RVs, Cabins or Tents: Which Offers the Best Family Camping Experience?

Camping offers a unique vacation experience as it forces travelers to abandon traditional luxuries. Instead, you must use Mother Nature to enjoy yourself, whether it's fishing, hiking or hunting. Yet, when it's time to recline for the day, which form of shelter offers the best family camping experience?

Should you stick with a traditional tent, or should you rent an RV or a cabin? The latter options would appear to hinder the rustic aspect of camping, yet they offer several benefits that cannot be ignored.

For instance, with an RV you can travel to some of the best family camping sites without having to set up shelter. Everything you need is right in your vehicle. And, by the fact that an RV is smaller than a cabin, you may feel more immersed within the environment.

On the other hand, some campers prefer a more home-like environment. Cabins offer this and then some. At the cabin I stayed at, there was Internet service, hot tubs and cable television. The only difference between the cabin and my house was the atmosphere. Since it was located deep in the woods, I felt much closer to nature.

Of course, there are other more rustic cabins. With these cabins you get no amenities aside from heat and electricity. If you have to use the bathroom, you must use an outhouse or a shared public facility.

But for old-school campers, can either of these options replace the thrill of sleeping in a tent? Well, before you automatically say "no," consider that many tents are designed like portable houses. True, they aren't cabins, but they do come with separate rooms and in some cases even lighting. It's also possible to operate electronics within your tent, if you use a generator.

With that being said, if you are using such a setup with your tent, you're still using the same amenities offered by cabins or RVs, (even if your shelter is more rustic in general). So, don't feel as if you're 'missing out' if you do decide to change pace with a cabin or an RV.

In conclusion, it doesn't really matter what type of shelter you use when you go camping. Each one can offer an enjoyable camping experience... it just depends on your mindset. If you want the most traveling freedom, RVs are your best choice. On the other hand, if you want a 'home away from home,' you should go for a cabin. And tents can be reserved for a more rustic camping adventure. Either way, when going on one of your best family camping trips, I guess it really wouldn't matter too much how you camp as long as you are with family.