For many people, camping is a series of outdoor adventures followed by some quality time around the fire, good food, and sleep. Many of the traditional past times are designed for and involve kids.
But there are also a great number of fun camping activities for adults and many can even include a drinking version!
HERE ARE SOME OF OUR FAVORITES:
Adventurous Camping Activities for Couples or Groups
Some camping vacations are for relaxing. But many times we want to get out there and enjoy nature in an active way. You may be asking what fun outdoor activities for adults there are?
Here are some awesome ways you can get active while you are out in the wilds.
Hiking
Hiking is our personal favorite. Exploring trails is a wonderful way to see the wilds and get some exercise. Whether you are visiting Bryce Canyon, or the Smokies in October, hiking is the best way to commune with nature.
Plus is there anything better than eating lunch outdoors surrounded by awesome views, having hiked for miles with friends and family!
Fishing
Fishing is something that can be done almost anywhere. It is fun, exciting, and might even put dinner on the table. There are so many different types of fishing that you can spend forever trying out new techniques.
It’s also super relaxing just to sit with your fishing pole in the water, and hang out with good friends.
Trail Biking
Trail biking is great exercise, and a wonderful way to cover some ground in you sightseeing. Carry a backpack with some food for a picnic and you can make a day of it. You will work muscles you didn’t know you had.
Rock Climbing
Rock climbing is a great adrenaline rush. Make sure you know what you are doing, or have really good guides as there is a good amount of danger as well. But standing atop a hard fought climb has great rewards.
Knife/ Axe Throwing
Here is something you don’t generally do every day. Bring along a hatchet, axe, or some throwing knives and have at it. You’ll be living your “1800’s Canadian Trapper” self in no time.
If this is something you haven’t tried before, definitely put it on your list. You’ll be surprised how much fun this sport it, and yes it’s considered a sport!
Archery
Archery takes a steady hand, and nerves of steel, but it is a ton of fun, especially if you have a few others to compete against.
Practice Survival Skills
Start a fire with no lighter or matches, forage for materials and food. Find and purify water, navigate by compass. Release your inner Mountain Man or Woman! You can easily make this a competition.
Photography
There is nowhere better than out in nature to practice your photography skills.
Depending where you are, you can practice on wildlife (not to close), stunning views, people.
One of our biggest regrets is that we didn’t take better pictures over the last few years. If this is something you need help with, check out this awesome course that will help you to improve your photography skills!
Glow In The Dark Frisbee
Frisbee golf is one of our favorite outdoor games to play with the kids.
Playing flow in the dark frisbee golf is even more fun! Get a glow in the dark frisbee, and play after dark. It’s a lot of fun, and a great outdoor pastime. Just don’t play around any trees……. or lakes!
Flashlight Tag
Tag is NOT just for kids. Get out your flashlights and head out into the wilderness. Find great hiding spots and stay out of the beams of light. Use headlamps to keep your hands free.
Prepare to laugh a lot!
4 Wheeling
Have you ever tried 4 Wheeling? Ask anyone who has tried it and they will rave about it because it’s so much fun!
Off highway vehicles can be rented nearby to where the trails are. So if you are heading into an area that supports off-roading, definitely check out some vehicles and have a ball!
We went off-roading just outside Bryce Canyon and it was a blast. We tried to fit in a jeep excurision in Utah but we could never make it happen! Another regret of ours!
White Water Adventures
When the rivers are running high, white water rafting is a super fun adventure and one you will not forget. Guides are always available to show you the way.
With most river companies, all you need to bring is yourself. They supply all of the safety equipment and sometimes even lunch.
Canoeing/Paddleboarding
For a calmer time on the water, canoeing or kayaking hits the spot. Take a leisurely paddle through the wilderness, or find some faster water for a bigger rush. Either way, you will remember the adventure.
River Tubing
One of our FAVORITE family adventures was when we went tubing in Helene, GA. River tubing is the ultimate in river leisure.
If there is a local company running river tubing excursions, they will transport you to or from your destination so all you have to do is float! Just remember to leave your phone behind or make sure it’s waterproof!
Geocaching
Geocaching is one of our favorite things to do. It is a never-ending treasure hunt, driven by GPS. You can log your finds online and keep track of your success. You get some good (but relaxing) exercise as well.
Separate into teams and meet up for lunch to share your various finds.
Slacklining
Slacklining is tight-rope walking on a flat narrow mesh that is just a few inches off the ground.
It has become super popular in the past few years. It is super hard to do, but loads of fun.
Here is an awesome starter kit from Amazon, make sure you have your camera ready!
Check Price
Volleyball/ Badminton
If you are looking to workout more on this camping trip, volleyball is a great sport when you have a crowd.
If you want to take things easier, badminton might be more your style. Both are challenging, and both are great fun for a group.
Build a Shelter
The ultimate survival challenge, this one gets it’s own spot on the list. Head out as a couple to build your shelter, or compete with friends to see who can build the best.
Will you survive, or will you thrive?
Paintball/Airsoft Competition
This can be lots of fun, just don’t do it running around the various campsites. Find a spot nearby with good cover, divide up teams, and shoot it out! Loser cooks dinner.
Scavenger Hunt
Design a scavenger hunt for the place you are visiting. Set up some “adult” themes if you wish, and have fun with it!
Nature Yoga
How incredible would it be to enjoy a yoga class with your friends while camping in the woods?
It is so much easier to find your asana while looking out over a beautiful vista. Try a Sun Salutation while under the actual sun. Namaste!
Conversational Games For Hikes/ Campfires
There are loads of fun camping activities for adults that involve conversational games. They are “get to know you better” kinds of games. Many of these are great indoor camping ideas for adults on those rainy days.
Two Truths and a Lie
This is a fun “get to know you better” game. Any number of people can play. You tell 2 truths and a lie about yourself, and the others have to figure out which is the lie. The more open and creative you are, the more fun the game.
Would You Rather
Each member of the group takes turns asking a “Would you rather…” question to someone in the group.
For example “Would you rather find true love today, or win a million dollars 2 years from now?” The other player then has to answer the questions with reasons for their choice. It’s a really fun game for everyone, and a great way to get to know each other better.
ABC Name Game
This is a fun and fast paced game in which all players clap in a slow rhythm. The first player says the name of a famous person. Before the next clap the next person must say the name of another famous person who’s first name begins with the same initial of the previous persons last name.
For instance: Tom Cruise, Cat Stevens, Sam Elliott, Eli Whitney. Whoever misses has to sit out until a champion is crowned. Then you start over.
You can also play this as a drinking game, with the loser taking a drink.
20 Questions
This is an old classic. One player picks a person, place or thing. The others then have 20 questions to figure out who or what it is.
I Spy
This is a good one on the trails. Keeps everyone looking around at the scenery as well. You never know what you might see when your eyes are not on your feet.
Wink Murder (Murder in the Dark)
This is a really fun game for a larger group of people. The group get in a circle. One person is the “Chooser.” While everyone closes their eyes, the Chooser walks around the circle and chooses (by 1 or 2 taps) a “Murderer” and a “Detective”.
The Detective goes to the middle and looks around at the group. The murderer then kills group members by winking at them. The newly dead may lie down in as dramatic a fashion as they wish.
The Detective gets three tries to figure out who the murderer is.
Telephone
This is the old game of whispering a message in the ear of the first person in a line, then having the message whispered to each person in order until it gets to the end of the line.
See what the original message was versus what came out at the end.
Who Am I?
This is a crazy version of 20 Questions where each person has the name of a character or famous person stuck to their back. Everyone then walks around the room asking about 20 questions to the others about who they are.
Fortunately, Unfortunately
This is a really fun story creating game in which each person adds one sentence to the tale. Each question has to start with “Fortunately…” or “Unfortunately…” alternately. See where the story takes you.
Depending on the crowd, this game can get pretty saucy.
Name That Tune
If someone brought a guitar, great! If not, just pull up some tunes on your smart phone and you can play. Each person starts a song, and everyone tries to be the first to guess the name, or artist, or both. (I always suck at this game, but it’s fun to see what people come up with).
Truth or Dare
This is the old standard. Played with only adults, though the results can be quite interesting….
I Can Tap This Stick Just Right
This game is a fun little trick you can play. You start by clearing your throat and then tapping a stick in any pattern. You say “I can tap this stick just right” and then hand the stick to the next person.
They will try to tap the same pattern. They will not get it right, because the trick is the clearing of the throat. Keep going with each member, accentuating the throat clearing a bit more each time until someone figures it out.
Earn Your S’more
This is a great way to get everyone out of their shell. In order to get a s’more, everyone has to perform in some way. Sing a song, tell a story, interpretive dance, anything goes in this game.
Fun Activities at the Campsite
Even if you choose to just chill around the campsite, there are tons of awesome camping activities for adults that will relax you and help to recharge your batteries.
Whittling
An age old tradition that too few people have tried. A small block of wood and a sharp knife are all you need. See what you can come up with. It is a really relaxing way to spend some time. Whittling can be fun for a group as well.
Hammocking
Take advantage of the fact that you are in a remote area, away from the stresses of real life.
Maybe you have kids waiting for you at home, or a stressful corporate job. Don’t feel like you have to do anything on your weekend away. This is one of those lovely camping activities for couples on a break.
Set up your hammock and prepare to do absolutely nothing! For a more strenuous version, try reading a book! My preferred way is to close my eyes and let the wind rock me to sleep.
Tying Knots
When we were young and in the boy or girl scouts, knot tying was so important. But as adults we have totally forgotten this necessary survival skill. Time for a revival don’t you think?
Board Games
Board games are fun for everyone. Whether it is a quiet game of checkers or chess with your honey, or a rousing game of Scattergories with a group, board games never fail to please.
Play Cards
Card games take very little room to pack and add loads of fun to the trip.
Beyond the normal deck of cards and all of the fun games that can be played with those, there are also some other card games that we love, like Phase 10, Monopoly Cards, or Uno. These are lots of fun to play around a campfire.
Stargazing
Print out a star map for the time of year and your locality, and spend some night time hours looking up.
Try to find as many constellations as you can. Try to spot the International Space Station zipping by. There are people on that dot! Use binoculars or a scope to check out the surface of the moon.
Or just lay back and take it all in and enjoy the nighttime view.
Campfire Cooking
Food is always such a big part of camping. Try to come up with some new ways to cook food over an open fire. Just about anything that will go on a stick is game. Our favorites are variations on s’mores.
Do you enjoy dumping ingredients into one pot and enjoying a glass of wine while the food cooks itself. If so you will love dutch oven cooking. Check out these delicious but easy camping meals for large groups. Have some fun cooking together, put on some music, pour some wine and kick back.
Movies Under The Stars
You will need a sheet and a projector (along with some power) but an outdoor movie under the open sky is enjoyable for everyone! Don’t forget the popcorn!
Charades
Pick teams, and take turns acting out a famous person, TV show, or movie. Lots of ideas can be found online.
Cornhole
Cornhole is a ton of fun, but it does require carrying the boards along with you. If you have room, throw them in, they will always come in handy. Here is a really good portable set:
Fun Drinking Games
Here are the slightly more rowdy camping activities for adults. Depending on your level of consumption- always make sure to stay safe and remember: these games are only used on camping trips for adults.
Sevens
Everyone gets in a circle. The first person starts counting up by saying “One.” Each player says the next number out loud. The trick is that any number that has a 7 in it, or is divisible by 7 must be skipped.
The person who’s turn it is must clap their hands instead of saying the number. If they fail, they drink.
Thumper
Thumper is very fast paced and rowdy. Think “Animal House.” Each player chooses a hand gesture to be their own.
While everyone drums on the table (or their knees if sitting around a fire), the leader performs his own hand gesture and then the gesture of another player.
That player must then stop drumming, perform their own gesture, and the gesture of another player, and so on. Whoever breaks the chain, or takes too long, must drink.
Beer Pong
A classic college frat game. There are 2 teams setting up on each end of a table. Each team sets up a series of Solo cups filled half way with beer.
Players take turns tossing a ping pong ball into the opposing teams cups. If it goes in a cup, the cup is removed and consumed by the player on that team. You continue until one team loses all of its cups.
Most Likely
Sitting in a circle, each player takes a turn saying “who’s most likely to…” adding a strange or funny scenario to the question. All players quickly point to the person that they think would be most likely to fit the question. The person with the most fingers pointed at them drinks.
I Am Going to the Bar
The first player says “I am going to the bar for a…” and they finish with the name of a drink. The next player repeats the sentence adding another drink to the “order.”
Each player in turn adds another drink until someone messes up the “order”. They are the loser and they drink. Then you start over.
Never Have I Ever
Each player states “Never have I ever…” and adds a personal situation that they have NOT done. Anyone who HAS done that thing, must then take a drink. As you imagine this game leads to some lively conversations.
Just remember to have a lot of fun when you’re out camping with friends, you don’t need to schedule activities 24/7. Sitting in a chair reading a book, or listening to music can be a fun, relaxing activity too.
What activities do you enjoy doing when camping with friends?
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Grainne Foley
Grainne Foley grew up in Ireland and spent summers caravanning around Europe with her family. Now, as a wife and mother of 2, she spent 5 years traveling the USA as a full time RVing family. She is passionate about travel, and helping others who are considering the RV lifestyle. She has created dozens of helpful RVing checklists which are available throughout the website, and has curated hundreds of simple, flavorful meals for families on the go.