Halloween Camping Fun: Family Activities Under the Full Moon

Halloween is a thrilling time of year, offering heaps of entertainment opportunities for people of all ages. Planning a Halloween camping trip is one awesome way to celebrate, but you may be left wondering what seasonal activities can be done while spending the weekend in the wilderness. Read on to learn why camping is the perfect way to get in the spooky spirit, what fun Halloween camping activities are available to you, and how to create a comfortable outdoor home base among the festivities. Without further ado, let’s dive in!

Why Camping Is an Awesome Way To Celebrate Halloween

Halloween just so happens to fall within one of the best months to go camping: October! With fall at its peak, October boasts cooler weather and beautiful foliage as the leaves start changing. These milder temperatures are ideal for comfort while camping, and who doesn’t love a beautiful fall landscape? 

Halloween camping is also a bit more unique than traditional Halloween celebrations, like costume parties and trick-or-treating. While those are enjoyable too, it’s always nice to shake things up and create special memories in a new setting like the outdoors. 

Additionally, campsites are incredibly customizable. Not only does this mean you can tailor your campsite to your personal preferences when it comes to comfort, but it also means you have free reign to decorate it as you please! This is especially fun if you’re a frequent camper looking to spruce up an otherwise normal camping trip. Throw up some moody orange lanterns and stick a skeleton in the camp chair next to you to embrace the holiday fun. 

Many campgrounds offer Halloween-specific activities, like campsite decorating contests and spooky hiking tours. Pre-planned activities like this make it easy to show up and enjoy the festivities with little work on your part. 

Lastly, camping is an appealing adventure for adults and kids alike. While kids are entertained by the abundant activities Mother Nature offers as well as the holiday festivities, the grown-ups get to enjoy the tranquility of nature. Plus, if you enjoy it, Halloween camping can easily be made a new annual family tradition.

Create a Comfortable Home Base Outdoors

Before participating in all of the fun of Halloween camping, it’s important to create a home base at your campsite. After a long day of activities, you’ll want a comfortable place to lay your head down at night. If you’re traveling with a large family, lots of kids, or your beloved pets, spacious family size tents will be imperative to your comfort. The roomier your tent, the better, as you’ll need ample space for everyone and their camping gear. A festival camping tent is a great choice thanks to its unmatched spaciousness, durability, and style. Plus, these tents are often compatible with a tent stove, which offers comfort on chilly nights and a touch of coziness inside your tent. 

With busy days planned, do what you can to ensure everyone has a fair chance at getting a good night’s rest. For the best chance of success in this regard, make an effort to create a comfortable sleep setup for you and your fellow campers. Sleeping pads are simple additions that go a long way in enhancing comfort on the ground or opt for more luxurious options like sleeping cots and air mattresses. When it comes to sleeping bags and blankets, make sure your gear is appropriate for the fall season and forecasted weather. 

Festive Activities To Plan for a Halloween Camping Trip

Camping already offers a host of entertaining activities for campers, from hiking and biking to water sports and wildlife watching. Plan a camping trip around a holiday like Halloween, and your activity options practically double. Here are 10 festive activities to plan during a Halloween camping trip!

1. Decorate your campsite with Halloween decor
2. Have a potluck with Halloween-themed snacks
3. Tell ghost stories around the campfire
4. Pick pumpkins or apples at a nearby orchard
5. Bring supplies to carve jack-o’-lanterns or paint pumpkins
6. Participate in campground trick-or-treating 
7. Host a campground costume contest (bonus point if you include pets!)
8. Put together a Halloween-themed nature scavenger hunt
9. Set up a movie projector to watch horror movies on
10. Take a spooky hike through the woods 

Top Campsites With Halloween Activities in the U.S.

For some campers, traveling to a campground with pre-planned Halloween activities is a little more appealing than planning and prepping your own entertainment. If that sounds like you, check out these campsites with awesome Halloween events!

On the East Coast: Stonebridge Campgrounds in Maggie Valley, North Carolina

Nestled in the beauty of the Great Smoky Mountains, Stonebridge Campgrounds offer a full lineup of fall and Halloween entertainment. Between “zombie walks”, hayrides, monster mash dance parties, and costume contests, there’s no shortage of holiday fun for kids. 

On the West Coast: Campland on the Bay in San Diego, California 

If you’d rather swap forest camping for beach-front fun this Halloween, check out Campland on the Bay’s robust Halloween offerings. Kids will enjoy costume dodgeball games, trick-or-treating, pumpkin painting and carving, and spooky crafts. Adults can attend bean bag tournaments, costume contests, spooky dance parties, and seasonal sports.  

In the Southwest: Verde Ranch RV Resort in Camp Verde, Arizona 

Offering a range of outdoor stays, from glamping to cabins for rent, Verde Ranch is a luxury camping resort any time of year. During the month of October, keep busy participating in one of their many seasonal activities including haunted trail experiences, kid’s Halloween crafting, pet costume contests, campsite decorating, trick-or-treating, and more. 

In the Midwest: Frankenmuth Jellystone Park in Frankenmuth, Michigan

Enjoy one of the many themed weekends at Michigan’s Frankenmuth Jellystone Park. Participate in family-friendly activities including pumpkin painting, spooky mini golf, trick-or-treating, fall crafts, campsite decorating contests, and more by booking a campsite on a weekend in October. 

Wrapping It Up

Instead of celebrating Halloween by trick-or-treating in your home neighborhood or attending the same costume party you’ve been going to your whole life, shake things up this October by planning a Halloween camping trip! Between the beautiful fall weather and scenery, the ability to decorate your campsite, the family-friendly nature of this activity, and the robust range of entertainment options at camp, there’s no better way to spend Halloween with your loved ones. With a comfortable and inviting campsite set up, a list of seasonal activities to plan and participate in, and a reservation at a great campground offering holiday events, there’s no doubt you’ll make lasting memories in the great outdoors this Halloween.