Go on a camp out not go on a camp

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/campout

because it is a campout / camp-out we are participating in, not a camp we are attending

We don't say that, not in this part of the world at least.

Americans are fond of adding prepositions where none were needed before.

"Cookout" makes sense, because cooking is normally an indoor activity. "Camp-out" however makes no sense to me, because camping is already an outdoor activity.

Camp-outs are usually group events here (in Canada).

Slightly different meaning from going camping, which is usually more of an independent/one family sort of thing.

Well that's interesting. I wonder what JTT will make of this?

from the M-W link above




I usually think of it in relation to Scouting, but it's used for many types of groups.

Additionally, and not sure if this is just me, going on a campout has more of a connotation of taking backpacks and gear and trekking somewhere and then setting up tents and camping.

It's a little more wild and outdoorsy.

While "going to a camp" or "going camping," is more like a campsite (showers, etc) or even cabins. You go to a place, which is a camp.

Where as going on a campout is going out in the wilderness, with your gear.

My view of it is almost the opposite.

I think it is partly a regional thing - depends on whether the place with cabins is called a camp or cottage.

Camping here is the wild outdoorsy thing.

What about like summer camps?

Sozlet's going to one this year that's all cabins. But it's a camp.

In alberta and bc, we don`t have cottages, we have cabins (if were lucky ), that is definitely an eastern thing.
When we go on a campout, it`s a group thing, like ehbeth said.
A campground is where you go camping. Boondocking is camping off grid in the back country. A camp is either a kids summer/bible camp etc. or when you go off to work in a place like Ft. McMurray or northern diamond mines and so on, places you fly in and work for a few weeks at a time.

We wouldn't say that someone was going camping if they were at a summer camp. Though they could go camping/go on a camping trip as a part of being at summer camp.


(kids send postcards from summer camp telling their parents that the weekend activity is ... going camping)

You go to a camp and then go out camping? What if you're camp already?

Camp guys camp from camp?

Truly, the language is not extensive enough to encompass all this strangeness.

Ernie Bilko's camp was Fort Baxter, Kansas.