How Do I Know if Camping is Right For Me?

Camping is such a personal decision, and currently super trendy, but I have a good way for you to figure out if it’s right for YOU before you jump on the bandwagon and purchase one. You wouldn’t believe how many people I personally know who have hastily purchased, only to not enjoy the camping lifestyle, and sold their trailer. 

We started RV camping as a family back in 2013. Having a large family (8 kids if you’re new here) really limited us and while I’m the first person to admit that I love a good boujee hotel (or villa or house), I’m also the first to admit that hotel vacationing with a lot kids is not my favorite. For real. 

Hotels with Kids 

Let’s just chat the most popular family accommodations for now- hotels. In a hotel with kids, you’re limited to that one room (or two). It’s a VERY limited space. And while many families are constantly on the go during a vacay, essentially only sleeping in the hotel, my family is not that family. We enjoy some attractions and events here and there, but being fairly introverted as a whole, means we spend several hours a day cooped up together in a room. With 8 kids. EIGHT. *shivers* ha! 

Travel Options 

We love traveling, so we had to figure out the best way to travel better with a big fam. Hotels were an obvious cluster. Houses to fit us are super expensive. Condos were a mix between the two. Guys, we have tried it all. Camping seemed like the obvious solution: it’s essentially an extension of your own home on wheels that you can bring with you and retreat to. I was sold. Except…. I’m a type 5 Enneagram and NEED to KNOW FOR SURE before I spend money on an investment like that! 😅 So, I researched until I was blue and found out we had the option to book on-site RV rentals at campgrounds! YES! Today, there are more rental options, such as RVShare or renting from a dealership, but back in 2013, these options either weren’t offered or they were definitely not as accessible as they are today. After a week of searching, I finally found on, Adventure Bound Camping a few hours away, in Gatlinburg, TN. 

What to Expect while Renting an RV 

When you book an on-site rental, the campground will let you know details, but usually you have to bring everything. And I mean, EVERYTHING. So, I kept it in the back of my mind that these trips would take a LOT more work than if we owned our own RV and kept most things stocked. I’m fine with prep work (hello! I have 8 kids 

and homeschool), so that didn’t bother me. In a sense, it added to the adventure for me. 

But I needed answers: Are we “Campground People”? Do we like the scenery and the outdoors enough? Do we jive with the campground vibe? How do we feel about the style of vacation where our accommodations are a large part of the actual vacation? Do we like the amenities? Will we feel the constant need to leave the campground? Do we enjoy staying in an actual RV? And so on. 

The Camping Verdict 

We did. We loved every bit of it. It just FIT us, our lifestyle, our sense of adventure, our family. It just made sense. Even if I need downtime, my kids get to ride bikes, play outside, go fishing, play on the playground, do kid activities, play sports, or just hang out and play games or cards. I don’t have to leave. Camping life provided us with relief, calm, enjoyable vacations I didn’t think were possible with such a large gaggle of kiddos. We enjoyed the campground family style vibe. We enjoyed the outdoors and the views and the lakes and the nature. We enjoyed each other more. 

FOMO Camping 

So, if you’re having FOMO of all of these new “2020 campers” out there buying all of the motorhomes— my advice to you is slow down, do your due diligence and try it out before jumping in. You’ll appreciate your final decision (whatever it is), so much more if you do. 

Happy Camping! 🏕