Traditional outdoor camping trips aren’t for everyone. Dealing with the expenses and logistical planning can suck the fun out of camping trips. You’re also at risk of poor unexpected weather conditions or potential vehicle breakdowns.
If traditional camping isn’t your cup of tea, we’ve got a better solution: backyard camping.
Camping in your backyard means you can enjoy the outdoors right from the comfort of your home. Follow these tips for the ultimate backyard camping trip, and let the fun begin!
What Are the Benefits of Backyard Camping?
Camping in the backyard gives you the best of adventuring and staying home. Sure, you might not have access to the breathtaking scenery that traditional camping can provide, but you can do most camping activities right from your backyard. Let’s explore the benefits of backyard camping.
Inexpensive
Nowadays, most public campgrounds charge a hefty price for campers. The fees for campsites depend on the location, time of year, amenities, type of hookups, and shore power. Full hookups, which provide water, power, and sewer dumps, will cost more than places without such amenities.
Campground fees are not the only expenses involved in camping. You’ll have to factor in travel costs like fuel, camping gear, and supplies for being away from home.
Depending on the distance and road conditions, camping trips can also add significant wear and tear to your vehicle.
Backyard camping is an inexpensive alternative that doesn’t require paying fees to sleep under the stars.
Safety
Camping in the great outdoors means venturing into unfamiliar surroundings. You must follow strict safety protocols. Potential hazards come with camping outdoors, such as encountering hostile wildlife, food and water-borne diseases, getting injured, and facing unpredictable weather. Not to mention, it’s difficult to get access to medical care or emergency services in remote areas.
Backyard camping allows your loved ones to stay in a safe environment. It’s perfect for young children or older adults with health concerns or mobility issues. Young children enjoy all the perks of camping activities, like starting a campfire and roasting marshmallows, in a controlled environment.
Less Planning
Planning a camping trip can be a logistical nightmare. With so many uncertainties with accommodations, vehicle concerns, and food planning for the entire family, a lot can go wrong.
You won’t have to worry about preparing for bad weather or forgetting a first aid kit when camping in your backyard. You can also take full advantage of your kitchen and bathroom facilities, eliminating the need for portable cook sets, grills, and toiletries.
Of course, there’s also no need to spend hours researching campgrounds and travel routes and scouring the internet for reliable third-party reviews. Backyard camping is a low-stress alternative that provides all the fun of traditional camping with less planning.
How Do I Prepare for Backyard Camping?
Even if you’re close to home, that doesn’t mean you should neglect planning. The right supplies and gear will shape the experience. From portable power stations to tents, there are essential items to make your backyard camping trip one to remember.
Tent
A tent provides shelter to protect you from outdoor elements. It’s what gives the whole experience a camping vibe. Sleeping outside your house also gives you that sense of adventure you can’t get from sleeping under a roof.
Lantern
Lanterns are a must-have for your camping experience since they provide visibility at night and create a cozy ambiance.
You have many modern lantern options with impressive brightness and advanced features like USB ports and multi-colour lighting modes. Some even have Bluetooth compatibility letting you control the lantern from your phone.
Portable Power Station
The point of camping is to get off the grid and reconnect with nature. With that said, having access to power can come in handy. Portable power stations (PPS) like the EcoFlow RIVER 2 let you charge your personal devices and run an outdoor projector for family movie night around the fire.
If you want to fire up larger appliances, consider a unit with higher power output and storage capacity, like the EcoFlow RIVER 2 Pro. With 768Wh of storage capacity and 1600W of power output, you can run coffee makers, lighting, and a serious sound system — just don’t wake up the neighbours!
The RIVER 2 Pro can power up to 80% of high-wattage home appliances. With five times the charging speed other brands offer, the RIVER 2 Pro will handle your portable electricity needs even during extended staycations.
Adding portable solar panels upgrades your power station into an off-grid solar generator. Solar charging will fully recharge the RIVER 2 Pro in as little as 3 hours of sunlight.
Portable power stations are a cost-effective way to turn your backyard staycation into an eco-friendly experience while giving you access to modern technology’s conveniences.
Mosquito Repellent
Mosquitos are pesky creatures that leave you itchy and uncomfortable. Keep a can of mosquito repellant to safeguard yourself and your family so that you can enjoy your bonding time without the irritating insects.
Chairs
Unless your home looks out onto a wooded area, you probably won’t have logs to set up your camping lounge. Use camping chairs instead for a more comfortable way to relax.
Fire Pit
You probably don’t want to dig a pit and light a campfire in your backyard, but you still need a fire to retain the feeling of camping. A portable fire pit is a great compromise.
Fire pits are safer (and less destructive for your lawn) than digging a hole in your backyard and filling it with dry sticks and logs. You can still have hot dogs and s’mores but without the risk of a residential fire and scarring your landscaping.
What To Do While Camping in Your Backyard? 3 Fun Activities
Whether roasting marshmallows, playing flashlight tag, or enjoying crafts and games, the options are endless. We’ll cover a few activities you can enjoy in your backyard.
Backyard Scavenger Hunt
Spice up your camping adventure with a scavenger hunt. You can have all participants find different natural objects such as rocks, flowers, trees, and pine cones and include items you’ve hidden around your backyard.
Give participants an incentive to win by awarding special prizes to those who find the items fastest or those with the most creative finds.
Flashlight Tag
Flashlight tag is a fun game for both kids and adults. All you need is a flashlight and plenty of hiding spots in your backyard. Players try to avoid being tagged by a shining flashlight.
The game works by players hiding in the dark, and the tagged person must search for other players using flashlights. Once a person shines the flashlight on another player, that person becomes “it.”
Flashlight tag adds an element of excitement since players receive the thrill of hiding, knowing the person who is it can tag them at any moment. It’s a great way to encourage communication and teambuilding skills while getting some exercise.
Play Board Games
Board games aren’t just for indoors. They’re a great way to bond with your family and friends while increasing your logical reasoning skills.
Stick to the night’s theme by playing Camp, a board game where players put their worldly knowledge to the test with trivia questions about the wilderness. Or you can stick to fun classics like Jenga or UNO.
Jenga is a game that involves players removing wooden blocks from a tower without causing it to collapse. UNO is a fun strategy game where players must eliminate their cards by matching the number or colour from the discard pile. Players use special cards like draw two, reverse, or skip to get ahead of their opponents strategically.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to further questions about backyard camping.
Yes, camping in your backyard is legal, but permanently sleeping in your shed or tent in your yard is illegal. Check with your HOA for backyard camping rules regarding your property. Backyard camping is safe if you take precautions, consider your neighbours’ comfort, and monitor the weather — especially if you’re burning a campfire.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve wanted to go camping but have procrastinated on hitting the road, backyard camping is for you.
It’s an affordable, fun way to replicate the camping experience without leaving behind the comforts of your home.
Follow our backyard camping tips so you can enjoy the best possible staycation for you and your family.
For your outdoor power source, we recommend finding a reliable portable power station like the RIVER 2 Pro, so you can get powered up and stay connected during your backyard camping adventure.
Not only that, the RIVER 2 Pro is a reliable backup power source during emergencies and blackouts — even when you’re not enjoying the great outdoors (at home).