The Thanksgiving holiday means different things to different people. To some, it’s a chance to gather ‘round with family and eat one of the biggest feasts of the year (if not the biggest). Others dedicate the day to running a marathon and others still to shopping. You’re interested in camping this year, but do people even camp on Thanksgiving?
People do camp on Thanksgiving, although it can be difficult to plan a trip given that many campsites and parks reduce their hours or shut down entirely during the winter months. If you’re thinking about getting away for Thanksgiving this year, plan your trip early!
In this article, I’ll discuss further whether camping on Thanksgiving is something that many RV enthusiasts do. I’ll also provide tips on how to have an awesome, memorable Thanksgiving when camping, so make sure you keep reading!
Is Camping on Thanksgiving Common?
For decades, the thought of doing anything else on Thanksgiving rather than spending it with your family watching football (and maybe the parade) and eating huge quantities of turkey was unthinkable.
Sure, some people would do local turkey trots, and of course, others always have to work, but most people spend Thanksgiving with their families.
Then Black Friday became popular. As this shopping holiday began earlier and earlier, first at midnight on Thanksgiving and then on Thanksgiving morning, the impetus to sit around at home all day became less and less meaningful.
And that brings us to today and your question about camping on Thanksgiving.
As the paragraphs above prove, there’s no one right way to spend Thanksgiving anymore. If you want to go camping, you should go camping.
Would I say that camping on Thanksgiving is tremendously common? No, but that’s because it’s typically harder to reserve a spot at a campground or park site around that time.
In many parts of the country, it’s cold and only getting chillier by late November, which is when Thanksgiving is celebrated. Only the most hardcore campers and RVers are even interested in venturing out into the frozen wilderness around this time of the year.
There’s no sense in keeping the campgrounds open at full capacity, so many parks will either shut down entirely until warmer months are ahead (such as during March or April), or they’ll reduce their hours.
It’s not necessarily that some people don’t want to camp around Thanksgiving purely because of the cold.
Although it’s not technically winter yet by November, the winter-like temperatures also preclude them from doing a lot of activities, which might make camping less appealing.
Reasons to Go Camping on Thanksgiving
Hmm. You’ve always wanted to go camping on Thanksgiving, but you’re not sure how you’d get the rest of your family onboard.
The following benefits of camping on Thanksgiving ought to convince even the most stubborn family members!
Potentially Lower Rates
While I can’t promise that every campground or park will reduce their rates for the winter, enough will that you should look into camping just as the season ends.
Vacation rentals do the same. You can rent a hotel or a room at a resort for a premium in the summer. In the winter, the same room or hotel costs maybe half of what it did in the summer because it’s the off-season.
Thanksgiving officially ushers us into the holiday season, which is a time of extreme expense for many of us. Any chance you have to save a couple of dollars before the holiday shopping season gets underway is one you’ll want to take advantage of!
Much Less Crowded Campgrounds
I love camping because it’s a great chance to disconnect from the hustle, bustle, and stress of everyday life.
Yet that hustle and bustle can carry right over with you to the campground if the place is surrounded by other campers.
I like a more secluded trip, as it truly allows me to unplug and unwind.
If you’re the same, then camping on Thanksgiving is going to be your new favorite thing to do.
Not many campers are willing to brave the cold weather. Others aren’t sure if their favorite park or campground is open at this time of year, so they don’t even bother.
Then, of course, you have the traditionalist Thanksgiving crowd who would rather stay home than camp on the holiday.
You might never see an emptier park than when you camp on Thanksgiving. You’ll love how secluded you feel.
Less Gluttony Than a Regular Thanksgiving
According to a 2018 article from Consumer Reports, the average Thanksgiving meal contains between 3,000 and 4,500 calories.
While it does vary from person to person, the average amount of calories you’re supposed to consume in a day is 2,000, so that’s almost twice the normal caloric load eaten on Turkey Day,
Gulping down all that food is undoubtedly going to make you sleepy, which is why you always end up taking a nap on the couch while watching the post-meal game (it’s not all due to the tryptophan!).
Overall, Thanksgiving is just a day of gluttony, which is probably why turkey trots and similar marathons have become so popular.
If you’d rather move away from the piggishness associated with the Thanksgiving holiday, then camping is the perfect way to do it.
You can spend most of your day being active, sit down to a smaller meal, and then burn off some calories when you’re finished polishing off the pumpkin pie!
It’s Something New
How many years have you and your family spent Thanksgiving in exactly the same way? After a while, all the Thanksgivings start to blend together, right?
This year, you’d like to create some memories that won’t so easily blur together. Camping as a family is a surefire way to do that.
You’ll have Thanksgiving dinnertime memories to talk and laugh about for years to come if you take this coming year and plan a camping trip.
Uninterrupted Time Together
How much time do you have with your family where everyone is completely present and disconnected? Probably very little, right?
That’s just part of the society that we live in today. We’re always on our phones keeping up with work even when we’re not in the office or seeking out mindless means of entertainment such as scrolling through social media.
Even if you have a no-phones policy at the dinner table, one of your kids always inevitably ends up with their phone out. Then, one by one, your other kids are on their phones as well.
Camping will force everyone to give the technology a break. You probably won’t get a reliable Internet connection when camping, and you can’t always charge your phone either.
Thus, the kids won’t be able to use their phones a lot, and for that matter, neither will you.
This gives you an ultra-rare opportunity to spend some meaningful facetime (not Facetime) with your family.
You can talk without distractions and really have some in-depth conversations that would never be possible at home.
Tips for Planning a Thanksgiving Camping Trip
To ensure your Thanksgiving camping trip goes off without a hitch, be sure to follow these tips!
Check the Availability of Your Favorite Campground
As I mentioned earlier, some campgrounds and parks will shut down in the winter because it’s not worth staying open for just a few people.
Others will reduce their hours to accommodate for the lesser winter demand.
I would recommend you look up the policy for your local parks before you even mention the idea of a Thanksgiving camping trip to your family.
You don’t want to get everyone’s hopes up only to realize that you can’t go to your favorite camping spot.
Book Early
Reduced hours mean reduced availability.
While not many people camp on Thanksgiving, it would be naïve of you to assume that you and your family will be the only ones there.
If you see a spot at your favorite park or campsite for Thanksgiving but it’s still August, September, or even earlier, it doesn’t matter. Book that spot now!
Treat this camping expedition the same way you would a vacation. Be ready to book months in advance, as Thanksgiving camping spots will go fast.
Look at the Long-Range Weather Forecast
Of course, the risk when planning any trip months in advance is that you can’t accurately predict what the weather will be like. It’s too hard to tell that far out.
While I agree that you can’t have a 100 percent clear picture of the predicted weather, you can amalgamate several long-range forecasts to get a better feel for what you might be in for.
If you can’t find that many long-range forecasts to go off of, then look at historical data.
Although the weather can and does largely fluctuate from year to year, if you know that it’s usually 30 degrees Fahrenheit around Thanksgiving where you live, then you can expect temperatures about that low this year as well.
Of course, as your camping trip draws ever nearer, you’ll want to watch the weather like a hawk.
Should you let a little bit of rain or even snow deter you? That’s up to you and what you feel comfortable with.
If there was only a 40 percent chance of rain that day, then for me personally, I wouldn’t cancel. It may rain but likely will not. Even if it does rain, it probably won’t be all day.
Should the forecast be certain that the day will be a wash with a 100 percent chance of rain and about an inch and a half of precipitation in the forecast, then yes, then you’d want to reconsider.
I would also tell you that when it comes to snow, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
If you’re just supposed to get flurries or a coating, that’s one thing. If several inches of snow are predicted, getting onto and off of the campsite can prove very difficult and even dangerous!
Plan Some Fun Family Activities
I mentioned earlier that your available activities when camping in the winter are lesser than in the warmer weather.
That doesn’t mean you’ll be without things to do. On the contrary!
You and your family can take a vigorous walk around the grounds, hike the same paths you do in the summer, enjoy some cold-weather fishing (if you’re allowed), and look for birds and wildlife.
Sure, you can’t go swimming, but there’s really not a lot that you can’t do otherwise.
Be sure to have nighttime activities planned too once the big meal wraps up. You can light a campfire, although I’m not sure how many of your family members will have the stomach room to roast s’mores or hot dogs.
Pack Winter Gear
Since you’ve been watching the weather forecast so closely, you should have a very good idea of what the temperature is going to be like for your trip.
I would recommend bringing your best winter gear.
Layering is highly recommended when enjoying time outside in the cold.
You need a base layer that traps heat closest to your body such as long johns, then a secondary layer like a jacket, and then finally, your outer layer such as a maneuverable winter coat.
Consider a battery-powered space heater or several for sleeping in your RV or tent at night, especially if you don’t have any electricity in your vehicle!
Don’t Forget Dinner!
Even if you’re camping on Thanksgiving, you still have to make something turkey-related and serve a pumpkin-inspired dessert (unless you don’t like turkey or pumpkin, then it can be anything you want).
I’m going to write a post all about cooking and camping on Thanksgiving that will help you plan your menu and execute it to perfection. Keep an eye out for that post on the blog!
I will say for now that even if your Thanksgiving won’t be as large or ornate when camping as it is when at home, your family will appreciate all the love and effort you put into the meal, nevertheless.
If you love cold-weather camping, here are some tips for winter camping.
Conclusion
People do indeed camp on Thanksgiving; maybe not in droves, but it still happens.
If you’re thinking of doing the same, I couldn’t recommend it enough.
You can still have some form of a Thanksgiving meal. Plus, you get to enjoy unplugged family togetherness and change up the Thanksgiving routine.
It’s never too early to begin planning your Thanksgiving holiday. I hope it will include a camping trip this year!