By Cole Van Lue

There I said it. Everyone should go camping (at least a few times in their lives). There are so many reasons why I think camping is important, but I am going to discuss the main ones here.

Building Memories

Camping is one of the best ways to make memories with others. Whether you are camping with your family or friends, the experiences and memories you will share will undoubtedly last a lifetime. You may forget that you got eaten alive by mosquitoes (maybe not), but you probably won’t forget the stories that were shared around the fire at night.

Enjoying the Outdoors

Most of us don’t spend as much time outdoors as we should. Camping allows us to immerse ourselves in nature. While camping, it is common to see plants and animals that we don’t see every day. Camping is a great reminder of how incredible our environment actually is.  

Escaping from Life

Of the reasons why you should camp, this is one of the most important. In today’s world, technology has taken over. We hardly take time away from our phones, TVs, and computers. Many people have their work emails on their phones, making it even harder to disconnect from reality. Camping is one of the few activities that allows us to drop everything and escape. While most of us appreciate things like the internet and TV, it is extremely nice to take a break every once and awhile. If you ever need to check out for a weekend, camping is a great way to do just that.

Fun Activities

Campgrounds have activities that are fun for the whole family. While every campground is different, most campgrounds have trails, playgrounds, lakes (some have pools), and countless other amenities. You can spend the day riding a bike, hiking, kayaking, or swimming. Many campgrounds also have fun activities for kids to do at different times. Regardless of what you plan to do, there will be something for everyone.

Food

Food tastes best on a campfire. In fact, some of the best meals I’ve had have come during camping trips. Often times we are too busy in our regular lives to take the time to cook meals that take a lot of effort, so camping provides the perfect opportunity to make those meals. One of my favorites is barbecue ribs slow cooked on the fire. Yum!

Camping is such a fun, inexpensive way to get out and enjoy nature. Next time you are looking to unplug and relax, consider going camping. You won’t regret it.