5 tips to celebrate Halloween in a campervan

Halloween is just around the corner, which makes the perfect fall weekend for a spooky camping trip! If you’re thinking about celebrating this 31st of October a little differently this year, break free from the ordinary, get in your campervan, and get ready for an adventurous time with these ghostly camping outdoor ideas.

1. Turn your camper van into a boo-tiful home with Halloween decorations.

Nothing gets you more into the Halloween spirit than decorating your campervan with festivities decorations! If you rent a campervan in October from Indie Campers, think about bringing your last year’s Halloween decorations with you. Some decorations will give your campervan that spooky spirit. 

Another idea can be to easily decorate your camper on site: if you’re traveling with small children, you could plan different activities such as pumpkin carving, spreading cotton wool spider webs, making paper garlands, and ghost silhouettes. You will be adding extra fun to your trip and décor to your home on wheels.

2. Halloween camping: Go trick-or-treating through the campground.

“Trick or Treating” doesn’t only apply to the all-American culture, it has also made its way to Europe and to campsites! Kids can still dress up, parade through the gardens, and knock on the campsite neighbors’ campervan doors. You can also add crafts, games, haunted areas but most importantly, don’t forget to buy some candy for other trick or treaters. 

3. Halloween events and pumpkins bring campers together

You can look up campgrounds such as Temecula / Vail Lake KOA and join their Vail Lake’s Famous Halloween Weekends where they offer decorating contests, a pumpkin patch, costume contests of multiple ages, pet costume contests, golf cart decorating contests, Halloween-themed Barrel Train, pumpkin carving/painting and Halloween crafts and activities for kids.  

If you want to stay at a more quiet and out-of-the-way campsite, look for a pumpkin patch or roadside vegetable stands on your drive there, and choose the best pumpkins to carve. At the campsite, you can ask other travelers if they would like to make pumpkin lanterns with you, or you can simply do it with your loved ones. Core the inside of your pumpkin and then draw a design on it. Hollow out your pumpkin and hold a competition to see who carved the best pumpkin lantern. You can even roast the seeds over the campfire for a crunchy snack.

4. Ghost stories and a campfire

What would a camping holiday be without a campfire? Many campsites have permanent fireplaces where you can build a crackling campfire. Not only will it help to bring your scary stories to life, but it will also be an excellent idea to roast some marshmallows. This will help you have the perfect setup for creepy ghost storytelling. If you want to go the extra mile, you can add effects like music, a flickering flashlight, and even an assistant to sneak up behind your guests for a scare.

5. Scary movies in a campground

Bring a portable projector and a white bedsheet and watch your favorite horror movie with your friends or campsite neighbors. You can easily hang the sheet over your camper van and have your own haunted movie theater. 

Pro tip: weaving plastic spiders into the webs is a creepy touch!

If you want to enhance the experience even more, don’t forget your popcorn! You can use a pot and the gas cooker, just add oil or butter, corn seeds, and don’t forget the lid! Keep shaking the pot a little so that the corn doesn’t stick to the bottom. Then add sugar or salt according to taste. 

Pro tip: If you like it extra sweet, you can melt marshmallows in a saucepan and stir in green food coloring. Pour the green mixture over the popcorn and wait until the mixture has cooled.

Ta-da! Now you have a perfectly decorated campervan theater fit for a movie-loving halloween marathon.

The best part of spending any holiday outdoors is getting to experience nature in a whole new way. So try to mix up some of your own Halloween traditions with these festive tips for a fun and spooky treat. Rent your campervan now and get your costume out of the attic to experience Halloween night to the fullest. Share your Halloween adventures with us on social media by tagging @indie_campers or using the hashtag #GoIndie