14 Great Reasons To Go Camping

Did you really need any more reasons to go camping?

Well, in case you’re on the fence and haven’t made any big camping plans for the season yet, here are 10 great reasons to get out and go camping this summer.

The Outdoors Are Good For Your Physical Health

The health benefits of getting outdoors could more than fill up this entire post alone. You will find that getting outdoors, camping specifically, will improve your physical health in ways you never thought of.

Boost Vitamin D – This one is simple, more natural sunshine = more vitamin D. Vitamin D increases bone health, muscle strength, lean body mass, helps skin disorders and more (check out 25 more benefits of vitamin d here).

Increase Endorphins which are natural pain and stress fighters.

Burn More Calories: On average you can burn around 300 calories per hour when out camping if you have a moderately active camping trip.

– Rowing burns 250 calories per hour

-Hiking & Backpacking burns 500 calories per hour.

-Walking burns 200 calories per hour.

-Playing with children burns 200 calories per hour.

We could go on about the health benefits of camping and getting outdoors, but I think you get the point.

Create Life Lasting Memories With Your Family

I have so many great memories from camping as a child. When I say great, honestly many of them may not have seemed great at the time, but it’s those disastrous trips that create the best memories.

For example, when I was in the third grade I remember camping with my older brother and sister in some woods on our farm where we grew up. After we all went to bed, my brother woke up and decided he wanted to go inside and sleep, soon after my sister woke up and was scared that my brother had left so she to went inside. I woke up around midnight as the most terrified 3rd grader on the planet and darted back to my house crying the entire way.

I have many more from crazy camping neighbors to incredible storms weathered in a shaky tent. But I also have great memories with my wife and kids that far surpass movies watched on TV at home.

Learn Something New & Practical

Ever wanted to learn how to cook over an open fire? Want to learn to fly fish? Canoe? Kayak? Swim?

All these and more are wonderful things that you can learn out camping. On top of that, most Minnesota state parks offer different classes throughout the summer to their visitors so make sure to check the park office when checking in for any classes or activities going on the weekend of your camping trip.

Better Vision

This health benefit needed to be listed on it’s own because it sounds absolutely crazy. Getting outdoors gives your eyes a break from screen and what is known as Computer Vision Syndrome. This is fatigue in your eyes and can cause nearsightedness. Actually, kids who play at least 2 hours outside a day were 4 times less likely to be nearsighted that those who played outside for 1 hour a day.

Detach From Your Gadgets

This one is a personal favorite of mine. I’ve become so attached to my phone and iPad that I’ve been to the point of checking them first thing when I wake up and last thing when I go to bed. That’s not what I want.

Sometimes it takes something like a camping trip with no internet connection to make you realize that everything you’re checking in on doesn’t really matter.

Enjoy New Environments

If you love to travel and experience new places then camping is perfect for you. You may even find whole new worlds within an hour or two of your house that you never even knew existed, I know we’ve been shocked at some of the amazing campgrounds we’ve found even within 30 minutes of our home!

It’s A Cheap Vacation

While camping isn’t quite free, you do need a bit of gear and usually have to pay a campground fee, it is relatively cheap. Once you have invested in some quality camping gear, that gear will last for many years. Then you are only investing $20-$50 a night on a campground and whatever you spend on food (which, lets be honest, you’d probably spend as much or more at home).

The Food Tastes Better

This couldn’t be more true, and for multiple reasons. First, when you are out camping you are probably going to be trying some new and fun recipes (you can find some of our great recipes here) that you wouldn’t be trying at home.

And to make things even better, with all those calories you’ve burned off by being active all day, the food is going to taste amazing no matter what. Example: I had a trip to the BWCA with my brother where he packed all the food. He literally packed crackers, sausage and plain oatmeal for the entire trip. I thought it was going to be awful (I like these things, but for 5 days, that is super boring). It was actually great. After canoeing all day I devoured the food like it was candy.

Rekindle Relationships

With the hustle and bustle of kids, jobs, electronics, deadlines and bills, relationships can often times suffer from demanding and stressful lives. But by eliminating these distractions and interruptions you may just find it easy to spark up a slowed down relationship.

The same is true for your relationships with your kids as well. As a busy parent with busy kids, we all know that it can be difficult to find time to connect with your kids. Camping provides you with that uninterrupted time and helps you to really focus on one another.

Experience True Darkness (in a good way!)

My wife had never really been camping as a child. If I remember correctly she did an RV trip once, but that was it. One of the things that really stuck out to her was how dark night really was when I first took her to a secluded campsite. When your only source of light is the moon and stars, you will have a new appreciation for true darkness.

A benefit of this incredible darkness is some of the best star gazing you will experience. Open your tent roof or set your sleeping bags out under the stars and enjoy a great viewing experience.

Reset Your Sleep Cycle

When you expose yourself to only natural light, your internal clock quickly resets itself to rise with the sun and sleep shortly after sunset. Recent studies have shown that we actually sleep better when we set our sleep cycles with those of the sun. This is the way people have operated for thousands of years. Not to mention, camping gives you an excuse to go to bed by 9!

Meet New People

Camping gets you out from behind the walls, doors and cars of everyday life and sits you right in the middle of other people with just some trees and canvas in between (if you go to a standard family campground).

We have found that through our camping adventures we have met some really cool people such as the group of kids we played with all day at Willow River, Buddy at Gooseberry Falls and many more.

Campfires Were The Original TV’s

There is just something weirdly hypnotic about staring at a campfire. Pair that with a group of friends and family and you will find some of the best conversations you’ve ever had can be sparked.

It’s Fun

No explanation needed.

This post is part of our Camping For Beginners series.