We all know that families enjoy sunshine holidays in foreign countries. Sometimes however it isn't always possible. Maybe your job is not  paying so well, or perhaps you have a couple of young children but only one wage coming in. As I write this, we hope that we are coming out of the recent recession, but money is tight. If any of this is true for you I strongly suggest that you should consider, or at least look at camping for your next family holiday.

Camping is popular the world over. The reason for this is that it is a fun thing to do. There are few other pastimes that bind families together quite so completely. If you have never camped before, you may wonder why this should be so. There are many reasons and we will examine some of them below.

One of the reasons that camping is so popular is because it suits people of all ages. Long gone are the days of canvas stretched over a low branch. All the luxury is available, whilst still being affordable. Obviously, if you have very small children, you will look at campsites suited to the childrens' age. It is pretty obvious that you wouldn't set up camp at the side of a fast flowing river, for instance. In the same vein, if you take an elderly relative with you, it would be wise to choose a fairly level site with good ground.

Another excellent reason for considering camping with a modern tent is of course that you can go for a single day, a weekend or in fact any spare time that you have. If you have got the money you may decide to buy a motor home. There are good reasons why I personally do not recommend this. The first is the initial expense of buying the vehicle closely followed by the subsequent depreciation. Also, although it is great going away with the family for a while, when you get back, and if it is your main vehicle, they are expensive to run. The choice will be a personal one. My choice has never changed. Buy a tent and use your car (perhaps with a roof rack). A good quality tent will last you for years, and you don't need to worry about depreciation or running costs.

If you have a young family you will probably feel more comfortable using a commercial campsite. Here you will find all the amenities you need, access to electricity, toilets, laundrette and shop etc. The kids will find, on most sites, various play activities. Many sites have indoor facilities for the kids in case of inclement weather. Add to this biking, fishing, hiking, bird watching and most important of all ME time with Mom and Dad. They will love you for it!

A great reason to consider camping is one that cannot be ignored if we're being realistic and money is tight. That reason is cost. The equipment is inexpensive and the cost of staying on an organised site is usually much less than the cost of even one person staying in a motel for the night. Hopefully next year we'll all be better off, and if that is the case, maybe you will go on a flight somewhere on your holiday, but remember your tent and equipment are bought and paid for and you can still have the odd day or weekend away. The equipment is as good as new, and the kids loved it;  make the most of it. You will not be sorry.