Although RVing allows you the comforts of home when you’re camping, you still want to spend the majority of your time outdoors! After all, what’s the point of being out in nature if you’re spending all your time inside? Your campsite can easily be an additional living space, allowing you to relax and enjoy the fresh air right outside your rig.
Say goodbye to boring dirt campsites. With just a little bit of forethought and personalization, you can turn the space around your RV into an exciting area for activities, relaxation, and enjoyment. There’s an endless list of ideas you can use for your RV, so feel free to experiment and add a little flair true to your style.
Let’s look at some of the creative campsite decorating ideas you can do to liven up your RV campsite setup.
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Extend Your RV Living Space
It doesn’t matter if you rock a tiny little travel trailer or a massive luxury fifth wheel – RVs can feel small! What better way to expand your living space than by utilizing the outdoors around you? When you start envisioning your campsite as another room in your rig, you open yourself up to endless possibilities.
Your RV will quickly stop feeling like a claustrophobic trap, and more like a sheltered escape from the outdoors. With some proper design additions, your campsite will start feeling like part of your rig, rather than separate.
Add Some Character
Customizing your RV campsite is a great way to add personality to your setup. RVs tend to all blend into one another with the constant barrage of off-white hues. When you develop your campsite around you and add in elements that speak to your individuality, you set yourself apart from the masses of fiberglass.
Be warned, however! The cooler and more unique your campsite setup becomes, the more attention you’ll get from fellow campers. This could be a great talking point for meeting other RVers or an unwelcome attractant for socialization!
Long-Term Campsite Decorating Ideas
If you’re a longer-term resident of an RV park, or you have a seasonal campsite, you have a huge assortment of outdoor decoration options! Without the need to constantly set up and break down, you can bring in some larger, more permanent fixtures. This can really help to make the outdoor campsite of your RV feel like home.
Before making any significant changes to your campsite, always check with the rules and policies of the RV park you’re staying at. Most campgrounds don’t allow you to build permanent structures at your site, and some even restrict the number of items you can have on your lawn. Some, however, have very few restrictions – if any – allowing you to set up your campsite to your will!
Here are a few campsite decorating ideas you can incorporate into your longer-term spot.
Picnic Table and Place Settings
The cornerstone of every well-rounded camping spot is a campsite picnic table. Meals are often enjoyed outdoors when RVing, and you need a communal spot to make it happen. Standard picnic tables are a staple at the average campground but don’t hesitate to bring your own custom option.
You can commission someone to build you a high-quality personalized table, or you can even build your own. All you need is an amateur level of carpentry knowledge, some basic power tools, and lumber.
Adding outdoor place settings like a unique table cloth is a fantastic way to spruce up your campsite. Wooden picnic tables can get quite boring, but with a stylish covering, you can add a lot of personality to them.
Propane Fire Pit
Every great campsite has a fire, but having a genuine campfire every single night can get exhausting. From digging out the pit to the gathering or purchasing of wood (and not to mention starting the fire), maintaining a campfire is a lot of work. Why not simplify the process and invest in a propane-fueled firepit?
Flame King makes a convenient portable outdoor fire pit that you can bring to your campsite. It hooks directly up to your propane tank with a standard hose and features a built-in regulator. Starting the fire is just as easy with the automatic self-ignition.
With a propane fire pit, you’ll never have to deal with wood or messy ashes again. Additionally, this makes a fantastic option for campgrounds with open flame fire restrictions.
Construct an RV Patio Deck
If you have the luxury of owning your own camp spot, or you’re a resident at a long-term RV park, constructing a full-size deck is an impressive option that really utilizes the outdoor space around your camper. While this is not always allowed at most RV parks and seasonal campgrounds, if it is – take advantage!
The possibilities are endless with an RV deck. You can easily turn it into a patio entertainment center, complete with a grill and mini bar. Consider adding some high-top tables, a propane fireplace, and even some outdoor furniture. Finish your furniture off with weather-resistant throw pillows, and you’ve got yourself an entire outdoor living space.
If you want to go really big, you can even consider screening and roofing the deck so that you have a fully functional porch where you can escape from the summertime heat, sunlight, and bugs.
Add an Awning Screen
If you don’t want to go through the whole process of installing a screened-in porch on your permanent RV site, adding a screen to your existing awning is a great alternative. While these products don’t completely enclose the awning (meaning you won’t have bug protection), they’re very effective at giving a little extra shade underneath your awning when the sun is low in the sky.
Attract Some Wildlife With a Bird Feeder
If you’re a nature lover and enjoy birdwatching, putting some bird feeders around your RV campsite is a great way to add entertainment and tranquility to your RV. You can spread multiple around the premises, or have a central feeder that attracts all the birds.
Consider getting a window bird feeder that attaches with suction cups to your RV window. These clear feeders blend right into the panel, and you’ll be able to observe your visitors in and out of the camper.
Bird feeders are not just reserved for long term campsites, they’re also great campsite decorating ideas for transient RVers as they’re easy to set up and store away once you move. Keep in mind however that it may take a while for birds to get accustomed to your feeder and you might not get many visitors if only staying at your site for a night or two.
Surround Your Camper With Potted Plants
Along with bird feeders, adding some foliage like potted flowers livens up the space and adds warmth to your campsite. You can go big, and add arching ferns at the base of your RV door, or go small and add some accessory flowers on the picnic table. Everyone loves plants, and they’re a great way to make your campsite feel just a little bit cozier.
Put in a Fence for Your Furry Friends
Most RV parks and campgrounds don’t allow dogs to go unleashed, but taking your dog for a structured walk every time it wants to go outside can be a chore. Save yourself the time and energy and bring in a collapsible pet fence to your campsite.
Setting a small fence up is easy, and you’ll be able to let smaller dog breeds enjoy the outdoors without having to keep a constant eye on them.
Set Up a Garbage Enclosure
When living in an RV, dealing with garbage can be a nuisance. There’s often not enough room to keep a full-size kitchen trash can in the camper, so the can that is there quickly fills up. While most RV parks and campgrounds have central trash processing areas, these are often quite a ways away from your rig.
Installing a garbage enclosure at your campsite is a great way to keep trash hidden while eliminating the need to make a trip to the dumpster every day. They also double as a secondary storage space. It’s also a great way to keep out unwanted pests, as you can easily lock up the enclosure until you’re ready to empty it. This is especially important in bear country!
There’s a variety of options for creating an enclosure, but a preferred method is using an outdoor storage locker. These are affordable, discrete, and easy to transport in case you ever need to break down your more permanent setup.
Short-Term RV Campsite Setup Ideas
If you’re a weekend RVer or frequently move locations, your campsite decorating ideas will likely be very different. You need something that’s quick and easy to set up, as well as break down when it comes time to leave. On top of this, the storage demands of these items must be small, as you’ll be storing them in your RV or tow vehicle once you start traveling.
Luckily, there are countless RV campsite setup ideas out there that can be easily packed away at the end of the trip. Let’s check out some options!
Add an Outdoor Rug
An outdoor rug adds so much personality to a campsite that it’s almost a necessity on this list. There are hundreds of options out there for outdoor rugs, and all of them are made to withstand weather, moisture, and dirt.
The best part about an outdoor rug? It easily rolls ups, meaning you can dust it off and slide it into your RV, or even strap it down to the back bumper. Outdoor rugs can be easily rearranged as well, so you can maneuver them around the campsite as you see fit.
Install a Clothesline
This idea is purely for functionality, but you’ll never go back once you start using it! RVing and camping are almost always synonymous with swimming. How many times have you come back to your rig sopping wet, unsure of where to dry your bathing suit?
Adding a clothesline to your campsite, either strung between trees or tied off to your RV, is a convenient way of letting your swimming shorts dry outside the camper so that you don’t have to deal with any watery mess.
Portable Shower Stall
Not all RVs come equipped with fully functioning showers and many travel trailers simply have a cassette toilet. If you’re camping at a primitive location without facilities, you can easily set up an outdoor showering stall to keep you smelling fresh.
These shower tents are collapsible and easily fold up into a small bag for quick storage. Pair it with a gravity-fed shower bag or step pump shower, and you have everything you need for a complete showering experience.
Use Alternative Seating
There’s nothing like relaxing outdoors, but you’ll need some outdoor furniture to truly enjoy it! Skip the traditional folding camp chairs and elect for some more unique options. A hammock or two spread throughout the trees makes a serene option to chill out in, or you can even experiment with inflatable camping sofas.
Pack a Folding Table
If you’re part of the younger RVing crowd, or simply know how to have a good time, packing a folding card table for your camping weekend is crucial. This table can serve multiple purposes, such as being a makeshift bar or snack stand. Most importantly, however, is that it makes the perfect beer pong table for all of your camping debauchery needs.
Decorate With String Lights
No campsite decorating job is complete without an extensive amount of outdoor lights. While you can opt for some ground-mounted solar lights to light your walkways, investing in battery-operated string lights is much more stylish!
These string lights can be placed just about anywhere and make the campsite setup feel much warmer and inviting. They’re cheap as well, so feel free to stock up.
Use a Sheet and Projector for Outdoor Movie Night
While this may not be a permanent decoration, having a portable outdoor projector handy is a fun way to enjoy the nighttime hours outside of your RV. These projectors have made huge advances in the past couple of years and can now easily connect to your phone over Wifi.
Bring a large white sheet and tie it up between two trees or drape it across the exterior of your rig for a DIY movie theater experience. Don’t forget to bring the popcorn!
Bring Outdoor Lawn Games
Camping can quickly get boring if you don’t have any activities lined up, especially if you have kids! Towing along some fun lawn games is a great way to utilize the space found around your campsite and keep your family entertained as well.
Corn hole is always a popular option for its ease of play, but consider some other game options too! Jumbo Jenga is an exciting choice as well as more athletic games, like Spikeball.
Cook With an Outdoor Kitchen Setup
You simply cannot properly camp without cooking at least one meal outdoors. Be sure to bring a portable cooking setup on your next RV trip so that you can enjoy a fully-functioning kitchen outdoors.
Some RVs even have an outdoor kitchen installed on the exterior of their rigs, making the setup for this even easier. If you don’t, consider investing in a quality camp cookstove that you can set up on a picnic table. Not only will you feel like you’re getting an authentic camping experience, but you’ll save your RV from some excess condensation buildup as well.
Fire Grate for Cooking
If you’re craving a more authentic camping cooking experience, bringing a foldable fire grate is an absolute must! These grates sit right on an open wood fire so that you can cook a variety of meals right by the flame.
Feel free to grill right on top of this for a wood-smoked flavor, or bring your favorite cast irons for some creative skillet recipes. Nothing beats the flavor of a hearty, buttery pancake cooked in a skillet over a roaring campfire.
Don’t Forget the Little Touches
Most of these campsite ideas involved bringing in significantly sized items to brighten up the living space. Smaller accessories can go a long way as well!
Lawn ornaments like garden flags, a personalized sign, or tiki torches require little planning and setup but drastically enhance the “hominess” of your RV site.
Make Your Campsite Feel Like Home
When you’re out RVing you can easily make your campsite feel like home with just a few decorative (and functional!) additions. Next time you go camping, don’t subject yourself to a boring, bland campsite with no personality. Feel free to bring along any of these campsite decoration options and you’re sure to perk up the space and improve the camping experience for you and your family.
Get creative, and have fun with it!