Camping is one of the most popular outdoor recreational activities in the United States. Last year, about 50 million people went camping. Why is camping so popular?

About 80% of Americans have a sedentary job (that means they spend most of their time sitting). While we are slowly wasting

away under florescent lighting, we dream of the great outdoors. Fresh air, beautiful scenery, and lush landscapes fill our imaginations. You envision your kids running through a forest instead of a concrete jungle. Instead of hearing the sounds of traffic, you can start to hear the sounds of rushing water rapids.

For most Americans, a National Park is not far away. With 59 National Parks just in the US, the dreams of being surrounded by nature are easily attainable.

The most visited parks each year are the Great Smokey Mountains in Tennessee, Grand Canyon in Arizona, Zion in Utah, Yellowstone in Montana and Yosemite in California. These 5 parks continuously top the charts with 5+ million visitors each year. We have established that National Parks are great for the whole family – but why camping instead of a hotel? Let’s talk about me for a minute.

I do not camp in a tent. I do not sleep on the ground. I do not cook over an open fire in the ground. I like my little luxuries, such as indoor plumbing and a comfy mattress. That’s why, my whole life, I have taken an RV. I can take a little piece of home with me into the great outdoors. I have a kitchen, bathroom, shower, and bed.

I prefer RVs over hotels for the same reason – I can still have all the luxurious necessities but in a little piece of nature. I look outside the window and see trees, smell the grass, and hear the sounds of birds. This is the reason RV camping has been a rapidly growing industry – pulling in billions of dollars in 2016 alone. With your RV parked in a little slice of heaven, you can walk out the front door and go hiking, biking, and fishing – all the most popular outdoor recreational activities in the US.

The other reason to take an RV is the sights along the way.

Flying is quicker, sure, but you miss out on so much. It may take 2 days of driving to get to the National Park, but pretty much every route has a unique, interesting story to tell.

I drive from my home in Las Vegas to Lake Tahoe several times a year. Route 95 is pretty much a vast, empty landscape with a few exceptions. There are 2 towns I always stop in, Tonopah and Mina. They have populations of less than 100. This absolutely fascinates me because I’m a city girl, I grew up less than 10 minutes from Disneyland in California. I had a lot of questions for the locals. Where do you get groceries? What do you do for fun? Do you know everyone? They thought I was crazy, I thought they were charming. I learned all about their town, way of life, and how tourism keeps them thriving. I’ve probably made that drive 4 times in the past year and I stop every time to see my new friends. That kind of experience you do not get in an airplane.