The first time Phil and Chris Savignano took their kids camping, they didn't get farther than their living room. The kids thought it was great.
Camping remains a favorite family vacation.
It's also an economical way for neighbors and friends to get away together, sharing costs and child-care chores as the Savignanos have done many July 4ths with friends from all over New England. The older the kids get, the harder it gets to find times to be together like that,'' explained Sandy Gorski, a mother of three from Boston. The potential for those memories and the desire to share some much-needed family time away from the computer, the TV and the office are spurring many families who could afford resorts to sign on with outfitters and experienced guides to take them river rafting in Utah, canoeing in the Boundary Waters or backpacking in Yosemite National Park. The Sierra Club now offers some 30 family trips from Maine to Hawaii, some designed for grandparents and toddlers. However you camp, don't expect to t solve any major family disputes in the woods.