Statistically, Your Summer Was (Probably) Tough

A recent survey reveals that more than a quarter of Americans would prefer a root canal over reliving this past summer (but almost everyone wants two more weeks of summer anyway)

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hipcamp

Aug 24, 2021, 09:00 ET

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Hipcamp, the world's largest provider of outdoor stays, knows that Americans are processing mixed feelings and frustrations about the summer that simply 'wasn't.' To take a collective pulse check of America's summer 2021 reflections, Hipcamp commissioned a nationwide survey of more than 1500 Americans and uncovered some surprising results.

Key findings of the survey:
Please refer to this as a Hipcamp survey in ALL media coverage.

The root of our frustration: Fully 27% of Americans would rather have a root canal than relive this past summer. And 37% would rather move back in with their parents. Additional responses of things Americans would prefer over reliving this summer included: have mono during senior year (9.73%), be seasick for three months (9.4%), and - in an interesting one-off - 'pull my own molars.'
(Not) summer lovin': A definitive 80% of Americans say, 'Summer was terrible - we should all get a two-week do-over.'
The people have spoken: Nearly half (48%) of Americans said officially extending summer should be a high priority for the US government - beating out creating a new national park (19%), hosting the next Olympics (12.73%), and building a new national monument (6.87%).
Come on Congress, we're counting on camping! More than three quarters of Americans (76.61%) said they would be somewhat, very, or absolutely likely to book a vacation or camping trip if given an extra two weeks of summer. Less than a quarter (23.4%) said they'd be unlikely to do so.
State-by-state bummer summer: While nearly everyone (80%) agrees Summer 2021 was terrible and we need a do-over, some states had it worse than others. The five states who reported they had the worst summer this year were South Carolina (95% agreed they wanted a summer do-over), Kentucky (91%), Indiana (90%), Missouri (90%), and Oklahoma (90%).
Bigger wasn't better: The largest states in our union didn't fare much better in Summer 2021, with 85% of Texans, 83% of all Californians, and 81% of New Yorkers all agreeing that they need a summer do-over.

Additional findings include:

S'mores win! More than half of Americans (52.4%) say s'mores are the best camping treat, with hot dogs (27%) and a campfire breakfast of eggs and bacon (13%) falling well behind.
What did your summer 2021 taste like? Bitter, sweet, boozy or maybe a little sawdusty? Asked what their summer 2021 actually tasted like, Americans' top choices were Fruity (20.87%), Boredom (18.4%), Bitter (15.13%), Salty (11.13%), Spicy (10.87%), and Boozy (9.47%). Additional individual responses included 'Blah,' 'Sour,' 'Damp,' 'Bland,' and 'Na.'

Hipcamp and COVID-19
To comply with local travel restrictions, Hipcamp offers full credit for any cancellations related to COVID-19 lockdowns. The company is also discouraging international travel at this time. Hipcamp has also implemented COVID-19 safety guidelines to ensure hosts, campers,and local communities are protected and recreating responsibly. These guidelines include encouragement to practice social distancing, travel in small groups, and book zero contact stays. Hipcamp also requires hosts to abide by vigorous cleaning and disinfecting protocols.

About Hipcamp
Founded in 2013, Hipcamp is the world's largest provider of outdoor stays. It gives a growing community of good-natured people the opportunity to list, discover, and book unique outdoor experiences. By connecting people with the land and each other, Hipcamp works to support those who care about nature. The fully remote company has offices in Australia, the United States, and Canada, and to date has helped people spend more than 4 million nights under the stars. When listing on Hipcamp, farmers, ranchers, vintners, and other landowners generate new revenue streams to conserve their land and keep it wild.

SOURCE hipcamp