It is commonly assumed that a longer vacation will give a person more fun, more excitement, and more overall satisfaction. There’s nothing wrong with a longer vacation, especially if the budget allows, but in many cases, shorter weekend camping trips can provide a greater amount of benefits, enjoyment and relaxation than fewer, longer vacations. The logic behind choosing to plan regular weekend camping trips may seem less logical than choosing to plan a single large vacation, but in reality, the benefits of a shorter vacation outweigh those of a longer vacation.
The Planning Burden That Can Ruin Great Vacations
Planning a great vacation requires a great deal of time and energy. When planning a big vacation, the traveler should reserve accommodation in advance; get time off work; organize pet care; secure mail and home security; etc When all these details have been arranged, the traveler feels great pressure to ensure that the vacation is a success. In contrast, weekend camping trips typically require very little planning and therefore the traveler does not feel as much of a burden to ensure that every detail of the trip is perfect.
Weekend camping trips eliminate most of the planning needed for other types of trips. For example, to go camping for the weekend, a traveler only needs to pack up the car on Friday after work and drive a couple of hours to the destination, set up camp, enjoy two days of camping, and then return home on Sunday. Unlike big vacations, weekend camping trips don’t require travelers to book hotel rooms, purchase airline tickets, or plan elaborate itineraries. Therefore, weekend camping trips offer a low barrier to entry and allow travelers to go camping more frequently. In fact, a family may only be able to afford to take a major vacation once a year, but they can easily go camping ten weekends in a row. The accumulated experience of those ten weekends can exceed the experience of a single week of vacation. Additionally, since weekend camping trips allow travelers to visit a wider variety of locations and campgrounds throughout the year, travelers can gain more experience and develop more confidence in their camping skills.
The reality of costs that most people don’t consider
Long vacations can be quite expensive. Lodging alone can be expensive, with prices ranging from $100 to $500 per night for a family of four. And this does not include additional expenses such as meals, activities, fuel and incidentals. As a result, a family of four can easily spend thousands of dollars on a great vacation.
In contrast, weekend camping trips are relatively inexpensive. Many campgrounds charge between $30 and $50 per night for a family site, which would be between $60 and $100 for a two-night stay. Additionally, travelers can purchase firewood, groceries, and gasoline to use on their camping trip, and the total expense for the entire weekend can range from $150 to $250. If a family were to camp ten weekends in a row, the total expense would be between $1,500 and $2,500, which is significantly less than the cost of a single large vacation.
Investment in camping equipment pays for itself quickly
Although the initial cost of purchasing a camper trailer It may seem like a significant investment, the cost of owning a caravan can be offset by eliminating the cost of renting accommodation on future camping trips. Plus, having a camper can make camping easier and more convenient for families. Since RVs are essentially portable homes, families can arrive at their campsite, hook up the utilities, and start using the trailer immediately. Once the family returns home, they can wash the dishes, clean the bathroom, and put the clothes in the trailer. Plus, owning a camper can save families money in the long run as they won’t have to pay for rent on hotel rooms or the cost of eating in restaurants.
Spontaneity provides benefits
Because weekend camping trips can occur spontaneously, families can be more flexible and adaptable in terms of scheduling. Families who want to go camping can check the weather forecast on a Friday afternoon, see that the weekend is looking good, and decide to go. At the end of the day, they may be on their way to camp. This lack of structure allows families to relax and enjoy themselves without the pressure and expectations associated with longer vacations.
Plus, spontaneous weekend camping trips encourage experimentation and creativity. Families can try a new campground, explore a new region, and experiment with a new method of camping. Because weekend camping trips are shorter and less formal than longer vacations, families can try new things and adjust plans depending on how things are going. If a particular type of camp doesn’t work, families can simply return home and try again the next weekend.
Flexibility creates sustainability
Another benefit of spontaneous weekend camping trips is that they allow families to schedule camping around their lives rather than forcing them to postpone their lives during a vacation. Families with children often have events scheduled on the weekends, including school sports. Families can choose weekends when kids have free schedules and plan camping trips accordingly. Similarly, families whose work schedules are unpredictable may skip weeks when work is very busy and go camping more frequently when things calm down. By being able to adapt to schedule changes, families can continue to enjoy camping regularly rather than trying to cram the entire camp into a single week.
The cumulative experience of frequent exposure to nature
Studies have shown that exposure to nature can have positive effects on mental health and well-being. However, studies suggest that these benefits do not come from the total number of hours spent in nature, but from the frequency and consistency of exposure. Spending time in nature consistently, even for a short period of time, can help reduce stress and improve well-being.
Because weekend camping trips allow families constant exposure to nature, they can help support mental health. When families go camping regularly, they establish a routine of spending time outdoors, whether it’s a couple of hours or the entire weekend. Additionally, families who go camping regularly often look forward to their next camping trip and reflect on their previous trips, which can contribute to a sense of calm and satisfaction.
Long vacations often disrupt family routines, causing major disruptions to daily life. Families must rush to get out of town, take some time to relax at the beginning of the vacation, and then rush to return home. By contrast, weekend camping trips are generally easy transitions. Families can pack up and leave early in the morning and then return to their normal routine upon returning home. Additionally, since families go camping regularly, the transition from camping to non-camping is less dramatic and therefore less stressful.
Camping Skills Improve Through Repetition
As with many other activities, the skills used in camping improve with practice. The more a family camps, the more proficient they become at setting up and breaking down camp, preparing meals over a campfire, dealing with inclement weather, reading topographic maps, lighting campfires, and other important aspects of camping. With consistent practice, families can become more efficient and confident in their camping skills.
Since families who go camping regularly tend to develop their skills gradually, their camping trips become less stressful and more enjoyable. Families who go camping infrequently are forced to learn new skills each time they go, which can be frustrating and overwhelming.
Memories are more distinctive when experiences are shorter
One surprising aspect of weekend camping trips is that families can create more distinctive memories from their weekend camping trips than from a single week vacation. While a week-long vacation can be fun and memorable, individual days often blend together and are difficult to remember. At the end of a week’s vacation, many families report feeling a general sense of adventure and relaxation, but cannot specifically remember individual days or events.
In contrast, weekend camping trips are more likely to be remembered individually because they are spaced out and varied. Each weekend has its own unique characteristics, such as weather, scenery, and adventures. Because families create different memories for each of their weekend camping trips, the total memory bank created by combining all of their weekend camping trips tends to be larger than the memory bank created from a single week of vacation.
Children remember variety and frequency more than duration
When families travel with young children, children tend to remember experiences based on variety and frequency rather than duration. A child who goes camping six different weekends during the year is more likely to remember specific events and experiences from each trip than a child who goes camping for just one week’s vacation. This is because each weekend offers different weather conditions, different activities and different adventures that remain etched in the child’s memory.
Make it work long term
The advantage of camping on weekends is not that it completely replaces an extended vacation. Rather, frequent short trips are more sustainable as a regular practice because they fit more easily into life, cost less, require less planning, and offer benefits that accrue over time.
Families who camp regularly on weekends often find that they still occasionally take longer trips, but those big vacations become perks and not the only time they get away. Weekend trips maintain a continuous connection to outdoor spaces and camping routines, while extended vacations provide opportunities for more ambitious destinations or experiences.
The key is to recognize that more is not always better when it comes to vacation length. Sometimes frequency beats duration, spontaneity beats elaborate planning, and simple regular getaways beat rare and complex adventures. Weekend camping trips work because they are achievable, repeatable, and add up to something bigger than their individual parts. They are not a commitment when it is not possible to spend a real vacation. They represent a completely different approach and, for many families, a better one that provides more consistent joy, stronger memories and greater overall value than the traditional model of saving everything for one big annual vacation.
