What's with all the TVs (televisions) while camping now???

I suppose it's an addiction not unlike any other. Perhaps many of the private campgrounds have realized that if they provide cable connections, more people who may not LOVE camping as much as others would be more inclined to visit their facility if they provided this creature comfort of home. Most large travel trailers and motorhomes are equipped with television capabilities from the factory.

I went for an evening stroll with DW last year in a state park and as we passed by one site, we noticed the whole side of the the huge motorhome was set up like someone's living room, complete with lamps, coffee tables, recliners and sofas arranged in a semi-circle surrounding the rear end of the "bus". The large access panel was raised and they were watching what appeared to be a 60" wide screen television. We just shook our heads and continued walking. I had to ask myself, "why go camping?"

 

We knocked off for a 3 day camping weekend last year, thurs was nice, quiet and full of stars. Friday about 5pm two vans pull in to a spot just up from us and start unloading. Boy scouts, okay I think thats cool. A few minutes later two pickups hauling box trailers pull in bringing the scout equipment, by the time the sun sets they have 4 camp sites taken and a big screen TV set up in the middle. So until 10 pm what we got to see was a flickering TV set and action movies.

I dont understand it either, I guess people want to be entertained and not entertain theirself.

 

I have a little bit different take on this. I work somewhere between 65 to 75 hours a week. I almost never watch tv, and only get an hour or so at night on the puter before I turning in to start all over. The thought of just planting my butt in an outdoor chair with my feet up under the awning of the pup, surfin the net or taking in a movie and relaxing, doesn't sound too bad to me.

I think it's a sign of the changing times. Not good in some ways, not bad in others. We just ended up getting dish network hooked up at the house, mainly so we can have it in the camper when we travel. We do alot of outdoor activities too, but it's nice to come back to camp tired from being in the sun all day, and veggin in front of the tube watching a movie with the kids. The really sad part of all of this is, how rarely we get to do that during our normal lives. It just seems like we all just move to fast.

Just a different perspective. It's all good.

 

Yea, I find it odd too, but to each their own. If that is what makes them happy, I'm cool with that.

 

We don't bring a TV, but we do occassionally take the portable DVD player out of the van. It really helps with calming a kid down after an exciting day or just to sit in the a/c quietly for a while and cool off. I also don't think I would ever have a big screen, but the thought of chilling out on a cool evening watching a movie under the stars sounds kinda cool. Like a drive-in movie. Besides, it's probably cheaper than firewood nowadays.

 

We bring a tv/dvd combo. Ilike to keep up on news and weather since we haven't camped yet this year without storms it's nice to have an idea what you're in for. We do enjoy watching a movie while it rains.

 

We camped for a week long vacation in June. The little popup next to us had the television going 24/7. They slept with it on and everything. They even left it running when they went away on their day excursions. They were really nice folks, and didn't have the volume obnoxiously loud, but I still was annoyed by the glow of the screen at night and the constant distraction. I will NEVER take a television camping, but I'm cool with others doing so if that's what they enjoy. I just wish they would all use some discretion.

 

We're of the No TV while camping camp, as well. I'm also more in the minority though. We don't take a radio camping and we don't take a PC camping. For one thing, dd needs to be away from the PC much more than she is.

It's kind of like alcohol though. If I don't know you're doing it, I don't care. Meaning, if I see it, that's fine, but I don't want to hear it. I used to wonder, but now I think I'm thankful. When people are inside (which is usually the case) watching tv, the cg appears to be less crowded than it is.

Jean

 

Once again, each to his/her own, but to me "camping" means being away from civilization, not bringing it to the wilderness. I go out in the wilderness to get away from civilization and "commune" with nature. I enjoy observing and photographing its beauty. Some people say they like to keep up with the news or sports, etc. One of the things that is sacred to me when I am in the wilderness is to NOT keep up with that stuff. I don't want to know what the president is doing or what happened in Argentina or Iran, etc. I don't need a DVD player because I can meditate for a couple of hours by the shore of a beautiful mountain river. At night I can watch the stars or catch up on some reading. Yes, I'm in a PUP instead of pup tent but I treat it like a tent on a box, not a home away from home. As a 61-year-old with arthritis I need to be off the ground and a bit warmer. That's pretty much the extent of my concession to "the comforts of home." This is consistent with my choices of camping locations: boondocking or small campgrounds with no hook-ups. A private campground with water, power, TV, a store and a pool, etc. is not camping for me because it maintains aspects of civilization and does not have wilderness.

 

We have camped for many many years and have never taken a TV. We spend time with family and friends, hike, fish and just enjoy the beauty of nature. We usually or should I say always dry camp, so other than our little inverter we have no electric. I don't miss it, I like the back to nature feeling. Some people like all the conveniences and that is ok too. We should do what makes us happy , not everyone likes the same thing.

Laurie

 

We do like to bring along a small tv to try and get important news and especially the weather. We don't have one of those weather radio's and sometimes bad weather is on the way but we don't know about it until it arrives or another camper tells us about it. We don't sit around and watch it but it's there if we need it. Depending on where we're going I will take my pc because my gps is on it and we get lost all the time and at least maybe the gps will help us find our way. I don't like the routes the gps gives us but I do like seeing what roads are up ahead of us..but that's about it for the pc..for the gps.
Our little tv requires a converter so not sure how much as far as news or weather we'll get if we need it..

 

we take a portable dvd player for our 9 year old just in case of rain or for bed time movie

 

We only take my laptop, as DS (2) sometimes wakes up anywhere from 5:30 to 6:30. We will play him a DVD in our bed to keep him quiet until others around us start getting up. Without the DVD, he starts out quiet, but gradually gets louder as he gets more excited playing on our bed.

 

I could make some comments here that would probably really p!ss some people off. But, instead all I'm gonna say is that I had no idea Michael Jackson or Farrah Fawcett died until we got home last Sunday.

On the other hand we did have some awesome family hikes, a couple hotly contested games of UNO, Elizabeth read an entire Nancy Drew book and Olivia made her first attempt at a crossword puzzle.

TV, DVD player, computer or even a radio while camping??? NO WAY !!!

 

Same with us. We were in Virginia (I guess) when he died. I think Farah Fawcett died the day before? Billy Mays died at some point while we were gone too.

We did pick up a paper while driving from NC to GA to check the weather and see if there were any hurricanes or tropical storms headed towards our home. Other than that, we had no idea what was going on.

Portable DVD in the TV, but no tv or radio in the pup for us.

 

When we first started camping, we definitely did not have a tv with us in our tent or tent trailer. The TT we bought came with one, although I did balk at it when we first looked at the model we have. However, we only use the tv if the weather is lousy. Most of the time we are out of the TT or prefer reading. I can see using the tv if we are travelling down to the States for the winter which is something we are thinking of next year after I retire.

When we had our tent trailer, (our second one) we did bring our laptop to watch movies in rainy weather. But we certainly thought and still do, that we're not missing much if we don't watch tv.

 

We have the no tv/laptop rule but we also have young kids. I want to spend more time doing things with them rather than vegetating with them. We bring games and already have lots of things to do to help one another.

to each their own.