With Spring and warmer weather right around the corner, more and more people are gearing up for outdoor activities like camping, fishing, rollerblading, biking, hiking, or any other outdoor activity one might enjoy during the warmer months. Spending time outdoors is not only exciting and fun, but it’s a good part of a healthy lifestyle and can help reduce stress built up over the week from work and family obligations.
One of the most popular outdoor activity at the moment is camping. In fact, popularity towards camping has and is increasing across all age groups, with an estimated 3 million more Americans camping in 2012 than in previous years. Camping is one of this versatile outdoor activities because it can accommodate other types of activities, like hiking, fishing, hunting, rafting, and more. Because of the growing popularity surrounding camping, it’s no wonder that consumer spending on camping supplies is increasing. Each year in the U.S., consumers drop an estimated $1.8 billion on camping equipment as they work hard to check off items on their camping checklist.
Fortunately, all that equipment is actually getting used. On average, campers typically went on four to five camping trips in 2012, and many chose to camp in public campgrounds. Many camping trips are taken with friends, about 70% to be exact, which may be one of the attractive things about camping. Not only is it easy to incorporate other activities into a camping trip, but it’s one of those kinds of trips that is made more fun with friends and family.
Because it’s easy to incorporate other activities into a camping trip, more and more people are hiking, fishing, or hunting. In 2014 along, an estimated 38.05 million people went hiking in the U.S., and over 38 million people hunt and fish. In fact, avid hunters spend about $1,638 each year on equipment.
So when planning a camping trip and preparing for all the other activities you’ll be taking part in while on the trip, it would be wise to make a camping checklist and carefully check it over before departing for the wilderness. Some things to include would be camping gear, hiking gear, or hunting gear. If fishing is in the plans, swing by a fishing shop to stock up on everything you’ll need for a fun filled adventure. Camping can be a wonderful, refreshing type of vacation if prepared for correctly!
