You have been planning the trip for months. Although none of you want to admit that you can possible have a college friend who is ready to retire, it is impossible to argue the facts. It is called Rule 85 and your college roommate has achieved it. When she adds the number of years she has taught to her age she reaches the magic number of 85 that allows her to retire with full benefits in the state of Kansas. While the rest of you in your group took some time off for staying home with babies or switching careers, your college roommate has been going to school to teach in a kindergarten classroom every single year. With no more than a few weeks off for maternity leave, your soon to be retired friend even bought back the years when she taught is a different state.
Retirement.
From 32 years of teaching kindergartens in an educational landscape that has seen plenty of changes. And while the rest of you have worked your various jobs, switched your careers, made the transition to part time employment, your retiring friend has made herself available to hundreds of children and families. Although the teaching schedule provides very little flexibility, she will no be able to enjoy a retirement with nothing but freedom. The rest of the gang decided that the best way to celebrate was to have a surprise long weekend at one of the nearby family campgrounds. No technology. No interruptions from family or jobs. You are simply going to celebrate with your first friend to retire.
Even though you are willing to celebrate, however, it does not mean that you are ready to rough it in the sense that many people think of when they hear the phrase family campgrounds. For this camping experience, you have checked numerous family campgrounds for exactly the options that you most want. The shady campsites that you selected from include fully furnished cabins that will allow you to camp without all of the hard work. Oh sure, you can roast marshmellows around the fire pit at night if you want, but you can also decide to stay inside sitting around a cozy, indoor fireplace while sitting on comfy couches and recliners.
Camp Resorts Are Just One Option When You Are Looking for Family Campgrounds Across the Country
Friends and family camping vacations continue to grow in popularity. In fact, research from the 2014 American Camper Report indicates that as many as 40.1 million Americans over the age of six went camping in the year 2013. This means that as many as 14% of the US population enjoyed the opportunity to get closer with nature, break from the stresses of being connected to technology 24/7, and relax to a schedule dictated by nothing more than sunrises and sunsets.
Consider some of these facts about camping and vacationing in America:
- 87% of campers indicate that they participate in multiple outdoor activities.
- 186.7 miles is the average distance campers travel for their camping trips.
- 47% of adult participants camped just because they enjoyed it. This is good news for the camping industry and the activity itself.
- 13% of adults indicate that they enjoy camping because they want to spend more time with their families.
- 12% of adult indicate that they first went camping with their immediate family.
- The majority of surveyed campers indicate that they are planning an average of 4.9 camping trips for the year.
- 40 million people went camping for a total of 515 million outings in the year 2010.
- 70% of camping in America is done in public campgrounds. Very often, one or two trips are all that it takes to convince your family to make camping a yearly way to have a family vacation.
Whether you are planning a surprise retirement get together for group of college friends or you are planning for a seventh annual family camping vacation, few things are as fulfilling and relaxing as a few days around a campfire nestled in a beautiful setting. From mountain to beachside campgrounds to simple tent pads near some of the nation’s most rigorous hiking trails, camping can offer you a vacation that you, your friends, and your family will remember for many years.
