Tips for Camping During the Holidays

If you have children in your life, more than likely you’ve heard at some point that they have “too much stuff.” Parents, caretakers, and grandparents are shifting away from buying toys and material items as gifts and instead giving unique experiences.

Our resorts offer a fun experience during the winter months with indoor pools, hot tubs, hiking trails and more all on-site. And probably one of the best things about Michigan in winter time is experiencing the beautiful quiet and peace of the outdoors. There’s nothing better than waking up to tree branches glittering with icy snow, taking in a breath of cold, crisp air, and hearing the crunch of the fresh powder under your feet.

So forget the toys this year, and give the gift of a unique camping experience for the holidays!

Outdoor Activities

It’s easy to hunker down under a blanket and binge on Netflix shows when it’s cold outside, but Michigan really shines during the winter months. Get out and try something new while you’re camping. Here are some suggestions that you can do right outside your camper, at our resorts, or nearby!

• Flashlight tag – it gets darker earlier, but you don’t have to stop the fun!

• Snowshoeing

• Cross country skiing

• Ice skating

• Ice fishing

• Ice hockey

• Snow tubing

• Sledding

• Sightseeing

• Snowball fights

• Snowmobiling

Be sure to also check out our resort activity schedule on our Facebook pages to see if any special holiday indoor or outdoor events are happening during your stay.

Holiday Eats

One of the best parts of the holidays is getting together with family and friends to enjoy delicious food. Just because you’re camping doesn’t mean you can’t whip up some special holiday meals! Here are some tips and recipes to try this holiday season.

Go for faster cooks.

• Outdoor Adventures member, Michelle Boyle, is doing just that for the holidays this year. She is pre-cooking pulled pork and chicken, lasagna, alfredo and meatloaf and plans to warm it up in her RV’s oven the day of. She is also packing lots of distilled water for drinking and heating up on the stove for cooking.

• And if you don’t have an oven in your RV or you don’t want to use it, think about how you could use a dutch oven, slow cooker or an outdoor grill to cook. If you use one of these options and you don’t pre-cook everything at home, try smaller cuts of meat that will cook more quickly and evenly.

Enjoy some unique belly- and heart-warming recipes.

• Have you ever heard of damper? It’s a traditional camp oven bread recipe, so for all of you cast iron lovers, here is a delicious, fulfilling, holiday video recipe to try!

• When you’re camping during the holidays, you’ve got to roast something over an open fire. Here is a simple side dish recipe to accompany your holiday meal.

• It wouldn’t be camping without s’mores, but we found a recipe to make it a little extra special for the holidays. Check out this blogger’s take on s’mores for the holidays!

Festive Decorations

Just like you might at home, consider decorating your camper!

• We found this great article with some fun ideas for how to make your camper merry and bright!

• And if you can’t live without a tree, from the same blog, here are some more ideas for how to display a tree in your camper.

• Putting up lights is sure to make you feel holly and jolly. Put them up safely to avoid tripping hazards and make sure you aren’t exceeding your available wattage. Here are some additional tips on decorating your RV with lights for the holidays.

You certainly don’t need to buy extra decorations either.

As an eco-friendly and cheaper option, use nature around you to decorate! Not only will you be on Mother Nature’s nice list, but finding fallen pine cones, evergreen sprigs and wild berries makes for a fun, outdoor memory-making excursion!

Popular Destinations Near our Resorts

If you want to go all out and plan schedule full of holiday activities and excursions, here are some suggestions for destinations near our resorts that offer so many fun holiday, winter activities!

• Frankenmuth – America’s Christmas Hometown, just 35 minutes from Lake Shore Resort in Davison, and just 55 minutes from Saginaw Bay Resort in Standish

• Snow Snake Ski & Golf, just 25 minutes from Mt. Pleasant Resort and just 50 minutes from Saginaw Bay Resort

• Crossroads Village & Huckleberry Railroad, just 20 minutes from Lake Shore Resort

• Here are 13 fun holiday traditions to discover in Kalamazoo
• Check out dates for sleigh rides and dog sledding in Gaylord if you’re staying at Benjamin’s Beaver Creek Resort

We hope this helps you plan and prepare for some unforgettable, unique experiences with your loved ones this holiday season. Or, if you’re looking to give the gift of an experience rather than a toy, we hope this can be your guide. Share more of your holiday camping tips with us below!