The great outdoors.
A tent, cabin, or RV.
A lake, trees, and sunshine.
Whether you’re new to camping or someone that has done it for some time, the activity contains great benefits for its participants. For urban dwellers, camping represents a respite from the hustle and bustle of a city. For those living out in the country, camping represents an opportunity to go to a secluded destination, with wildlife and peace.
According to the 2014 American Camper Reports, 40.1 million Americans or 14% of the U.S. population over age six camped in 2013. It appears that regular outdoor activities as a children are a precursor to camping: 57% of campers participated in regular outdoor activities as children, while just one quarter of non-participants were exposed to the outdoors.
Camping, for many, represents a return to a more even keeled and simple life. Campers may choose to camp in tents, travel in recreational vehicles (RVs), or even rent a cabin in the woods or on a campground. It is simplicity to return to the great outdoors; birds, squirrels, deer, and other wildlife provide a measure of connecting with nature.
Other aspects of camping that are attractive include lakes, which rest peacefully in an enclosed wooden area. Lakes can draw out positive emotions in people; they create a sense of calmness, that even stilled surface, and can reduce stress on a day to day life.
That stress is particularly one reason why individuals sometimes go camping. Stress can cause a host of ills, including:
- Physical symptoms such as headaches, back pain, aches in the body.
- Mental symptoms such as being anxious, depressed, even fatigue and lethargy.
- Disruptions of anger; vengeful thinking; snapping at people; and more.
In fact, camping and being away from activities that induce that stress can lower stress levels quickly. The calmness of nature can provide a peace of mind, while returning to an earlier way of life (in human history) can put the daily job and stress in perspective.
Camping is also particularly helpful for children. In a study by the Institute of Education at Plymouth University, 98% of parents said camping makes their kids appreciate and connect with nature. This is valuable as more and more children are not participating in outdoor activities.
That same study showed that 95% of parents believe their kids were happier when camping and 93% felt that it provided useful skills for later life. This shows that camping is a family activity and can be perfect to spend time with the family in nature and away from the hustle and bustle of daily life.
Camping is certainly big business, drawing in $5 billion in some years. One of the areas of revenue, and a part of camping that all adult campers have to think about is where to sleep. Most will likely buy tents and sleep under the stars, but many have turned to rentals to find shelter in the wilderness.
A cabin rental is particularly valuable in the mountains, where seclusion and the lay out the land may not permit many campgrounds in the area. Cabins for rent can be sought after online; in addition, many individuals offer their cabins for accommodation using Airbnb, the online website that connects individuals with individuals that own property.
Rentals may also provide a private bathroom and shower, something campgrounds lack.
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