Camping for the Hotel Set

Cheap outdoor options that let you sleep in a queen-size bed after a round of mini golf

Many campgrounds now have free wi-fi like this KOA in Cloverdale, California.

You get the city people who don't know how to make s'mores. Then there are the overconfident ones who think they can sleep soundly on the bare ground like Clint Eastwood. And let's not forget the twitchy types who are certain they will be eaten by bears. This is the world of first-time campers.

Dave Sayler, a camping specialist at the Seattle flagship store of REI, one of the country's largest outdoor-gear companies, has fielded all manner of ridiculous questions from rookies. "I try to keep a straight face," he says. "I've been asked if a tent will keep bears out."...

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