Cheap Thrill: Camping

Keep an eye out for "Cheap Thrill" posts with suggestions for inexpensive traveling. First up: Camping.

Camping* is a great way to see beautiful places for a fraction of what you'd pay in a hotel. A site generally runs about $25/night, which just leaves the cost of travel and food, both of which you can keep as inexpensive as you like.

Chances are, at least one person you know has all the gear you'll need. (Check with current and former Scouts first.) If that doesn't work out, you can buy your tent and sleeping bags for about $100. That's less than one night in a hotel, and it will all last you indefinitely. (Target has a great selection of inexpensive tents, sleeping bags and other equipment from big-name brands like Eddie Bauer and Coleman.)

Your campsite makes a great home base for nearby sight-seeing. Beach bunny? Check around for sites within a short drive to the beach. Prefer a city vibe? Same deal. You'll get the vacation experience you want without having to worry about you'll afford the hotel.

*Hating bugs is irrelevant. No one likes them — and besides, there are citronella candles and bug spray if you're really freaked out.

Introduction

One of my earliest travel memories involves a well-worn jump rope. My parents and I were on our way to Cape Cod, Mass.  —  about six or seven hours from our home in central New Jersey. I was eight at the time, and had the energy supply most eight year olds do: infinite. My parents suggested I bring along my jump rope and, at each rest stop we visited, use it to burn off some of my excess energy. I did a lot of new things on that trip, but the one I remember most clearly is jumping rope next to 18-wheelers.

Since that trip, I've traveled all over the country and the globe  —  from Canada to the Caribbean, San Diego to Spain, Delaware to the Dominican Republic. This blog will offer advice on can't-miss destinations and the latest trends in travel and products, along with stories and suggestions from my own experiences. 

And just in case you were wondering, I don't bring my jumprope along anymore when I travel. But I'm sure some of my co-travelers wish I did.