August 6, 2026, 3:03 pm | Read time: 6 minutes
Crowded spaces, noise, snoring, generally annoying neighbors, no room for privacy–but at the same time, a great sense of community, honest people, and sometimes unique experiences. It’s a colorful mix of feelings that our author associates with camping overnight. Read about what he’s experienced there and why he keeps returning to these places.
If you were to ask me what the most bizarre, sometimes annoying, yet occasionally beautiful place is for a carefree and affordable (summer) vacation, I would clearly say: a campground. Campgrounds are, all over the world, a haven for people who, like me, see travel as primarily one thing: being outside as much as possible, in the fresh air. And the best part is, you don’t spend as much money as you would in a hotel or vacation rental. Sure, you might sacrifice a lot of comfort compared to those options, but you often meet more honest and original “roommates.” And you experience things that simply wouldn’t happen in the luxury class.
Sometimes, though, you have really bad luck, because in a tent at a campground, you can’t just close the door. There are no solid walls, so you involuntarily hear everything happening around you. There’s loud snoring from all sides at night, a few inconsiderate people still partying at 3 a.m., and the family with two small children will definitely settle next to you because you seem younger and perhaps less shady than the other characters around. The sanitary facilities are sometimes just pit toilets without flushing, or after a day of use by countless people, they’re in a catastrophic state.
Place of Horror
At night, when you have to go to the (hopefully clean) toilet, you inevitably trip over several tent ropes stretched like tripwires. Neighbors impose conversations on you unasked, and show-offs parade their mobile homes. Add to that the bad weather, which according to some cosmic script seems to always occur when camping, and campgrounds can easily become a place of horror, a test of nerves. Despite this, I’ve spent almost half my life vacationing at such places, and from experience, I must say: I love campgrounds, and I hate them at the same time.
I love them because there’s no more liberating feeling for me than sleeping outside. Well, most of the time, I end up in the wilderness, like a shelter. But since wild camping is officially prohibited in many places, I also like to use campgrounds. Especially in Germany, they have a relatively high standard compared to international ones, so you usually don’t have to worry about cleanliness. On clear nights, I don’t even pitch my tent but just lie on my sleeping mat under the night sky. A million stars instead of five stars in a hotel. It’s a cheesy saying on countless memes on social media, but no less true for that.
Also interesting: How a bike tour changed my view of Germany
Exchange for Experiences
The nights here, however, are often a challenge for me. And a reason to hate campgrounds. Because, as mentioned, you hear all the unwanted and sometimes embarrassing noises from the neighbors live. I am a very light sleeper, and then I toss and turn for hours, increasingly angry, in the eye of the storm of this noise level. Sleep on a campground is never really restful. Because besides the night-time nuisances, there are always the early risers who think 6 a.m. is a good time to do something loud.
The second reason I love campgrounds is the camaraderie with people. They are a true exchange for experiences and good tips for excursions, sights, and dining. You often hear exciting stories. Once, in the Harz, a young man told me he had recently cycled through the Sahara. When it comes to travel stories, I’m like the sultan from “One Thousand and One Nights,” I just can’t get enough. If you’re open and curious, you can quickly make connections at a campground.
Also interesting: Why I prefer to go on long hikes alone
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No Room for Privacy
I also love marveling at how well-equipped some people set up their camp for a few days or weeks. Bringing a flat-screen TV on vacation seems a given for many. Around it, entire living room setups are built, ensuring nothing is missing. When it comes to grilling, there seems to be a silent competition over who brings the most absurd grill. And recently, I actually saw a man at a campground in Hungary with his coffee machine. I admit, I was envious.
I hate campgrounds because there’s no room for privacy. When you’re only separated from your neighbors by a few thin fabric sheets, you’re practically always in public space. Where in a hotel you could simply lock the door, here you sit, lie, and live on display. Even friendships and relationships can be tested by the constant proximity. My girlfriend and I, during our recent camping trip, became increasingly sensitive to external stimuli and, unfortunately, to each other.
Also interesting: Why I almost never plan my trips
Culinary Hell
Sometimes, and this is another reason I hate campgrounds, they are a culinary hell. There might be an attached “restaurant” that produces only in bulk all day. Where the food arrives almost as soon as you order it. It was such a place that nearly ruined an entire trip for me in 2015, because after “enjoying” a campground meal, I got sick. Stomach issues, fever, all in one day. And I missed the most scenic part of a 1,000-kilometer bike tour through Germany.
Despite, and because of all these oddities, I will continue to visit campgrounds on my travels. Due to my profession, I’ve often had the dubious privilege of staying in truly absurd luxury temples, once even on a private island. However, I never really felt comfortable in such places. Because the only belonging they require is not shared interests or commonalities, but simply money and how much of it you have. Such superficialities don’t exist when camping. Simple and honest. That could also be my motto if I ever design a family crest.