Camping is an outdoor activity involving overnight stays away from home, either without shelter or using basic shelter such as a tent or a recreational vehicle.

Typically participants leave developed areas to spend time outdoors in more natural ones in pursuit of activities providing them enjoyment or an educational experience. The night (or more) spent outdoors distinguishes camping from day-tripping, picnicking, and other similarly short-term recreational activities.

Camping as a recreational activity became popular among elites in the early 20th century. With time, it grew in popularity among other socioeconomic classes. Modern campers frequent publicly owned natural resources such as national and state parks, wilderness areas, and commercial campgrounds. In a few countries, such as Sweden and Scotland, public camping is legal on privately-held land as well. Camping is a key part of many youth organizations around the world.

Camping, whether that's pitching a tent in the wilderness or parking your RV in a frontcountry campground, is an immersive experience. Campers feel the rain and wind and snow. (And sunshine!) They might see wildlife in their natural setting. People get to see natural features, like mountains, seashores, or sand dunes, at different times of day. Spending nights outdoors allows people to view constellations not visible at home and hear the sounds of nature, like the yips of coyotes or the trills of songbirds. More than any other reason, people camp to have an adventure in nature.

In fact, camping is a tradition in so many homes! If you’re wondering why camping is fun, it’s time to try. Camping is fun because it’s an experience. Not only do you engage with nature and wildlife, you’re also leaving behind the stress and hustle of city life.

Camping...it does a body (and mind) good. The physical demands of camping in the backcountry clearly count as exercise. But any kind of camping has health benefits. Some are straightforward, like setting up camp or hiking. Mental health improves outside. Researchers linked outdoor activity to a decrease in depressive thoughts. Sleeping under the stars helps you get in touch with your natural circadian rhythms, a foundation for high quality sleep and health.

The history of recreational camping is often traced back to Thomas Hiram Holding, a British travelling tailor, but it was actually first popularised in the UK on the river Thames. By the 1880s, large numbers of visitors took part in the pastime, which was connected to the late Victorian craze for pleasure boating. Although Thomas Hiram Holding is often seen as the father of modern camping in the UK, he was responsible for popularising a different type of camping in the early twentieth century. He experienced the activity in his youth, when he had spent much time with his parents traveling across the American prairies. Later he embarked on a cycling and camping tour with some friends across Ireland.

Most children have probably dreamed of camping at some point in their lives – of campfires, stomping around, building tents and going on wild adventures.

As you set up tents, get the campfire roaring, and learn about the world around you, you’re making memories that will last a lifetime.