Ever rolled into a campground all excited for that peaceful escape, only to remember some of these “joys” we all nod along to?
We love camping. But let’s be real with each other here, there are some things at campgrounds that we all dislike, possibly even DESPISE. Here are the ones I thing you will agree with, are our least favorite things about campgrounds.
Here are 10 things we campers pretend to ignore but secretly kinda hate:
Campground quiet hours
We smile and say sure, 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. sounds perfect. Then we lie there listening to the neighbor’s dog bark or their kid scream at midnight.
That one guy running a generator all day
We tell ourselves they must really need it for something important. Inside, we’re cursing the constant drone that kills the forest sounds we came for. For the love of everything that is the outdoors, get a power block or leave the big screen TV at home.
Blasting music from portable speakers
We pretend it’s no big deal and maybe even hum along. Truth is, we want to hear birds and wind, not someone’s playlist echoing through the trees.
Campground toilets
From concrete buildings to those forest service vault toilets, they always feel a bit sketchy even when someone just cleaned them. Toilet paper? You mean see-through tissue paper? And if showers are there, the water pressure is weak and it rarely gets hot.
Dealing with nonstop bugs
We brag about how bug spray and head nets make it fine. Secretly, we’re slapping mosquitoes and checking for ticks every five minutes.
Those picnic tables
We call them classic campground style and snap cute photos. In reality, they’re tough to slide into, impossible to cook on comfortably, and never level for anything.
Neighbors who ignore site boundaries
We wave nicely when kids or dogs cut right through our spot. Deep down, it drives us nuts when people treat the whole loop like their playground.
People who roll in late with all their lights blazing
We say no worries, at least they’re finally set up. But those headlights and lanterns kill the dark sky we waited all day to see, or worse yet, wake us up after we finally get to sleep.
Packing and unpacking all the gear
We act like loading the car twice is half the fun. Honestly, it’s exhausting and we dread stuffing wet tents back in the bag.
Having to book spots months ahead
We pretend planning way in advance builds excitement. The truth? It stresses us out when popular campgrounds fill up in seconds.
There it is. My updated list of guilty secrets.
We still keep coming back because the good stuff outweighs the annoyances most trips.
What’s on your list of things you pretend to love but low-key hate?
Drop it in the comments or shoot me an email at cliff@10toestravel.com.
I’d love to hear your stories.
