You don’t have to end your camping adventure just because the sun has set. You don’t have to stay all night in your tent waiting for the sunrise. Instead, make the most of your trip and enjoy camping at night by engaging in fun activities. There are many activities that are enhanced by nighttime.
Nighttime Swimming
Campsites that have a body of water, e.g. pool, lake, etc. can make for a great nighttime swimming. The water will certainly be cool and the shores or beaches much less crowded as opposed to during the day. Don’t forget to grab a flotation device like an inner tube or an inflatable device and head out to the nearby lake. Kick back and relax while looking up at the night sky and listening to the sounds of nature that surround you. Just make sure not to get too relaxed and end up falling asleep.
Stargazing
If your campsite is far away from the city, then it will surely have extra darkness as well as clear views of the night sky considering the weather conditions are ideal and there is little to no cloud cover. This is the perfect time to stargaze. If you want to take full advantage of the darkness, consider taking it a step further and bring your telescope along and/or explore the art of astrophotography. It is an ideal activity for camping at night.
Stories Around the Fire
It’s somewhat of a tradition to tell ghost stories or scary stories around the campfire at night. You can read from a book of collected stories or find them online in advance. Apart from this, you can also choose a story from your life and share it with the group. It could be about something that happened in your childhood or a situation where you felt strong emotions. Telling stories around the campfire is a fun and engaging activity particularly if you take turns and ask questions. This will also help your group bond and get to know each other better.
Marshmallows on the Fire
It is also somewhat of a tradition to make s’mores when camping at night. So, take out the sticks and skewer some tasty marshmallows to roast over the fire. Making s’mores is just as much fun as eating them afterwards. To make things a little more fun, you can try these unique twists on the s’more:
• Layer it with your favorite fruit for a sweeter taste
• Add some peanut butter
• Use cookies rather than graham crackers
• Put your favorite candy inside the marshmallow
• Add caramel
• Sprinkle with some sea salt
• Use dark or milk chocolate
When the night sets in while you are camping, you don’t have to retire in your tent immediately as there are lots of fun things you can do to make your trip more memorable. All the fun activities listed above will help you bond with nature as well as with those you are camping with.
Photos by: Tommy Lisbin, Jacub Gomez, Rahul Bhosale, Mike Erskine, kindel media