugh at that suggestion because camping at a music festival is rarely known to be a super pristine, quiet, and calming time. That said, many festival sites now offer VIP plots where people are expected to keep the surroundings in good condition, the amenities are regularly cleaned and properly cared for, and you may have other features like lockers for mobile phones and other valuables.
This means you can spend a weekend camping to get used to it, go and see musical acts you like, and then come away from the experience familiar with how fun accepting a little less comfort can be. Moreover, you don’t have to go to a massive festival to have a good time, there are many smaller and niche festivals with similar amenities, like folk festivals, hip-hop festivals, metal festivals, and more. Depending on the kind of atmosphere you’re looking for, a weekend away camping at a special event can be great fun.
Try Hybrid Camping
There are no real hard and fast rules when it comes to camping, except for where you place your tent and set up for the night. This means that you rarely have to camp “the right way” to enjoy yourself and say you’ve been camping.
For example, hybrid campers are becoming more and more popular. These might be tents or awnings that pop out from the side of a caravan or car and allow for a more robust sleeping situation without having to set up a full and independent tent.
Alternatively, you could always rent a camper van and perhaps set up your tent on the warmer, more comfortable evenings, and sleep in the camper beds on the colder, wetter and windier nights. It’s all about convenience and doing what’s right for you at the time. It’s important to remember that sleeping on the road is nothing new, in fact thousands of truck drivers sleep in their cabins each and every night.
So, this could be the first step towards camping more regularly and with more comfort over longer periods of time. Getting a taste for the outdoors, or even having a more comfortable stop-off point between travel destinations can make a huge difference.
Address Any Safety Concerns
Of course, for some people, their distaste of camping is less about a preference and more a practical consideration. For example, it might be that you have specific mobility requirements, and setting up a tent is difficult through that lens, or perhaps you’re worried how you might fare outside of disability support. All of these are valid concerns.
It may also be that you’re worried about your safety. Not having immediate access to medical assistance, having your allergies triggered by nature, or worrying about being exposed to nature and other people in a tent can come into play. Now, we’re not going to suggest you’re “wrong” for having these convictions, especially because they’re all completely valid. That said, you may be able to soothe a few of them. For example, choosing safe camping sites, having access to a first aid kit and the knowledge of how to use it in an emergency, camping at certain times of year where pollen is less prevalent, and investing in conveniences like sizeable and comfortable airbeds will make a massive difference and let you feel very comfortable from the jump.
“Glamping” Is Still Popular
This was all the rage in the late 2000s, as the idea of camping in glamorous style was considered an interesting proposition. Believe it or not, many high-end camping sites now offer their own camping amenities without you having to bring a single tent of your own, and this can be a great place to get started.
Moreover, there are many different ways to camp. VIP tents, yurts and teepees, and even larger marquee tents with all the latest mods and cons can be provided to those looking for an enhanced experience. This might go hand in hand with an amazing spa weekend
After all, there’s no reason why camping can’t be a luxurious experience. Many people think of camping as “roughing it in a field somewhere to save money,” but that’s not the case. After all, it’s hard to get a better view of the stars than when you’re out there in a remote rural area, untouched by light pollution in any way. This can be a special experience, and so if you wanted a little more enjoyment from the luxurious amenities, that can be a wonderful place to start.
Try The Savings Yourself!
Invest in some robust camping gear, and take it on two or three small trips away. Camp and enjoy yourselves however you like doing that, as explained above. Then come back, and tally up all of the money saved on hotel accommodations, insurance, parking and more.
Odds are if the odd family trip can enjoy hundreds or even thousands in accommodation costs, you can enjoy more of them throughout the year. Sometimes, this is the final push a parent needs to schedule more trips into nature.
With this advice, you’re sure to give camping another adventurous and wonderful shot.