Camping is back, continuing to increase in popularity

SAUKVILLE, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Camping season is upon us.

"Wisconsin is like one of the top five in the country," Camping World Milwaukee General Manager Nash Archuleta said.

"If you drive around and just take a peek, at least every other driveway or yard has a camper in it somewhere. Camping is a big deal here."

According to Statista, almost 26 million North Americans camped more than three times in 2021. At Camping World in Saukville, you will find everything from RV-safe toilet paper to chairs to make your adventure even better.

"It's really about family, right? My best memories in life are really around a campfire, with my kids and sitting around and just telling stories and making smores," Archuleta said.

Archuleta said camping has grown in popularity over the last few years, especially with younger people, as it can be a cost-effective way to vacation.

"If you got a family of four and you're tallying up the hotel rooms for that crew and the airline tickets and everything else that goes into that, it's more expensive than the payment on a camper and the cost of going to a campground and the maintenance on that camper for the year," he explained.

A new trend many campers are trying is called "boondocking." It is when people go off the grid with their RV by using their own power source. Archuleta said people are interested in this because it expands their options when it comes to traveling.

"There are all kinds of cool places to explore in America, and there's not a campground everywhere people want to go," he said.

Camping World Milwaukee is located at 800 E Green Bay Ave. in Saukville.