(Almost) Free Vacations

Regardless of how bad the economy is, we all still need to kick back and relax once in a while. Let's talk about one of the cheapest types of vacation you can take: a camping trip. There's nothing like getting out and enjoying the serenity of nature to reduce stress and put a few years back on the old life expectancy. Stress can kill you and worrying about how to pay for a vacation adds to the stress. You're in luck, though; welcome to the world of free camping.

You may not realize it, but you own a large chunk of pristine wilderness and you should go take a look at it once in a while. Well, you don't own it directly, but the federal and state governments maintain this land through your tax dollars, making you a joint owner of this beautiful land. So, I'm afraid you can't get rich by selling out to a fancy ski resort, but you can achieve a rich life by getting outdoors and enjoying the land the government holds in trust for you. Start by taking a short weekend vacation to the nearest wilderness area!

Regardless of where you live, there is public land not too far away. Live in New York City? Getting out of town will be the hard part, but once you're out of the city traffic, there is pristine wilderness within a short drive. The recreational opportunities abound. Between the National Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the National Parks Service and your state's Wildlife Management program, there are many areas to choose from for a weekend getaway or even a two week vacation!

But, the woods are boring!" you say? Sure, there's no bowling allies or pizza joints, but what is there is beyond compare. The beauty and serenity of nature is exactly what you need after running the rat race day in and day out. Activities in nature are only limited by your imagination. You can go for a hike and get rid of that couch potato flab or simply sit and contemplate a waterfall for hours on end. If you think you'll still get bored with life happening all around you, bring along a few simple activities that you never seem to have time for in the city. Bring your camera and try to capture a small piece of the ambiance to reflect on when you get back to your desk on Monday morning. Odds are you'll be longing for the simplicity of nature by the end of the week.

Want an example of something you can do in the woods that you might not be able to do at home? Have you ever tried taking a shower on your lawn?How about cooking freshly caught fish over a campfire? For that matter, try just sitting around a campfire with your family and having time to talk, listen and play games without the constant distraction of television, cell phones and traffic noise.

I hope you'll consider checking out your public lands. We're all paying for them, why should only a few of us be enjoying them?

Freecampsites.net is dedicated to making free camping destinations accessible to the public. You can find many listings for free campgrounds throughout the United States and Canada with an easy to use map interface. Learn more about free camping on public lands.

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