Less Young People Camping?

Assuming you agree that there as less young folks camping; what do you think the reason is?

Your observations might be accurate in Florida about less young folks getting into camping. But, I think in the west any observer would have seen the last ten or fifteen years a real interest in young folks camping especially with toys. Toyhaulers were for almost two decades the hottest selling RVs and most were purchased by young folks or at least parents that took their young kids camping.

Generations move on and I see plenty of young folks that grew up camping with their parents to fill that void. What we may be seeing across America is a lessening trend for snowbirders to spend time in the south in the winter as places like Quartzsite are experiencing less and less each year and many RV parks that were full are now less than full. But, that is not an indication of less young folks getting into RVing or camping, it is just that young people don't take the winter off to go south and when younger folks camp they bring toys, friends, and often boondock more than visit RV parks.

I doubt financial issues are any reason for more or less young folks camping. Camping can be as expensive or inexpensive as the folks want to make it. Nobody has to have a $400,000 diesel pusher to go camping. A tent will do for many. Financial and economic issues are all relative. Last numbers I saw there are 1.3 million Americans living in RVs full time. And today more and more are young folks living in an RV and working usually though the net to sustain the lifestyle. If anything there might be more young people in RVing than previous generations.

All one has to do is stand along side the freeway going east out of the Los Angeles basin on a Friday afternoon and count the almost incessant stream of one ton pickups towing massive 35-40 foot toyhaulers to the desert. Thirty years ago your generation did not do that. They meet their friends there, the kids ride quads and motorcycles, and the party is on. And inside that toyhauler is $15-20,000 worth of toys. Your generation did not do that. Priorities are different than your generation. Try to get a last minute reservation in almost any state or federal campsite along the Pacific coast in summer (especially weekends when young folks can go camping) and it becomes pretty obvious that camping is still an important element for so many young folks. And it costs what it costs and it fits the budget.