Daily Prompt: Would you rather go camping or to the beach? Why? Part Five: Conclusion

This is the fifth and final segment on “Would you rather go camping or to the beach? Why?”We’ve discussed the advantages and disadvantages of going to the beach. We’ve deliberated about the advantages and disadvantages of going camping. In this segment we’ll compare the advantages and disadvantages of going to the beach with those of going camping. And in conclusion I’ll let y’all know where I would rather go.

There are many amazing and exciting benefits of going to the beach 🏖 and of going camping 🏕. It’s up too you to decide which benefits are best for you. Now to see the comparison of the similarities between going to the beach and going camping.

The benefits of going to the beach and going camping are similar in the following ways:

  • Improves your health
  • Helps you to unplug from technology
  • Reduces stress
  • Lifts and improves your mood
  • Increase Vitamin D intake quickly
  • Change of scenery
  • Better sleep
  • Plenty of exercise opportunities

Similarities between the disadvantages of going to the beach and going camping are:

  • Expensive – Beach rentals and cost of food and Camping equipment and limited food
  • Dogs – may or may not be allowed. Need to plan ahead.
  • Chance of getting sunburned. Need to be sure to bring sunscreen.
  • Weather – Could be too hot, too cold, or rainy. Need to prepare ahead for possible weather changes.

Do the similarities make it more difficult to choose between the beach or camping or easier? If not, maybe the differences between to two will help you decide which you would prefer. The following is a list of differences that going to the beach has that camping does not.

Beach Benefits:

  • Improves overall well-being
  • Boosts your immune system
  • Improves breathing

Beach Disadvantages:

  • Overcrowding – too many visitors/people
  • Bacteria/viruses possible
  • Sand. Sand. Sand. – Let’s face it, it gets everywhere and sticks to everything.
  • Travel time. Might take hours to travel to a beach depending on where you live. For me it is a three-hour drive.
  • Trash/Waste. Not just ordinary trash left behind by people, but also animal or human waste.

What Camping has to offer that the Beach does not.

Camping Benefits:

  • Strengthens Relationships
  • Develop Life Skills
  • Get Closer to Nature
  • Affordable – Cost less than renting a hotel room
  • Improves Problem Solving
  • Food tastes better. Doesn’t everything taste better cooked over an open campfire?

Camping Disadvantages:

  • Bugs – specifically mosquitoes. They often come out at night or in heavily wooded areas.
  • Shared Bathroom facilities.

My list may or may not be similar to your list for the advantages and disadvantages of going to the beach as compared to going camping, however, that is perfectly alright. I encourage you to make your own lists, weight the pros and cons of each, and decide for yourself or with your family which is a better fit.

In conclusion, what do I prefer? When I was younger, I lived closer to the beach and went often. I used to play volleyball and go waterskiing. It was lots of fun. I often went with friends or met my church youth group there. My junior high and high school summers were usually spent at church camp. My youth group did not go to “Christian” campgrounds for the most part. Instead, my youth pastor took us to state or national parks. Those were some fabulous times communing with nature and being with friends.

I’m not so young anymore and do not live close to the beach. The beach is a minimum of a three-hour drive if not longer depending on the beach. There are plenty of local or fairly close state and national campgrounds with easy access for camping. I fell in love with the outdoors and nature as a teenager and that is the choice, I prefer to this day. And in case you were wondering, I still tent camp and love it.

I love to cook over a blazing campfire day or night. Cooking breakfast, lunch, and supper every day is terrific. It might take work to build the campfire and keep it stoked, but it so worth it.

God Bless. Go Camping. Go to the Beach. Just get away and get outdoors. Enjoy the fresh air and the night sky. Have fun.

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Daily Prompt: Would you rather go camping or to the beach? Why? Part Four

Welcome to Part Four of Would you rather go camping or to the beach? So far, we have discussed the advantages and disadvantages of going to the beach and the advantages of going camping. Today we’ll discover some of the disadvantages of going camping.

Camping will be fun they say…. It’ll be great, you’ll see. Nobody tells you in advance how much work goes into camping. First of all, you need to decide what kind of camping you are going to do. Are you going to be tent camping? Are you going to camp in a recreational vehicle? If you do not have the equipment or the RV, you’ll either need to purchase them or rent them.

Disadvantages of Camping:

  • Camping can be expensive.
  • Often low comfort level. Especially if you choose to tent camp. AIr mattresses are a plus, but you’ll still be on the ground.
  • Often, you’ll need to book your camp site in advance.
  • It might be crowded at the campground depending on the time of year you choose to camp. Campgrounds are more crowded on the weekends than during the week.
  • Back Problems, possibly due to sleeping on the hard ground, or doing heavy lifting.
  • Weather could be bad. Possibly rain, too hot, or really cold freezing temperatures. Of course, if you choose to camp in an RV, it won’t affect you as bad as in a tent.
  • You’ll need to purchase camping equipment if you do not already have them. Let’s face it, equipment can be expensive.
  • NO internet. But then why do you need internet if you’re out in the woods to enjoy nature?
  • Share a bathroom with everyone at the campsite.
  • Bugs. They could bite or be loud at night. You could also encounter other animals wandering into your campsite.
  • Limited Food. You’ll need to plan ahead on what food to bring. You may not be able to run to the store very quickly to pick up food you forgot to bring.
My tent I used in June of 2019 at Andrew Jackson State Park
My view of the Lake at
Andrew Jackson State Park

Before you go camping, you’ll need to decide if the advantages outweigh the disadvantages and if it is the right thing for you to do. You’ll also need to plan ahead. Decide which type of camping you’ll be doing, what equipment you’ll need, and what food to bring along with you. You’ll also need to decide if you’ll be going alone or bringing family and/or friends along. Whatever you decide, plan on having fun.

Life is Better at the Campsite.

God Bless. Get Outdoors and enjoy nature. Have fun and don’t forget to bring the sunscreen. Please feel free to like, comment, and follow. I appreciate y’all.