According to the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association more than 8 million Americans own an RV, and if you have tried to book a campsite at your favorite campground during a summer weekend you probably think every one of them is trying to stay at the same campground you are.

Plus, even though RV sales are down because of the economic downturn and high gas prices, the number of new RV owners keeps increasing.

If you are already a camper that probably does not surprise you one bit.

If you don’t camp and wonder what “all the fuss” is about consider the following reasons why RV’ers like camping so much:

Control - taking an RV on a trip gives a person a lot more control than if they take a planned tour (although they are fun too). When Rv’ing deciding to take a side trip to an antique store or stay one more day at a fun destination is usually very easy.

Cost - RV’ing is very affordable even when factoring in the cost of the RV (which a person should do). That is because nightly fees at RV resorts and campgrounds are less than half the price of hotels. For my family it is about 80 percent lower than a hotel because we camp at state parks where the nightly fee is usually under $20. Plus making your own food, which is easy when a person owns an RV is a whole lot less expensive (and usually much tastier) than eating out. While you do have to pay for gas there are no plane tickets or train tickets to buy.

Sleeping - there’s nothing quite as nice as sleeping in your own bed. Having my own bed in my camper is one of my favorite parts of camping. I don’t have to worry about a hard hotel mattress or one that is too soft or lumpy or wonder whether or not the blankets and bedspread on the hotel bed are clean. Don’t most people say after a one or two week vacation “I enjoyed it but it was nice to get home and sleep in my own bed again.”

Not Just For Camping - campers can be used for more than just camping or just camping at a campground. My popup makes an annual trip to the local fairgrounds for a week every year so my nieces can stay right at the fairground to take care of the horses she is showing at the fair. Friends of mine have an annual camp out night in their backyard where people bring their tents or campers (and those that don’t have them bunk with someone who does). A colleague of mine uses his truck camper for the exclusive purpose of traveling to antique tractor shows and staying overnight at them. My cousins use their RV as their tailgating headquarters at a local ballpark.

Spending Time Together - with the frentic pace of today’s society it’s nice to be able to step off the “treadmill of life,” slow down, relax, and spend time together. While most of us have seen Hollywood’s version of what forced togetherness does for a family while camping (not a pretty picture), the truth is that kids really enjoy it whether the kids are 4, 14, 24, or older. One night spent around a campfire telling stories and jokes and making s’mores can make memories that last a long time.

Togetherness: Families that vacation by RV say it fosters an increased sense of togetherness, helps improve family communication and strengthens relationships.