Are your vacation around the corner and you don’t know where to spend the night? Costs are a factor that affects a type and the longevity of a vacation the most.
Which is better camping or staying in hotels? Is it cheaper to camp or stay in a hotel? Staying in a hotel is luxurious but how about the costs? Will you manage to pay for all the services for one week with children?
Spending time outdoors is one of the best ways to unwind after long weeks of work. The sights and sounds of nature will help you relax and recharge your batteries.
For me, camping in nature presents a way of pure enjoyment, rather than staying in a hotel.
When planning your trip, there are a few things that you have to consider. One of the main ones is how and where you will be spending your nights.
Do you prefer sleeping under the stars or do you rather sleep in a cozy bed with clean sheets?
Camping and residing in a hotel are two of the most popular accommodation options that you can opt from.
When choosing from these two options, you have to consider the total amount that you will pay and where will you feel more comfortable. I will analyze the cost of camping vs hotel in this article for you.
IS IT CHEAPER TO CAMP OR STAY IN A HOTEL?
How much will you pay for lodging, services and other costs as food depend on the longevity and type of vacation.
Hotels are more expensive in general but there are some examples when you pay a little less for glamping in nature than staying in a hotel.
Glamping is a type of luxury camping, with more luxurious accommodation options and services so glamping vs hotel costs are comparable.
THE COST OF BOOKING A SPOT ON A CAMPSITE VERSUS SPENDING A NIGHT IN A HOTEL
The average cost of booking a spot on a camping site ranges from $12 to $15 which is way cheaper than the cost of paying for a night in a hotel.
You will pay about $100 to get a room in a decent hotel for a night. If you plan on spending several nights away from your home, your total expenditure will get even higher.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO CAMP FOR A NIGHT?
The $12 – $45 price range is for a decent campsite with amenities such as a washing area, a bathroom, a bike trail, and the provision of electricity.
If your intention is to enjoy nature and have some quality time outdoors, then these provisions are just enough for your trip. Meanwhile, if you want a little bit more comfort and glam, you will have to pay more.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO SPEND A NIGHT IN A DISNEY WORLD CAMPSITE?
The rates are a little bit higher for touristy campsites such as Disney World where you will have to pay about $68 a night in value season. If you want to stay on a Premium site you will have to pay up to $123 per night.
This is still cheaper than the $100 that you will have to pay for a decent hotel. By decent, I mean a hotel that is clean, safe, and has a hot shower.
These are things that are offered in most camping sites and at a ridiculously lower price. If you choose a hotel over camping, you are overpaying for your outdoor accommodation in most cases.
THE COST OF FOOD
When you choose to spend time in a hotel, you will have to pay for meals.
However, this is something that you won’t have to do if you choose a campsite for your accommodation needs unless you will dine in one of their restaurants. If you prepare your own food at the camp you will save a lot of cash.
You will pay around 70$ for the main three meals in a day for one person staying in a hotel while you can eat all three meals for 30$ on average for a day of staying at a campsite. Big difference, right?
You must know that in a hotel you also pay for stuff that is making the food and not just for food itself so the costs are higher.
DELICIOUS AND CHEAP CAMPFIRE MEALS
Camping is better than staying in a hotel as you can enjoy yourself with the ones you love while preparing a campfire meal.
Home-cooked meals or prepared meals over a campfire are way more delicious than those that you will eat at a restaurant. This is another reason why you should choose a camp over a hotel.
You can also carry pre-cooked or make-ahead meals to the camp and this is another tactic that helps to keep the food budget low.
For me, there is no comparison when making meals over a campfire with my family or eating meals in a hotel restaurant. Making camping meals is so much fun!
Some hotels may offer complimentary meals but you will have to pay more for this service.
The meals may also not be that great as the hotels try to keep their expenditure as low as possible so they may not use the best ingredients or offer balanced meals.
THE COST OF TRAVEL
Most hotels are not located close to the destinations that outdoor enthusiasts like. This means that you will have to travel more to your preferred destination. It will make your adventures costly.
Campsites, on the other hand, are located within the parks and other amazing destinations and this greatly reduces your traveling expenditure.
The fuel cost is constantly rising and this means that you have to reduce the distances that you will travel if you are to make any savings.
THE COST OF CAMPING EQUIPMENT
The cost of camping equipment is another thing that you will have to consider if you choose to spend the night in a camp.
You will have to get supplies such as a camping tent, sleeping bags, camping cots, and extra blankets if you are anticipating a cold night.
Choose to buy all these items or rent them at your campground but the long-term cost of these items is still cheaper than the cost of spending several nights in a hotel because you buy them only once.
If you decide to have a luxury in a hotel then you won’t need to spend money on the equipment so you will spare money on sleeping gear.
WHY IS CAMPING BETTER THAN STAYING IN HOTELS?
You have to make sure that you sort your accommodation needs when traveling. Where will you spend the night when going on vacation?
Before you choose a lodging ask yourself what do you want from vacation; are you more of an adventurous type of person or do you like luxury and organization more?
Also, consider the money that you have at your disposal so you won’t get surprised when you have to pay for a service. Always have extra money with you as you don’t know what happens.
I advise you to choose a campsite as you will spare some money and bond with your family more. You can bring your own food, sleeping gear, and other camping gear that is still cheaper than staying in a hotel.
