When most people think of going on a family vacation, they imagine flying to a tropical destination. In most cases, the grown-ups will indulge in adult activities while the kids run around a hotel and order room service well into the night.

While this type of vacation may be enjoyable for some, it has one crucial and glaring flaw; it’s not really a family vacation. If you want a real family vacation that brings loved ones together, you should consider family camping vacations.

Family camping is truly the essence of a great vacation because it encompasses so many different things. From packing up the RV to telling stories around the campfire, the entire family camping process will allow you to learn more about your loved ones while enjoying their company. Here are three of the many reasons to consider family camping vacations for the experience of a lifetime:

• Explore new places. Cabins in Texas, campgrounds in New York, RV camping in Illinois…the list goes on and on. When it comes to camping, there truly is no limit to the places you can discover. Most camping — about 70% — is done in public campgrounds. However, there are also incredible camping destinations with furnished cabins, as well as enormous RV camps that almost feel like a small village.

• Weather the great outdoors together. The word “weather” may be a bit strong considering your family will likely be staying in a furnished campground, but you never know how loved ones will react to the outdoors until you’re in the moment. Hiking is the most popular activity among campers (about 92% said they hiked,) allowing you to see what your loved ones are really made of. It’s a fun and harmless way to push each other to your physical limits, which is something most people rarely get to do at their work desk.

• Put down the smartphones. Teenagers certainly do their fair share of texting, but most adults would also admit that they spend a bit too much time on their smartphones. On a family camping trip, you’ll be having too much fun to think about your phone. An estimated 87% of campers participate in multiple outdoor activities, and you’ll quickly realize that there’s no time for texting when you have a full day of excitement ahead of you.

If you love spending time with your family and want something new to try, you should strongly consider a group camping trip. It’s the perfect blend of excitement and serenity, and one of the best ways to reconnect with loved ones.