The bulk of the summer is over, but privately owned campgrounds, RV parks and resorts are still planning fun family activities throughout September and October, according to a news release from the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC).
Consider Winding River Campground in Mays Landing, N.J.
The park has a “Death by Chocolate” weekend Sept. 23-25 with a flashlight Tootsie Roll hunt, chocolate bar bingo, chocolate fondue and other chocolate themed activities and treats. On the weekend of Sept. 30-Oct. 2, the park will have a pumpkin relays, a pumpkin seed spitting contest, corn husking races and scarecrow building.
A seven-acre corn maze is ready to open at the Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park in Sioux Falls, S.D., and the caboose beckons at the Cherokee/Great Smokies KOA in Cherokee, N.C.
Many parks offer wine tastings, cooking competitions and Oktoberfest celebrations.
Four Paws Kingdom in Rutherford, N.C., for example, will celebrate Oktoberfest Sept. 30-Oct. 2 with German music, a party and German food, including sauerbraten, spaetzle, knockwurst, brats, kraut, red cabbage and potato salad. The campground will also offer sausage bobbing for big and small dogs.
“The kids are back in school by Labor Day, but campgrounds, RV parks and resorts across the country continue to offer fun weekend activities throughout late summer and fall,” Paul Bambei, ARVC president and CEO, stated in the news release
Here’s a sampling of other fun activities taking place at parks across the country:
- Campland on the Bay in San Diego, Calif.: This park has numerous scheduled activities throughout late summer and fall, including games of capture the flag, dodgeball and pickleball. The park also has arts and crafts classes, tie dye T-shirt classes, kayaking classes and adult dart tournaments.
- Gettysburg Campground in Gettysburg, Pa.: This park has a car show and sock hop dance scheduled for the weekend of Sept. 9th to 11th, with support from the Roadrunner Club of Carroll County, Md. A football and chili cookoff weekend, designed for tailgate party fans and chefs, is slated for Sept. 16-18.
- Lake in Wood Campground in Narvon, Pa.: This park features Al Grout, a juggler, magician and comedian, at 8 p.m. on Sept. 17. On Sept. 24, the park will celebrate a September festival with sausage, hot dogs, and homemade German potato salad, served by “Mike the Porkmeister” in the Gnome Café, with square dancing in the evening. On Oct. 8, the park will celebrate “Christmas in October,” with Christmas caroling, a Christmas party and a possible visit by Santa Claus. The park will also have pumpkin decorating and a scarecrow dinner costume party on Oct. 29 with prizes for the best costume.
- Land-O-Pines Family Campground, Covington, La.: This park will have a “Scavender Hunt” on the weekend of Sept. 30-Oct. 2 with the hunt beginning Saturday morning. Families will compete as teams for a chance to win two free nights of camping.
- Sea Pirate Campground in West Creek, N.J.: This park will celebrate its annual crab cooking festival on Sept. 17.
- Shady Pines Campground in Savoy, Mass.: This park will host its 6th annual Camper Chowder Challenge on the weekend of Sept. 16-18th. Campground guests will prepare their best clam chowder recipes.
- South Haven Family Campground in South Haven, Mich.: This campground will have an apple festival on the weekend of Sept. 16-18 and a harvest themed weekend on Sept. 30-Oct. 2 with a scarecrow decorating contest, pumpkin painting, candy bar bingo and crafts.
- Smokey Hollow Campground in Lodi, Wis.: This park will celebrate Oktoberfest Sept. 30-Oct. 2 with a potluck with brats and sauerkraut, games and music. The park also has a pumpkin patch and caramel apples.
- Springs at Borrego RV Resort in Borrego Springs, Calif.: This park has wine tastings and a social hour beginning at 6 p.m. Fridays.
- Woodland Campground in Woodland, Pa.: This park will celebrate an apple festival on Sept. 17 with apple mountain pies, cider and arts and crafts. The park will also celebrate Oktoberfest on Oct. 8 with food, crafts and a flea market. Last year’s flea market had over 40 vendors.
