Top 10 Must-Try Summer Camping Activities for Outdoor Enthusiasts

Have you ever gotten to camp, set up your canvas tent, sat down for a sip of water, and thought to yourself, “Now what?” While some campers venture into the outdoors simply to bask in the wonder of nature, other people need a bit more adventure to keep themselves entertained on a camping trip. The good news is that summer camping activities are abundant, and there are plenty of things to do to keep you engaged during your time outdoors! Read on for the top 10 must-try activities for your next camping trip. 

1. Deck Out Your Campsite

Even if you spend all day out and about enjoying various activities, you’ll still spend at least some time at your campsite. It could be just while you sleep when you cook and eat meals, or even when you’re simply hanging out between adventures. Make a morning out of making your setup awesome, functional, and enjoyable to be in. Start by utilizing camping tent accessories like porch extensions, awnings, a tent stove, and glamping furniture to increase the comfort and functionality of your shelter. Get creative with versatile gear like camping tarps to enhance it even further. For example, a heavy-duty plastic tarp can be fashioned into a hammock between two sturdy trees, and a canvas tarp can be used as a canopy for extra shade around camp. String fairy lights around your tent and between nearby trees, or deck out your site with another decor to add a touch of magic to your setup.

2. Hike or Bike the Local Trails

Nothing goes hand in hand quite like camping and hiking. Almost all great campgrounds will be in an area with plenty of nature trails to explore, whether you’re in the desert of Joshua Tree or among the pines of Yosemite. Not only are these trails a great way to see the destination you’re camping at, but they’re also an opportunity to learn about the local ecosystems and immerse yourself in the wilderness. Grab your hiking boots, or a mountain bike if the trails are built for it, and start exploring – who knows what you’ll find!

3. Go Wildlife Watching

While you may very well see wild animals on a hike through the local trails, you can also make a full day out of watching wildlife. This activity is great for animal lovers and nature enthusiasts alike and can be a practical tool to help young campers learn the value of patience as you wait for animals to appear on their own time. From cute critters like red foxes and beavers to more sizable species like moose and mountain goats, the U.S. has an abundance of awe-inspiring wildlife to observe on your next trip.

4. Practice Your Photography

If you have more of a knack for technology than survival skills, take the opportunity to shoot some natural scenes! The outdoors has many beautiful landscapes and bustling ecosystems that make for interesting subjects for photography. Plus, the uncontrolled environment, from the ever-changing lighting to the weather, can be a valuable challenge to learn to work around. Just read up on the top tips for capturing nature before shooting outdoors.

5. Hunt for Fossils

The United States is full of fossils waiting to be discovered, and a camping trip is the perfect time to go out and hunt for them. Check out the National Park Service’s Master List of Parks with Fossil Resources to find out if your camping destination has them! Whether your kids are enthusiastic about fossils or you have a collection yourself, this is a great activity to get out in nature and learn more about the history of our environment. If fossils are few and far between at your destination, hunt for other natural elements that might interest you, like flowers, rocks, or sea glass. 

6. Get Creative With Natural Crafts

If you’re the creative type or have kids to entertain, spend an afternoon making natural crafts! Use the following list for ideas on easy ways to incorporate nature into crafts on a camping trip:

• Draw the scenery around you
• Take imprints on clay of natural elements 
• Paint rocks 
• Take leaf rubbings
• Make a collage with local flora
• Build a fairy house 
• Make flower crowns
• Make natural dyes for tie-dyeing t-shirts

7. Learn To Build a Campfire

What’s a summer camping trip without a campfire?! If you don’t know how to build a campfire already, or you’ve been known to rely on Duraflame logs, take the time to learn this essential survival skill. Not only will you walk away with new abilities and greater confidence in the outdoors, but you’ll also have the comfort and ambiance a roaring campfire brings to a campsite.

8. Gather Around the Campfire for Activities

Now that you have a campfire burning, it’s the perfect time to gather your fellow campers around for more activities! A campfire is a natural place to hang out around camp, thanks to its warmth and the cozy atmosphere it creates. You and your camping group can stay entertained around the fire for hours, cooking dinner, roasting marshmallows for s’mores, sharing campfire stories, singing songs, and playing games, just to name a few fun ideas.

9. Enjoy an Outdoor Movie Night

If you’re camping with a large, light-colored wall tent, you have the perfect screen for a movie projector! Lay out some pillows and blankets, grab your favorite snacks, and aim for a portable mini projector at the back wall of your tent for a unique yet easy outdoor movie night setup.

10. Learn About the Stars

Once the night falls and your campfire has died down, grab your binoculars, a few blankets, and a star chart for some late-night stargazing! There’s no better place to stargaze than at a remote campsite, thanks to the minimal light pollution and darker skies compared to more urban areas. Whether you just want to bask in the beauty of the Milky Way or are interested in learning about celestial objects, take advantage of this opportunity to enjoy a clear sky full of stars.

Wrapping It Up

While summer camping can be a serene escape for those simply looking to reconnect with nature, it can be full of adventure, too, if that’s the experience you’re after. The outdoors offers campers plenty of engaging activities to participate in, from hiking and wildlife watching to fossil hunting and stargazing. Or, channel your creativity right at camp through natural crafts, photography, and campsite decorating. So the next time you find yourself twiddling your thumbs at camp, wondering how to spend your time outdoors, come back to this list and embrace all the fun Mother Nature offers!