Last Updated on October 6, 2022 by Christina
A nip in the air signals the start of the Halloween season, and what better way to enjoy this hauntingly fun holiday than taking the celebration into the great outdoors in an RV. Halloween RV camping is the perfect opportunity to get into the spirit by making even the smallest things spooky. Many campgrounds and state parks organize their own Halloween-themed festivities filled with spine-chilling camping decor, costume contests, trick-or-treating and a lot more.
It’s such a big deal that some RV parks celebrate Halloween every weekend in September and all of October. For those in northern states, it’s a way to close out the season in preparation for the coming winter. For those in the south, Halloween weekend marks the kickoff of the camping season. If you are looking to camp out with the ghosts and ghouls, you have an assortment of options to choose from. You can even set up the RV in your own yard and create a spooky haunted camper for trick-or-treaters.
If you’re on the fence about an RV adventure this time of year, you won’t be disappointed if you choose to pack up and head out. Take a look at these Halloween camping ideas that will make this holiday the spookiest yet.
Find a Spooky Setting for Your Halloween Campsite
Options for families looking to partake in spooktacular activities continue to grow each passing season. Some places begin hosting Halloween-themed events and décor as soon as the calendar passes Labor Day. In fact, if you’re booking a weekend at a busy campground or RV park around the Halloween holiday, you may not have to do much planning at all.
Many parks and campgrounds organize family-friendly events from haunted hayrides and dance parties to costume contests and scary movie showings. Trick-or-treating from campsite to campsite is always a popular activity, as well. However, if you’re heading off the beaten path or creating your own traditions, there are endless eerie ways to entertain your group.
Halloween Campsites to Consider for Chills and Thrills
Many Michigan State Parks participate in Harvests and Haunts. Expect to find family-friendly events like costume contests, pumpkin carving, haunted trails, horse-drawn carriage rides and more.
Florida State Parks also like to get in on the spooktacular fun with Pumpkin Patches and Spooky Spring events.
Member campgrounds with the Virginia Campgrounds Association provide a scary good time for the entire family with a slew of events and activities on their calendars.
The Utah Department of Natural Resources hosts Historic Haunts, a series of Halloween events at Utah State Parks that includes paranormal tours of the museums at Camp Floyd and its cemetery.
Dreadful Halloween Campsite Decorating Ideas
After choosing a location and getting settled, the first order of the day is usually decorating your campsite while it’s still light out. You might be surprised at just how many of your fellow RVers like to go “all-out” on their campsite decor. Decorations can be as elaborate as you like, but there’s no need to shell out lots of cash to create an eerie atmosphere. Use your imagination to dream up the spookiest decorations inside and out.
Assuming you have access to electricity at your campsite, get creative with Halloween lighting. String lights can be easily affixed to RV awnings, strung around nearby trees, and wrapped around other fixtures to make your campsite stand out. For spooky ghosts, drape white cloth over an inflated balloon or paper lantern, and then use markers, paint, or pieces of felt to add a face. Suspend them from nearby branches with translucent fishing line. (Bonus: these materials take up almost no storage space in the RV)
Faux spider webs, giant spiders and bats are other classic choices that will seem right at home in a campsite. You could even turn your entire campsite into a ghoulish graveyard! Add some mysterious music or curate a playlist of your favorite spooky tunes and your creepy campsite is complete.
Hair-Raising Recipes for Camping on Halloween
Eerie Apple Slices
Ingredients:
- Choice of Apples, sliced
- Chocolate, milk or dark
- Caramel and/or white chocolate, for drizzle
- Toppings (sprinkles, nuts, candy pieces, etc.)
- Wooden skewers
Directions: Slice apples approximately ½-inch to ¾-inch thick. Insert wooden skewer in one end. Pat apple slices dry. Dip apple slices in melted chocolate, then apply toppings and drizzle. Set on parchment paper and let harden completely. Eat immediately or refrigerate overnight.
No-Bake Bat Cookies
Ingredients:
- Famous Chocolate Wafers
- Chocolate frosting
- Black candy melts
- Candy eyes
- Tools: sharp knife, cutting board, bread knife
Directions: For each bat, use a bread knife to cut one wafer in half. Using a sharp knife, cut one candy melt in half. Spread frosting onto one wafer round and top with another. Tuck in both halves of the candy melt into the top to make ears. One each side, tuck in one wafer half to make wings. Dot the backs of the candy eyes with frosting, and attach to the bat. Repeat until desired number of bats are created.
Monster Milk
Ingredients:
- Milk (dairy or non)
- Food coloring
- Mini marshmallows
- Black icing gel
Directions: Pour a glass of milk. Add a couple of drops of food coloring to the milk and stir. Dot several mini marshmallows with black icing gel to create “eyeballs.” Drop the marshmallows into the milk and enjoy!
Trick-or-Treating While Camping on Halloween
If you’ll be staying at an RV campsite, there are plenty of ideas for celebrations and activities that can be even more fun than traditional trick-or-treating around the neighborhood. Foremost, a blazing campfire is essential. Its warmth and flickering light make it the perfect setting for spooky stories and s’mores. To make sure the fun doesn’t get cut short, stock up on plenty of firewood and some comfortable chairs.
Messy activities are great for camping, making it a great time for pumpkin carving and painting. Whether outfitted with a spooky grin or an original design, your jack-o-lantern will add more ghoulish ambiance to the campsite. Little goblins will also love getting their hands dirty with the classic Halloween party tradition of passing around bowls filled with creepy, slimy foods like peeled grapes, jelly, and cold spaghetti. For good, clean fun, play ring toss using glowstick necklaces and a witch’s hat, Pin the Spider on the Web or Halloween-themed charades.
Of course, don’t forget the costumes! For camping, simple costumes typically work best. Plan yours around some basic clothing pieces you may already own and then add key accessories as needed. Many campgrounds and RV parks host a trick-or-treating event on or around Halloween. During this event, you can trek campsite to campsite to collect candy just as you would at home. Most often, those in participating campsites will sit outside their tents or RVs with a bowl of goodies for trick-or-treaters.
Here’s some more decorating inspiration for your next Halloween RV campsite:
Spending your Halloween in an RV can be a great way to celebrate this spooky holiday with your family. It’s also the perfect excuse to get out and camp more this fall. Visit your local General RV Center to stock up on all of your essential gear before your Halloween camping weekend. If it’s your last RV trip of the season, schedule your RV winterization appointment with General RV at any of its more than 500 service bays across seven states. General RV also offers seasonal storage at its 14 locations. Subscribe to the General RV Blog for more RVing tips and trends.