Keith Lusher 04.20.26
A brand new report from Kampgrounds of America (KOA) exhibits tenting is larger than ever, and the numbers again it up. Greater than 52 million North American households went tenting in 2025, surpassing pre-pandemic ranges. And 2026 is shaping as much as be an excellent larger yr on the highway and within the woods.
The Numbers
Tenting isn’t simply common. It’s an financial power. Campers spent $66 billion in native communities in 2025, up $5 billion from the yr earlier than. The typical camper spent greater than $200 per particular person per day on high of their campsite prices.
For these questioning if tenting is definitely worth the trouble in comparison with different holidays, the information makes a robust case. About 35% of adults say tenting is the simplest option to journey with youngsters, and one other 35% say it’s the most inexpensive journey possibility total.
Psychological Well being
This may be probably the most fascinating discovering in the entire report. Campers usually are not heading outdoors for structured actions or resort-style facilities. They need to unplug. A full 77% of campers say that merely being in nature is sufficient, no programming or extras wanted.
Almost half of all campers, 49%, deliberately plan journeys to enhance their psychological wellbeing. One other 50% say their primary aim is to recharge. The highest outside actions driving this pattern embody strolling close to water, wildlife viewing, and watching the night time sky.
Group Hubs
Here’s a shift value listening to. Whereas solo tenting had a second in 2025, with 1 in 5 campers taking their first solo journey, 2026 knowledge exhibits persons are craving connection once more.
About 75% of campers now see campgrounds as a “third place,” that means someplace outdoors of residence and work the place actual group occurs. That quantity jumps to 81% amongst Gen Z campers and 76% amongst Millennials. About 40% of campers say they’ve made real buddies at a campground, and practically 60% are drawn in by traditional traditions like campfire storytelling and outside video games.
The social facet of tenting is clearly a draw throughout all ages. Boomers lead the pack with 51% reporting not less than one significant interplay per journey.
RV Leases
With main occasions just like the Route 66 Centennial and America’s 250th birthday drawing folks towards highway journeys in 2026, RV rental curiosity has jumped. In 2025, 43% of campers stated they had been prone to hire an RV. That quantity climbed to 48% in 2026.
Youthful campers are driving that progress. A full 55% of Gen Z say they’re prone to hire an RV this yr, viewing it as a versatile, lower-cost option to discover with out shopping for a rig outright.
Nights Exterior in 202
About 31% of campers plan to spend extra nights open air in 2026 in comparison with final yr. Street journeys, small-town stops, and heritage journey are pushing folks towards longer, multi-stop journeys, and the momentum behind outside journey has by no means been stronger.
Whether or not you might be hitting the highway in an RV, discovering a brand new campground, or planning a household weekend underneath the celebs, there has by no means been a greater time to get outdoors. To discover a KOA campground close to you and begin planning your subsequent journey, go to KOA.com.
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