Mother's Day and Father's Day: An Overview
Moms and Dads are increasingly being celebrated at campgrounds across the country with a variety of special Mother’s Day and Father’s Day weekend activities.
Mother’s Day weekend activities range from “paint-and-sip” painting activities paired with wine to craft activities to family dances, Karaoke, “Mom’s Trivia,” and chocolate and wine tasting events. The Jellystone Park Camp-Resort in Endicott, New York even has a breakfast in bed relay race!
Father’s Day weekend typically involves competitive events, which could include everything from barbecue competitions to cornhole tournaments, fishing derbies and Dad look-alike contests. This year’s competitions include zany activities, too, like the “Men in Heels Race” at Champions Riverside Resort in Galesville, Wisconsin.
Many campgrounds also offer craft activities for children to make cards and other gifts for their parents.
Campground Celebrations by State
Here’s a sampling of some of the Mother’s and Father’s Day weekend activities taking place at campgrounds this spring:
Colorado
- Jellystone Park Camp-Resort in Larkspur: Mother’s Day weekend activities at this park include silly selfies with mom, a scavenger hunt and Mother’s Day tea and cookies. Father’s Day weekend at this location includes craft activities and fun competing with Dad in corn hole and mini golf tournaments
Connecticut
- Wolf's Den Family Campground in East Haddam: Kids at this park will be able to make a special craft for Mom for Mother’s Day weekend. Father’s Day weekend activities include a fishing contest, a cornhole tournament, and other games to play with Dad.
Georgia
- Jellystone Park Camp-Resort in Bremen: Kids at this park will have an opportunity to create heartfelt crafts for Mom. Moms will also enjoy live music, and a special spa night just for her. Father’s Day weekend activities include live music, bucket golf, and cornhole competitions, along with quality time with Yogi Bear, Boo Boo, and Cindy Bear.
Illinois
- Jellystone Park Camp-Resort in Pittsfield: Activities at this location include a Mother’s Day pancake breakfast, a “Mom and Me” cookie exchange, and a foam party. Father’s Day weekend activities at this location include a fishing derby.
Iowa
- Jellystone Park Camp-Resort in Monticello: Mother’s Day weekend activities at this campground include planting flowers for Mom, while Father’s Day weekend activities at this location include a smoked foods cookoff.
Louisiana
- Land-O-Pines in Covington: Mother’s Day activities at this campground include a wine and paint party. Father’s Day weekend activities include father/child waterslide races, a scavenger hunt, horseshoe and cornhole tournaments, as well as a game of “Find the Hidden Beer!"
Massachusetts
- Prospect Mountain Campground in Granville: This campground starts Mother’s Day weekend on Friday evening with a game of “Who Knows Their Mother Best,” followed by a movie. Saturday’s activities include a three-legged race, a Mother’s Day craft, a scavenger hunt, Mother’s only wine and cheese, and music bingo. Moms will also be able to eat free pancakes on Sunday morning.
Father’s Day weekend starts off with a game of “Who Knows Their Dad Best,” which will be followed by a Mr. Prospect Mountain contest and a golf cart parade. Saturday’s activities include 3 vs. 3 basketball, a Father’s Day craft, games of cornhole, and fathers only beer, pretzels and darts, followed by music bingo. Dads eat free on Sunday morning.
Michigan
- Jellystone Park Camp-Resort in Carsonville: This location honors Mom with a “Moms Reign Supreme” celebration that includes pampering at the park’s spa and a heartfelt makeover created by their little ones. Guests can also join Yogi Bear, Boo Boo and Cindy Bear for fun-filled activities, including crafts, games, and photo opportunities with the whole family. Father’s Day weekend features fishing tournaments, bucket golf, and cornhole competitions. Families can also spend quality time with Yogi Bear, Boo Boo, and Cindy Bear during games and activities that are designed to make Dad feel extra special.
- Jellystone Park Camp-Resort in Grayling: Families can celebrate Mother’s Day weekend at this park with a world of candy-themed activities like candy bar bingo, candy trivia, gummy bear stacking contests, and candy-inspired arts and crafts. Kids can even create a “beary special candy masterpiece” just for Mom. Father’s Day weekend caps a week of slimy activities, including the ultimate slime experience where kids can create their own custom slime with a variety of colors, textures, glitter and beads or test their skills with a thrilling slime toss game and take a chance at getting slimed for extra laughs. There will also be a cornhole tournament for Dads.
- Jellystone Park Camp-Resort in South Haven: Mothers at this location are celebrated with crafts, family activities and sweet delights as part of Cindy Bear’s Sweet Tooth Weekend. Father’s Day weekend includes exciting Dads-versus-Kids challenges, including tug-of-war, a water balloon toss, relay races as well as games of corn hole, horseshoes, and basketball shootouts.
Mississippi
- Jellystone Park Camp-Resort in Pelahatchie: Mother’s Day weekend activities at this park include Mother's Day crafts, a “Mom and Me” tea party with Cindy Bear, Mama Bear's spa time, “Mom and Me” games, flower planting with Cindy Bear, and Mom's memory lane scrapbooking. Father’s Day weekend includes Yogi Bear's Dad look-alike contest, craft time with Dad, Dad jokes, a father-child sports tournament, and a father-child fishing derby.
Missouri
- Jellystone Park Camp-Resort in Monroe City: Kids who camp at this park over Mother’s Day weekend can make Mom heartfelt crafts, from personalized cards to beautifully potted flowers. A special “Mom’s Night Out” event is planned for Saturday night. Father’s Day weekend events include a fishing tournament, bucket golf and family relay races. Kids will also an opportunity to crate a unique gift for Dad.
- Basswood Resort in Platte City: Mother’s Day activities at this campground include Mother’s Day crafts, a “Mother’s Appreciation Parade” in which kids and their families show off their homemade gifts and special Mother’s Day signs to honor Moms at the park. There will also be a wine and cheese spa session for Moms and a game of “Mom’s Trivia” at tea time. Father’s Day weekend activities include craft time to make a tie-dyed bandana for Dad; Dad and kid relays and sack races; a chalk art contest for the best designs for Father’s Day; and Dads versus kids horseshoes and cornhole tournaments.
New Jersey
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Ocean View Resort Campground in Ocean View: This campground celebrates Moms with coffee and fresh baked muffins. Guests will have the opportunity to create a personalized body scrub that Mom can enjoy for weeks to come.
- Thousand Trails Chestnut Lake in Port Republic: Mother’s Day weekend kicks off Friday night at this park with kids making handprint picture frames, followed by a special paint and sip event for Mom. Saturday’s activities include beaded bubble wand making, a Play-Doh creation, and a paint and plant activity. Moms can spend Saturday night crafting color-changing fireplace pine cones. Father’s Day weekend activities include pizza with Dad by the pool and a casino night at the rec hall.
New York
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Hickory Hill Camping Resort in Bath: Mother’s Day weekend activities at this park include a tea party, a paint and sip class, and a spa day for Mom. Crafts and wagon rides will also be available. Father’s Day weekend activities include outdoor games, barbecue cookoffs, and special family bonding time around the campfire.
- Jellystone Park Camp-Resort in Endicott: This park is celebrating it’s annual Chocolate Lovers Weekend on Mother’s Day weekend, which should be a perfect weekend for anyone who loves chocolate. Saturday’s activities include a “Beary Messy Giant Chocolate Slide,” chocolate pudding wrestling, a chocolate syrup water blaster battle, as well as a chocolate eating contest with Yogi Bear and Boo Boo.
Sunday’s activities include a “breakfast in bed relay race.” In this activity, kids compete against the clock to see who can bring their mom a tray with a bowl of cereal, a cup of juice, and other items the fastest. Kids can also make Mom a Mother’s Day craft with Cindy Bear. Father’s Day weekend activities include a “World’s Fastest Dad Obstacle Course Challenge” and a “Dad Joke Battle.” There will also be mini golf and bucket golf tournaments, a kickball game, and other activities, including sports lovers trivia.
Pennsylvania
- Keen Lake Camping & Cottage Resort in Waymart: Mother’s Day weekend activities at this resort include organized kids games, restorative yoga, back and shoulder massage instruction, as well as a paint and sip activity. Father’s Day weekend includes a best authentic and best faux mustache competition, a fishing contest, live music, and a food truck. A chainsaw artist will also be on hand. Nearby attractions include Happy Trails Stables, which offers horse-drawn carriage and horseback rides.
- Mountain Creek Campground in Gardners: Moms can enjoy this park’s annual “Sip ’n Shop” event with vendors while sipping wine. There will also be free mini golf and pancakes for Mom. Kids can surprise Mom with a Mother’s Day craft. There will also be music by Marshall Stone. Father’s Day weekend activities include beer bingo and an epic nerf war with Dads versus kids. There will also be free pancakes for Dad and mini golf
Texas
- Great Escapes RV Resort in Perrin: This park celebrates Mom with a week of fun. Activities include family games and crafts and an ice cream social. Father’s Day weekend activities include a birdhouse building project, games and prizes, including mini golf and fishing tournaments.
- Jellystone Park Camp-Resort in Burleson: Guests at this location can serenade Mom with a special performance of her favorite song on the park’s Karaoke stage. There will also be “a Happy Mother’s Day Hey, Hey, Hey Ride” and a “Mini Me Dress Like Mom Contest” and a craft activity for kids to create a special gift for Mom. Father’s Day weekend activities include a craft activity for kids to make something special for Dad; a fishing tournament; a Dad joke challenge; and a “Copycat Dress Like Dad: Rockstar Edition Contest.” Dads and kids can also take part in a “Silly Mustache Selfies with Dad Scavenger Hunt,” using a cellphone, a list of clues, and a mustache to create hilarious moments with Dad.
Wisconsin
- Champions Riverside Resort in Galesville: Mother’s Day weekend activities at this park include massages and foot detoxing, shopping at pop-up booths, a paint and sip night and a pancake breakfast on Sunday. Father’s Day weekend includes a fathers vs kids beanbag tournament and a “Men in Heels Race.”
- Lake Arrowhead Campground in Montello: Kids can celebrate Mom over Mother’s Day weekend at this park with a “Mom & Me Tea Party. There will also be Wine Walk in which guests can sample wine for free. Guests who hand out wine samples at their sites will be entered into a drawing for a gift certificate. Father’s Day weekend activities include cardboard car races in which fathers and kids can design their own and work as a team in the race. There will also be a”Daddy Dearest” pageant.”
