Halloween Camping in October: Why You Need to Book Early

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October has turned into one of our favorite months to go camping.

Not because the campgrounds are empty.

Quite the opposite.

In our experience, Halloween camping weekends can be some of the hardest weekends of the year to book.

Susan and I have celebrated Halloween at at least five different campgrounds, and every year we take our grandkids camping for one of the Halloween weekends in October.

The grandkids love all of it.

The decorations. The costumes. The hayrides. The spooky stuff. The crafts.

But let’s be serious.

Trick-or-treating wins because it gets them candy.

What surprised me when we first started doing this is that you usually do not have to camp on actual Halloween to get the full experience.

Many family campgrounds we have visited hold Halloween activities on multiple weekends throughout October.

That is great news if October 31 falls on a weekend and the kids want to be home with their parents, which is usually what happens with our grandkids.

The bad news is that these weekends can sell out months ahead of time.

If you think you are going to decide in late September that Halloween camping sounds fun and then grab a campsite for the following weekend, you may be disappointed.

We usually book at least three months ahead.

One campground we visit needs to be booked five or six months ahead if we want a good chance of getting in.

So if Halloween camping sounds like something your family would enjoy, the first lesson is simple:

Book early.

Halloween Camping Is Usually More Than One Night

When people hear “Halloween camping,” they sometimes picture pulling into a campground on October 31, trick-or-treating that night, and going home the next morning.

That has not been our experience.

At the family campgrounds we have visited, Halloween is often treated more like a month-long theme than a one-night holiday.

Different campgrounds handle it differently, but we have seen activities such as:

• Campsite decorating
• Campsite decorating contests
• Trick-or-treating from campsite to campsite
• Costume contests
• Hayrides
• Haunted houses
• Spooky hayrides
• Halloween parties in the clubhouse
• Pumpkin carving
• Halloween crafts and decorations

Some places do most of the activities on Saturday.

Others spread them throughout the weekend.

And some campgrounds repeat a similar schedule for several weekends in October.

That is why I would not wait for October 31.

Pick the weekend that works best for your family and find out what that campground has planned.

Our Grandkids Look Forward to Halloween Camping Every Year

Halloween camping has become one of those family traditions that we keep doing because everybody enjoys it.

We take the grandkids for one weekend in October every year.

Usually we do not take them camping on actual Halloween if it falls on a weekend because that is their time to trick-or-treat at home with their parents.

That has never really mattered because the campgrounds celebrate throughout October.

The kids still get the campground Halloween experience, and they still get Halloween at home.

That is a pretty good deal from their point of view.

We have done Halloween weekends at at least five different campgrounds now, and each one has put its own spin on it.

Some are more elaborate than others.

Some have better haunted attractions.

Some have bigger parties.

But trick-or-treating through a packed campground full of decorated RVs and campsites is always a big part of the fun.

Book Your Halloween Campsite Much Earlier Than You Think

This is probably the most useful advice in this entire article.

Do not wait until October to book Halloween camping.

We generally make our reservations at least three months ahead.

For one campground we like, we need to book five or six months ahead.

By the time October arrives, the popular Halloween weekends at family campgrounds can already be sold out.

That is especially true for:

• Campgrounds with a strong Halloween program
• Campgrounds close to major cities
• Campgrounds with lots of seasonal campers
• Campgrounds with haunted attractions or big weekend events
• Campgrounds that people return to every October

I would start looking in the spring or early summer if you already know where you want to go.

If the campground has not posted its Halloween schedule yet, call them.

Ask whether they normally hold Halloween weekends, which weekends they expect to celebrate, and when reservations open.

For a campground we really want, I would rather reserve early and have the site than wait for the complete activity schedule and discover everything is full.

If your first choice is already booked, our guide to 6 Best Campsite Availability Apps can help you watch for cancellations or find another campground.

Do Not Assume Every Campground Celebrates the Same Weekends

This is one place where you need to check before making the reservation.

Some campgrounds celebrate every weekend in October.

Some may only hold Halloween activities on one or two weekends.

Some start in late September.

And campgrounds in colder areas may close before the end of October.

Before booking, check the campground’s event calendar or call the office and ask:

• Which weekends are Halloween weekends?
• Is trick-or-treating scheduled?
• What time does it start?
• Are there costume or campsite decorating contests?
• Are haunted attractions included or an extra charge?
• Is pumpkin carving provided or should you bring your own pumpkin?
• Are there age restrictions for haunted houses or spooky hayrides?
• Do any activities require advance registration?

You can also read our article about when campgrounds open and close for the season if you are camping farther north.

Bring More Candy Than You Think You Need

We learned this one from experience.

If your campground does site-to-site trick-or-treating, bring more candy than you think you will need.

A full campground can mean a lot of kids.

We have underestimated the amount of candy more than once.

The campground may have hundreds of families staying there, plus children from seasonal campsites.

Once trick-or-treating begins, they can come through quickly.

I would rather finish the weekend with some candy left over than run out while kids are still coming down the road.

And if I buy too much?

Somehow that problem always seems to solve itself.

Decorating the Campsite Is Half the Fun

We decorate our campsite, but I would describe our decorating as pretty modest.

Every year I look around the campground and get jealous of the people who really go all out.

Some campsites look like somebody moved an entire haunted house into their campsite for the weekend.

We have slowly added more decorations each year to up our game.

You definitely do not need to spend a fortune.

A few decorations, lights, pumpkins, and something fun around the RV can make the site feel festive.

If you have young kids helping, making some of the decorations at the campsite can become part of the weekend too.

Just remember that everything has to survive outdoors.

October can mean wind, rain, and colder nights.

Secure lightweight decorations so they do not end up three campsites away.

For anything electrical, use outdoor-rated lights, cords, and connections.

And do not create trip hazards around the campsite where trick-or-treaters will be walking after dark.

A Campsite Decorating Contest Can Get Serious

I mean that in the best possible way.

Some RVers really get into Halloween.

We have seen people put a ton of work into decorating their sites, and it makes walking around the campground almost as entertaining as the scheduled activities.

If your campground has a decorating contest, take a walk before judging or trick-or-treating starts.

You will probably get ideas for next year.

That is basically what happens to us.

I see something cool, think we need one of those, and our Halloween camping decoration collection grows again.

Trick-or-Treating at a Campground Is Different From Home

At home, kids may walk several blocks between houses.

At a busy campground, they may hit one campsite after another with very little walking between stops.

That can mean a lot of candy in a short amount of time.

It can also mean golf carts, vehicles, campfires, uneven roads, tent stakes, cords, and dark campsites.

We keep a close eye on the grandkids and make sure they can be seen.

A flashlight, headlamp, glow stick, or reflective item on the costume is a good idea.

If a mask makes it hard to see, I would save it for the costume contest and take it off while walking around.

The kids may not think visibility is the most exciting part of Halloween.

Grandparents tend to see that a little differently.

Pumpkin Carving and Halloween Crafts Are Great Downtime Activities

One thing I like about Halloween camping is that the campground activities give you things to do between meals and campfires.

Pumpkin carving and Halloween crafts work especially well because everybody can slow down for a while.

Some campgrounds provide the craft supplies.

Others expect you to bring your own.

Check before you go.

If you are carving pumpkins at the campsite, bring something to cover the picnic table and a bag for all the pumpkin guts.

Otherwise you will be cleaning pumpkin seeds out of the campsite for the rest of the weekend.

October Weather Can Change the Weekend Fast

October camping can be beautiful.

Cool days, chilly nights, changing leaves, campfires, and fewer summer bugs are a great combination.

But October weather can also change quickly.

Bring layers.

Bring rain gear.

Make sure the RV furnace is working before the trip.

If you use electric space heaters, make sure you understand how much power they draw and do not overload the RV’s electrical system.

Cold weather can also affect water systems in some parts of the country, especially late in October.

Our article on ways to stay warm while camping in cold weather has more ideas if the forecast starts dropping.

Halloween Camping Is Not Just for Families With Kids

You do not need grandkids—or kids at all—to have fun at a Halloween camping weekend.

Plenty of adults participate in the decorating contests, costume contests, campground parties, haunted attractions, and hayrides.

You can decorate the site, hand out candy, enjoy the fall weather, sit around the campfire, and watch everybody else’s costumes go by.

Some adults probably enjoy the campsite decorating more than the kids do.

And if you like seeing a campground full of people having fun, Halloween weekends have a completely different atmosphere from a normal fall camping trip.

If you prefer quiet camping, though, this is probably not the weekend to pick.

The campground may be packed, there may be scheduled activities all day, and kids will be everywhere.

That is part of the experience.

How We Find Campgrounds for Halloween Weekends

If we already know the campground, we go directly to its website or call and ask about the Halloween schedule.

If you are looking for somewhere new, start by finding family-oriented campgrounds within the distance you are willing to drive.

I use RV Trip Wizard to find campgrounds, see them along a route, and read campground information and reviews.

But I would still go directly to the campground’s website, Facebook page, or office to confirm its Halloween events.

Halloween schedules can change from year to year, and a general campground listing may not tell you which October weekend has trick-or-treating.

Our RV LIFE Pro and RV Trip Wizard review explains how we use it for trip planning.

Our Halloween Camping Packing Checklist

Beyond your normal camping gear, I would bring:

• ☐ More trick-or-treat candy than you think you need
• ☐ Costumes
• ☐ Flashlights, headlamps, glow sticks, or reflective items
• ☐ Campsite Halloween decorations
• ☐ Outdoor-rated Halloween lights and extension cords
• ☐ Stakes, clips, or weights to secure decorations
• ☐ Pumpkins if the campground does not provide them
• ☐ Pumpkin carving tools
• ☐ Table covering and cleanup bags for pumpkin carving
• ☐ Craft supplies if needed
• ☐ Warm clothes and layers
• ☐ Rain gear
• ☐ Extra blankets
• ☐ Camp chairs for handing out candy
• ☐ A camera or phone with plenty of storage

And before leaving home, check the campground’s activity schedule one more time.

You do not want to discover after arrival that the costume contest was Friday night and you planned to pull in Saturday morning.

One More Reason to Book Early: The Better Sites Go First

Getting any site is one thing.

Getting the site you actually want is another.

When we are camping with the grandkids, I would much rather be near the activities than way out on the edge of the campground.

Depending on the campground, you may want to be close to:

• The playground
• The clubhouse
• The trick-or-treating route
• The bathhouse
• The hayride pickup area

Or maybe you want the exact opposite because you prefer a little more quiet.

Either way, booking early gives you more choices.

Waiting until the last minute may mean taking whatever site somebody else cancels.

Halloween Camping With Grandkids Is Worth the Planning

I know booking a campsite five months before Halloween sounds a little ridiculous.

But once you have done one of these weekends, you understand why families come back every year.

For us, it has become an annual tradition.

We get to camp with the grandkids.

They get to dress up, do crafts, carve pumpkins, go on hayrides, check out the spooky attractions, and trick-or-treat around the campground.

We get to decorate the campsite, hand out candy, enjoy the fall weather, and watch them have a blast.

And then they still get to celebrate actual Halloween at home with their parents when that works better.

You do not need October 31.

You just need the right campground and the right weekend.

Final Thoughts

Halloween camping is one of those RV experiences I think a lot of owners miss because they assume camping season is basically over once summer ends.

For us, October is one of the most fun times of the year to camp.

The weather is cooler, campfires feel better, campgrounds are decorated, and the whole weekend has an energy you do not get on a normal camping trip.

But there is one catch.

You need to plan ahead.

Our experience has been that popular Halloween weekends fill up quickly, and we normally reserve at least three months ahead. At one campground, five or six months ahead is a much safer bet.

So when you find a campground that does Halloween well, make a note of it.

Find out when next year’s reservations open.

And book the site before everybody else has the same idea.

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Related Reading

6 Handy Tips and a Checklist for Camping With Kids

13 Awesome Tips for RV Camping With Kids

6 Best Campsite Availability Apps

When Do Campgrounds Open and Close for the Season?

RV LIFE Pro Review: RV Trip Wizard, GPS & Discount

10 Creative Ways to Heat a Camper in Cold Weather

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