Campgrounds Closed? Driveway Camping 101

I'm hoping this is not what my little dude thinks is what a camper should look like!  These Calico Critters are a little too close for me!

You don't have to go far to enjoy your RV.  Depending on your set up at home or your Home Owners Association rules, you could "camp" right at home.  Why not?  Its a break from the day to day routine in your sticks and bricks home.  We have been doing this some this spring, and it has been a great weekend break for us!  Today I'm sharing some easy tips to enjoy camping in your own back yard.

Setting up our table for meals and games outdoors makes everything feel more like a real campground experience.

Campgrounds Closed?  Driveway Camping 101

Are you tired of being stuck at home?  I'm gonna make a guess here and say the answer is yes!  Shake it up with a little weekend getaway at home with a driveway camping experience.  And you don't have to own an RV or even use your RV to do this.  So hang in there.  No matter who you are, you can do this!

Our yard is pretty and green with lots of birds for a nice nature vibe.

Camp at Home in Your RV

One of the best things we ever did was install a 30 amp plug onto our home.  We can plug in our RV at home with a full electrical connection.  My original reasoning for having an electrical plug for our RV was to prep for trips.  Now that I'm using our RV as my home office, we have gotten more use from this investment than I could have ever imagined.  And, we have been driveway camping on the weekends quite a bit.  

On Friday mornings, everyone gets up and packs a bag for a couple of nights.  At the end of my workday, I pack up my office in the RV.  We all grab our packed bag, and we set up for the weekend.  We pull out our camping chairs, enjoy our fire pit, and set out a camping table for cards and meals.  

I don't fuss with awning lights or fancy decor.  It's just taking a break from our house.  I've even pulled out our Coleman Camp stove and cast iron griddle for pancakes.  That cup of coffee outdoors, even in my yard, is just as good as it would be at the campground.  The only difference is that we are at home!

Take advantage of that firepit and enjoy a night out roasting hot dogs.

Tent Camp in Your Backyard or Outdoor Space

If your HOA doesn't allow you to keep or use your RV at home, no worries.  You could easily set up a tent in your backyard, deck, or porch.  If you don't own a tent, create a makeshift shelter with rope or bungee cords and sheets for a tent.  Get creative!  You don't have to invest money in this project.  Use what you have at home and make it an adventure.

Grab an air mattress, sleeping bags, and blankets to make up some cozy bedding.  And, you can enjoy a night under the stars right at home.  If you typically RV camp, this experience could be a lot of fun to have a totally different camping experience.  

Host an Indoor Campout

If you live in an urban area where you don't have a green space at your own home, have an indoor campout.  Turn your living room, basement, or whatever space you have into a campground.  You could create a tent out of sheets.  Or you could skip the camping shelter altogether.  Just make it fun.

Spread out pallets and sleep on the floor.  Create an indoor "fire" with Christmas lights and whatever you have indoors like toilet paper cardboard tubes and crumpled newspaper for logs.  Tell stories around your fire, download a white noise app with nature sounds like crickets or a fire crackling in the background to create the simulated outdoors!  Make your own magic.  Technology has made it easy for us to simulate nearly any kind of setting.

That Coleman Camp Stove works great at home too for meals!

Home Camp Out Activities

1. Make Smores - If you have a firepit, great!  You are set.  If not, then make them over your stove in the kitchen.  You could even make smores bars to enjoy.  
2. Have burgers and hot dogs or other campground favorite meals.
3. Play games outdoors like a game of Uno or favorite board game that you might play at the campground.
4. Build a fire in a firepit or use a propane one that you have at home.
5. Break out the grill or Coleman camp stove to enjoy cooking meals outdoors.
6. Plan an activity outdoors to do as a family like a scavenger hunt or a walk to get your outdoors as a family.
7. Have an outdoor movie night with a sheet or outdoor screen and mini projector.
8. Hang a hammock in your backyard and read a book or take a nap!

The goal here is to get outdoors if you can and do something different.  Cook outdoors, eat outdoors, spend time outdoors, but take a total change in pace and scenery.  It can make a world of difference in your whole mindset!  

Evenings outdoors for meals and cards are some of my favorite activities.

Sure, I know that most of us are longing to hit the open road and go anywhere and do anything besides what we may have been doing over the past 6 to 8 weeks.  That is okay.  You aren't wrong or selfish.  Acknowledge that you need to give yourself a mental health break by doing something completely different for a couple of days.  Hosting a campout at home could be there very reset button you need to help you start your next week on a new note - refreshed and ready to go again!

No matter where you are and what you are doing, evaluate what it is that you need to just regroup and relax.  Grab that camping gear you have curated over the years and put it to good use in your own homegrown campground.  While you are in charge, you can create the "campground" of your dreams.  Have fun and make life the most!  

Until next time...

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