New survey data from Campspot, a leading outdoor marketplace, shows travelers are hitting a “complexity ceiling” with modern vacations as higher costs, planning fatigue and flight avoidance reshape how people are thinking about time away. Sixty-eight percent of respondents cite higher travel costs as the top disruptor shaping summer plans. Nearly 8 in 10 (79%) say they are reducing air travel, and 60% are avoiding flights altogether when possible.
The result is a shift Campspot is calling The Dust-Off Summer: a move toward easier, drive-to getaways built around what travelers already have, whether that is a car in the driveway, an RV in storage, a tent in the garage or gear borrowed from friends and family.
“This summer’s travel story isn’t ‘less travel.’ It’s ‘less hassle,'” said Carolin Fuller, director of consumer marketing at Campspot. “People still want the reset. What they do not want is a trip that adds stress. Camping is resonating as a top option because it’s easier to plan, easier to budget for and still delivers the emotional payoff people want from summer travel.”
The Dust-Off Mindset
Instead of adding new purchases and new complexity, travelers are making summer happen with what they already have access to. Nearly all travelers surveyed (95%) say they are trying to get more value out of what they already own for travel rather than buying something new, and 60% say owning fewer “nice things” but taking more trips feels more appealing in 2026.
“We’re seeing people shop their own garages before anything else,” Fuller added. “If the car or RV are there, the gear is there and the outdoors are there, a trip suddenly feels possible again.”
That logic is showing up most clearly among younger travelers. When missing an item for a trip, 53% say they will borrow, rent or buy secondhand rather than buy new. That behavior is even stronger for Gen Z and millennials, with 79% of Gen Z and 70% of millennials likely to thrift or borrow gear compared to 48% of boomers. For younger campers especially, the appeal is not only affordability. It is flexibility, lower commitment and less waste.
Why Camping Is the “Smart Vacation” Right Now
Camping is increasingly being chosen as the practical alternative to high-effort travel. In fact, 80% have taken an RV or camping trip specifically because it felt like the “smartest vacation option” available. Respondents say camping feels more affordable, easier to plan, less decision-heavy and more predictable in cost compared to other forms of travel. Campspot booking data shows average nightly campground rates for summer 2026, making it easier to budget compared to many traditional stays.
What “Dust-Off” Travel Looks Like for Summer 2026
Campspot’s trend outlook shows three ways the Dust-Off travel trend is taking shape for summer 2026.
First is The Radius Run, where travelers tighten their geographic footprint to vacation closer to home. Campspot found that 69% of camping trips now happen within a six-hour drive, and 1 in 3 (32%) keep getaways under a four-hour drive.
Second is The Gear-Led Getaway, where the setup dictates the destination — from RV-ready campgrounds to tent sites, cabins or parks where travelers can make use of what they already own. More than 1 in 3 (36%) respondents say access to specific gear or setups often, or almost always, influences where they go.
Third is The Shoulder Stretch, where travelers extend summer into quieter, and often more affordable months. Campspot found that 77% plan to extend the season into September and 58% to stretch travel into October, suggesting summer travel is becoming less tied to peak-season timing and more focused on flexibility.
The full Dust-Off Summer infographic and trend report, including additional survey findings and booking insights, are available at campspot.com/about/dust-off-summer.
Methodology
Campspot surveyed 1,453 users across North America in March 2026. Respondents answered questions about summer 2026 travel planning, cost considerations, camping behavior, gear usage and air travel preferences.
