The idea of sleeping in a field with little to no home comforts might not sound rewarding, but to many thousands of happy campers, it is. In fact, there are lots of reasons to choose camping as a vacation. Whether you’ve had a bad experience or never camped before, here are just a handful of reasons as to why you should go camping on your next holiday.

It’s cheap

Compared to other forms of accommodation, camping is extremely cheap. You don’t even have to pay to stay in a campsite – if you’re prepared to go wild camping, you could have a holiday for free. For people on a budget that want to travel, camping can be the answer.

It can be a chance to connect with nature

Camping allows you to wake up to beautiful views and fresh air – it could be a welcome break if you live in an urban environment. You can pitch up your tent overlooking a lake or a mountain and spend the evening watching the sunset. Yes, there’s the possibility of rain and bugs, but these can be defended against with gazebos and mosquito nets.

It can be a chance to get away from technology

If the kids won’t remove themselves from the TV and play outside, or you’re tired of staring at a computer screen all day, a camping trip can be a great technology detox. You may even be able to find somewhere with no wi-fi and phone signal so that you cut yourself off from the outside world completely and remind yourself of the basic pleasures of life.

However, it doesn’t have to basic…

For all those that prefer their luxuries, there is the option of ‘glamping’. Rather than building your own tent, you can stay in a pre-erected yurt with electricity, heating, wi-fi and raised beds. You can also bring luxuries with you to make your camping trip homelier. You’ll be surprised what you can find at a camping store – there are portable refrigerators and electric grills and solar generators to consider. You can even half-camp by investing a caravan or a motorhome.

It can be great family time

Camping forces the family together, which can help you all to bond. You can all sit around a campfire at night and play games without the distractions of home life.

You can go camping anywhere

One of the major perks of camping is that you can camp anywhere. Campsites are often favored because they have amenities such as showers and sinks to wash up plates and cups. However, you don’t have to stay in a campsite and you can choose practically any location you want to camp out providing it’s safe and legal. In many rural locations such as forests and national parks, there are no rules regarding where you can camp allowing you to pick the perfect location to wake up to. You don’t even have to travel far – you could camp out in your garden if you wanted.