What Don't You Like About Outdoor Retreat?

I just think the theme is boring lol. Camping isn't my idea of a vacation but I know it is for a lot of people. If you're that kind of person then you might like it.

It does an okay job at what it's trying to do but the activities in that pack just don't interest me personally. I get bored so quickly with the fishing and the bug collecting and the foraging and stuff. It's just not my cup of tea.

I don't like it because it's not my type of pack, honestly. I like beaches more than camping. But yes, if camping's in your interests, then definitely get it! It's your game, and you can play however you like.

Well I have really enjoyed it. I think part of the reason is that we had so few packs in beginning and I dove right in.
I like to make characters and play out their stories so with the help of this pack I can have homeless sims/live off the land sims that can live out in the weather with firepits and tents anywhere basically. I use the coolers for dungeons and trapped sims and challenges as a cheap way to get food.. or bring them to areas where I know food won't be available. Fishermen can go on trips there. My wellness oriented sims go there with their yoga mats and meditation stools to commune with nature. My Lotharios go there to get lucky. I've had father/son camping trips (okay that sounded sexist I guess but whatever). I also use it to get as close to having a witch type of character in the game that I can.
There is a new skill to learn, herbalism and .. I have to say I do rarely use the lotions and salves now because it's so easy to get most of those effects in other ways through the game at this point. I don't mind having the many of the creams and lotions on hand but won't go out of my way to keep up a supply on hand now. I just complete herbalism to have another maxed skill for the appropriate sim type.
I think the CAS isn't quite as good when compared to later packs but I do use many of the items still. The build buy.. well it has rustic hand hewn looking stuff so good for that type of character. I get way more use out of the camping chairs and couches ect... personally.
I think a large part of my enjoyment though might come from the way I play. I can't possibly see taking a large group camping.. at least if I were trying to get them all to learn herbalism. That would be a mess. They have updated things though so you can get pet supplies and toddler things there though. It's also a place to buy growfruit.

I would suggest getting it on sale at this point when it goes on sale.. and it will. Make sure if you want to learn herbalism you send your sims in Summer because that's when all the wild plants are in Season (after a short.. less than a day growing time). You'll have to learn the patterns of insect spawns in the different areas but it's not hard. If you don't like the busy work or collecting/learning.. I don't know what to tell you. That is a big part of my enjoyment of that pack.

In some ways it's a much slower paced pack than some of the others (if your not pursuing herbalism) and if you like to appreciate the surroundings in the sims and camp it will be well worth it for you.

I like Outdoor Retreat but it doesn't work for all characters as it stands. That's why I've got into the habit of placing a spa and a bar there recently, to widen the appeal. I never have more than one played family staying at a time so I only need 3 residential lots - the campsite, a couples retreat and a family house, then I've catered for all eventualities.

Nothing, It's one of my favourite packs. I personally love to take my sims on a camping vacation, I just wish foxes would spawn there and that sims would be able to swim in the lake or near the water falls.

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I can't see the wood for the trees! It's a bit difficult to find your way around but I still enjoy it as part of the game. It was such an early pack I have to go in and improve the decor now, especially after Seasons.

I love it - the world is stunning, and I've found the tents and shower tarp to be useful elsewhere. I always go in before sending a family on vacation and edit the lot at which they'll be staying - for the camping lot, I add a little 2x6 toilet hut (I didn't have the pee bush until I got JA on sale at the holidays), and arrange everything the way I like it. I also add a chess board, and make sure that my Sims have some books and their yoga mats, along with a meditation stool for teleporting to the hermit's house. (It's impossible to find, even if you've been there, but after they've found it once, Sims with high wellness skill can teleport to it with the meditation stool and then bring the rest of the family.)

I've also built some cabins for full-time living in Granite Falls, just because I love the world so much. (You keep extending the vacation, and of course, if you forget anything when you build the house, you have to send the family home in order to edit the lot. It doesn't work if you've got kids and teens, since they have to attend school. I really enjoyed playing a family with a toddler, however, and after Seasons came out, I did a mother and toddler in an off-the-grid cabin - winter is pretty brutal up there.)

Thank you so much for the super helpful and detailed replies! From the sound of it, I think I’d really enjoy it.

I quite like it, actually. I especially enjoy building vacation houses inspired by architecture I find on IG or other websites.

The one thing that generally annoys me is that it's difficult to move around in the forest, because you can't really zoom out too much lest the trees obscure your Sim. So it's a bit slow, if you're there to collect insects and plants.

And of course, the fact that is just a holiday destination that you have to take vacation days for and pay to stay in. I could definitely see a Sim living there for good, even in a tent, to complete some of the outdoor aspirations.

Well I love all the game packs, Outdoor Retreat included. I love the cabins and tents, exploring the woods, playing horseshoes, stargazing, roasting marshmallows and telling stories around the campfire, the herbalism skill, how my homebody sim gets uncomfortable and starts swatting flies away etc. I actually prefer it to Jungle Adventures as I get far more use out of it. My main household have had lots of lovely holidays at Granite Falls. They tend to rent a cabin since while one of them loves the outdoors, his homebody husband won't go anywhere without carpets and central heating lol, so that way they still get the fresh air and great outdoors with the home comforts. I definitely recommend it.