How to Keep Your Family Entertained While RVing

While RV camping definitely can be fun for the whole family, it isn’t necessarily fun and exciting for the kids automatically. Yes, all kids are bound to enjoy the first trip or two, but after a while, your kids (or even your spouse) might start to complain of boredom. In this case, you will likely
be looking for ways to make RVing fun for the whole family.

The good news? There are plenty of things you can do to make your RV adventures more fun for everyone, and we’re here to help. Below are 8 ways to keep the whole crew begging for more trips out in your RV!

Choose Your Campground Wisely

First and foremost, it’s important to realize that the campground you choose is incredibly important. In fact, we’d even go so far as to say that for certain kinds of camping trips, the campground can make or break the trip. 

Obviously, a pretty place is something to look for, and you’ll want someplace close to things to do. That said, you also want to make sure the campground you pick has all of the amenities your family needs to be comfortable, as well as some extras when possible.

Amenities to Look For

Not sure what sorts of amenities you need to look for in a campground? Well, for starters, we highly recommend seeking out full-hookup campsites when possible. Planning an RV trip in advance with this in mind is key.

Beyond that, many RVing families also want the following: Plenty of shade, Clean bathrooms, Laundry facilities, Dog park, Swimming pool, Hot tub, Playground, Mini golf, or Organized activities (hayrides, outdoor games, craft times, shows, etc)

Make sure to research campgrounds beforehand.

Family-Friendly Campground Chains

Some of the best campgrounds for families are smaller, family-run operations. That said, there are a couple of well-known chains that also offer amazing family camping. These include KOA as well as Jellystone. If you can find one of these, you can rest easy knowing your family will almost certainly be happy.

Have a Fun RV Drive

One of the most boring things for young children? The drive to the campsite, especially when that drive happens to be on the longer side. For this reason, we highly recommend doing your best to make driving fun when on RV trips.

Games for the Drive

Family games such as road trip bingo, the alphabet game, and concentration are great ways to pass the time while also making memories as a family. Learn the rules for a few of these games and pull one out whenever you sense boredom coming on.

Great Toys for the Car

Another great trick is to create a travel box that only comes out when you’re on an RV road trip.

This can contain a variety of special toys that are good for passing the time in a vehicle. Some of the best toys for such a box include: Colorforms. Coloring books and colored pencils (crayons will melt), Wikki Stix, Window clings, Books, and Magnet playsets

Other Entertainment Options

Other great car entertainment options include podcasts (we love Story Pirates and Circle Round) and audiobooks. Be sure to download a few before you hit the road so you have them handy even when internet connection isn’t available.

Pack Family Games

You might be perfectly happy sitting in your campsite watching the world go by, but we’re willing to bet your kids will want a little more entertainment than that. Why not plan ahead by packing games for the family to play together? Both indoor and outdoor games can be a lot of fun to play on family camping trips, and they help keep everyone entertained and bonding without the use of screens.

Outdoor Games

Some of the best outdoor games to pack for a family camping trip include cornhole and ladder toss. That said, there are tons of awesome options out there, so do some shopping and see what sorts of games you come across!

Indoor Games

There are hundreds of different board games and card games out there. We recommend grabbing duplicates of some of your favorites to keep in the RV so you’re never without them. Some of our favorite family board games include The Game of Life and Scrabble. SET is a favorite card game in our family, as is the funnily named Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza.

Take Up a Family Hobby

If games aren’t really your family’s thing, you might consider finding something else to do around the campground or in the outdoors that you can all enjoy together. A hobby such as whittling, playing music, or knitting could be fun when done around a campfire. Meanwhile, high-energy hobbies such as rock climbing, kayaking, and biking can help drive your family’s adventures and send you seeking out new places to experience your passion.

Explore the Great Outdoors Together

One of the best things about camping is that it allows you to fully immerse yourself in nature. Take this a step further by seizing the opportunity to get out and explore the great outdoors as a family. You might be surprised how much you enjoy it!

Finding Hiking Trails

Hiking is one of the best ways to explore an area. You can find great hiking trails on AllTrails, and by filtering out the more difficult trails, you can easily find options that are suitable for the whole family.

Find a shared interest or hobby and work on it as a family!

Visiting State Parks

We definitely recommend checking out state parks wherever you happen to roam. In many cases, you might find yourself camped in a state park, but even when this isn’t the case, look around for state parks in the area and day-trip to them. Take a hike, stroll along a beach, go for a swim, or hit the water in a kayak for a fun time that everyone will love.

Seeing National Parks

Of course, you absolutely must visit national parks during your family adventures. To keep the kids engaged in your national parks fun, be sure to pick up junior ranger books at the beginning of each visit.

If you plan to see several national parks in a year, you really should invest in the “America the Beautiful” Pass. With this pass, you can access all national parks (and many other natural areas) without paying admission fees.
Have a fourth grader? Then you can actually receive a national parks pass for free! Just ask a ranger to help you get set up.

Check Out Local Zoos and Museums

Don’t stop at parks! While you’re out adventuring, you might as well check out the other attractions in each area you visit. Nearly every tiny town has at least one museum, and bigger cities always have a number of museums, and usually a zoo as well. Both of these are great forms of RV fun.

These kinds of attractions are fun for the whole family, and as an added bonus, everyone will likely learn something new during each visit!

Zoo and Museum Reciprocal Programs

The only problem with visiting zoos and museums on a regular basis? It gets pricey fast. This is where zoo and museum reciprocal programs can help. There are a number of different reciprocal programs out there. To join one, simply become a member of a zoo or museum that is a member of the reciprocal programs. From there, you’ll be able to use your zoo or museum pass to gain free or discounted admission to all of the other zoos or museums that are part of that reciprocal program.

Our favorite reciprocal programs for families include AZA (zoos and aquariums), ASTC (science museums), ACM (children’s museums), and NARM (art museums and niche museums).

Head to Amusement Parks

Okay, so they may not be as healthy as hiking or as educational as museums, but amusement parks provide good, clean family fun that will please people of all ages. For this reason, we highly recommend adding a few amusement parks to your summer RVing schedule if you can.

There are all kinds of amusement parks out there, so be sure to do your research and choose a park that suits your family’s style. For instance, a LEGO-loving 7-year-old would adore LEGOLAND. Meanwhile, a 15-year-old adrenaline junkie would likely prefer Six Flags.

Amusement Park Reciprocal Passes

Amusement parks are even more expensive than museums and zoos. How, then, do we expect you to visit them multiple times this summer? Reciprocal passes save the day once again!

There are several different amusement park chains that offer passes with reciprocal benefits. These include Merlin Group (LEGOLAND), Six Flags, Cedar Fair Parks, and SeaWorld Parks.

Everyone may have different interests, so try and find time for multiple activities!

Add Festivals to Your Itinerary

Festivals are another great way to add an extra layer of fun to your camping season. Even if you end up visiting the same areas multiple times a year, special events and festivals can keep those same places interesting.
Look for music festivals, food festivals, and art festivals. Look in the city you’re visiting, of course, but also in surrounding towns and cities. Even the smallest of towns will sometimes host big events, so don’t dismiss a festival simply because it’s in a teeny tiny community.

Visit Local Libraries

Lastly, local libraries can be fun RV stop. It might seem odd to visit a library while out of town, but it’s actually a great way to get to know a place and an interesting way to make each new place a little more fun. Many local libraries offer guest cards to those who are visiting from out of town, allowing them to check out movies and books. These passes even let you take advantage of things like museum
passes that the library may offer.

On top of all that, most libraries host special events throughout the week. Whether you like morning yoga, building with LEGO bricks, or toddler story times, you’re likely to find something at the library. The best part? These events are almost always 100% free!

As you can see, there are plenty of ways to keep your RV camping trips fun and exciting for everyone in your family. Try adding some of these options into the mix this summer and watch the complaints be replaced by smiles!