Five to six hours of high school homework on a weekend. Two early morning and one evening marching band practice a week. Church youth group meetings on Wednesday night. Volunteer service hours on Sunday afternoon serving dinner at a local shelter.
Those are just the out of school activities and time commitments. Add in the entire school week for children and the entire work week for adults and families find themselves with little time to relax.
If the above scenario sounds like the hectic schedule that your family keeps, you may be looking for options that will help you slow the pace and actually talk about all of the fun that children are having at band, at church, at the local shelter, and at school. Family camping vacations can provide rest, relaxation, and adventure.
Camping Can Help Families Unplug and Spend Time Connecting to Each Other
Today’s digital world keeps us connected. It can also be exhausting. Responding to constant emails, texts, and social media updates is a 24/7 task. Family camping vacations, however, can provide a break from the digital world and encourage family members to connect face to face, without the interruptions of cell phones. Although Wifi is available in many camping locations, a number of families make family camping vacations a “no technology” event. Separated from the constant messages of friends, work, school, and family, vacations can be about surrounding yourself with nature and silence.
Whether you are camping in Oklahoma or cabin camping in Missouri, these breaks from everyday responsibilities are needed. Going to bed early when it gets dark or sleeping in after the sunrise, campers can set their own schedules and determine how busy they want to be. A teenage daughter who wakes up before her siblings can lounge in the tent or the cabin and read if she wants. Or, she can get up and enjoy a morning hike or a run away from busy city streets.
Family Vacation Cabins Can Provide Comfort and Solitude
While many families love the idea of tent camping, other families enjoy an experience that includes more modern conveniences. This group may enjoy cabin camping. Protected from the elements, cabins can provide a shared family space for meals and card and board games, while at the same time providing privacy at the end of a long day. Cabins are available in a variety of styles and price ranges. If money is no object, families can find cabin accommodations that match the comfort of home. If vacationers are looking for a less expensive option, they can rent cabins that still keep them away from the elements, but are more rustic.
Family camping vacations that incorporate cabins allow families the opportunity to go out on day boating, hiking, or fishing adventures and still return to the comforts of home. Some vacation cabin rentals are very popular and need to be reserved months, if not a full year, in advance. SOme families find favorite locations that they like to return to year after year, while other families like the adventure of trying out a variety of locations.
As an example of how varied camping experiences can be, consider the following statistics collected by the American Camp Report:

• 10% of campers between the ages of 18 and 34 like to go cabin camping.
• The average camper travels a distance of 186.7 miles for his or her camping trips.
• 87% of campers participated in a variety of outdoor activities while they were out camping.
• In the year 2010, nearly 40 million people went camping for a total of 515 million outings
• In the year 2013, 40.1 million Americans, 14% of the U.S. population over age six, camped.
• 99% of camping participants say they are “likely” or “very likely” to go camping again.

Perhaps it should not be surprising that camping is a popular American activity. While the fun of athletic practices, marching band competitions, and community service work is a great way to spend the hours after school and work, many are just looking for a way to relax. Simpler meals, simpler schedules, and simpler accommodations make camping a sought after experience. And while we all want our children to enjoy their friends, we also want to enjoy their families as well.