Camping and Fishing Can Be More Refreshing Than a Hotel Stay

It may have happened to you once or twice, but you won't let it happen again. Yep, you know what I'm talking about… those days of yore when you would plan a family vacation, only to come back feeling like you needed a second vacation to rest and recover from your "vacation."

For many, there are times when hustling and bustling suits their circumstances or likings given busy work or social schedules. However, if you are like me, you might have a "Thoreau-ish" yearning to live simply on the shores of your own personal version of Walden Pond for at least a week or two each year instead. Camping and fishing are most definitely more refreshing to me than most hotel stays and dinners out. How? Let me count the ways!
 

• Breathing in plenty of fresh air. Most of us spend plenty of time indoors during work hours, so why spend even more time indoors on vacation? Fresh air has been proven to help beat stress and increase levels of happiness.

• Quiet time to reflect away from cell phones and television. It's nice to know that you haven't forgotten what it's like to watch the brilliant colors of a sunrise or sunset instead of flipping a channel on the remote control. Nature is one of the best places to "get away" for uninterrupted moments of contemplation and meditation.

• Simple choices. You don't have the pressure of having to select from a menu of 50 different items when it comes time for dinner. Catch a fish within the regulations, experience the rewarding feeling of cooking your own catch over a crackling campfire, and then end the evening with one of the all-time favorite desserts of outdoor-lovers everywhere — s'mores.

• The relaxing sound of crickets chirping. Many hotels and spas have CD's or in-room TV channels that play calming and stress-relieving sounds like crickets chirping or waves lapping up against a shoreline, but what could be better than the real thing?

Are you in the process of planning a camping and fishing getaway so you can experience the refreshing qualities that nature can bring to your next family trip? Check Take Me Fishing's vacation planning links for helpful resources and ideas.

Photo Credit: Ryan Van Dusen

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Debbie Hanson

Debbie Hanson is an award-winning outdoor writer, women’s sport fishing advocate, IGFA world record holder, and freshwater guide living in Southwest Florida. Hanson’s written work has appeared in publications such as Florida Game & Fish Magazine, BoatUS Magazine, and USA Today Hunt & Fish. To learn more about her work, visit shefishes2.com or follow her on Instagram @shefishes2.