i don't mind camping i can see that it could save a ton of money after a year or two and you've aquired all the gear needed to have a great camping experience.. we don't camp but do rent a koa cabin for a night of two wich is cheaper than a hotel and they have pools and stuff to do at the bigger parks. we get the experience of camping but we get a cabin(wich my boys think is the coolest).

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fALL SEVEN TIMES STAND UP EIGHT!

We camped at Fort Wilderness in Disney and LOVED it and saved a ton. Camping was $40.00 per night ( with really close and clean bathrooms and HOT showers ) and the cheapest hotel on Disney property was almost $200.00! We camp all of the time...we slowly bought things at yard sales and ebay and now we are set for anything.

Same with us. We're canoes on our heads, deep woods, pack our food in, campers. We've also camped at other sites too. We don't do it to save money though (although it is cheaper). We camp because we enjoy it. The savings is just an added bonus.

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We camp because we love too. We have a RV so it's like a small apt. If you add up the camping fee this year it will be $23.00 a night, (elect. & water) the camp ground has showers too, can't find a hotel for that. We bring all our food and just veg out for a week. Sometimes we go and do something, but it is free or close to free. When we camp in the Upper part of Michigan we take a whole day and climb waterfalls, pinic on a beach, hike, etc.

One year we went to Maine, New York, Canada
One year to Tenn.
One year to West Vir.
Three times the Upper part of Michigan (UP)
Three times the West side of Michigan
This year we are staying in Michigan but going to a part we have not been to yet North East part.
Next year it will be North or South Carilonia.

Would like to start going to the west part of the USA, never been past the Mississippi River.

Gosh I really want to go camping now (minus the bug bites)!!!

We have camped to save money. We stayed at Lake Gaston, NC for a few bucks a night. I have no idea what hotels would be. I guess around $100 a night.

We like camping for the experience not for saving money. We like tent camping but are also planning to get an RV. The RV would be for major trips. If you factor in the cost of the RV you are obviously not saving anything. We "camp" all summer at our river place. We have a mobile home that I'd like to light a torch under. It is old and a pain to keep up. I'll be glad when we save up enough for the RV!!

If you want to travel in an RV you will definately be forking out some serious money for gas these days.

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Heather
Mom to three dd 14, ds 8, dd 5

When the kids were younger (pre-junior high), we used to take our pop-up camper out almost every weekend and loved it. We also took it on 2 big trips (St. Louis & South Dakota). It did save us money on those trips, however, if you are not an outdoors person, I don't see the benefit of paying for a camper unless you will use it regularly.

Our latest big trip to Colorado was planned well in advance, and we got pretty decent hotel rates. I think it would have been financially about a wash in the cost between camping/hotel rates, due to the lack of vacancy at the campgrounds near where we wanted to stay. Camping out in bear country with a pop-up was a no-no anyway. The kids enjoyed having one vacation with hotels, as we were dog tired at the end of the day and just wanted to crash.

When the kids got older, and their weekends were lost to other activities, we sold the camper.

That is unfortunate but true. We're hoping we can get one cheaply since people will be trying to get rid of them. Ours will be parked in the same spot most of the time! We have a permanent campground style lot.

I agree with a previous pp - startup costs of camping gear is expensive. We now have everything we need, but it cost quite a bit to acquire it all. As for saving money - not really sure about that. The grounds we go to, with no hookup, just a place to pop a tent - is $37/night +$2 extra per person over the allotted 2, so for us its $43/night. Plus food - that always gets expensive as I never know what everyone wants to eat, you need meals, snacks, water bottles, etc... and alcoholic beverages! :-)

This is really the only way we go on vacation. My entire family gets together and we all share one or two sites (depending on how many people are coming!) We normally do it the holiday weekends when everyone can get together.

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