Are you getting excited about the start of the new year? If so, you probably want to know how to ring in the New Year in an RV. Whether you are a full-timer and live in your RV year round, or just planning a late December camping trip somewhere warm, a campground is a fun place to celebrate! If you’re celebrating in your RV instead of a house, there are many ways to have fun with family and friends that you invite over (if geographically possible, of course). Even when you have limited space available, you can make the most of the celebration!
Don’t forget to make your New Year’s campground reservations early. We’re talking at least by October, if not earlier. Holidays are popular times to travel, so book well in advance of the date you want to stay.
New Year’s Eve Campground Parties
Many campgrounds and RV resorts offer a full schedule of fun activities and other events for campers throughout the year. Check with you campground to see if they are hosting a party for NYE! It is a lot of fun to celebrate the holiday with others, especially if you have friends at the campground! If you are in a warmer climate, the party might even be outdoors at a pavilion or other gathering place.
Decorate the Windows of Your Travel Trailer
Buy decorative signs and other festive decorations that you can put in the windows and on both the inside and outside of the RV. You can find lots of affordable and decorative options that are easy to hang anywhere around the home. I find it even easier to get excited for a celebration when I’m decorating my home with balloons, wall signs, etc.
Hang Bright String Lights Inside and Outside
Get excited for the holiday with bright, bold lights that shine throughout your RV. You can easily hang the string lights inside the RV while placing them around the ceiling and in the windows. And, if you have battery-operated options, you can hang them outside without worrying about them getting damaged. The bright white and yellow lights can put you in a festive mood and get you excited about ringing in the New Year! My personal favorite lights for the RV interior are fairy lights. These lights are smaller and a bit more whimsical looking than a traditional strand of string lights. They give off a decent amount of light, but offer more of an ambient light versus functional light.
Play a Fun New Year Game with Family and Friends
Check out some of the best games to play on New Year’s Eve and grab a few of them to stay busy and entertained. We almost always play a few games during our New Year’s Eve party. Games can provide a ton of laughs and they are great at keeping everyone occupied for several hours while waiting for the clock to strike midnight! You can choose family-friendly games or adult games depending on your crowd.
Think beyond the board game or card game, too! We always have a blast playing some sort of white elephant game like this version of Pass the Presents dice game. Everyone shows up to the party with a gift and we have a blast playing the game and watching everyone open their (usually very silly) gifts!
Watch the Ball Drop
If you have TV or internet access in your camper, you can watch the New Year’s Eve festivities in New York’s Time Square. We tend to leave the tv off until around 11 pm or so and then we tune in for the countdown.
NYE Smore’s Campfire or Campground Bonfire
As long as it’s not raining on New Year’s Eve, you could light a campfire and enjoy some s’mores while waiting for midnight! Bonfires are another fun (and warm!) option for gathering in the chilly after-dark hours!
Have a Potluck
Instead of trying to cook a large meal in the RV when you have limited space available to work with, host a potluck. Each guest can bring something they have prepared at home, such as green bean casserole, baked macaroni and cheese, homemade pie, pasta salad, and more. When you have a potluck, you can avoid trying to do all the work in a confined area while still making sure to have enough food for the guests you’ve invited over to your RV to ring in the New Year together.
Slow cooker dishes are AWESOME for potlucks. Be sure to check out this great round up of easy campground potluck recipe ideas!!
Light Fireworks Outside
Have a good time lighting some fireworks or sparklers outside. Before you even purchase actual fireworks, be sure to check with your campground AND the local township or county authorities to ensure that fireworks are legally permitted.
If they are allowed, make sure to place the fireworks very far away from all RVs and buildings.
Again, I cannot emphasize this enough: fireworks are dangerous. You need to make sure you are legally allowed to set them off. It is also imperative that you know what you are doing when using them. Even then, fireworks can be unpredictable and injuries are possible. Alcohol and fireworks NEVER mix. If you are not comfortable setting off fireworks, skip them and perhaps look for a local fireworks show to go watch.
Noisy Fun at Midnight
A fun tradition on New Year’s Eve is to go outside and make some noise by banging on pots and pans. (My kids LOVE doing this!) You can certainly do this at a campground, though you will want to try to be aware that camper walls are thin and your neighbors might be sleeping. If you plan to go outside and make some noise, perhaps just keep it short and sweet! Most campgrounds do have pretty strict quiet hours at night, however I know many of them will bend the rules just a bit on New Year’s Eve.
Celebrating New Year’s Eve in an RV
Ringing in the New Year in an RV is a great idea. You can decorate the RV as you would with your home, play games, and even have a potluck to ensure that everyone can eat delicious food while anticipating the start of a new year. You can even incorporate some of these New Year’s Eve good luck traditions into your New Year’s Eve celebration if you want!
However you end up celebrating, I hope you have a fun, safe, and enjoyable time!
Have you spent New Year’s Eve at a campground? What are some tips that you would add? Drop a comment and let us know!
