Are you or someone you love an avid camper and have a birthday coming up? Bring your birthday party – the decorations, frosted cake, and favorite foods – to your campsite!
Read on to learn more birthday camping trip ideas to make it a special day that will long be remembered.
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Planning the Birthday Camping Trip
Turn your birthday camping trip ideas into reality by following these five easy planning steps:
- Choose a campsite that can accommodate all guests. If you have more than a few people, you likely need a group campsite. We include some group campsite ideas below.
- Send out the invites in advance to ensure as many invitees as possible can get away for a night or two. You may also want to pick a site that is not too far from where you live so that guests can come for just the day if necessary.
- Transform the camping site into a party spot with balloons, banners, streamers, and other decorations.
- Bring a cake or cupcakes – Pack your birthday honoree’s favorite foods and drinks. Don’t forget the birthday cups, plates, and napkins too!
- Last, but not least on the birthday camping trip ideas list is deciding what to do during the trip. What games does the birthday guy or gal love to play? Charades, scavenger hunts, cards? What about daytime activities? Hiking, boating, fishing, or rock climbing? Plan a special birthday trip that incorporates their favorite things.
Selecting the Right Group Campsite
Choosing the right site for your birthday camping party is arguably the most important step. You need to be sure that the site is designed to host the number of people in your party. Group campsites accommodate anywhere from 10 to 200 people, plus day-use reservations can be made for pavilions and picnic shelters in many state parks to accommodate the festivities. Some group campsites are tent-only, others allow RVs. Some group sites are primitive and have few if any amenities, while others may have everything including quite literally a kitchen sink. Also, note the location of the group site. Often group sites are tucked away from the rest of the camp for added privacy, but this may mean they are further from bathrooms.
Below are some outstanding group sites. Find one near you!
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1. City of Rocks National Reserve, Idaho
If your birthday honoree likes mountain climbing or rock scrambling, then count a stay at City of Rocks among the best birthday camping trip ideas. This park consists of unique geologic features of granite pinnacles and monoliths over sixty stories tall.
The Twin Sisters Group campsite is located in the shadow of Twin Sisters, which are towering granite formations that were once important landmarks along the historic California Trail. The group site is nestled among smaller granite boulders and spires and includes picnic tables, a grill, a vault toilet, and spacious parking for recreation vehicles. The group site accommodates up to 25 people, allows pets, and can accommodate seven motor vehicles, including an RV.
2. Ohiopyle State Park, Pennsylvania
Ohiopyle State Park is a fantastic natural getaway and close to major metropolitan areas for a convenient birthday camping bash – especially if whitewater rafting is on the birthday list. The park is known for its rugged natural beauty, including the rushing waters of the Youghiogheny River Gorge cutting through the center of the park. This gorge offers some of the best whitewater boating in the eastern United States. For a large party, the “Modern Organized Group Tenting Site” hosts up to 20 people, and has a grill, four picnic tables, and a fire ring.
Make a Reservation for a Group Site or Pavilion
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3. Cherry Creek State Park, Colorado
There is plenty to do at Cherry Creek State Park – from hiking, biking, and horseback riding to educational series, watersports, and model airplane flying. It is also located just a twenty minutes’ drive from downtown Denver, making it an easy stop for a birthday camping bash. The Arapahoe Group camping site accommodates up to 36 people and has room to set up 12 tents, six RVs or campers, and parking for six additional vehicles. This site also has a shelter with a unisex bathrooom, a kitchen area, charcoal grill, and fire pit to keep the party going.
Reserve a Group Campsite or Group Picnic Area
4. Falls Lake State Recreation Area, North Carolina
One of the top birthday camping trip ideas for a true nature lover is a celebration at Falls Lake State Recreation Area. This park is actually a collective of seven access areas along the shoreline of a large reservoir. There are five swim beaches, a number of boating ramps, including some reserved for paddlers. The Beaverdam access connects to a network of mountain biking trails, and the Mountains-to-Sea State Trail is the centerpiece in a network of outstanding hiking trails. The park has 24 group camping sites that are tent-only, and host up to 35 people. Some of the sites are hike-in, and many are in close proximity to the lake.
Book Your Group Campsite or Picnic Shelter
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5. Sunset Bay State Park, Oregon
There are countless stunning areas along Oregon’s wild coast, and Sunset Bay State Park is no exception. This park boasts beautiful sandy beaches protected by towering sea cliffs with plenty of opportunities for hiking, beach combing, and enjoying the water. The park features one group site near to the water. It is a lovely, wide grassy grove with picnic tables and large enough to accommodate 200 people and ten vehicles. There is electric hookup for one RV, and amenities include chemical toilets, fire ring, potable water, and picnic tables at this tucked-away site.
Reserve a Group Site or Meeting Hall
6. Bennett Field Group Camp, Florida
Situated in the heart of the Tiger Bay State Forest, just 10 minutes west of Daytona Beach, Florida, Bennett Field Group camp is the perfect birthday camping trip idea when you want to get away from it all, but cannot travel far. A forested wetland with lakes, ponds, and abundant animal life, campers can come for hiking, horseback riding, hunting, picnicking, bird watching, and wildlife viewing – and stay for the birthday party! There is one group campsite for up to 20 people with a vault toilet and no water or electricity hookups.
Are you ready for your adventure? Plan your camping trip!