With fuel costs topping the $4.00 per gallon mark in many U.S. cities, a surge in airfares and continuously-rising hotel costs, many families are modifying their travel plans and considering a vacation closer to home this summer.

In fact, according to the U.S. Travel Association, 54 percent of American leisure travelers say higher gas prices will affect their travel plans. Of those who plan on driving to vacation destinations this summer, 44 percent said they’d take fewer trips because of gas prices, while more than one-third indicated they’d be driving to closer destinations to save on gas.

Enter the Micro-Vacation. The folks at Kampgrounds of America, the nation’s largest network of campgrounds, are seeing this trend first-hand, as families flock to its campgrounds to experience a wallet-friendly vacation that’s closer to home.

“We’re seeing more and more people make reservations for campgrounds closer to their homes,” said Jim Rogers, President of KOA. “There is a pent up demand for a fun, affordable family-friendly vacation that doesn’t have to include a long trip. As summer approaches, we anticipate seeing even more of that.”

KOA reported a strong Easter holiday weekend as well as an improvement in year-to-date short-term results with a 6.8 percent increase in camper nights and a 10.3 percent increase in registrations, supporting the idea that more people are taking more spontaneous micro-vacations.

Kampgrounds of America was founded on the banks of the Yellowstone River in Billings, Montana in 1962. The iconic camping company will be celebrating its 50^th anniversary in 2012.

For more information on the new KOA campgrounds, or to make reservations at any of the 485 plus KOA locations in North America, go to www.KOA.com.