If you want to get away from home, camping is usually the most cost effective way to do it if you already have the gear. Even if you don't, buying camping gear that you can use again and again might make more economic sense than booking a hotel. Big box stores such as Target will usually sell the basics for a reasonable price. Big 5 is also a good place shop for camping gear, and it frequently has good sales. REI and Bass Pro are also fun stores with everything under the sun, but be aware that they are quite pricey. Renting some gear can also be done through REI or borrowing from a from a friend might be an option. If you already have a truck or SUV and are lucky enough to have managed to save up a few thousand dollars for a vacation, consider this. A small pop up trailer can be equivalent to the cost of a short trip or cruise, but you will get years of use out of it.
Finding Camping Spots
One of the great things about camping is that there are so many places to do it. Campgrounds are everywhere, and if you look around, you can probably find several within a few hours driving distance. If you are a member of AAA, just stop in and ask for a camp book and map for your geographic area of interest. These books list pertinent information about selected public and private campgrounds. There are also guides to campgrounds all over the internet, and you will find links to some of my favorite sites below.
State and National Parks
I have been camping all over the United States and have discovered that State and National Parks are, by far, the best places to camp. They usually charge in the neighborhood of $20.00 per night and have the best scenery. They have numerous programs and activities that are fun and free. One thing to keep in mind is that there is some variation as to the number of amenities offered, especially in California. Some of these campgrounds have stores, shower, and laundry facilities while others may have nothing more than a pit toilet, spigot, and fire ring. The trade off is that the more rugged camping is frequently cheaper and located in some of the more beautiful spots. There are also some county park systems that have campgrounds. There are two very good websites that list most of the public campgrounds around the country. Go to Reserve America for both State and National Parks or Recreation.gov for National Parks. You can also make reservations using these sites if the campground takes them. Reserve America charges an additional reservation fee. Recreation.gov does not. Some campgrounds only have first come, first served policies. If you plan to camp in California and your campground takes reservations, I would recommend doing so because they can get full quickly. This is also true of the more popular campgrounds such as Yellowstone in other parts of the country. Finding a camp site in Yosemite is almost in possible unless you book it several months in advance.
Forest Campgrounds
National Forest or State Forest Campgrounds are another option. They are typically even less expensive per night, anywhere from free to about $10. They are often located in beautiful and wild settings. However, they are typically of the more rugged variety. They usually have only pit toilets and may or may not have a water source. They rarely accept reservations. Forest camping lists information about all the campgrounds operated by the U.S. Forest Service. Look up the individual state to find state forest campgrounds.
Private Campgrounds and RV Parks
There are also many beautiful private campgrounds to be found. Typically the have more amenities available. Sometimes they are more oriented toward RV campers but plenty of them also have spaces for tent campers. KOA is one example of this type or campground and these are widely available. Go Camping America is also a good site for finding private campgrounds. While I have stayed in some beautiful private campgrounds, I usually don't recommend RV parks even if you have an RV. I have only stayed at them in a pinch. I don't think they deliver a very good camping experience and they usually cost two to four times more than a public campground. There are some that are not bad though if you don't mind the parking lot style camping experience. I like this little site called RV Park Hunter because it includes a lot of pictures.
Dry Camping
If you are really adventurous, on a very tight budget, or both of these, you can try dry camping. Dry camping or boondocking refers to camping that has no facility at all. Either you hike into the wilderness and pitch a tent or stop off the side of the road someplace and set up camp. For this you have to have your own water and dig a hole to deposit your unmentionables. Obviously, there is no nightly fee for this, but I don't recommend it unless you know what you are doing. Also, you have to be careful that you are not camping on private land or public land that prohibits dry camping. There are many spots in forests where it is legal to do this. See boondocking.org for some advice on free camping spots.
Camping as a Base
You don't necessarily have to think of camping as your primary activity. Let's say you want to visit a given location, but you don't want to spend hundreds of dollars on a hotel. A campground is a great alternative as a place to sleep. It can get a little tricky finding nice campgrounds close to some points of interest, so you might need to do a little research. It is best to do this in the summertime, but winter is also an option if you live in a warmer climate and you don't mind a little overnight chill. Also, as I learned on a trip across the U.S., it is best to carry a weather band radio with you and be aware that in some places you might need to get a last minute hotel room if you want to avoid being carried off by a tornado.
If you have any questions about camping, feel free to ask. I have camped numerous times in many types of locations and conditions. Also, this post is specifically about camping and not backpacking. Backpacking can also make a great money saving vacation, but it is an entirely different type of camping that I have not done in a very long time.
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