Haha, I knew what was coming as soon as you described camping in New Zealand! New Zealand camping actually involves nature, whereas ‘classical German camping’ can often feel like sitting in a luxury car park with added holiday entertainment. However, you can find places in Germany that come closer to your NZ experience. You have to carefully inspect the camping ground descriptions. Favour those that talk about nature based camping and don’t allow camper vans. The distance required between tents also give good clues. Those camping grounds will often be smaller and may not have organised entertainment, but your children will find it easier to make friends with other kids. Think selecting something the party crowd will shun but that’s family friendly. Those camping grounds will also be quieter to facilitate a reasonable bed time for smaller children.

Luxury Camping is called Glamping 😄

Hi Antoinette! I do like the idea of camping out in the wilds as well, but it's quite difficult in Germany. You aren't allowed to just pitch a tent anywhere and stay the night. Many places explicitly forbid it and it's a lot easier to stay at a camping ground with a few (or a lot) amenities, than to check every place wheather you can sleep there or would have to pay a hefty fine. That aside, it's like you said, with a camper van you can easily travel relatively cheap and see a lot of great places around europe :)

I grew up with camping holidays. best time in my life! being a child it's pure freedom. noone cared what we where doing all day. the second we arrived, you started making friends with other kids around and from there on my parents just chilled, did grown up stuff and we could do whatever we liked, whenever we liked. As I remember the only 'fixed' thing was breakfast together, from than on: do what you want. we've been a big family, so normaly there has always been at least one or two adults at the camp in case you'd need them and during the rest of the day the motto was: if you're here, you're here - if not, you're not. (Wenn du da bist, bist du da - wenn nicht, dann halt nicht) best childhood memories ever!! the adults chilled and relaxed doing their stuff, we kids did our kids stuff. just a perfekt time...

Hi Antoinette, the best camping spot, I was so far, was the Regenbogen camp in Prerow on the Darß peninsula at the Baltic Sea. I had my tent on a sand dune, but you could also have a spot in the coniferous forest behind the dune. From the dune it is about 50m to the sea, so pretty close and the sand under the tent makes a wonderful bed for slepping. You just have to make sure, to not camp in the wrong area of the camp, because it also has a nude camping area.

its been 6 months since I have moved in to Germany from Australia, and I miss the wild camping, or the rugged version (non luxurious). Antoinette has spoken it all, of exactly what I felt about German camping system - the paradigm here must shift to embrace off the grid wildcamping.

@5:58 Yes, but you can turn a pickup into a RV. It is less fancy but more affordable.

My husband and I are from the USA and we have camped once in the Black Forest in Germany. I can only speak for the one campground, of course, but it seemed like there were a few (mostly younger) couples or singles who literally had a tent and sleeping bags, and ate very simple food that didn't require cooking, like sandwiches. Then almost everyone else had campers or at least very elaborate setups with their tents. We're sort of in between, haha. We sleep in a tent, but we have an air mattress, and we like to grill our food or cook it on our camping stove, and we bring along chairs to lounge in and games to play with our friends. It's beautiful there in the Black Forest, so I'm happy either way 💙

In Austria and Switzerland there are still a lot of simple and cheap camp sites. The key is to avoid these 4 star **** superior whatever resorts, those are basically hotels with pools/sauna and everything, but the people sleep in their caravan instead of a hotel bed. I once travelled solo with my bicycle and a solo tent and my campground neighbors had huge caravans with satellite dishes. It was kind of weird to see, they just drive 500km to a campsite for a nice view to watch soccer on the TV and drink beer.

German camping fan here. I have never camped in a van, love my little tent. Definitely possible in Germany! :)

Don't worry about "cheap setup". Lots of people do it like this, mainly young people. The main interest for families is that nobody will care if the children are quite loud, they can run around etc. We often hired fixed installed caravans on camping grounds in France. It's really nice, still cheaper than a hotel and kids have more freedom. It's your choice to cook or go to the camping's restaurant, which makes of course everything more expensive. I don't think it's allowed to put a tent outside of a camping ground if you don't own the place.

Antoinette, your idea of camping is called "Zelten" in germany - literally to tent or tenting.

I'm a German woman of 57 and it might have changed throughout the years? When I was in my twenties, I did camping like you experienced it in NZ - now luxury and just the things you need. Nowadays many bigger families with more than one child do camping for financial reasons. In the long term it is more expensive to fly away with the kids than make camping holidays. Or if you have a big dog or two and want to be independent.

Thank you! Have learnt A LOT from your comments on Camping in Germany.

My idea of camping: DON´T DO IT!!! My wife and her family is a group of happy campers but my time in the military satisfied any needs for camping I might have had developed as a youth. Livining to 8 in a small tent with central heater with full gear and weapons with more than 1 meter snow outside and sometimes over 20°C minus or 35°C heat and dust, dust, dust everywhere and 8 sweaty bodies ... or only a makeshift tent in 3 days of pooring rain without end and no sleeping bag because the transport got lost ... oh those happy camping days. NEVER AGAIN! The funniest camping: survive one night over 2.000 m on a mountain in winter without a tent.

Very interesting... I have only been camping in the USA (Florida & Tennessee) and in very "private" locations where no one else is around for miles. I also used to put a tent in my backyard when I was younger (during winter in Florida) and would sleep out there for days on end- moved my mattress from the bed with all my pillows and blankets and put them in the tent. For children it is an AMAZING opportunity and so much fun ❤️

Camping comes in many flavors. During my last year in high school we sometimes went into the woods with classmates, had a campfire, drank beer, and spent the night outside or in my old delivery van. I grew up in Erlangen and we had the Dechsendorfer Weiher nearby. Here in the US I have carried my sleeping bag and tent in my backpack, obtained a back-county permit (got difficult these days, high demand) and hiked somewhere in Yosemite or the surrounding national forest and spent my nights in my tent. We also went to some campground at the boarder of the national forest and slept in the tent, here we got a bathroom with shower, a shop with a cafe, and a pick-nick table to to where we could park the car. There were some retired people spending their whole summer with 3-axle campers hooked up to an old 18-wheeler, with bathroom, shower, big screen tv and everything inside. The sites for the big trailer with electricity were around $50 per night, just for the tent in the woods around $20. Everything can be enjoyed.

when I was a kid, I loved going camping as a 2 or 3 Day trip with other kids in summer holidays. There were these summer-Holiday- Books, where you could book this for your child only while the Holidays lasted and I loved it

What you experienced was "Glamping" this expression is used for "Glamorous camping". You will find all sorts of camp places in Germany from luxory to spartanic. So for each type of camper is there some perfect fitting place. Nice episode of your life thanks for sharing.

That's actually one of the only things I hate about Germany. I'd love to just camp in the forest or at a lake alone. Sadly you can't really let people camp wherever they want, cause many just leave their trash and the campfire behind.

Fun fact: camping "in the wilderness" is mostly forbidden in Europe. Next thing is among campers in europe you (mostly) don't care what camping equipment you have or others have. It's totally ok to have just a tent and a gas burner as well as to have the high end camper van. Real campers just don't care they're just helpful friendly and welcoming. Also there are different types of camping ground you can choose from. You had the family all inclusive all-round carefree package camping ground. You also could have chosen a hiking camping ground wich would be more like the NZ experience...

We went camping a lot when I was a child. My family had a nice camper/caravan. My best friends family didn't. They used a tent instead. It was very nice for me. But when I became a teenager, I decided to take a small tent with me and sleep next to the camper instead of inside, because my sister's sleeping habits are very different from mine.

Maybe I am straying off topic, BUT for the ultimate Camping experience with "the works" (as Americans say): Leave your adorable children with the grandparents and get yourself tickets for Wacken Open Air 2023 (starting this August 07. at midnight). Ok, you should like heavy metal music - not only in front of the stages but also im the campground. But the camping experience, this total let go (there is the great collect-all-whatever on sunday morning before everyone leaves), the neighbourhood parties (bring a NZ flag!!!) the entire atmosphere and merciless good vibes- that would be something you probably have never experienced before! And definitely an awful lot to tell your followers.

was going on a canoe tour on the Lahn with my son with a Tent. In Germany you have to camp on specific places and I was shocked when we stopped with our small ultralight tents for 1,5 Persons in Limburg and there where today only these luxury campers. Have seen 4 Caravans, the rest only 15 Meter Campers... Fuck, this is not Camping. Will leave next week to Sweden and Norway, do a canoe tour. Will stop on Campings, but also within the canoe tour, we will use the "allemansrätt" or "Jedermannsrecht" as we call it in Germany. So we will stop with the canoe when we are tired, look for a nice place. And the next day we will leave with our tent. So, not all Germans have big 15 Meter Campers :)

I'm from Gisborne, Mahia beach is the best!! I admire you, I would give anything to live in Germany for a year...

20 or 30 years ago Germans also loved modest/rough camping like you know it. I would love, it would still exist like this, but camping became (...covid) too popular and it's too overcrowded everywhere! But anyway: Now some Germans are just very rich and run free in their perfectionism. But my German friends for example they are so poor they even can't afford 1 week of the very modest camping like you originally wanted to do. It's an effect, that the luxurious and extravagant always attracts all attention, very modest stuff or all lacking things simply no one gets aware of. I guess, the fee of this camping site where you had been was simply too high for people who can go ONLY with a modest tent with few stuff. That's why no one of them was there. And who with a 700 Euro holiday budget would like to be surrounded by people with super expensive caravans including equipments that costs many, many thousands? Society splits more and more, weirdly even at camping sites.

I share your idea of camping! I live in Wisconsin and there are countless state parks here where you can go rustic or backcountry camping. Moving to Unterfranken next year so will be on the lookout for similar places!

It's not just Germany, this high end camping seems to be the norm across mainland Europe. In UK there is a choice of this kind of experience, or more basic as you describe. I prefer the latter.

I feel like in Central Europe, there's generally either luxury Camping or you go full Bear Grylls. Not much "just go into nature with some kids", most likely because there are simply way too many people per square kilometer for that.

when I go camping, it is real camping: sleeping rough under the stars, just a sleeping bag and a self inflating matress. sleeping on my open trailer is also quite nice. I look out for a nice spot in daylight (like between the fields, or a cleraring in the woods) then come back when it is dark, and I´ll be up again and going around sixish.

In Sweden you can go off grid camping in the forest. There are forest in Germany where you can go off grid with tents or if you want to have a little house off grid. You could try and search in Italy too or Austria or Switzerland. As a kid myself I was in a forest with nature and a great experience with my family in Germany

Hello Antoinette, In the last 15 to 25 years, "camping" has increasingly become "glamping" (glamorous camping). Among other things, this has to do with the increased affluence. Many people want to be as chic and cosy as they are at home when they go camping. That‘s where they feel most at home, as we all know and don't want to do without anything. Of course, there is also simpler and wilder camping. But that's not so trendy any more. Clean showers, good sleeping places, good food and lots of leisure activities are important. The "German" wants to read his daily newspaper, eat a fresh roll, barbecue (NZ - barbie) and drink German beer (NZ - have a delicious bevie) while camping. Then he is satisfied. 😁😁😁

HI - in former times without kids we went camping also with a little tent and we visited so many places in EU, with our two girls we often hired mobilehomes on the campgrounds, that was a lot more comfortable with a own Toilette and shower in the mobile home, especially during the night. This year we are going without kids and we rented for the first time a camper van! We are leaving on saturday for three weeks to stay and travel at the Atlantic in France .....wish us luck!

My man and i grew up both in germany. He's used to glamping and i am more of a camping in "Familienfreizeiten" with a tent. Last week we had the discussion on if we really need a table for our camping trip or just sit on a picnic towel.

Small information that were Alpaka and not Lama. Easy to see at their heads. You can rent in many spaces the camper on the ground like a small home.

I know off-grid camping from Australia, yeah, it´s different. It has become difficult in Europe, but it´s still doable. We did it after the first lockdown, and it was great. There are apps that let you know where it´s ok to do it, and it was a great experience. But campgrounds with entertainments are great, too, though as you said, it may be too expensive for what it still is.

In the Mediterranean, you can find these big holiday parks for camper vans and caravans as well, where some people spend their whole summer and have basically a cheaper version of a holiday home. But there are also lots of smaller camp grounds for budget travellers with just a tent and not a lot of money, who basically try to get to the beach for the least amount of money possible. That‘s what your description of New Zealand camping reminded me of. I used to do the roughing-it version a lot, just me and my dog. Lately, I have decided that I want a little more comfort and bought a tiny 40-year-old caravan. We stand out on every German campground, because all we do is roll into place, put a table and chairs outside, and we‘re done. No patio floor, no fence, no flowers, no tent in front of the caravan… And after a day or two, we just move on. What is also different in the Mediterranean is that you can spend all day sightseeing or travelling, and kn the evening you turn up at a campground along the way and check in. In Germany, you have to check in so early in the day that you can‘t do anything else on „moving days“.

In the US, it's quite common for people to go camping 🏕️🥾 in motorhomes, camper vans are different than motorhomes. Motorhomes , doesn't matter if they are 40ft or 100 ft in length have all of the comforts of home complete with a full sized kitchen with in many cases ( depending on the size and cost of the mh) will have a double refrigerator/freezee , full size stove , natural stone counter tops ( granite, quartz ) dining and living areas that double as sleeping areas and a full sized quien or king sized bedroom. Of course there're camp grounds that are more of the rough it kind of camping. Also camping can be done in Airstream trailers. Most national parks and nat'l forests have designated areas for motorhome hookups and tent 🎪 pitch areas. The difference between a national park and national forest is National parks are typically several hours' drive from urban areas where as if a person lives in Los Angeles ( my hometown , they could be in the Angelus National forest for a hike or to camp , depending on traffic, in 45 min to an hr, Whereas , King's County and Sequoia National parks are four to five hours away in Central California. Today is 4th of July in the US and along with Memorial day and Labor day, 4th of July weekend is one of the busiest to holiday weekends in terms of camping and number of camp sites booked. Some people actually rent out their motorhomes for extra cash, there are Air bnb type sites where people list and rent motorhomes.

the german camp site called denmark is a heaven for german people camping ruff, the whole west coast is full of them.. they also have a camp site called nederland that is works the same way a autocamper you can camp anywhere in a caravan you need to stay in a camp site and pay for it.. not many countrys allow caravans to park for more then a few hours

You can find the right campers more at festivals like "Rock am Ring" in Germany these days than at official campsites.

Wild camping in Germany is not allowed, probably due to the littering problems. There are different camping grounds: some are for 'glamping' (glamorous camping) with all the amenities, others are for camping with just the basics.

this was interesting. I did not know that there was "beach" camping like that in Franken. i go to roughly 10 Nascar race weekends every year. Been doing that for 20 years now. so that is a 4-day weekend, with a camping trailer and a pickup. We have air and a generator, as it gets to 100 degrees during the summer here in the south of the US. we do cook and grill outside, and we spend most of the time outside except when it rains/pours. a 25 foot camping trailer doesn't really look that glamorous when you are parked next to a 40 foot motorhome that costs 500k and up. we do not camp with "full hook-up" where they provide water, electricity and sewer connection. in short: we are roughing it :). then again i travel with my father-in-law, he is 75. his tent camping days are long over.

Kia ora Sister, This topic here of yours is the most emotional topic for me. Camping was the best part of my NZ childhood. My Dad took us camping- usually by a mountain & lake. There was a big hut there with lots of bunks. Back then it had interesting graffiti which I still recall. 'If man's brains were as big as his balls H e wouldn't have to write on shit house walls'. (Funny what you remember in life). But that hut is long gone. We would get dropped off by launch- so it was just us and what we carried off the boat. So Dad never forgot to take anything. We always had a little tent. Nothing like the flash family tents I see now. Everything was different then. Dad had a .22 rifle so taught us how to shoot possums, and skin them. Maybe even had stew once. Dad took my sons there and to other rugged spots in the south island.They shot a lot rabbits or caught a lot of fish, depending on where they went. I loved camping so much. (A lot of guns have been "handed in" now). (I have some land by a river and a native (bush not Maori) reserve now. The local farmers shoot deer, goats and possums. (It seems there is a German or Austrian company buying up precious land all over Aotearoa. They have now sprayed a huge patch of beautiful trees and are soon to plant their unnatural, inappropriate, foreign trees. That's pretty fucked- going to someone's country and exploiting the whenua like that, killing off so many acres of native trees, fauna, birdlife. So it is devastating just seeing NZ Native Bush disappear and human beings around fucking it all up. Many Kiwis especially Maori are connected to the land. We are part of the land in that place and go completely out of our way to preserve it. We have no running water or toilet there. The water comes from the rain or we just jump in the river or light a big fire outside. But from there we still go bush, truly-that's what I call camping. Hardly a person around. Just the odd down to earth hunter. Sometimes a rich South African "hunter" with all his high-tech gear. But I don't call that hunting either. Most Kiwi blokes still are part of the land and have skills acquired over time through a deeper connection to their hunting spots- None of those expensive cameras for locating deer. Ok, so my childhood involved a lot of camping. It is a frequent part of life. It costs nothing except fuel and gas for the gas cooker when we go camping. When I was 16 I had left home. I met a guy, all his mates called him Mayonnaise but I think his name was Maynard. (Yeah, Kiwi nickname). He said his mates and their girlfriends and him were going camping near the mountains. So I packed my bag and took the warmest socks, woollens, jerseys tramping boots, warm hat etc. It was all rough clothing, because you have to keep warm, not look good, eh. I had a very embarrassing shock, seeing high heels, fashion and glamour- no camping (!) We stayed in a flash resort. That is the main thing I remember about that holiday. The shock and for me, embarrassment. Antoinette, my reaction was EXACTLY what you have described. We can all feel your shock and disappointment going to a suburban kind of place with your kids. Lots of organized activities feels like a bit of a holiday programme. If it was me there today as an adult I would be shocked by the atmosphere of excess money- holidays that a lot of Kiwi families may not afford. But if I was a kid I would really love the holiday. I want to take my hat off to Rob for leading such a great weekend for you and your kids!!!!!!! Your kids wont know any different and may even prefer this kind of experience. ? I hope you keep your channel going so we get to hear more. I will write my comments in sections now because camping is such an vital, integral part of my quite long life. That bit was a little about my childhood and when I was 16. My whole live includes camping. (I am writing for my own reflection purposes. I get one reply here for about every 20 replies everywhere else I comment, I just assume it is part of the culture of 🇩🇪, somehow not connecting much to strangers). (?)

When I was 12 years old, I was camping with friends at my aunt's farm. We rode the 45 km by bike. The tent was about 30 m from the farm's manure pile. The next morning I counted the brake stings: I stopped counting at 140. 🤣🤣 The next nights we slept in the barn. The next year we did a 7 day sailing trip on Lake Constance. 8 guys with 4 yawls. One night we were so eaten by mosquitoes we all cried. Still the best memories of my childhood. So free.

Nice almost-rant of yours 😅 … try Hexenwaeldchen, it’s completely different from your glamping nightmare. You might like it there. And it’s incredibly affordable.

Same thing in America. Now there are a lot of camping vans people live in them now and travel all over. But. There are still a few people who do the tents and cooking out. Some places have good bathrooms some not good at all. Some low income people have a van and park out the lake and live there but during busy times they move around but rent is cheaper then rent in an apartment. Some have cabins for several people with a kitchen and bunk beds but they are expensive.

We bought a Van last year and prepared it to a campingvan by ourselves. We just spend 3 month in Portugal. No Canpingplace just nature and us. It was awesome! I don't get the point of glamping till now actually 🤣

I still consider myself a biker, when it comes to this. Means: I ride somewhere. Slam some nails into the ground, to keep my tent in place. That is it. All of that fancy stuff: let the rich do what the rich wanna do. I don't even wanna be around those. We don't have much in common, I think. Might be different with kids. But: "camping"? Is different.

scotland is a great place to camp we have the right to roam in the whole country as long as you're on public land you can camp out in the woods and in the hills, its more beautiful then you think, not as beautiful as new zealand but its a solid 2nd place

Get a coupe airtags or tile for android and you will know where the kids are all the time, now as for tent camping I did that for years. Now we have a camper.

I think the glamping thing is related to many germans see a luxures camper as their retirement home. When the kids are out of the houseand you don´t need that much space anymore nor want to pay the expanses and do all the maintanence work, so they get a nice camper and live on camping grounds when they retire, some move to a camping ground even way before retireing. That might be the reason for campers need to feel like a home. I myself am on the tent side or a smal bicyle camper tops.

Germans very smart the little tracts of wilderness that is left is home to wildlife we stay back wildlife is hurting from our consumerism. Landfills have lots of camping gear in them thrown away first camping season. Roughing it is intrusive to wildlife all to often. We live in luxury homes eat whatever we want

Oh yes;Germany and luxury camping! How I hate it! I always wonder what else this has to do with nature and adventure. My wife and I lived in a self-built van for many years from the 70s and travelled with it in Asia, Africa, Scandinavia and of course Europe. We never went to a campsite (a horror idea). With this we have probably also infected our granddaughter. Because at the age of just 19, she has also expanded a van and set off with it for the next few years. At the moment she stands somewhere in the wilderness of Iceland and enjoys her freedom.

Your insights into the German psyche are really intriguing ... firstly the fact that a child's name may hinder their future prospects, which i find disturbing, and now camping. All nz kids love camping, rough&tumble, but perhaps our society is so free and easy ... love Waimarama & Ocean beach, can i suggest Waipatiki Beach, a 1 hour drive north from Napier to a fantastic secluded beach which also has cabins, bunks etc, but heading into summer season. I love it you are still a kiwi girl ... gb

My idea of camping is that it is not for me. 😂 I would lean towards Wohnwagen camping. My husband and friends of ours have been and say that the Campingplätze are actually quite nice like full resorts, like you showed. I would be willing to try that but pitching a tent….Nope! I tried to get my kids to go to Zeltlager. They go every year to a Freizeit but once they saw pictures of the Zeltlager they said no way. lol I guess there is a reason my husband calls me “the princess and the pea”. I don’t need 5 ⭐️, but I won’t sleep in a tent for more than one night. 20 years ago I might have been more eager to try but this back is no longer ground fit.

I Like the way of New Zealand Camping you describe and have a similar Idea of it. We are Camping in a small VW Bus and have been around Europe for each 2 months in 2 Trips and it ist small, you dont need much stuff and have to build your bed everyday etc but you are more Outside than all the big Camping Cars and they dont really go Outside their comfort Zone. German people Love their safety and thats what I Always See there ... Just a pinch of freedom with a lot of safety - let alone the hugehuge Luxus Cars in the size of a large Bus for 50 people which Always find really funny ;)

I know both versions and I prefer the wilder side of camping But sometimes you can't just put your tent on a beach without the possibility of getting fined We did anyway but it's important to know imo And of course leave no trace and be respectful

Hi Antoinette, I cannot compare camping with NZ, but I definitely can to Australia. I know what you are talking about regarding camping in the wild and being exposed to the elements, it being rough and in tents. We go camping a lot in remote Australia with our swags and explore places where we are often by ourselves. Europe does not really have those options though. There is not much remoteness and there are strict laws about where you can and cannot camp. Wild camping, is as far as I know, illegal across most countries in Europe. However, I also believe it depends on where you are going. I have been to camping grounds here in Australia as well, where I experienced exactly the same luxury you are describing, aka Glamping. I know some trailers are worth AUD300,000+, which blows my mind. I also see that extremely well-organised set-up here. Trust me, it is not me. I am all over the shop. There are some very impressive set-ups and some "professional" campers out there. I guess it really depends on where you go. Growing up, my parents took us camping a lot. No matter if in Germany or any other country in Europe, there were places that were more low-key than what you describe. They were camping grounds though, for the above reasons. But we slept in a tent, did not dress nicely, and enjoyed the "outdoor" experience. That experience does exist, but I guess you need to know where it is. Thank you for sharing your stories. I enjoy them, they take me back home a bit.

My demand of camping is covered since I was at the military. :-))) By the way camping outside of a campside is regulated seperately in each state (Bundesland).

Your blue wall look like lilac to me. 🤔 About the camping: not my cup of tea. So I can't offer my experiences, as there aren't a lot. Still interesting to hear your story! 😎

for camping come to Poland!! : )

Versucht doch mal camping auf einem bauernhof, da gibt es einige, die eine Wiese haben wo man sein Zelt aufstellen kann😎🙂

Ich war oft campen. Nur mit einem kleinen Zelt. Luxuscamping ist meiner Meinung nach ein Trend der letzten Jahre.

Omg...50!!!years ago ( Can't believe) we star camping with my parents ..traveling through Hungary Poland Czechoslovakia East German ..72, 73 ,78,,,,every time for a month...what a great memories ..and the camping at that time were pretty good ..well organized with all facilities ..bathrooms ..cooking places ..in Berlin 1977..I remember ..was on the border of a lake ..wirh cinema .lots of activities...than we took the hotels confort for next years ...moving to Canada ..in 2009 going in US to Maryland in the biggest RV North American camp...I don't know how the European camp van are ...but telling you ...the American's ..woooow ...huuuge with A.C. ..living room kitchen bathroom .bedroom..Hi tech ..prices from 100 000 US $ up ...to half million dollars...and the bring the boats ..huge and the also carry the cars after them and bicycle....well no room in EU for this ""camp van""...we were very modest with our little red WV GOLF 😀..and a small 2 person tent⛺...

*As a German I can imagine a vacation on New Zealand well, but as a passionate motorcyclist I would feel locked on an island.*

In most of Britain wild camping is illegal. You must get the landowner's permission, but when you're driving merrily along and see a spot where you'd like to set up camp for the night, how do you find the landowner to ask permission. In some parts of Dartmoor and the Lake District it is allowed. The last time I went camping with a tent it was the 1970s and it rained a lot. Not an experience I would ever like to repeat. I had to chuckle to myself when you brought up the communal family showers. Ah, there is the Anglo-Saxon mindset again! I'm sure many Britons think such "continental practices" are perverted. We are such a prudish nation.

"I think they need to get some therapy" This made me lol hahah so unexpected

Oh no that's not the norm. That's families and older people who tour around. Younger people do the proper rough camping part.

Does the Sunday quiet apply when camping in Germany?

Its a pity, that camping (= staying overnight) is not allowed on any wild spot, but there is a way around, especially when using a camper. You will need a good map e.g. "Generalkarte". You select a spot as lonely as possible, far away from any village or building in a scenery you like, maybe at a riverbank or lakeshore. You visit that spot in late afternoon when there is still daylight, and inspect it, and choose a place to park your camper. You don't stay now, but drive off a good distance, have your dinner , and wait until it is completely pitch dark. Then you drive back to your spot, last part with switched off lights. So you can be shure nobody is troubling you during the night, and nobody will realize, that you stayed overnight. In the morning you can enjoy the scenery, take your time, and finally continue your journey. In my opinion it is important, to leave that spot without a trace. This works not only in Germany, but in France, Austria, Italy and Spain as well.

To have a relaxing time during holidays as a mom my advice don’t go camping, don’t book a flat. You have to all the same tasks as at home with less and bad tools. Been there done that. Once. Never again with little kids. I rather stay at home and go to the pool

I think german camping is about keeping up with the Jones's and trying to impress others with their flash toys

In the U.S. you can camp either way.

Freedom camping is not allowed in NZ anymore. Unfortunately people don't respect the environment as they used to. DOC campgrounds can be very natural where you can 'rough' it but times are changing here too. Not to that luxurious extend though. Your campground - typical German?? Everything organised

yeah, thats also not what I would see as true camping. I know those camping lots in Germany, but tere are many people here also, woho would never go to those and prefer naturaistic camping. So you touched on the "bürgerliches camping" variant. Try a nature experiance, next time ;-)

Its about population density. In California, with the increase of population, it is also no longer that easy to find places where you can just set up your tent. Now days you need to have reservations way ahead of time. Some parks will not even allow camping anymore. Everything has changed in just a few decades. Logically Germany does not have enough locations to merit people just pitching their tents in a wilderness area. While most of New Zealand is literally a camping ground. LOL. Actually in California there are a lot of people who do "camping in the cities". They set up their tents eveery where even on the sidewalk. This is no frill camping with no stoves, or bathroom facilities. Some just do their business right on the side walk and pedestrians need to watch where they step. I have to constantly run off illiegal campers off my own yard. Yes this last paragraph is pure sarcasm about out homelss problems. The homelss I am talking about are primarily drug addicts or suffering from major mental issue and actually belong in institutions.

Man nennt das glamping = glamour + camping ;)

Your idea of "wild camping" is nice, but germany (and europe as a whole) is much much denser populated than NZ or Australia... when you visit the places in europe where "wild camping" is often practiced, you will see the results: There´s a nice little pile of shit behind every bush and tree around the areas suited for "wild camping"... not to mention the other "things" that the "nature-loving-camping-and-outdoor-activities-fans" left behind when they leave. And when then those "wild campers" are additonally posting images from their nice camping place on social media - often only some few days later, there will be not much left of the pleasant camping site, thanks of the amount of "wild campers" that just want to spent also some night at this so lovely place they´ve seen on social media... It has good reasons that cities and regions across europe have started in the 50´s and 60´s to create special dedicated camping-grounds. It´s less "adventureous" or "wild" but also more hygienic, more convenient, more secure, more ecologic etc. etc. - and - best reason to camp at camping-grounds: "wild camping" means: you alone with your family.... uninterrupted for days and even weeks, with often no TV, no other activities - CAN be great, but.....

The experience you have had with camping is not necessarily the experience my parents and I have had with tents, we couldn't afford such luxurious motorhomes or caravans, we honestly never would. In Bavaria, many things are a bit more chic and glamorous. You won't find that everywhere. Wild camping is not allowed or only allowed to a limited extent for various reasons. On the one hand, there are very many nature reserves, landscape protection areas and a reintroduction of natural forests in Germany that are completely left to their own devices. Unfortunately, the experience here is that many people are far too careless with nature and leave their rubbish everywhere, plastic and glass in particular play an unsightly role. Glass causes a lot of forest fires. There are also many areas that were either military training areas from old barracks or areas where all sorts of legacies from the Second World War have remained in the ground and that is simply dangerous. Huge forest areas have just burned down in Brandenburg, the dangerous thing was the many old ammunition that was hidden in the ground there. But there are, for example, in Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania along the water and cycle paths to spend the night with onward travel the next day. The exact regulations for this must then be pulled from the Internet. So there is also the possibility to camp in a more classic way in Germany. There are also Germans who always have to have something to do, for example in the summer they can't just go to the garden somewhere and enjoy nature, no, they have to work first, mow the lawn, trim the hedge, paint the hut, that Dispose of leaves and they feel good about it, it's never been my thing. www.google.com/url?q=www.reisereporter.de/artikel/12046-camping-in-deutschland-in-diesen-bundeslaendern-ist-wild-campen-nicht-verboten&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwjQzNCBu9r4AhUy87sIHY35BlEQFXoECAYQBQ&usg=AOvVaw2LXwWPy7qp_Z4zzVAKSRXr

It’s called ‘camping under 5 stars’ or glamping 🤣I’d rather stay in airbnb or a log cabin though…

The situation you described is the same nearly all over western europe (don't know about the east). Maybe in the nordic countries you'll find more people camping in the wilderness. But even there - especially there - mostly everybody is using camper vans. If you're going to a camping site in germany with only a tent, you'll be the talk of the camping site.

A "bach" is unheard of in Dunedin,we would say a "crib". Just a bit of useless info for you🙂

We went camping in the Swiss near Luzern and its more like the Camping you described fom New Zealand...Germans always tend to bring everything and its anoiying af...

Germany is a very densely populated country. Thanks to our government there will be less and less room for the inhabitants by letting literally everybody across the border and into the country. Camping used to be that way in the 'old' days.

so called "wild" camping is not allowed in germany, that's why those camping grounds exist. am i a camper? no, just when i go to open air music festivals like roskilde or hurricane..

Yeah the price is one thing and then the cost for the gasoline is another and Germans like to say they are so eco-friendly. I must say I am disappointed that you think someone with different point from you needs therapy. :-{

Some Germans like to overkill their hobbies 😅

Camping for vacation? No,thanks.I never understood the urge to go Camping.its uncomfortable to sleep in a tent, you can everything and its not even cheap either. Corona added a new wave on top because now every Instagram user wanted the Van life experience...

i hate camping!

"visit bitches..." ;-)

We made campingholidays every year in different southern countries in europe when i was a child. It was okay for me because you always find friends and it was much cheaper then a hotel. My parents liked it too,but my mother always mentioned, that it was household under much more difficult conditions. I personaly struggle nowerdays with the weather on camping: it's too cold or too hot, so we prefer appartments now. But for kids, camping is probably funnier.