Thanksgiving Camping Ideas

Ever thought of doing something different for Thanksgiving? Why not go camping? It’s a great way to spend time with your family and eat well, all while having nature as your backdrop! Here is a list of thanksgiving camping ideas!

We have all the camping ideas you’ll need for a Thanksgiving weekend, from food to decor!

Why I have never thought of camp (or glamp) on Thanksgiving is a mystery to me! Thanksgiving camping is a wonderful way to slow down and spend time with friends and family, with nature as your backdrop!

It’s also fun to celebrate a Friendsgiving, the weekend before Thanksgiving too! Find a good camping or “glamping” location near you and plan a memorable weekend with some of your closest friends!

Easy Thanksgiving Desserts for Camping

We have two special desserts we love to make when camping. S’mores and campfire pies. We usually make campfire apple pies, but for a holiday, we made delicious pumpkin pie campfire pies that are SO good!

Gourmet S’mores

Of course, you can’t go camping without making s’mores! To make gourmet s’mores, have an array of different toppings available for guests.

Like this fun and easy recipe, if you’re a total s’more lover like me, really, I can never turn down a Baileys Dipped S’mores!

Here are some ideas:

— Cranberry Jam

— Strawberries, Raspberries, and Blackberries

— Dark Chocolate and Milk Chocolate

— Nutella

— Candies Almonds and Walnuts

— Different Cookies

— Pumpkin Butter

— Cookie Butter

Campfire Pumpkin Pies

I also made campfire pumpkin pies, which I’ll go on record saying taste better than traditional!

Easy and scrumptious. And we didn’t have Thanksgiving camping without sweet potatoes! For these, I baked them over the fire in foil, then added marshmallows, brown sugar, and butter…. they were delicious!

How to Make Campfire Pumpkin Pies

1 — Mix the pumpkin, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and milk in a bowl until combined. Taste test to get your desired flavor… more or less sweet, etc.

2 — Butter 2 pieces of bread really well! The more, the better!

3 — Place the butter side down in the pie maker. Then scoop some pie filling into the center. Add the other piece of toast to the top.

4 — Close the pie maker.. extra bread will hang out of the side but will fall off in the fire.

5 — Cook over the fire until golden brown. Turn periodically so it doesn’t burn.

Camping Food Ideas

Surprisingly, cooking a full Thanksgiving menu over a campfire is actually really fun and totally achievable!

I’ll be honest, I was going to cook the traditional turkey over the coals (or deep fry it), but I decided last minute to skip the tradition and go with gourmet turkey dogs instead.

It was a great choice and kept things easy!

We made the stuffing, cranberry sauce, roasted vegetables, and more. It really was a Thanksgiving feast, all cooked fireside!

You can also make some items ahead of time, like the cranberry sauce. Then warm it up when you’re ready to eat.

Foil Wrapped Sweet Potatoes

Instead of our traditional sweet potato casserole with whipped marshmallow fluff, we cooked it over the campfire in tinfoil. We then added mini marshmallows to the top. They melted and created delicious sweet baked potatoes with marshmallow topping!

How to Make Campfire Sweet Potatoes

1 — Wrap each sweet potato in heavy-duty tinfoil.

2 — Place them in the embers of the fire to cook.

3 — Turn them in every 10 minutes to ensure they cook evenly.

4 — After about 20 to 30 minutes (depending on the size of the sweet potato) remove from the fire.

5 — Carefully open the tin foil and cut the potato down the center. Add in mini marshmallows and allow them to melt.

Gourmet Hotdogs

It is camping, after all! The gourmet hotdogs were amazing! We topped them with stuffing and cranberry sauce, too. So good! It was just the perfect fit for the setting.

Cheeseboard

I’m all about a delicious cheese plate, so we stopped by local cheese shop in Santa Barbara for some charcuterie before heading to the campsite. Here’s a little guide to cheese and how well they fare for camping:

Hard cheese

Great for extended trips, hot weather, snacking, and meal topping.

Camping Compatibility: Low moisture in aged hard cheeses concentrates flavor and extends shelf life. All hard cheeses sweat oil and whey, but opt for bricks over pre-sliced or shredded; moisture is easier to manage, and the shelf-life is longer.

To store, wrap in waxed paper. Store in a food-specific container, something like this cheese vault.

— Cheddar: This fatty choice (9.5 g/ounce) is good fuel for cold or hard hikes. Pair with apples or drizzle with honey on crackers.

— Mozzarella: The low-moisture, semi-dry variety is trail-worthy (the water-packed stuff is not). Haul smoked hunks and string singles, which last two weeks without refrigeration. Both melt well on pizza and get gooier and more flavorful as oils sweat.

— Parmesan: Protein-dense and salty (450 ounces), this meal-topper is a recovery superfood. Pack solid pieces (trim the rind) and shave onto meals after cooking for easy cleanup.

Soft cheese 

Best for Short trips, cool weather, and gourmet camp kitchens.

Camping Compatibility:  Moisture makes them mold quickly. In our tests, samples stayed edible for a week at temps below 72℉; at higher temps, they spoiled in as little as two days.

For storage, you can purchase cryovac (vacuum-sealed) packs. After opening, seal in an airtight container and store it in a cool part of your bag.

Camping Cocktails and Drinks

— Sparkling cider

— Apple Cider Moscow Mules

— Red and White Wine

— Algonquin Bar Punch

— Apple Pie Sangria

— Pumpkin Beer

Camping Decor Ideas

For the decor, I wanted it to be easy, so I used flowers and fruit from the grocery store near the campsite. You can also bring a lot of items from home. Use disposable bamboo to keep things even easier.

— Plates

— Napkins

— Utensils

— Glasses

— Mugs

— Tablerunner

— Pots, Pans, Dutch Oven

— Cutting Board

— Knives

— Cooler

— Games

— Blankets

— Platters

Add flowers to small glass jars (which you can also buy at the grocery store) and then placed some pears and other pretty fall fruit on the table for easy decor.

The leaves around the campsite were beautiful and added a festive fall touch. Everything else I packed from home and took to the campsite.

Camping Ideas – Buying Guide

Copper mugs – Mark and Graham

Copper ice bucket – Mark and Graham

Gold flatware – Pier 1 Imports

Cashmere blanket – Mark and Graham

Canvas weekend bag – Mark and Graham

Board game – Mark and Graham

Double Pie Maker – Amazon

Top Tips For A Great Camping Experience

• Bring Cozy Bedding
• Add Touches of Home. Items like colorful rugs, fresh flowers in a sturdy vase, a small mirror, art prints, and other decorative touches truly take your site from camp to glamp.
• Light Up Your Space. Mini-LEDs and faux candles placed in tents and around your lounge area provide maximum glamping feel with minimal effort. Solar-powered lanterns add sustainable chic!
• Bring the Entertainment With You.

Conclusion

Who knows, maybe this will become your new Thanksgiving tradition! If you’re looking for some tips to make your camping trip a success, we’ve got you covered.

We have everything you need, from food ideas to decorating tips to create a festive and fun Thanksgiving glamping experience. Will you be trying out Thanksgiving camping this year?

Check Out These Other Great Thanksgiving Ideas

DIY Thanksgiving Dessert Table

Campfire Apple Pies

Thanksgiving Kitchen Essentials

Fall Desserts

A Rustic Modern Thanksgiving Table

15 Fun Camping Games by Country Living

13 Thanksgiving Party Ideas and Fun Printables by Printable Crush

Let us know if you made our campfire pumpkin pies! Leave a comment and review below and let us know how it turned out! You can also FOLLOW US on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, and PINTEREST to see more delicious desserts, cocktails, and entertaining ideas!