Trying to figure out what car camping is and why so many people are doing it?
Here we explain the basics of car camping and why you should give it a try next time you’re looking to camp for the weekend.
What is car camping anyway?
Simply put, car camping is literally driving to a campsite and sleeping either in your car or directly next to it.
Many people are quick to define car camping as just sleeping in your car rather than a tent next to it, but we think that you can include camping beside your car as a form of car camping.
Either way you slice it, car camping is a camping trip without the need to hike or backpack to your destination.
Why you should give car camping a try
Car camping is a great way for newbies or those unfamiliar or unable to take a true backpacking trip. As mentioned before, car camping requires no hiking or backpacking to get to your campsite which allows for some pretty amazing benefits.
Here are some of the benefits that car camping offers:
- No hiking or backpacking involved
- No need to worry about the weight of your gear
- No need to worry about not being able to bring something
- Allows you to bring a number of camping luxuries
- Kid and pet-friendly
- ADA-friendly
Where you can car camp
Fortunately, there are hundreds of places to car camp in every state. Because car camping is camping without the need for hiking or backpacking in, all of the established and free, dispersed camping areas throughout the country are available for car camping.
That includes private, state-run, and federally managed campgrounds.
Conclusion
While car camping isn’t a relatively new way to camp, it’s an absolute blast.
Defined as either camping in your car or next to it in a tent, car camping gives you access to many more benefits that backpacking doesn’t offer. You don’t have to worry about weight, trying to pack everything in a tight backpack, and you can bring more luxury items to your campsite.
We highly recommend giving car camping a try next time you’re thinking about spending the weekend outside!
Nick is the owner and regular content writer for Southwest Microadventures. When he’s not writing, you can find him rock climbing, peak bagging, mountain biking, backpacking, or drinking strong coffee.
