Here are some reasons why I love camping and you should too!

Disclosure: Adam’s Garden of Eatin’ participates in affiliate marketing programs. There are some affiliate links below and I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post, but these are all products I highly recommend. I won’t put anything on this page that I haven’t verified and/or personally used.

Nature

Bring yourself closer to nature. Gain a stronger appreciation for what’s around you. Rent a cabin, take an RV, or pack a tent. Just go experience what nature has to offer. Go on a hike. Listen to the birds chirp. Watch something eat something. Hey, nature isn’t all safe and beautiful. It’s real. Experience it.

Lose Technology

Like most people, I make a living working on a computer, so camping offers a type of balance to me. I don’t go camping so I can check my emails and you shouldn’t either. Other than shooting pictures, I take a break from the smartphone. Practice swinging an axe and splitting some firewood. Learn to build a fire. I find that just the simple act of making coffee without a coffeemaker is satisfying.

Move

Exercise. We all need it. For the office worker, camping is a great way to get moving. Go hiking, play a game, go fishing, and break a sweat. Depending on how fancy your camping setup is, the process of setting up and breaking it down requires some work. I camp with a lot of stuff, so it’s a lot of work for me to set up camp. I usually keep a sweat towel handy during the process

Quiet

Need I say more? Cars, sirens, dogs, phone calls, alerts, emails, texts, etc… all fade away if you get away. You won’t find many things more relaxing, than listening to the river trickle or the crickets chirping outside your tent. No noise pollution. Just…quiet…Ahhh.

Quality Time

Camping is a great time to remember that there are actually real people connected to those profile pictures. Have an actual conversation and reconnect with friends and family. Sit around a campfire and learn to converse again. With no phones, you will actually have to explain what you like to people.

Alone

Hey, sometimes you just want to be alone. Pack up the backup and head out into the wilderness. Although riskier, a backpacker can find places that nobody will ever see. Isolation. Just be safe doing this. Let someone know before you go. You just want time alone. Not die alone.

Food

Camping food just tastes better. Hamburgers, hotdogs, chicken, ribs, marshmallows. They all taste better when mixed with fresh air. Cooking over a campfire can be tricky, but once you get the hang of it, the rewards are something no kitchen can replicate. Even just frying bacon over a campfire makes it taste that much better. I like to test my cast iron cooking skills when I go camping.

Cheap

Camping can be as cheap or as expensive as you want it to be. Buy a huge motorhome or set up a tarp between two trees. It’s totally up to you. Basic camping supplies, gas for travel, and a campground fee for the family are going to cost you way less than a family trip to Disney World.

Travel

The USA has some of the most scenic beauty in the world. Deserts, Mountains, Rivers, Prairies, Forests, etc….Take your pick and go experience some of it. National and state parks are great places to go camping. Do some research and find out what your state offers. You might be surprised to discover what’s in your own backyard.

Stars

Camping under the stars will make you feel small. Get out away from the city lights. Nighttime darkness displays some of the most beautiful starry scenery imaginable. When was the last time you actually looked up and stared at the stars? Camping is a great opportunity to do just that.

Skills

The frontiersman had all the skills needed to survive. Modern technology has eroded those skills. Camping is a great way to get some of those back. Make a fire from nothing. Teach a child to set up a tent. Catch, clean, and cook fish. Set a snare trap. These are skills that could end up saving your life one day. I mean have you seen The Revenant?