Features > Technology > Internet & Wifi Camping
Need a getaway to nature but not totally away?
You can camp and still have that connection to the internet.
Do you go camping to get away from it all and to get back in touch with nature? Or do you have the clicking finger itch to get back online around the campfire. Check your auctions and email under the stars. For better or worse, you can do both these days.
Campgrounds, and later RV Parks, have swept the country as a way to get out on and off the road. From solo trips to family outings to snow birds, people are getting out there and away from every day life between walls. Cell phone service at the campsite has steadily improved and you may register a few bars at the fire pit. But can you register a new domain name and get the important email you missed before wheeling down the old highway?
A new amenity is rapidly being added to campground and RV Park listings these days. Internet access. It may be high-speed wifi, crawling dial-up or a single computer in the corner of the park manager's office but it's there for you. “It's a fast growing service that is requested in RV parks these days,” says Adam Longfellow of AllStays.com. “We responded to our customers by adding a directory of campgrounds and RV Parks that offer this service . ( /Campgrounds/Internet-campgrounds.htm ) The number of listings has tripled in just the last few months. I think more and more people want to stay connected while traveling.”
Guests of these new service oriented parks and campgrounds want to be able to check information, stay in touch by email or do a little work while away from home. “They may be living in a rv park for weeks or months out of the year and don't want to have to run out to a library or coffee shop. With more and more parks offering Internet service , one could run an online business or auction shop from almost anywhere.”
Wireless or “wifi” service seems to be the fastest growing for Internet campgrounds. A RV park can share a hi-speed internet connection with a router for whoever logs on. There are some that use a dial-up service but that is a bit more complicated. Any park office can add a computer or two in the corner for guests to use but limited access, privacy issues, and scheduling can be more difficult and a hassle at times.
Costs vary from campground to campground but many are free. Some owners choose to offer this as a free perk to lure more guests away from other parks. Or they may charge for the access time. Still others are part of a network of parks using a particular service. A guest can pay a monthly fee and then connect at any park in the country that is on that network. “You could travel the country and have Internet access at your campsite most of the time if you plan it out,” says AllStays.com.
“We're staying on top of it and adding more places all the time. ( /Campgrounds/Internet-campgrounds.htm ) Most of the U.S. states have places in our directory right now and we would expect every state to have Internet campgrounds by the end of the year. Even a number of state and national parks are getting into this service. We are currently working on listings for Canada and around the world as well,” adds Adam Longfellow at AllStays.com
So throw the wi-fi enabled laptop in the car or RV and hit the back roads. You never know when your fingers will itch for the keyboard. Just make sure your fingers are clean after those roasted marshmallows.
Adam | Mar 25, 2005 | Category: Technology
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