The travel trend for 2022 is G.O.A.T. Typically the acronym G.O.A.T. stands for Greatest of All Time and can be applied to anything from sports heroes to entertainers (think Tom Brady, Michael Jordan, and Meryl Streep). The hottest new travel trend of 2022 switches it up a bit and has G.O.A.T. instead standing for Greatest of All Trips.
According to Expedia’s 2022 Travel Trends Report, travelers are going all out this year with the ultimate G.O.A.T. goal to have the greatest travel of all time. While we believe every trip you take should be the greatest of all time (until next time), the pandemic most surely played a part in this new trend. After having the world change almost overnight, from lockdowns to not seeing loved ones and to realizing just how precious life is, people are ready to embrace the “live for the moment” mentality. Don’t call it a bucket list – instead, to paraphrase the famous line from Shawshank Redemption, get busy living.
To follow the G.O.A.T philosophy, a G.O.A.T. trip can incorporate one of the following. In some cases, the right planning can be a G.O.A.T. triple threat!
- A sense of well-being and contentment
- Seeking out excitement and exhilaration
- Immerse to discover
Let’s take a look at how you can combine the G.O.A.T. of all camping adventure with the G.O.A.T. mindset for travel.
A sense of well-being and contentment
To achieve this, the effort must be made not only to be present at all times but to be appreciative of your surroundings. Embrace just being! In essence, disconnected from everyday stressors which means turning off electronics and letting the day take you where it will. We take this as heading to a place where you don’t feel the need to do anything except just be a part of nature. Don’t seek out those Instagram-worthy spots so you’re not snapping pics instead of relishing the scenery. Don’t head to a destination where there is so much to see and do your head spins. With this trip style, you’re not going to find the top 10 tourist attractions. Instead, you’re going to focus on things like grounding or earthing, creating hygge in your camping digs, and finding the things in nature that heal or soothe you, in both body and spirit.
Some of the top spots for spiritual or energy seekers include Joshua Tree National Park (near Palm Springs RV Resort); Sedona, Arizona (near Verde Valley RV Resort); the California town of Ojai (near Rancho Oso in Santa Barbara), Maine’s Acadia National Park (near our three Bar Harbor resorts) and America’s Oldest City, St. Augustine, Florida (near Bulow RV Resort).
Grounding works best on sand, grass, stone, or dirt. Camp near the beach, a lush meadow, or granite mountains. We’ve got plenty of locations where your feet can land to accomplish this. Add hygge to your camping experience by adding comfort. The right lighting, comfy camp bedding, and soft music add to the experience. Or, enjoy a tiny house, cozy cabin, or yurt accommodation, or check out the glamping tents at Marina Dunes near Monterey, California.
Sensation-seeking
The point here is to do something that provides a sense of exhilaration and possibly trying high adrenaline activities. Dive to deep ocean depths or experience tree-top heights with a zipline adventure. Tackle whitewater rapids, climb mountains, or hike a trail above your current comfort level. Scuba dive in the Keys or take on a story-worthy deep sea fishing expedition (near Sunshine Key RV Resort or Fiesta Key RV Resort); climb the peaks of Cadillac Mountain in Maine’s Acadia National Park or try the Gondola Run up Heavenly Mountain in California’s South Lake Tahoe (near Tahoe Valley RV Resort). Hike part of the Appalachian Trail in Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park (near Lynchburg RV Resort) or the Half Dome Day Hike in Yosemite National Park (near Yosemite Lakes RV Campground). White water rafting adventures can be found on the Deschutes River (near Bend-Sunriver Campground) or in the Adirondacks region of upstate New York (near our Lake George resorts). Put yourself out there, scream a little, and see if you have what it takes to be one of the G.O.A.T.s when it comes to adventure sports!
Immerse to discover
This one involves trying something different or learning about a different culture or something new. There are all kinds of ways you can do this without having to travel to other countries.
Learn all about the wines of America by taking a camping trip near some of the best grape-growing regions around the country. You’ll be surprised to know they aren’t just located in California and Oregon. Of course, California’s Napa and Sonoma Valleys are good places to start. Use Russian River Campground as your home base and spend as much time as you want immersing yourself in the wine culture here. Another California option is a stay at Pacific Dunes in Oceano and exploring the nearby wine area known as Paso Robles. Oregon’s Willamette Valley is another major wine producer and you can choose to stay at Pacific City or Portland Fairview to be in proximity to the wineries here. Texas Hill Country produces wines as does Michigan and camping stays could include Medina Lake and Bear Cave, respectively.
Immerse yourself in the culture of other countries by visiting some of the best ethnic neighborhoods in our country like San Francisco’s Chinatown; Boston’s North End (Italian); Solvang, California (Danish); Leavenworth, Washington (Bavarian); or Poulsbo, Washington (Norwegian).
Learn something new – Enroll in a Boot Camp at one of the Culinary Institute of America’s locations near a campground. These are 2-5-day intense courses on subjects like BBQ and grilling, farm-to-table, or plant-powered cooking. Russian River is near the Napa location and Medina Lake is near the San Antonio location. Go to Surf Camp in San Diego (sandiegosurfingschool.com) and stay at Pio Pico while you learn to hang ten; learn to flyfish in Washington’s Puget Sound (flyfishsteelhead.com) and camp at Tall Chief; or learn about lobstering in Maine during a cruise with Lucky Catch cruises (luckycatch.com) while camping at nearby Moody Beach.
So, there’s the mission, should you decide to accept it. Go after the G.O.A.T. with all the gusto you can muster and see if you can say “yep, that surely was a G.O.A.T.!”