When going on vacation you may be wondering if it’s better to go camping or book a hotel to stay in. Both can have advantages and the one you choose will depend on the type of trip you’re taking, the experience you want, and the time of the season. To make this decision a bit easier for you, let’s take a look at the advantages of both hotels and camping.
Should You Book a Hotel or Campsite?
Both camping and staying in a hotel can offer many benefits, depending on what you want to get out of your trip. Both offer extremely different experiences and you should consider this before choosing one or the other. With that being said, there are times when it will be better to go camping and times when it will be better to stay in a hotel.
Camping, for instance, can provide a great break from the monotony and it can give you more freedom to enjoy your surroundings outside of the concrete jungle. However, in bad weather, you may want to seek shelter in a hotel. (Unless you’re planning on bringing an RV.)
Similarly, a hotel can be a good choice if you’re planning a trip to see a specific city and want to enjoy more urban activities. Consider the type of trip you want to take, and what you want to get out of it. This way, you can make the best decision for you and your traveling party.
Which Is Best For You?
If you’re still unsure about whether you should go camping or book a hotel room, let’s break down the specific advantages of both so that you can have a clearer idea about what each can provide. Because they both offer such different experiences, it’s important to have all of the facts so that you get everything that you want out of your trip.
The Advantages of Camping
Camping can have a lot of advantages, including cost, being close to nature, campfires, and the ability to bring pets along. If you’re opting to go camping in an RV, you can also enjoy being able to sleep in your own bed, and you won’t have to worry about potentially bringing home any nasty bedbugs. Let’s take a closer look at some of these benefits.
- The Cost of Camping: Hotels can be expensive, especially if you’re planning a long trip. With the average cost of hotel rooms in the US being $180 per night, compared to only $45 for most campgrounds, you can stand to save a lot when choosing to camp. Being able to save money every day can also allow you to put money towards other aspects of your trip, such as activities, entertainment, or dining. This means you can experience more without worrying about blowing past your budget.
- Being Close to Nature: If you live in the city or suburbs, getting close to nature can be difficult. Because of this, choosing to camp can be a welcome break from what you’re used to. It can also help you disconnect from the world more, and give you a chance to sit back and enjoy the natural wonders around you. Coupled with the money you’ll save, you can even use the opportunity to extend your trip so that you get as much downtime as possible.
- Bringing Your Pets: Pets deserve a vacation too and camping allows you to bring your four-legged friends along for the ride. While some hotels are pet-friendly, you usually will have to pay additional fees which can really cut into your budget. With camping, you can let your pets enjoy the trip right alongside you without worrying about paying extra or keeping them cooped up in a hotel room while you’re out.
Camping can provide a lot of benefits that are completely different from hotel rooms. These advantages should be carefully considered before making your final decision.
The Advantages of Hotels
With all of that being said about camping, hotels have some contending advantages of their own. For instance, they can provide security, easy access to restaurants and room service, complimentary breakfasts, and they’re usually close to a lot of activities. To put this into perspective, let’s take a closer look at a few of these benefits.
- Security: While they may cost more, you have the added benefit of knowing you’re in a secure location with personal security on-site. This can make people feel safer, especially if they are traveling alone. While most campgrounds are safe, knowing that you have 24/7 security can help put you at ease.
- Dining Options: Many hotels have restaurants attached to them or nearby. Most also offer complimentary breakfast to guests. This can be a nice bonus for guests as you won’t have to go far to grab a bite to eat. If you stay at a hotel in a city, you’ll also most likely have easy access to some fantastic five-star restaurants so that you’ll never grow bored of places to eat at.
- Close to Activities: Many hotels are also situated nearby to numerous activities and public transit. This can allow you to be able to easily get out and see different sites without worrying about renting a car or towing one behind your RV. Some hotels may even have on-site activities such as arcades and waterparks, making them great for families with kids.
As you can see, booking a hotel can have just as many tangible benefits that should be considered. This can make choosing a difficult decision, but it doesn’t have to be.
Wrapping It Up – The Decision
Now that you know the advantages of each option, you can start to consider which is best for your trip. Keep in mind the time of year you’ll be traveling — you may not want to go camping in the cold — and the types of activities you’ll want to be close to. Many campgrounds will be situated near areas with various outdoor activities, for example, while hotels may have more urban choices.
If you’re going to be traveling with others, pick a day to get together and talk about your options. This way you can make sure that everyone is on board one way or another. One thing to keep in mind is that whatever option you pick for your trip, you can always book a future trip to experience the other!
In the long run, it isn’t so much how you stay, as it is the adventures and memories you make.
