When you consider tenting, do you envision sunny summer season days crammed with climbing, biking, fishing and swimming? Most folks do, however what a few tenting themed Christmas? These Christmas tenting concepts simply may provide you with an entire 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 selecting the best 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 virtually 7,900 toes above sea stage, the Mammoth Lakes space in California is able to provide the white Christmas you need. If you’re on the lookout for a location the place you may mix snowboarding and scorching tubs, it is a nice possibility.
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 kids’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, climbing, purchasing 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 isn’t just a spot to remain through the holidays. It’s additionally the placement of the Annual Holiday Festival of Lights. Visitors drive by the three-mile spectacle that features over 750 gentle shows.
You can park the automobile 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 outlets, “Mingle with Kringle” with daytime photograph 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 through 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 tools.
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Silverhill, Alabama: Wales West RV Park & Light Railway
Want a fantastic 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 contains a heated indoor swimming pool, solar deck, nature path, playgrounds, group constructing, nice room, library, train room, provide retailer, household tub and full laundry amenities. 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 stage which supplies 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 method with tree lighting festivities, vacation decorations, purchasing, a light-weight parade, vacation hayrides and a letter writing station for teenagers to craft their message to Santa and drop it instantly into his mailbox.
Lake Buena Vista, Florida: Fort Wilderness Resort Campsites
Disney’s Fort Wilderness is without doubt one of the finest campgrounds to maintain the complete household collectively for the vacation. The campsites embody massive 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 concept 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 a part of the household however don’t get pleasure from roughin’ it that a lot … no drawback, there are rental cabins which can be full with full kitchens!
In addition to the regular Disney magic like swimming swimming pools with water slides and children water play space, this vacation spot additionally affords extra outside adventures. You’ll discover horseback driving path rides, bicycling on nature trails, and canoeing, boating and fishing water actions. Evenings are crammed with reveals, campfire sing-alongs, fireworks shows and the electrical water pageant that may be loved from the white sand seashore on Bay Lake.
Every Disney property celebrates the vacation season in an enormous method. 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 may 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 very best 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 high 10 finest campgrounds for households by TravelChannel.com
The campground closes to outdoors campers from late October by 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 gentle 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 late December.
In the hotter months, visitors 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 onerous to explain this place … consider it like a nationwide park assembly Disney World assembly a year-round indoor and outside particular occasions facility … then you definately’ll have a obscure 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 lease yurts, safari tents and RVs (they’re truly extra like cell houses) however you need to deliver your individual mattress linens tub towels, pillows, toiletries, cookware, consuming utensils, rubbish luggage, paper towels, dish detergent and many others.
There are grills, picnic tables and fireplace pits at each website. You’ll additionally discover facilities like laundry amenities, camp retailer, wi-fi & cable, dump station, swimming pool, sand volleyball court docket 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 listing 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 the New Year. You’ll discover thousands and thousands of dazzling Christmas lights, festive music, varied reveals 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 through the Enchanted Tree Lighting Ceremony.
Locations For Xmas Trips In National Parks
Did you already know there are National Parks throughout the nation which can be winter wonderlands?
Many have alternatives to expertise issues like snowy scenic drives, snowboarding, stargazing, climbing, winter sports activities and wildlife viewing … at some parks you may even get to see The Aurora Borealis, extra generally often called the northern lights!
Here are 18 National Parks you need to think about 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 large 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 charge, many are FREE to attend and request a donation if you’re so inclined. These experiences are nice in your price range!
Look for drive-through gentle shows, adorned 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 may need to add to your listing if you’re tenting close to these places:
Arizona: Williams
Williams is without doubt one of the hottest cities in Arizona through 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 taking place for over 100 years. The spectacularly adorned yachts, boats, kayaks and canoes sail within the parade that has many public viewing spots.
Colorado: Durango
The Durango & Silverton slim gauge practice is at all times a well-liked attraction and in December it contains a Polar Express-inspired journey.
Georgia: Helen
Did you already know 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 just a little 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 children in all places! Now, throughout Christmas time they’ve parades, a sweet citadel and Santa’s Land of Lights which is a drive-through vacation gentle present.
Michigan: Frankenmuth
If there’s a place that is aware of the way to have a good time 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, stay reveals and the Ozark Mountain Christmas pageant.
North Carolina: McAdenville
McAdenville, North Carolina is called “Christmas Town U.S.A.” through the vacation season. This small city began its traditions with adorning the bushes across the McAdenville Community Center with purple, white and inexperienced lights within the Nineteen Fifties.
Today, the historic downtown space continues to shine with stunning 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 distinctive gadgets and light-weight shows across the property’s lake, walkways, bushes, fences, and buildings. Some have referred to as it the very best outside Christmas show on this planet!
Tennessee: Williamson County
If you’re 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 need to go loopy with decorations. A few little touches is all you want in the event you discover the fitting 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 bushes to desk high fashions and pop-up/collapsible Christmas bushes … you could find the right match on your rig.
Camping Themed Ornaments
You can go minimalistic … or go all out together 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 take heed to music on the campsite? Instead of taking part in your on a regular basis favorites … get pleasure from seasonal tunes that actually set the vacation temper.
Christmas-Themed Movies
Watch films that provide you with a heat and fuzzy vacation feeling. Or, watch those that make you snigger 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, massive group video games … however … strive placing a vacation spin on basic video games as an alternative. If you will have children that wish 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 rapid members of the family otherwise you’re serving massive vacation meals to prolonged family members, listed here 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 just a few concepts.
Traditional Turkey Dinner
Let’s discuss concerning the large Christmas dinner first. Make certain you will have the entire 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 ideas and printable recipes!
The larger the meal, the extra folks you’re in all probability feeding. Make certain you will have loads of cooking provides so the entire contributors can pitch in to assist. Those nieces and nephews are normally completely happy to do some chopping!
Traditional Camp Food
If you need to pack your regular cooking provide field, listed here are some nice meal concepts that may hold you heat and your bellies full!
Campfire Chili
Stay heat with a campfire chili dinner. This recipe feeds 8-10 folks and might simply be scaled up for bigger crowds. It’s an award winner!
Beef Stroganoff
Beef stroganoff is a basic consolation meals that’s excellent for chilly climate tenting journeys. This recipe serves 6, solely takes quarter-hour to prep and is one in every of my straightforward one pot tenting meals. That’s proper … you don’t need to boil the pasta individually!
Campfire Stew
You can’t get a lot hotter than while you eat campfire stew! This recipe incorporates 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 incorporates 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’re prepared for an adventure-packed day. It’s a hearty, substantial meal!
Camping-Themed Holiday Sugar Cookies
If you need completely happy campers, you’ll must fill their bellies with vacation meals and drinks. You can do tremendous cute adorned sugar cookies that you just make at house and both adorn 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 just a little vacation cheer or campfire scorching cocoa!
More Cold-Weather Recipes
Seasonal Camping Tips
In addition to packing your regular tenting gear and first support package, you will want 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 need to go loopy with tenting items when you have extra experiences deliberate on your journey. But, in the event you need to change presents, listed here are some concepts for tenting Christmas items for tent and RV campers.
Camping Stocking Stuffers
If you need to deliver items in your journey however are anxious concerning the restricted area for packing, think about 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 change throughout your journey.
