Are camping tent vacations really becoming more popular? Could you be missing out on savings of over 60% off your vacation because of you do not know where to start? Many people are discovering camping tent options close to home to be fun, safe and cheap alternatives to fly-drive-hotel vacations.

Even Recession has not dampened growing of Outdoor Camping.

Research in 2000 by Roper Starch Worldwide Inc. for the Outdoor Recreation in America 2000 report published by the Recreation Roundtable found that 19% of Americans hiked in the previous 12 months, 17% camped in tents in campgrounds, 9% backpacked, and 8% camped in the wilderness.

In 2006, the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA) reported that camping in tents is the seventh most popular recreation activity of the U.S. population age 6 and older. According to the SGMA, over 42.2 million Americans camped in tents in 2009 and this trend is growing at a rate of over 6.5% even with the recession.

Today, there are an estimated 8,000 public and another 8,000 privately-owned campgrounds catering to the needs of 61 million campers using tents, travel trailers, motor homes or other types of RVs in the US.

Similar trends have been reported for Canada and several European countries. 2010 Data for the UK shows that overall camping and caravanning was 78% more popular than visiting Spain.

Contributory factors include:

• Growing interest in green/environmentally friendly and "nature" vacations

• Improvements in camping tents designs by manufacturers – leading to increased popularity of, 3, 4, 5 or 6 person tents, family tents and other luxury tents for those who want to go "glamping" (glamour camping)

• Upgrades to campsites, including shower facilities, electricity and cable, Wi-Fi. Some of the fancier campsites even have water slides, boating, horseback riding and kayaking equipment.

Bargain or for Free Campsites are close to you

Gone are the days when camping was synonymous to hiking or roughing it out in the wilderness. As indicated above, camping is rapidly becoming an alternative convenient family vacation.

When compared to RVs or the traditional fly-drive-hotel vacations camping in tents typically comes out at a fraction of the cost.

Airlines travel with its high costs and associated hassles, is making many people to look at camping as an alternative.

• Someone looking for an RV needs to lay out several thousands to buy one or hundreds for rental. Then there is the high cost of pulling these to your campsite.

• For a couple of hundred dollars, you can buy a luxury camping tent for your family. Daily rates to camp in most private campgrounds are under $50 and can be as low as $15 compared to hundreds for hotels.

• When it comes to camping tents vacation (especially short breaks or long weekends when the kids are out of school), you can actually enjoy the outdoors with the family for free! Possible locations include national parks, state parks, local parks and government recreational areas. You can legally camp anywhere on national forest land and the maps of the National Forests typically show all the places you have to choose from. Many cities allow over-night (dry) camping in their parks. Your local Chamber of Commerce or police station can help you about free places to spend a night.

• Free campgrounds offer other benefits besides saving you money. They are usually found in peaceful and scenic settings. Some are located by lakes or rivers and offer numerous recreational opportunities, such as boating, fishing, or water-skiing. You just need to do some homework, pack your camping tent and go enjoy nature!

If you are going camping for the first time, pick a spot close to home and plan on staying no more than a couple nights. In many campgrounds the sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis - which means you may want to check in and select your camp site early rather than waiting until dark. It is always advisable to call the campgrounds ahead of time and reserve a spot. If you need family activities, also find out what the have.

For the budget conscious individual looking for money saving vacation alternatives, especially for short breaks, tent camping offers a very attractive alternative. With the availability of affordable high quality camping tents and some planning you will find yourself camping in your tent like a seasoned camper.