It was the hottest year on record, and will reportedly get even hotter next year. For many families, this put a damper on your summer camping. But why make yourself miserable by trying to camp in blistering heat, when you can take advantage of the cooler weather, fewer bugs, and cheaper rates for most campgrounds? Read on for some helpful tips on how to make your camping trip memorable.
Go Where The Colors Are
Make the most of the fall weather, and visit parks and campgrounds with lots of variation in foliage. Not sure where to go? Active has a list of 15 popular fall camping spots for you to check out. For cheaper rates, book your campsite after Labor Day. Consider also the Free Entrance Days for national parks, or, if you are an avid camper and want to go camping on a regular basis, consider paying $80 for the annual pass, which would provide entrance to “all national parks, national wildlife refuges, national forests, and many other Federal lands-more than 2,000 in all”. That’s an awesome bargain.
Check Out Fall-Specific Activities
Sure, you won’t be jumping in lakes like you would if it were summer or watching fireworks. But many campsites host seasonal activities for fall that are just as fun. Some fun fall camping activities include apple picking and pumpkin picking, or Halloween activities like RV decorating contests. We also always make sure to get RV insurance, in case something happens to our beloved RV. Check your campground’s website for a calendar of activities, and plan your stay around the activities you want to participate in. Fall is also a prime time for bird watching, as its migration season, and you can watch for the many different types of birds making their way south for winter.
Please pin this image so others can see why camping would benefit them too. THANK YOU!Use Camping Apps For Assistance & Enhancement
Just because you’re out in nature doesn’t necessarily mean you have to go completely off the grid. Apps can help you recognize wild animals and plants, give you guidance on trails, and are more useful than you think. The Chimani National Parks app gives you information on all 401 national parks, and you can use it to document your stay. Want to know what’s up in the night sky? Check out Star Walk. Need to know whether it’s okay to ingest that plant? Look it up in the Wild Edibles app.
Prepare Properly For Fall Weather
One of the best advantages of camping in the fall is enjoying the cooler weather, but that also means way cooler nights. Make sure you pack a cold-weather sleeping bag, which you can purchase at shops like Bass Pro Shops. Bundle up in layers and thermals, and pack a hat to keep the heat in. Cook up some hot food (there are lots of camping recipe apps to inspire you) over a fire to maintain warmth.
Camping in cooler weather can be a fun, amazing time with a little preparation. You can do a lot of activities that aren’t available in summer, and being out in nature at a time when most people are not can be really reinvigorating.
So why not book that campsite already?
My daughter really, really wants to go camping! I’m so NOT a camping person 🙂 I think it would be fun maybe for 1 night. That’s as much as I can rough it!! Sure would make for some fun memories!
It would be worth it just to take her ONE night. I only got to do a cattle drive for one night, but yet it’s one of my fondest memories of my life. I hope you take the chance and do it one night.
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This was perfect timing because we are going camping this weekend. My only hold up is if we should bring our 20 month old along or have him stay with Grandma. I don’t want him getting too cold.
Depending on where you are going camping would determine whether or not he could handle it. If you’re here in the south with us he’d probably be fine. Otherwise, I’d recommend Grandmas house. (Of course, for me personally, if I had the chance at Grandma keeping him, I’d have her keep him regardless for this kind of event.)
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I love camping and always use technology to make it more interesting, that’s why just love apps! Star Walk is amazing! And I would also recommend Spyglass. It’s a navigational app that looks like the cockpit hud, but besides gyro horizon you can see all your current location data: gps coordinates (both geo and military), current azimuth, altitude, speed and estimated time of arrival. It works without cell signal, you can predownload areas of the map which you will need later and use them when offline. You can also take pictures with all the info overlaid and share your location with friends. https://itunes.apple.com/app/spyglass/id332639548?mt=8&at=11lLc7&ct=c
Those do sound like fun apps to add to a person’s camping journey. Thank you for mentioning these and why we’d want to use them on our next trip.
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We talk often about camping and never plan it…thanks for the nudge!!!
Your welcome. I hope you get the chance to actually go soon. You’ll make lasting memories for sure.
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We already went once, but I live in the Deep South, and it was hot! Next time, I’m going in November.
That sounds like the perfect time to go camping if you plan to do it in the deep south.
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I loved fall camping before kids. Such a great time of year, no bugs, not too hot. It’s amazing.
I can only imagine. I loved doing a lot of things too before I had kids. Now I wonder if I’ll ever see the day when I can do them again. They are worth EVERY bit of what I gave up, but I miss freedom to do without worrying about them too.
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Ohhh… this may be just the encouragement I need! Thank! Glad I stopped by from Mommy Moments!
Great post! We love, love, love camping, but it is harder and harder to find the time to go now that our sons are older (21 and 17) – the 21-yr old is at college, but the 17-yo is always busy. He does WANT to go, but we can’t find a free weekend! Thought we had one next week but it’s his girlfriend’s birthday. Still hoping to maybe squeeze one in Halloween weekend or even the first weekend in November if it’s not too cold yet. His college visit for this weekend was cancelled…but it’s highs in the 50’s and lows in the 30’s – brrr!
Enjoy your fall camping!
Sue
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