When you concentrate on tenting, do you envision sunny summer season days stuffed with mountain climbing, biking, fishing and swimming? Most folks do, however what a couple of tenting themed Christmas? These Christmas tenting concepts simply would possibly offer you a complete new perspective on thrilling actions you may solely expertise on winter vacation journeys! Forget the items, go for the experiences!
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Camp Trip Planning
A campers Christmas journey takes a little particular planning to make the expertise greater than only a winter tenting journey. It is straightforward so as to add a festive really feel to your vacation tour by choosing the proper location, experiences, decorations, music, meals, drinks and items (in the event you actually need to embody them).
Get our FREE printable tenting journey planner template that will help you plan the right journey!
Best RV Parks & Family-Friendly Campgrounds For The Christmas Season
Mammoth Lakes, California: Mammoth Mountain RV Park
With its location of just about 7,900 toes above sea degree, the Mammoth Lakes space in California is able to provide the white Christmas you need. If you’re searching for a location the place you may mix snowboarding and scorching tubs, it is a nice choice.
The Mammoth Mountain RV Park is open all yr lengthy. The full hook-up websites are solely accessible throughout spring/summer season months. The year-round websites embody cabins, tent websites and partial hook-up RV websites which have water and energy (no dump hookup).
You’ll discover an indoor heated swimming pool and spa, Rec Room and youngsters’s play space at this property in addition to restrooms, scorching showers, laundry rooms, picnic tables and a dump station. This RV park is a perfect place to launch from as a result of it units throughout from U.S.F.S. Visitor Center and is 1.5 miles from the Gondola on the Village of the Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort.
This central location is ideal for tenting, sight seeing, snowboarding, snowboarding, mountain climbing, procuring and extra. Don’t miss the Night Of Lights which is scheduled this yr on December 17, 2022.
Charleston, South Carolina: James Island County Park Campground
The Campground at James Island County Park is not only a spot to remain in the course of the holidays. It’s additionally the placement of the Annual Holiday Festival of Lights. Visitors drive by way of the three-mile spectacle that features over 750 mild shows.
You can park the automotive to discover the opposite occasions together with marshmallow roasting, pageant practice rides, the Amazing Dancing Light Display, Enchanted Walking Trail, old style carousel, Santa’s Sweet Shoppe, meals concessions, present retailers, “Mingle with Kringle” with daytime picture alternatives and the climbing wall.
Christmas, Florida: Christmas RV Park
The Christmas RV Park is centrally situated for experiencing the vacation festivities within the Orlando space. While you’re there, make sure to go to the Fort Christmas Historical Park which features a reproduction of a fort in-built 1837 in the course of the Second Seminole Indian War.
You’ll additionally see a conventional Florida “Cracker” home, eight pioneer houses, a schoolhouse, sugar cane mill and different historic farming gear.
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Silverhill, Alabama: Wales West RV Park & Light Railway
Want an incredible begin to your vacation season? Visit the Wales West RV Park & Light Railway between Thanksgiving and Christmas when the Arctic Express practice journey attraction is in full swing.
The RV park includes a heated indoor swimming pool, solar deck, nature path, playgrounds, group constructing, nice room, library, train room, provide retailer, household tub and full laundry services. All campers are eligible for seasonal reductions on practice tickets.
Borrego Springs, California: Palm Canyon Hotel & RV Resort
The Palm Canyon Hotel & RV Resort is a cute and swanky vacation spot. There are classic trailer leases, airstream leases, Wild West themed resort rooms and two RV websites. Borrego Springs is lower than 600 toes above sea degree which offers heat winter temperatures.
Take a 30 mile drive up the mountain to the tiny city of Julian that sits at an elevation of over 4,000 toes to expertise Julian’s Country Christmas. The city celebrates the old style approach with tree lighting festivities, vacation decorations, procuring, a light-weight parade, vacation hayrides and a letter writing station for teenagers to craft their message to Santa and drop it immediately into his mailbox.
Lake Buena Vista, Florida: Fort Wilderness Resort Campsites
Disney’s Fort Wilderness is among the finest campgrounds to maintain the entire household collectively for the vacation. The campsites embody giant RV areas, some are full hookup RV websites that may accommodate luxurious RVs and there are smaller tent websites too.
Can’t home all your loved ones members in your rig however need to have an enormous household vacation celebration? Maybe your aunts, uncles and cousins like the thought of tenting however they don’t have their very own gear … there are RV leases to accommodate them. Do grandma and grandpa need to be part of the household however don’t take pleasure in roughin’ it that a lot … no drawback, there are rental cabins which are full with full kitchens!
In addition to the regular Disney magic like swimming swimming pools with water slides and youngsters water play space, this vacation spot additionally gives extra outside adventures. You’ll discover horseback using path rides, bicycling on nature trails, and canoeing, boating and fishing water actions. Evenings are stuffed with exhibits, campfire sing-alongs, fireworks shows and the electrical water pageant that may be loved from the white sand seaside on Bay Lake.
Every Disney property celebrates the vacation season in an enormous approach. During this time of the yr, you’ll discover tons of decorations and outside actions that start in November and run into January. Fellow campers get into the spirit by adorning their areas with their personal decorations too.
Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground is situated within the Magic Kingdom Resort Area of the Walt Disney World Resort. You can catch a water taxi that can take you to the Magic Kingdom. This location is handy to Orlando and Universal Studios.
Santa Claus, Indiana: Lake Rudolph Campground & RV Resort
The Lake Rudolph Campground & RV Resort has some bragging rights:
- A two-time National RV Park of the Year
- Named the most effective RV Park in Indiana by Readers Digest
- Named one of many 11 most family-friendly campgrounds by U.S. News & World Report
- Named one of many prime 10 finest campgrounds for households by TravelChannel.com
The campground closes to outdoors campers from late October by way of late April. But, the Christmas Cabin packages can be found the first three weekends of December.
The Santa Claus Land of Lights, situated on the grounds of the Lake Rudolph Campground & RV Resort, is a 1.2-mile drive-through family-friendly mild journey. It opens on Thanksgiving Night then continues on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays into early December when it opens each evening (closed Christmas Eve & Christmas Day) by way of late December.
In the hotter months, friends love this location due to its proximity to the Holiday World Theme Park & Splashin’ Safari Water Park.
Stone Mountain, Georgia: Stone Mountain Park Campground
Stone Mountain Park is a well-liked vacation spot that’s simply outdoors of Atlanta. It’s arduous to explain this place … consider it like a nationwide park assembly Disney World assembly a year-round indoor and outside particular occasions facility … you then’ll have a imprecise image of this 3,200 acre wonderland.
Stone Mountain Park Campground is inside Stone Mountain Park. There are over 400 tenting websites that may accommodate RVs, pop-up campers and tents. Don’t need to haul your individual rig? You can hire yurts, safari tents and RVs (they’re truly extra like cell houses) however it’s a must to convey your individual mattress linens tub towels, pillows, toiletries, cookware, consuming utensils, rubbish luggage, paper towels, dish detergent and so forth.
There are grills, picnic tables and hearth pits at each web site. You’ll additionally discover facilities like laundry services, camp retailer, wi-fi & cable, dump station, swimming pool, sand volleyball courtroom and horse shoe units on the courts. The campground is conveniently situated close to the Park Attractions which embody the Summit Skyride, Scenic Railroad, Skyhike journey ropes course and extra.
The park is open yr spherical with an ever-changing record of occasions and actions. The fall and winter season will get busy on Halloween weekends with the Pumpkin Festival, Pie Eating Contest, Pumpkin Lasershow, Nighttime Party Parade and Glow-In-The Dark Experiences.
The Stone Mountain Christmas seasonal occasions start in mid November and run by way of the New Year. You’ll discover tens of millions of dazzling Christmas lights, festive music, numerous exhibits together with the Snow Angel’s Christmas Parade, the World’s Largest Christmas Light Show and Santa’s Big Flight as he flies overhead each evening in the course of the Enchanted Tree Lighting Ceremony.
Locations For Xmas Trips In National Parks
Did you recognize there are National Parks throughout the nation which are winter wonderlands?
Many have alternatives to expertise issues like snowy scenic drives, snowboarding, stargazing, mountain climbing, winter sports activities and wildlife viewing … at some parks you would possibly even get to see The Aurora Borealis, extra generally often known as the northern lights!
Here are 18 National Parks it is best to take into account for vacation tenting adventures.
Maine: Acadia National Park
- Cross-Country Skiing
- Ice Skating
- Snow Play
- Snowmobiling
- Snowshoeing
- Sightseeing
Experiences When Holiday Camping
In addition to having fun with winter actions in nature, you’ll actually get within the vacation spirit in the event you add some particular Christmas experiences to your jaunt. There are occasions in massive cities and small cities everywhere in the United States that remember the vacation in uncommon methods.
Wherever you camp, discover the native happenings that remember the Christmas holidays … some seasonal occasions cost a small entry payment, many are FREE to attend and request a donation in case you are so inclined. These experiences are nice in your finances!
Look for drive-through mild shows, embellished small downtowns, elf and Santa appearances, sing-along Christmas carols, tree lighting ceremony occasions, vacation festivals and extra. Here are only a few vacation exercise concepts you would possibly need to add to your record in case you are tenting close to these areas:
Arizona: Williams
Williams is among the hottest cities in Arizona in the course of the vacation season due to the Grand Canyon Railway’s Polar Express journey that takes passengers on a magical journey to the Grand Canyon and again.
The Canyon Motel & RV Park in Williams is the right centrally situated RV area to expertise the historic open highway on Route 66 within the city of Williams, Bearizona Wildlife Park and day journeys to Grand Canyon Village and Arizona Snowbowl for snowboarding in Flagstaff.
California: Newport Beach
These vacation boat parades have been occurring for over 100 years. The spectacularly embellished yachts, boats, kayaks and canoes sail within the parade that has many public viewing spots.
Colorado: Durango
The Durango & Silverton slender gauge practice is all the time a preferred attraction and in December it includes a Polar Express-inspired journey.
Georgia: Helen
Did you recognize there’s a place within the coronary heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains that has the allure of Bavaria? In Helen, Octoberfest is an enormous deal … however … so is Christmas!
Indiana: Santa Claus
There is a little bit city in Indiana named Santa Claus! About 100 years in the past the native postmaster promoted the city and out of the blue letters to Santa started arriving from youngsters in every single place! Now, throughout Christmas time they’ve parades, a sweet citadel and Santa’s Land of Lights which is a drive-through vacation mild present.
Michigan: Frankenmuth
If there’s a place that is aware of have fun the vacation … it’s Frankenmuth … the group that celebrates Christmas three hundred and sixty five days a yr!
Minnesota: Duluth
The Duluth Winter Village is a group occasion, celebrating seasonal meals and drinks, bonfires on the shore and extra!
Missouri: Branson
Branson celebrates the vacation with parades, lights, reside exhibits and the Ozark Mountain Christmas pageant.
North Carolina: McAdenville
McAdenville, North Carolina is named “Christmas Town U.S.A.” in the course of the vacation season. This small city began its traditions with adorning the timber across the McAdenville Community Center with purple, white and inexperienced lights within the Fifties.
Today, the historic downtown space continues to shine with lovely vacation lights, a Tree Lighting Ceremony, a Yule Log Parade, Christmas carols performed on bells and the ChristmasTown 5K run or stroll.
Pennsylvania: Bernville
For over 70 years, Koziar’s Christmas Village has been spreading vacation cheer by way of distinctive gadgets and lightweight shows across the property’s lake, walkways, timber, fences, and buildings. Some have known as it the most effective outside Christmas show on the planet!
Tennessee: Williamson County
If you might be close to Williamson County and need to step again in time, try the Annual Dickens of a Christmas. The pageant options musicians, dancers and characters who fill the streets of historic downtown Franklin with its Victorian structure … celebrating the time of Charles Dickens.
Camping Christmas Decorations
RV Christmas Decorations
You don’t should go loopy with decorations. A few little touches is all you want in the event you discover the appropriate RV Christmas decorations.
RV Christmas Tree
There are so many choices to have an RV Christmas tree inside a tiny area. From wall-hugging small timber to desk prime fashions and pop-up/collapsible Christmas timber … yow will discover the right match to your rig.
Camping Themed Ornaments
You can go minimalistic … or go all out along with your tenting ornaments and Christmas decorations. You can do a mini tree, ornaments, decorations and lights fairly simply to place vacation touches in your camp expertise.
Holiday Music & Movies
Who doesn’t hearken to music on the campsite? Instead of taking part in your on a regular basis favorites … take pleasure in seasonal tunes that actually set the vacation temper.
Christmas-Themed Movies
Watch films that offer you a heat and fuzzy vacation feeling. Or, watch those that make you snicker until it hurts! Some nice choices embody:
- A Charlie Brown Christmas
- It’s A Wonderful Life
- A Christmas Story
- Elf
- White Christmas
- How The Grinch Stole Christmas
- Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
- Santa Claus I Comin’ To Town
- Christmas Town
- A Christmas Carol
- Frosty The Snowman
- National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
- The Polar Express
- How The Grinch Stole Christmas
Campsite Games
There are so many enjoyable tenting video games for each event … campfire video games, wet day video games, giant group video games … however … strive placing a vacation spin on traditional video games as an alternative. If you’ve got youngsters that prefer to play pin the tail on the donkey, give it a twist and play pin the nostril on the reindeer.
Bring a corn gap recreation and horse shoe set to have nice time with out costing a cent.
Food & Drink Ideas
Whether your celebration features a handful of instant members of the family otherwise you’re serving giant vacation meals to prolonged family members, listed below are some superior recipes to fill your picnic desk.
Warm & Hearty Meals
Plan a menu of winter tenting meals to maintain everybody heat and nourished. Here are a number of concepts.
Traditional Turkey Dinner
Let’s discuss concerning the massive Christmas dinner first. Make positive you’ve got all the particular provides you’ll want for this meal. We make this traditional turkey dinner with all of the trimmings on our Thanksgiving and Christmas tenting journeys. It is straightforward with our suggestions and printable recipes!
The greater the meal, the extra folks you’re in all probability feeding. Make positive you’ve got loads of cooking provides so all the contributors can pitch in to assist. Those nieces and nephews are normally blissful to perform a little chopping!
Traditional Camp Food
If you need to pack your regular cooking provide field, listed below are some nice meal concepts that can maintain you heat and your bellies full!
Campfire Chili
Stay heat with a campfire chili dinner. This recipe feeds 8-10 folks and may simply be scaled up for bigger crowds. It’s an award winner!
Beef Stroganoff
Beef stroganoff is a traditional consolation meals that’s good for chilly climate tenting journeys. This recipe serves 6, solely takes quarter-hour to prep and is one in all my straightforward one pot tenting meals. That’s proper … you don’t should boil the pasta individually!
Campfire Stew
You can’t get a lot hotter than once you eat campfire stew! This recipe comprises meat, potatoes and carrots multi functional pot. The fork-tender beef simmers in a wealthy tomato-based sauce. It’s a yummy, super-popular meal!
Hot Italian Sausage Soup
Serve this soup with crusty bread and it’s a meal! It comprises Italian sausage, potatoes, spinach in a wealthy and creamy soup. It’s filling, heat and satisfying!
Mountain Man Breakfast
I like serving one-pot casseroles on Christmas morning. Our Mountain Man Breakfast will heat you up … and fill you up … so you might be prepared for an adventure-packed day. It’s a hearty, substantial meal!
Camping-Themed Holiday Sugar Cookies
If you need blissful campers, you’ll must fill their bellies with vacation meals and drinks. You can do tremendous cute embellished sugar cookies that you simply make at house and both beautify forward of your journey or make the cookie adorning a part of your tenting actions!
Trailer Glamper RV Camper 4” Cookie Cutter
Hot Chocolate By The Campfire
The finest a part of having fun with candy treats is sitting round a campfire on at evening indulging in a little bit vacation cheer or campfire scorching cocoa!
More Cold-Weather Recipes
Seasonal Camping Tips
In addition to packing your regular tenting gear and first assist equipment, you’ll need to pack different gadgets to be ready for the season. Use our FREE printable seasonal tenting checklists to remain organized!
Gifts For Campers
You don’t should go loopy with tenting items when you’ve got extra experiences deliberate to your journey. But, in the event you need to trade presents, listed below are some concepts for tenting Christmas items for tent and RV campers.
Camping Stocking Stuffers
If you need to convey items in your journey however are anxious concerning the restricted area for packing, take into account small gadgets like tenting stocking stuffers to want one another a merry Christmas.
Camping Gift Wrapping Ideas
Here are some cute tenting present wrapping concepts in the event you resolve to incorporate a present trade throughout your journey.
