kohai, you ask why folks would hang out in the campground all day -- why not just stay home in your own backyard? (I agree with you -- we are generally hiking during the day.)
But I understand the desire to just chill and enjoy a non-urban setting. We live in suburban coastal Orange County, with a pretty nice backyard, and we do a fair amount of hanging out on the patio. But it is nothing like hanging out in a remote area -- we have constant freeway noise, gardening equipment, air traffic, sirens, etc. Not to mention the urban air quality -- even by the coast, the air is not really pure unless you are on the beach (and we can't afford to buy on the sand!)
And if you really want peace and silence, try boondocking in a national forest -- when the wind stops, it is so quiet that you can literally hear your heart beat (which can be a little unnerving when you have never heard it before).
