What do you consider “camping”? If you’re parked at a luxury RV resort with pools and tennis courts and spacious lots between you and your neighbor, is that camping? Or is camping only when you’re at state park campgrounds, among tenters, and just staying for a night so you can fish in the nearby lake? Is that even camping?
For some, camping means roughing it—pitching a tent, cooking over an open fire, and disconnecting from modern conveniences. Others argue that as long as you’re staying in an RV, outside of a permanent home, you’re camping—whether you’re boondocking in the wilderness or enjoying full hookups at a five-star RV resort.
But does the presence of luxury amenities, like spas, golf courses, and on-site restaurants, take away from the essence of camping? Or has camping simply evolved to include a wider range of experiences?
Maybe camping isn’t about where you are, but rather how you feel. If sitting around a fire, enjoying nature, and getting away from daily routines is what makes it camping for you, then does it really matter if your site has a private hot tub? Or do modern RV parks, with their paved sites and golf cart shuttles, make it harder to connect with nature in the way traditional camping once did?
Has the definition of “camping” changed so much with our fancy RVs and parks that we’ve forgotten how to define it? Well, you tell us!
After you vote in the poll below, please leave a comment and tell us what “camping” means to you, and if you think, or don’t think, that staying in a luxury resort is camping. We appreciate your time for writing down your thoughts!
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Not everyone in a RV is “camping,” no matter what the amenities. Many are living in their RVs full or part time and many are using their RVs as their mobile hotel rooms as they travel.
We’re not camping, We’re RVing
“Yes.” Rving and camping are often used interchangeably. Rving and camping are, IMHO, a state of mind rather than an event. So if you say you’re camping, you’re camping.
We are full-time RV travelers with a 43’ 5th wheel. We winter with our rig in southern Arizona October to the following April. From April through September we travel with rig throughout the US and Canada. Our domicile address is provided by Escapees, Our view of “camping” is “tent camping”.
I say Yes! But it’s like the difference between camping in a tent vs. camping in a RV.
No, we are RVing.
When you are young a tent will do as you age you progress to less physical accomodations in order to continue doing what you love. So yes you are still camping
For me, camping means roughing it. We live in our motorhome more than half the year, with full hookups, but when people call that camping, we correct them. We have almost all the comforts of home, less a garbage disposal and automatic dishwasher. We are extremely fortunate to be able to see the best and sometimes wildest parts of our beautiful country from the comfort of our motorhome. But we don’t call it camping.
Camping is the State Parks, National Parks and the State & National Forests & Boon Docking. When you add Swimming Pools, Club Houses etc., all you now have is a private room at a very expensive and expansive Hotel.
We travel full time. We live in our Mobile Suites. Some days our home happens to be in a campground. Some days we live like campers. The important thing is to enjoy the journey, not worry about what to call others.
In this case, I would call it RVing. I think camping is more roughing it. That is not what we do for the most part.
This year I tried to find a camping spot for the week of June 30- July7 on or near the Oregon coast. I started in January trying to find state parks, to no avail for those dates. Next… KOA’s, same thing, all booked. I checked further inland towards Sisters/ Bend again, nothing available. I did find a “resort” towards Mt Hood. Is it expensive? You bet! Is it camping? Not really, but at least I was able to secure a site so it will qualify as camping for us.
When I was a kid, I CAMPED with my mom and dad in a tent, ate our meals at a picnic table outdoors under the dining fly, slept in sleeping bags, had no electric, mom cooked on a Coleman stove, our light at night was from a Coleman lantern which attracted hundreds of bugs, we used water jugs, we had a campfire every night. These are some of my fondest memories from those days. Now, almost 70 years later, my wife and I RV in a 42′ fifth wheel. We also have great memories from this stage of our lives. To me, camping and RVing are different, but the end result is the same……..making memories and enjoying the company of family in the great outdoors.
Well said.
I clicked “yes” but it is not my style of camping.
Why pay for amenities that you don’t/can’t use? I prefer a state park, if they have full hookups. Most of the state parks are 50%-75% less than any rv park or resort.
I’m living in a stationary RV long term
If that sort of amenities are what you’re looking for why not just rent a hotel with all of those things and leave the hassle of setting up an RV and the environment. I’m sure it’s probably not much more per night. Seems kind of far away from camping in my opinion. But that’s just me. I’m a boondocking guy.
Many people who buy luxury land yachts don’t consider themselves camping even some who live 6 months out of the year in their TT’s don’t consider it camping. It’s a less expensive way to travel to escape hometown weather or visit family in other states. We have lots of Canadians who are winter visitors staying 6 months of the year here in TTs and motorhomes don’t consider it camping. It’s all a matter of how you look at it.
Glamping !!
RV’ing, not camping.
I have an RV, not a tent. I haven’t gone camping in a million years.
Unless of course the terms are interchangeable?
RVing and camping are not synonymous terms. You can camp with an RV, but you can also do other things with an RV. My answer is no, you aren’t typically camping at a rich amenity RV resort. You are RVing, but the purpose this round is to have a resort vacation with your own bed & bath. I call that ‘turtling’. And that is not a derogatory word.
We are not campers, we live in our rv. Camping to us would be dry camping in a remote location. We consider ourselves as travelers.
We are enjoying being in our RV in a nice place where all the day to day “stuff” isn’t in our faces! I call it rving!
DW & I are usually “travelers,” who happen to stay in a luxury RV complete with dishwasher, washer dryer, heated tile floors, etc. Whether someone calls that camping, RVing, traveling, or something else is irrelevant to us. We prefer state or regional parks, but usually end up in RV Parks while on the road. We travel to see the sights and have comfort in doing so.
We do spend holidays with our oldest daughter’s family “camping” as we spend most of the time at their site (simple popup) cooking on the fire, playing yard games, or sitting around the fire. We go back to our site to sleep, basically.
Two completely different activities. Call them what you want.
It seems that RVtravel brings this subject up many times each year. I am curious why you keep doing this. We are each entitled to call what we are doing what we think it is without soliciting others to find controversy with what others are doing.
Hahaha! Camping? that’s absurd.
I really dislike these types of questions. You are encouraging divisiveness. What does it matter if someone in that situation considers it camping, or not camping? It’s silly to even care. Have fun camping, however you do it. 😊
Thank you for the question, RV Travel. Given the amenities of our rig, I would never describe an overnight, or longer, stay anywhere as “camping.” We “travel,” given the many creature comforts within our RV. Alternately, you may describe yourself when traveling in a similarly outfitted rig however you wish. Have a great week and safe travels!
If i’m in my motor home, and not in stick and mortar. It’s camping no matter where it is.
I used to have several tents … in those days I went camping. Now I have an RV … when I use it, I am RVing.
We have a 45 ft luxury motorhome and I have told people for years that we go RVing, not camping. We camped when we first started out over 50 years ago starting with a tent.
camping is no hookups in the bush.
I answered “Yes” with tongue firmly in cheek. We are full timers in a 43-foot diesel pusher, so we are hardly “camping” wherever we are. But when asked why we don’t come in to use a friend or relatives’ guest room, we answer “We prefer our camper, thank you all the same.”
We always thought of ourselves as ‘travelers’ more than campers.
Just looking at that picture is not even close to camping. It’s a resort for mobile houses.
We started out motorcycle camping with a tent and sleeping bags. Then graduated to a pull behind motorcycle pop up camper.
Did that for about 25 years. Had a king size bed, small heater, camp stove, cooler and a 6X6 room for relaxing.
As we got older, we bought a toy hauler, mostly because my wife wanted a built in bathroom and I still wanted to have the bike with us. Nothing fancy, but comfortable.
We don’t care about all the amenities most RV resorts have.
50% of our time is sitting outside or walking around, sightseeing and a fire in the evening.
When staying at a resort as pictured I consider ourselves “vacationing”. If just passing through and staying 1-2 nights I would consider us “traveling”.
You are pamping: parking plus camping (and being pampered).
I think being in a CG that is out in nature is what I consider camping.
My wife and I are seasonals at a small campground. It has a 8-10 acre fishing lake and smaller 5 acre one. Water and electric hookups only. Self dump or they will pump for a small fee. It has around a hundred sites. Local nature preserve for hiking. To us it fits the bill of camping. Fishing, sitting by the fire or just plain relaxing is our idea of camping.
We no longer have to use drop toilets and tree bark for toilet paper. Nor sweat thru the night surrounded by canvas. Regardless of the “luxuries” in our 5ver, the campsite being concrete or gravel, boondocking or plugged in with all the extras, we still hook up the rig and haul it from one stop to the next. Yes, we’re camping.
I answered NO but I have no idea, I don’t have a luxury RV and I’ve never stayed in a luxury resort.
I am at an RV “resort” right now that has everyone packed in like sardines. I had to ask someone to help me back into my straight back spot where the ones across the way are barely two car widths away. It is NOT a resort.
As truck camper folks, I’m not sure we would even be allowed to stay in a luxury RV resort. And if that did happen, it wouldn’t be camping for us.
Having spent a number of nights bivouacking a GP Medium to living in a CEU during combat operations in Iraq, I am not going to have someone else tell me what is and is not camping. I have been cold, wet, hungry, and exhausted and don’t need to be that way again to be ‘camping.’ Some people like to rough it, hiking in and out everything they need to survive. The fact that my rucksack has gone from GI to a 43’ Diesel Pusher should not change the fact that I am enjoying nature. Shame to RVTravel for creating such clickbait divisive article as opposed to being inclusive to all forms of camping. Luxury camping has its place right next to deep in the sticks.
I wish people wouldn’t be so crabby about a simple poll. Like me, many people will read this article and then look for the comments because they’re interested in what other people think. We were put on earth to make our way by thinking. I appreciate the opportunity to read something without just being passive. I get to interact if I wish.
Thank you for your service, but I would have to lean toward roughing it as a boondocker as closer to camping. Your service allows us to have these conversations as a free society, so camp on as you wish.
KenG, ya need to lighten up! Maybe you don’t understand that other people’s opinions differ from yours. Our question was very simple: just get an idea of what people think. Our article was “clickbait” and we were just “trying to be divisive”? Come on. Thanks for your service.
It is certainly vacationing if you aren’t living on site but not camping.
I personally refer to these types of folks as “rvers.” N nothing wrong with that. You do you n I’ll do me. I prefer boondocking with as few other campers around as possible. Desert, mountains, forest or beach. Quietness other than nature’s sounds.
Nope. That is RV living. But, since free speech is now coming back, you can call it what you wish and I won’t cancel you!