Book Review: 50 States, 500 Campgrounds

Hey- it's March, and do you know what THAT means???? It's my birthday month! I'm turning 40 on the 10th, and that's crazy. I'm not even really excited about that and I feel like that's kind of a bummer. I'm not sure what my problem is this year, but I don't know. It feels like it will be just another day. We'll see. 

50 States, 500 Campgrounds

Plan your next getaway to the great outdoors with this one-of-a-kind resource for campgrounds across North America. In this comprehensive sequel to the best-selling 50 States, 5,000 Ideas, you'll discover the top tent and cabin campsites, as well as RV resorts and glamping destinations around the United States and Canada. Along with destination information—location, contact info, open seasons, and amenities—along with expert recommendations for activities including hiking, biking, and water sports; the best restaurants for days you need a break from the camp stove; and nearby attractions—from sights within nearby national and state parks to local museums. Choose from 10 sites in each state, Western and Eastern Canada, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico, including a cabin at Yogi Bear's Delaware Beaches Jellystone Park Camp Resort; a tent near the stunning waterfall at the Grand Canyon's Havasupai Campground; or a cozy yurt in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Whatever your camping bucket list includes, 50 States, 500 Campgrounds has the site for you.

The quickest way to give me wanderlust is to hand me literally any book from National Geographic, because they have a way of making me want to go anywhere. If you know me in real life, you know that I am not an outdoorsy gal, and I certainly am not a camper by choice, but as I as paging through this.... I have to admit I kind of want to do it once. 

ONCE, I tell you. 

The best thing about this book is that even if you aren't a camper, or maybe you're more of a glamper, or maybe you're neither and would rather stay in an RV, this book has something for everyone. Even you, hotel snob. While it isn't an extensive list of campgrounds for each state, it does pick some of the best of the best for you to choose from. Each listing gives you the run down of what you'll find on site from approximate costs, permit requirements, amenities, number of available spots, but best of all- things to see and do. So even if you know you aren't going to be camping persay, you can easily find something to do for your next vacation. A quick introduction to responsible camping is included of course, and each state's section ends with a "something special" mention, and of course, stunning photographs throughout. I also really liked that Canada is included because I live in northern Wisconsin, right at the tip of Lake Superior, so a jaunt to Canada is a half day away, so I know Canada is never out of the realm of possibility for a quick summer trip. For those who want to venture a little farther from home, information for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands is also included, so you can go camp on the beach if you'd like. 

Not going to lie, as I was going through this book, I learned that you can camp in Constoga wagons... a bit upgraded from the ones that once roamed the American frontier, but wagons nonetheless. Head to Utah if you're interested in that. Are you a fan of The Hobbit? Maybe you should head to Tennessee, where you can go glamping in a gully hut... which is basically an underground cabin. I actually tabbed this off because we drive right by it on our trips to Florida and back and it would be kind of cool to surprise the kids with this instead of a sketchy motel off the hotel. They'll think we've actually lost our minds. 

I highly recommend this one, or literally any other National Geographic travel book, if you're in the process of searching for your next vacation. You'll end up with a list of places and have a hard time picking just one. Thank you to TLC Book Tours and National Geographic for having me on this tour! 

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