Camping Buddies

It is difficult. Our group at one time consisted of DW's boss, who was a few years older, a co-worker and one of her husbands co-workers. Plus another couple a bit younger. Our girls were really the only kids. That group lasted several years then we drifted apart for a lot of reasons. To be honest, we camped a lot, almost every weekend. Our girls usually found things to do and could always find other kids. Start camping in state parks and NF camp grounds, places where families can aford to go, not resort type places.

Co-workers
Friends your age group......take them camping and get them interested

Camp close to home...walk around and visit with younger folks with kids....make new friends

And some of us old folks like to camp with others.....even the ones with kids :B

We are what you refer to as "old" and we like to meet people while walking our dog around CG or RV park. We never have problems meeting others, but we are friendly to others and outgoing. It seems to me that younger people are UNFRIENDLY, as if "their world" excludes anybody that doesn't have little kids or an electronic device jammed into their ear!

Give it a try....approach others in a friendly manner and see what happens.

We are friendly and make it a point to walk the dog around the camp ground and talk to everyone we see even if we don't get to say hi we smile and wave.

Been camping all my life, ever since I was a kid with my parents. Only for a short time in my life did I have a circle of "buddies" and that was when I was 11 to 15 years old. Mom and Dad took their camper where they could pay for the entire summer. Others did also. Over those years, there were about 5 families and everyone had boys about the same age, given a year or two either direction. We became good friends over the years. But as time moves on, as we all entered into adulthood, each one whet their separate ways and I've not heard from any of them in over 40 years now.

As an adult myself, we've really never made "camping" friends. I don't think we've ever run into the same person twice, in over the last 30 years of camping.

We have camped with family in the past. I belonged to a church once and the men had an annual fishing trip they went on. If you have a camper, you shared bed space with someone who did not have one. And if you had a boat, you shared boat space with someone who did not have one. It was an annual event, I went twice (when we had our pop-up), and it was a great time we had.

Then once we went camping with another family we knew from work. Actually, there were 4 of us that had campers and we planned a long week-end together.

Now to be HONEST with you .... my wife and I prefer to not go camping with someone we already know, work with, family, or have some kind of association with because of an organization (religious or other). Actually, we have found we prefer not having to engage on someone elses schedule or expectations. We have found our interests are simply too boring for "active" campers. We don't consume alcohol (except a little wine on very special occasions), and definitely don't have any "wild hairs" left in our old bones. I think all of our "wild hairs" have been pulled out one-by-one.

We do really enjoy engaging in a conversion, or sitting around a neighbors campfire and enjoying the "moment". But the "moment" is really all we expect from a short term acquaintance. Maybe that's because I've lived a transient life, college, employment in several states for a year or two and then moving, the military, and job changes. Old friends make better friends on Facebook than in person we have learned.

I know this may not answer your question as you were expecting. But I think, if you are looking to develop camping friendships, your best avenue is to camp in campgrounds where others your same age camp (state, federal, and private campgrounds), and stay away from "RV Resorts" that are designed for "old farts" like me! Once at the campground, just strike up a conversation with someone and see if it develops into a friendship. Be prepared to say "bye" when you check-out and never see them again. Or, make friend and keep them friends on Facebook to keep in touch, find out where they are camping and perhaps even plan to cross paths at the same campground sometimes. In today's age of technology, they my be the best way to do it.

Good luck, and if we are ever in the same campground and our paths meet, I'll glady share a campfire with you, and we'll swap stories. Who knows, what may become of it. You're the same age as my son.

i suggest you look for rv parks suited for younger crowds.
rv park reviews is great site to research

Scott_85 wrote:
How did you meet your camping buddies, the Wife and I are both 29 and it seems that every campground we go its filled with older people (no offense to anybody). We would like to meet people to hang out thats our age and have kids that close to our sons age (8). It just seems difficult, my in-laws camp but they will only travel within an hour of their home and don't go that often.

While my DW and I are no doubt among those you call older, I do have several suggestions. One of the reason that there are fewer campers among the younger crowd is that raising kids is expensive, and a lot of those families struggle to afford it, even though camping is potentially one of the most inexpensive things you can do to "get away" for a while.

But when you look for campgrounds, concentrate on ones that have playgrounds or other "kids" friendly facilities prominently mentioned on their web sites and in their advertising.

In addition, to develop "camping buddies," you really need to be able to see the same folks several times. This is most likely to occur at campgrounds close to home, and especially at ones that have a lot of seasonal campers, rather than short-term campers. A lot of folks do drag the rig someplace for the entire season. This, again, is going to be someplace really close to home.

State and National parks usually limit how many nights you can stay. They do not generally allow seasonal campers at all, so they are unlikely to work for finding camping buddies. Private campgrounds are where you look for those.

I understand your angle. We got started RVing at about the same age.

You have to account for the amount of (disposable)money this hobby involves, mixed in with an age group that may still be settling into careers, mixed in with the prime age for starting/establishing young families, and yes...that dang recession that was especially tough on your age bracket as well.

We only had one couple we were friends with that also camped when we started. We've gone on many trips together and loved it. Along the road we've exposed many other friends. One couple just bought their first pop-up last week. Also some friends of friends are getting into it, so here now we find ourselves with several camping buddies. We don't do everything together, it's still fun to go it alone, but those group trips are a blast to.

Just go out and enjoy yourselves. You'll make a few converts, and you'll make some new friends.

Most neighborhoods are age specific. (Old folks or younger generation). Walk your neighborhood and note who has an RV. When you see them in the yard, strike up a conversation about their RV. That's how we made RVing buddies when young. Now that we are retired, we have the time to just hang out and make friends. We still have LOTS of memories and friends that were made 40 years go.

When I was not an "older" camper, I was a younger boater. We had a bunch of friends we boated with every weekend. Because we were (sail)boating, we never went far from the moorage where we kept our boat. We saw the same people every weekend, and quite frankly it was sometimes a drag. Now DW and I go camping about once a month and enjoy meeting new folks each time. In 8 years of RVing, we have only met one couple that we have stayed in touch with. We camp with them every year or so. My advice would be, if you have friends your age who like to camp, plan a short trip with them and see how it goes. It it's good, repeat, if not meet some new friends on the next trip.