Every year, when summer vacation comes around, many people head towards the beach where they know they’ll have lots of fun in the sun. They shop at the local stores and eat at cozy cafes, and spend a whopping amount of money. Some years, though, are a little skimpier than others. Money is a bit tighter and the thousands you would spend at a theme park or beach vacation simply aren’t there. That’s okay. You and your family can still have a fabulous time this summer for a fraction of the cost. You can swim, play video games, go boating and much more, to have one of the most memorable vacations ever.
Often, when we settle for the next best thing, we end up finding out that it was much better than we thought. So, you don’t get to go to the beach this year; you can still have fun in the water and fun in the sun. Check out campgrounds in the town you’ve chosen for your vacation, or even locally. Most towns have a local campground and large towns have several. If you’ve never been, you’ll be astonished at how much they have to offer.
Even though a campground suggests you’ll be roughing it, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Some people set up their campers, and others set up tents, but you don’t necessarily have to do either. One option is to rent a cabin or camper on the grounds. Another choice is to stay at a hotel – or your own house – and just be a visitor to the campground. Many of them charge by the car load and that charge is minimal. The visitor price allows you to do most anything at the camp. However, there is sometimes a small, additional charge, per head, for pool privileges.
Upon entering the campgrounds you’ll definitely see lots of people walking around. Some are on their way to the pool; others just finished swimming. People are on their decks or in their yards grilling. Look around some more and you’ll see people participating in all sorts of outdoor sports or hanging out in the video room. There’s activity everywhere.
If you choose a campground which is set up beside a lake you have access to boating, water skiing and more. If the camp isn’t by a lake you can still swim in the pool. Other things available at most campgrounds include indoor showers, video games, horseshoes, a DJ or live music on the weekends, dancing and the chance to meet lots of new people. Many people live at the campground and others just visit for a day or a weekend. You’ll find that the intermingling of people while doing campground activities creates new friendships rapidly.
If you intend to set up a camper while on vacation you’ll see that the sites are usually very tiny and, often, you’re shoulder-to-shoulder with neighboring campers. Because of that, the campgrounds generally have a feel of a tiny, tight-knit community. However, newcomers are always welcome. Don’t be surprised if strangers see you walking by and invite you to join their cookout.
Be advised that many campgrounds allow drinking on the grounds. Others permit it as long as the alcohol bottles are not in sight. But, some campgrounds forbid alcohol on the premises at all. It’s good to know ahead of time in case you’ll be wanting a few beers or in case you don’t want your kids exposed to other people drinking around them.
Whether you’re a single person, a couple, or a family with kids, you’ll find lots of fun things to do – for very little money – when you visit a nearby campground. One note: statewide or nationwide campgrounds are often much more expensive than a local campground. Check online or in the phone book then call to see what all the campground offers and what the visitor prices are. You’ll be pleasantly surprised!
