We love camping. Just like that. My parents were campers. In fact, I don’t remember us ever going to a hotel as a child. The few times my parents were able to enjoy a few days of vacation were always camping, except for a couple of visits we made to some friends in Almeria, where we stayed at their house. I remember that at that time you could camp more or less anywhere.
There were summers when my father had no days off and what they did was to set up the tents somewhere very close to home. This way, even though he had to leave every morning for work, for us it was as if we were all on vacation.
Besides, as they used to do it together with 3 or 4 other couples of friends, who were in the same situation… Imagine how much fun all of us kids had together. I have wonderful memories of that time. So being able to live these same experiences with my kids is something I love.
Find your ideal campsite
It is true that campsites have their drawbacks. Generally, the biggest of them is the “lack of comfort”, especially if you travel in a tent. You have to sleep on mattresses on the ground, sometimes it’s a bit cold, sometimes very hot, you have to carry a lot of things…
By the way, I have a list to go camping that I print every time we go on vacation. That way I don’t forget anything. Besides, sometimes they are far away from the towns, so you have to take the car for everything. But, in spite of that, in my opinion, the good things far outweigh those inconveniences.
What’s more, nowadays, with the enormous offer of campsites, you’re sure to find one that suits you. It’s all a matter of looking for a campsite that fits what you need to really enjoy your vacation.
The first thing is to think about the destination of your vacation. For me, it is one of the most important things. Because, although we will spend a lot of time at the campsite, I love to go out and get to know the surroundings.
Oh, and if you don’t want to sleep in a tent, in most campsites you will find bungalows or mobile homes. In them, you will be almost at home. They usually have their own bathroom, equipped kitchen, TV, porch with table and chairs… And they come in different sizes. For large families like ours, it is a really great option.
Advantages of camping
For me the advantages are many, to be honest. And the first of them, without a doubt, is the price. In our case, we usually travel in a tent to reduce the cost of the trip. Being five people and having to travel in August almost always, the budget for accommodation shoots up a lot. That was our main reason for buying a big tent. We can spend many days at a campsite at a very affordable price.
Bungalows and mobile homes are more expensive and in the middle of summer they usually have a minimum number of days for booking, but usually, if we plan our vacations well in advance we can get deals.
The facilities are another of the strong points of the campsites. It is true that it depends a lot on the campsite you go to, but the truth is that nowadays improvements in facilities are something they all work on. In general, they usually have sports courts and most of them have swimming pools where you can refresh yourself. In summer it is common to have entertainment for both children and adults.
And there are some campsites that are real resorts where you have many services such as gym, classes, hairdresser, bars and restaurants, supermarkets and even spa and beauty and wellness treatments.
Despite all these facilities, camping usually gives you the feeling of being in closer contact with nature. Especially if you are looking for a campsite in the mountains, in a forest or on the beach. The feeling of leaving your tent or your bungalow and seeing trees, mountains… Or the immense sea! Without the noise of the cars, with a sky full of stars…
But what we like most of all is the tranquility and freedom they give you. You can manage your schedule as you want (within the limitations of the campsite, obviously. It’s not about not letting anyone sleep or wanting to take a bath at ten o’clock at night).
You are in an enclosed area that provides certain tranquility and security as far as children are concerned. The fact that they can go from here to there with minimal surveillance is something they love. Not to mention the teenagers. Knowing that they can wander around the campsite on their own, with the group of friends they make, is something they love. And in the campsites, they always make new friends.