Can Camping Improve Your Mental Health?

A new study from Kampgrounds of America (KOA) reveals the importance of camping to travelers’ mental health and social wellbeing.

The study found 49 percent of campers specifically book trips for their mental health, while 50 percent seek out experiences during their camping trip that help them recharge. They’re not necessarily looking to camp somewhere that offers a vast array of programing or amenities, either, and nearly 80 percent of campers reported that “just being in nature is enough.”

Additionally, the study noted many campers, across generations, view the camping experience as an opportunity to socialize, describing campgrounds as a type of third space. Fifty-one percent of Boomers reported having at least one meaningful social interaction per camping trip. Forty percent of Millennials said social interactions made their camping experience more memorable. Forty-three percent of Gen Z campers said they stayed in touch with social connections made during camping trips, long-term.

KOA President and CEO Toby O’Rourke stressed the importance of this data for campground operators, saying, “Nature isn’t a luxury amenity. It’s a real, proven wellness intervention. For hospitality operators, this insight is transformative, positioning the campground experience itself as the product.”