Perhaps the recent spurts in visitation to national parks can indeed be traced to the economy. A just-released survey says camping is the No. 1 vacation choice among families looking to cut costs on their summer vacations.

“Aside from wanting to save money, families are increasingly showing a desire to enjoy the simple pleasures of the great outdoors”, says George Van Horn, a senior analyst at IBISWorld, which bills itself as "the nation’s most trusted independent source of industry and market research."

"With camping being the No. 1 outdoor vacation activity, and with over 14,000 government and commercial campground and RV parks, families have an excess of destinations to choose from,” he adds.

According to IBISWorld, a nine-day camping vacation, one in which you camp and drive your own car, costs a family of four $1,425 on average. If you take your car and rent a pop-up trailer for camping, the average costs rises to $2,176. "Type C" RV vacations are the third-most expensive summer vacation, with a nine-day trek costing $3,576, on average, the firm says. Rounding out the top five are vacations in which you drive but stay in a hotel ($3,590, on average, for nine days), and those in which you fly, rent a car, and then stay in a hotel ($5,176).

"Although RV sales have expectedly gone down this year (to 155,000 – from a peak of 390,500 units in 2006), the RV rental and lease market, on the other hand, has gone up," notes IBISWorld. "The $2.14 billion dollar sector has increased by 3.3 percent this year. With a growing number of franchised resort-type campgrounds sprouting across the nation, roughing it in the wilderness does not necessarily entail getting down and dirty. Operators of camping chains have been upgrading their facilities and amenities, such as introducing wireless Internet access, health and fitness centers, playgrounds, and even restaurants and cafes."

“Camping appeals to families of all income levels”, points out Mr. Van Horn. “Whether it’s boating, fishing, or soaking in some fresh air with your laptop at hand, modernized campgrounds can accommodate just about every need”.