BUFFALO, Iowa - Area campgrounds are filling up before the Labor Day weekend even starts. It's busy at Buffalo Shores. All 65 spaces are occupied.
"We start cooking four or five days out," said Tom Thomas, Muscatine. While it's Labor Day weekend, this is more like Thanksgiving for Tom and Mary Thomas.
"I like to cook big quantities," she said. They're fixing a turkey dinner for Friday's celebration at Buffalo Shores.
"The turkey is only .69 cents a pound," Tom said. "Makes it taste a lot better."
Campers like Tom and Mary learn to plan ahead and that's great for business at sites like Buffalo Shores. All of its 65 spaces sold out quickly.
With lower gas prices and great weather, camping remains a popular choice among holiday travelers.
"The camping has just been solid all the time," Larson continued. "Uptick has been continuous, I think, over the years."
There's nothing quite like the great outdoors for Tom and Mary. They grabbed a prime space on Tuesday.
They've been camping for years and know it will be a fun Labor Day weekend in the sun. When camping, each weekend becomes a mini-vacation.
"You do whatever you want on your own schedule," said Mary.
At Buffalo Shores, the mellow mood keeps Tom and Mary Thomas coming back for more.
"I think it's just being outdoors and enjoying the beautiful weather," she concluded. "You can't go wrong with that."