The 2025 camping season is shaping up to be an interesting one, with new trends and insights emerging from two of the most respected reports in the industry: RVshare’s Travel Trend Report 2025 and The Dyrt’s 2025 Camping Report. These reports aim to predict where RV and camping trends travel headed in the coming year.
One of the biggest takeaways? RVing and camping remain as popular as ever, but the way people travel and plan their trips is evolving. From shifting demographics and flexible work travel to campground booking challenges and the rise of passion-driven adventures, these reports provide valuable insights for anyone planning a camping trip in 2025.
In this week’s RV Atlas podcast episode, Jeremy and Stephanie discuss many of the key RV and camping trends from these reports and explore what they mean for actual campers and RVers.
Who is Camping in 2025? A Shift in Demographics
One of the most eye-catching trends in the RVshare Travel Trend Report is the continued rise of younger generations in the RVing space. While RVing was once associated primarily with retirees, that perception is changing quickly. Last year, everyone was saying “the Boomers are back!” But this year didn’t show that trend continuing.
- 76% of Millennials (ages 29-44) say they are interested in RV travel this year, making them the largest age group of RV travelers.
- 67% of Gen Z (ages 13-28) also express interest in taking an RV trip, showing a strong demand among younger adventurers.
- Gen X (ages 45-60) remains steady at 67%, while only 29% of Boomers (ages 61-70) plan to take an RV trip—a significant drop compared to past years.
These numbers indicate a major generational shift in RV and camping trends, with younger travelers embracing RVing and outdoor adventure. Millennials are in the prime family-travel years, and many see RVing as an affordable way to vacation with kids. Meanwhile, Gen Z is showing strong interest in road-tripping and the RV lifestyle, but in a way that fits their unique travel style—shorter trips, experience-driven adventures, and solo or small-group travel.
Fewer Trips, Higher Budgets: The “Splurgecation” Trend
The RVshare report highlights a key shift in how people are spending their travel dollars. Many travelers are planning fewer trips in 2025, but they’re spending more money per trip to make those vacations more special.
- 63% of travelers say they will take fewer trips in 2025 but spend more per trip.
- More travelers are focusing on one big annual RV trip rather than frequent weekend getaways.
- Campers are willing to splurge on upgraded experiences, premium campgrounds, and adventure activities like ziplining, guided tours, and fine dining.
This trend reflects how travelers are prioritizing quality over quantity when it comes to their vacations. Instead of packing in multiple small trips, they’re focusing on bucket-list destinations and memorable experiences—whether that means staying at a high-end RV resort, booking a scenic boondocking site, or planning a month-long cross-country road trip.
Passion-Driven Travel: RVing for Experiences, Not Just Destinations
One of the most interesting trends highlighted in RVshare’s report is the rise of passion-driven travel. Instead of simply picking a destination like Yellowstone or the Grand Canyon, more travelers are choosing trips based on their interests and hobbies.
Popular themes include:
- Baseball Stadium Tours – RVers mapping out road trips to visit multiple Major League Baseball parks.
- Food and Drink Trips – Exploring regional cuisine, breweries, or distilleries along an RV route.
- Historical Sightseeing – Visiting Civil War battlefields, presidential landmarks, or famous film locations.
- Outdoor Adventure Travel – Prioritizing national parks, hiking trails, and extreme sports destinations.
This type of travel has been around for decades, but it’s gaining new popularity as social media and online trip-planning tools make it easier to customize trips around personal passions.
Campground Booking Challenges: The No-Show Problem
The Dyrt’s 2025 Camping Report sheds light on one of the biggest frustrations in the camping community: campground reservations and no-shows. While securing a great campsite has always been a challenge, the problem has become worse due to last-minute cancellations and unused reservations.
- Some state and national park campgrounds report 30% or more of their sites sitting empty due to no-shows.
- Many campers book multiple sites as a backup, then fail to cancel the ones they don’t use.
- Some states, like California and Washington, have begun cracking down on no-shows by changing reservation policies.
This issue is particularly frustrating because state and national parks are subsidized by taxpayer dollars—which means when a campsite sits empty, the public isn’t getting the benefit of that resource. Campers have long been calling for better reservation policies, such as penalties for repeated no-shows or lockout periods for those who abuse the system.
On the flip side, private campgrounds are increasingly adopting stricter cancellation policies, which has left some campers frustrated. Unlike hotels, which often allow last-minute cancellations, many RV resorts and private campgrounds require weeks or even months of advance notice for cancellations—something that can be difficult for travelers planning long-term trips.
Inflation and the Cost of Camping
While inflation has affected travel prices across the board, camping remains one of the most affordable ways to vacation. According to The Dyrt’s report:
- 80% of campers said they camped the same amount or more in 2024, despite inflation.
- While the cost of RVs, gas, and campgrounds has increased, travelers still see camping as a budget-friendly alternative to hotels, air travel, and resort vacations.
- Glamping took a hit in 2024, with some luxury camping resorts seeing a decline in bookings—likely due to higher costs.
These trends suggest that, while the price of camping has gone up, most travelers are still prioritizing outdoor travel over other vacation options.
Solo Camping on the Rise
For the third consecutive year, solo camping has been a rising trend. More people—especially women—are embracing the independence and adventure of camping alone. According to The Dyrt:
- Solo campers are more likely to choose tent camping, camper vans, truck camping, or overlanding.
- RV manufacturers have taken note, designing rigs specifically for solo travelers, like compact teardrops and van conversions.
- Safety remains a top priority, with solo travelers focusing on campgrounds with strong security measures and well-lit sites.
As more people look for ways to escape into nature on their own terms, solo camping is becoming a mainstream travel choice rather than just one of severa niche RV and camping trends.
Looking Ahead to the 2025 Camping Season
Overall, the RVshare Travel Trend Report and The Dyrt’s Camping Report paint a picture of industries still morphing years after the pandemic disruption. While some aspects of RV and camping trends are evolving—such as pricing models, cancellation policies, and travel motivations—the core appeal of camping appears to remain strong.
As we head into the 2025 season, it’s clear that RVers and campers are looking for unique experiences, better booking systems, and more flexibility in their trips. Whether you’re planning a big splurgecation, a solo adventure, or just hoping to secure that perfect state park campsite, there’s a lot to look forward to in the coming year.
Do these RV and Camping Trends align with your own camping experiences and plans for 2025? Join the conversation in The RV Atlas Facebook group and let us know your thoughts on these reports! You can also email us at hello@thervatlas.com, or leave us a voice message at 732-455-9814.
And if you missed last week’s episode, be sure to check out our deep dive into the Florida RV SuperShow, where we shared some of our favorite RVs from the show.
See you at the campground!
