(ARA) - The all-American road trip is still the most popular vacation choice for summer travelers, according to the Travel Industry Association of America. A recent survey found that almost 70 percent of travelers say they plan to take a pleasure drive along a scenic road this summer. Other popular activities mentioned included visiting a beach or lake, small towns or national parks, and going camping and hiking.

Planning family outings such as these -- including locating the best scenic drives in America -- is now a lot easier thanks to a new Web site that provides searchable information for a range of outdoor trips from weekend getaways to cross-country adventures. The site -- www.coleman.com/outernet -- is the most comprehensive of its kind, with an online database of national forest campgrounds, national and state parks, private RV parks, wildlife guides, special events and commercial recreation services.

“It used to be a cumbersome task to plan an outdoor trip,” says Bill Phillips, president of the Coleman Company, an outdoor information and sporting goods resource. “You had to research campgrounds individually, using a variety of sources, and then gather several maps. Now you can go to one source and find places to stay, nearby activities and access any maps or driving directions that you need.”

Convenient and simple to use, the Outernet offers reservation services for many of the listed 16,000 campgrounds throughout the United States. It also provides maps, directions and a listing of campground amenities; a “Find Places” function that searches for interesting places to visit within a specified radius; recommendations for historic or unique places to stay; adventure guide contacts; and suggestions for scenic drives in every region of the country.

“It’s a great place to find ideas. For instance, a lot of people may never have thought of spending a night in a fire lookout tower -- but many of them are available for nightly rental and are listed on the site,” Phillips says.

Contributing accurate, up-to-date local information to the Outernet are more than 500 field experts -- recreation land managers, campground hosts, concessionaires, tourism professionals and small-town authorities.

Anyone visiting the Coleman Outernet can search for locations and find basic information, but to access the site’s full content, visitors need to register -- a simple, fast and free process. Once registered, they will be able to create travel profiles and maintain lists of locations and commercial experience providers that can be used as a reference for trip planning. They also will be able to collaborate and share information with friends and family members.

For many families, vacations that include outdoor adventures provide some of the most rewarding experiences. Working together to set up camp or cook a meal over the fire are fun ways to teach children cooperation and the importance of teamwork. Time spent hiking or camping creates a spirit of self-reliance and adventure, while also enhancing one’s appreciation for the magnificence and beauty of the great outdoors.

For access to a range of information and expert advice on outdoor vacations, visit www.coleman.com/outernet.

Courtesy of ARA Content