travel
A Lake Michigan sunset casts rays over Empire's Indigo Bluffs RV Park & Resort.
CAMPING GONE WILD by LUCINDA HAHN
G
ary becker, longtime owner of Indigo Bluffs RV Park & Resort in Empire, is in the business of family memories. His tagline, “For all the ways you camp,” represents his vision to create a more affordable, inclusive place for people to gather. “The families I know don’t fit into the same economic box,” Becker says. “But they still want to be together.” His goal is to offer options for every budget. Indigo Bluffs has RV sites, cottages, cabins and tent sites along with WiFi access throughout the resort, a dog park, heated pool, laundry, camp store and more. Becker likes to say if Indigo Bluffs were a hotel, it’d be a Ritz Carlton, Marriott, Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn Express and Red Roof all sharing the same lobby and amenities, but with the personality and warmth of a boutique hotel. Americans’ desire—or at least willingness—to pitch a tent or park an RV instead of booking a hotel reached a precipitous peak during the pandemic. Some 9 million first-time campers hit the outdoors in 2021, compared to 1 million in 2019,
according to the 2022 North American Camping Report. “Yes, camping exploded during Covid,” Becker says, “But what really gave it a lot of momentum in my opinion was that RV ownership replaced the dream of cottage ownership, and with the affordability of RVs, this allowed a much broader group of ages and incomes to participate. Covid pushed this trend five years into the future in a matter of months.” Becker tells us more about the revival of RV culture. Lucinda Hahn: What was the boom like for you? Gary Becker: Even before the pandemic, we were already seeing lots of newer, younger RV owners. Most were gig workers—internet marketers, designers—who could work remotely and take time off between jobs. Then Covid, with all its anxiety and concern, drove even more people into the lifestyle. Now, about 22 percent of RV owners are between ages 18 and 34, which is incredible. People are increasingly searching for ways to connect with nature, spend time with their families and find stress relief.
photos courtesy of Indigo Bluffs RV Park & Resort
Are RVs the new family cottage?
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