Halloween at Campland on the Bay in San Diego

Trip Planning

Fall & Pre-Halloween Campground Activities

Consumers can embrace autumn festivities with these fun outdoorsy activities!

People often think of summer as camping season, but some of the best campground activities actually take place in the fall.

Growing numbers of campgrounds offer fall festival weekends with everything from carnivals to apple bobbing and scarecrow making. Some even have corn mazes and country-style hoedowns with line dancing.

Others offer everything from Oktoberfest celebrations to pre-Halloween themed weekends with costume and campsite decorating contests to costumed pet parades, haunted trails, haunted houses, and Monster Mash dances. Some campgrounds even have coffin races.

Here’s a sampling of some of the fall activities that will take place at more than 30 campgrounds across the country:

Fireworks at Oktoberfest
Photo courtesy of Oktoberfest at La Crosse, WI
  • Great Escapes Chestnut Bay in Leesburg: This campground will have a “Harvest Hoedown Weekend” Sept. 20-22 with a scavenger hunt, line dancing, apple bobbing and hayrides. Carmel apples, warm cider and fresh baked donuts will also be available. This campground will also have five consecutive Halloween-themed weekends beginning the last weekend of September. Activities in addition to arts and crafts and pumpkin carving include costume contests, campsite and cabin decorating contests and trick or treating.
  • Campland on the Bay in San Diego: Campland hosts a “Howloween” celebration in honor of Friendly the Wolf on the weekend of Oct. 26-27 with a black and orange tie-dye shirt activity; games of costume dodgeball; a pumpkin carving contest; a pet costume contest; a people costume contest; a campsite decorating contest; and other activities. Spooky arts and crafts, costume dodgeball and trick or treating are scheduled for Halloween.
     
  • Inn Town Campground in Nevada City:  This campground celebrates Halloween the entire month of October with a haunted pathway, which it has expanded to include several Halloween-themed installations throughout the park. Guests are also encouraged to decorate their campsites, RVs, or glamping tents for Halloween throughout October.
     
  • Jellystone Park Camp-Resort in Lodi: This location will have two consecutive “Holiday Shake Up Weekends” the first two weekends of September with Easter egg rockets, a July 4th parade and Christmas games. The last two weekends of September are fall-themed with pumpkin rolling and smashing and customized treats at the park’s caramel apple station. Halloween activities are planned for every weekend in October with magic pumpkins as well as golf cart, campsite, and costume contests.
     
  • Temecula KOA at Vail Lake in Temecula: This park will have five consecutive Halloween-themed events beginning the last weekend of September. Activities will include a Halloween-themed barrel train ride, a pumpkin patch, pumpkin carving and painting, costume contests by age, pet costume contests, campsite decorating contests, golf cart decorating contests, and Halloween crafts for the kids. The campground’s onsite bar will also offer Halloween-themed cocktails and live entertainment.
Halloween at Campland on the Bay in San Diego
Photo courtesy of Halloween at Campland on the Bay in San Diego
  • Jellystone Park Camp-Resort in New Douglas: This park will have a “Fall Festival Weekend” Sept. 20-22 with fall-themed ceramics and crafts, such as fall wreaths, pinecone turkeys and fall leaf sun catchers. There will also be fall-themed games including potato sack races, pumpkin putt putt golf and corn on the cob ring toss. The last weekend of September is a “Great Pumpkin Patch Weekend” with pumpkin painting, pumpkin races, pumpkin bowling, and pumpkin chucking. Oct. 4-6 is a “Monster Mash Weekend” with mummy wrapping races, ghost sack races and games, such as ghost in the graveyard, and, of course, the Halloween Monster Mash! Oct. 11-13 is a “Zombie Apocalypse Weekend” with zombie scavenger hunts, the undead three-legged race and the zombie run. There will also be a costume contest and trick or treating. The weekend of Oct. 18-20 is a “Wizards and Witches Weekend” with wand and hat making activities, a witches and wizards relay, a witch hat ring toss, and a game of pin the broom on the witch. There will also be a costume contest and trick or treating. The weekend of Oct. 25-27 is a “Halloween Bootastic Weekend” with ghost races, boo bowling as well as games of ghost waiter and ghost toss, a costume contest and trick or treating.

     

  • Jellystone Park Camp-Resort in Fremont: This location has fall-themed weekends Sept. 6-8 and 13-15 with pumpkin rolling and smashing, a caramel apple station and a doggie pool day. Beginning Sept. 20-22 the park will have six consecutive Halloween-themed weekends with campsite and golf cart decorating, a magic pumpkin experience, a costume contest and trick or treating.

  • Lakeview Park & Beach in Eunice: This campground has Halloween-themed activities every weekend in October, including pumpkin carving/decorating contests, costume contests, RV decorating contests, trick or treating and a haunted house.

  • Land-O-Pines Family Campground in Covington: This campground will have a Hollywood-themed Halloween weekend Oct. 4-6 in which guests are encouraged to dress as their favorite celebrity. There will also be a Hollywood-themed pumpkin contest and D.J. dance. A Renaissance Faire-themed Halloween weekend is planned for Oct. 11-13 in which guests are encouraged to dress with Renaissance style. Activities include live music, dancing, wine tasting and trick or treating. Halloween-themed weekends are also planned for the last two weekends of October with a best decorated pumpkin contest; a find the hidden Great Pumpkin contest; campsite, haunted house, and costume contests; and trick or treating.

Land-O-Pines Family Campground
Photo courtesy of Land-O-Pines Family Campground

 

  • Acres of Wildlife Campground in Steep Falls: This campground’s Halloween-themed weekends take place during the last two weekends of September and the first weekend of October with campsite decorating and trick-or-treating throughout the campground. There will also be firetruck rides for children in costumes and a children’s costume dance.

Halloween setup at campground
Photo courtesy of Acres of Wildlife Campground

 

  • Hagerstown / Antietam Battlefield KOA Holiday in Williamsport: This park’s fall activities include a chili cooking competition on the weekend of Sept. 13-15. This park also offers seven consecutive Halloween-themed weekends beginning Sept. 20-22 that include pumpkin carving, pumpkin painting and costume parade contests, campsite and cabin decorating contests, trick or treating and haunted house tours.

  • Covert / South Haven KOA in Covert:
    This campground will have three consecutive Halloween-themed weekends beginning the first weekend in October. Activities will include barrel rides, haunted hayrides, as well as costume and campsite decorating contests.

  • Jellystone Park Camp-Resort in Carsonville: Fall activities at this location include a “Harvest Hoedown Weekend” Sept. 13-15 with dance instruction and an exhilarating line dance with a synchronized display of footwork and rhythm. Other activities include a scavenger hunt, apple bobbing, hayrides and delectable autumn treats like caramel apples, warm cider, and fresh baked donuts. This park will also have four Halloween-themed weekends beginning Sept. 20-22 with pumpkin painting, a costume contest, and a Halloween fashion parade. Other activities include a haunted trail, campsite and cabin decorating contests and trick or treating.

  • Jellystone Park Camp-Resort in South Haven: This location eases into fall for the little ones with a “Magic Pumpkin Weekend” Sept. 6-8 with caramel apples, magic pumpkins and scarecrow decorating contests as well as pumpkin seed spitting contests and pumpkin rolling races. Instead of trick or treating site to site, the park will offer “trunk or treat” and give a prize to the best decorated mystical/magical ‘trunk or treat” table in the pavilion. Seven consecutive Halloween-themed weekends are planned starting Sept. 12-15 with pumpkin decorating, scarecrow decorating, campsite decorating and costume contests. There will also be a corn maze, a haunted house, trick or treating and a Monster Mash dance.

  • Jellystone Park Camp-Resort in Pelahatchie: This location is planning five consecutive Halloween-themed weekends beginning the last weekend of September with crafts, pumpkin carving, costume contests, campsite and cabin decorating contests, and trick-or-treating.
  • Great Escapes Branson in Forsyth: This park will have a “Taste of the Ozarks” weekend Sept. 20-22 with a painting class, a movie night, and opportunities to indulge in local wines and beers. Four consecutive “Harvest Jubilee Weekends” are planned beginning the last weekend of September with pumpkin painting; a pumpkin carving contest; costume and campsite decorating contests; and trick or treating.

  • Jellystone Park Camp-Resort in Monroe City: This location will have a “S’More Memories Weekend” Sept. 20-22 with lawn games like cornhole, ladder toss and glow-in-the-dark capture the flag. There will also be plenty of s’mores to enjoy. Three Halloween-themed weekends are planned beginning the last weekend of September. Activities include arts and crafts, pumpkin carving, costume contests and a campsite/cabin decorating contest.

  • Houghton / Letchworth KOA Holiday in Houghton: This park will have Halloween-themed weekends the first two weekends of October. Activities include Halloween games, campsite decorating, a flashlight candy hunt, and trick-or-treating. The park will also have a fall festival weekend on the third weekend of October with fall crafts, a nature scavenger hunt and candy bingo.

  • Medina / Wildwood Lake KOA Holiday in Medina: This campground will have an Oktoberfest celebration the weekend of Sept. 6-8 at the park’s onsite winery/tavern, which will also have live music and a poker run open to all ages. The park will also celebrate three consecutive Halloween-themed weekends beginning Sept. 20-22 with costume contests and trick or treating. Live music will also be provided the last two Halloween-themed weekends.

  • Big Prairie, Ohio: This location’s fall activities include its annual “Apple Dumpling Weekend,” Sept. 27-29, with Grandma Ruth’s famous apple dumplings, apple cider, a bustling vendor event, locally grown fruit, themed crafts, hayrides, barrel rides, a kiddie tractor pull, horse-drawn wagon rides, live music, and all the apple-inspired goodness you can imagine! This location will also have three “Fall Fever” weekends the last three weekends of October with an eight-acre corn maze, hayrides, themed crafts, hot chocolate, a costume party and trick or treating.

  • Jellystone Park Camp-Resort in Nelsonville: This park has five consecutive Halloween-themed weekends are planned beginning the last weekend of September with a magic pumpkin patch, pumpkin painting, a campsite decorating contest and trick or treating. The weekend of Oct. 4-6 will also include the park’s 19th annual “Hog Roast” and Karaoke on Saturday night.

  • Jellystone Park Camp-Resort in North Lawrence: This park will have three consecutive “Yankee Peddler Festival Weekends” beginning Sept. 6-8. Guests will be able to step back to the time of the pioneers with historical demonstrations, vendors, food, handmade crafts, and entertainment for the whole family. The last weekend of September is a fall-themed weekend that includes a caramel apple station and pumpkin rolling and smashing activities. Four Halloween-themed weekends are planned beginning the first weekend in October with campsite, golf cart and costume contests and a magic pumpkin experience.

  • Mohican Wilderness in Glenmont: This park will have its 33rd annual Mohican Bluegrass Festival Sept. 12-14. This is a family-friendly festival with food and craft vendors. On the weekend of Oct. 4-6, the park will have its “River of Fire Spectacular” with Halloween activities for families, such as decorating RVs, campsites, and bikes; gourd painting, pumpkin carving; brazier decorating; Halloween costume judging; a pet costume contest; a wiener roast; trick or treating; and a torch hike to the cemetery. The grand finale will be a spectacular “River of Fire” as each family watches their decorated brazier launched from the canoe landing as it floats down the river.

  • Shelby Mansfield KOA Resort in Shelby:  This park will have four Halloween-themed weekends beginning Sept. 20-22. Activities include pumpkin painting, spooky crafts, Halloween ceramics, spooky movies and trick or treating. Big ghouls can face their fears by finding their way out of the park’s haunted farm, with proceeds going to the Tiro/Auburn Volunteer Fire Department during the first two Halloween-themed weekends. Halloween-themed weekend treats include caramel apples and apple dumplings. The weekend of Oct. 13-15 will include a pet costume contest.
     

  • Buttonwood Campground in Mifflintown: This campground will have five consecutive Halloween-themed weekends beginning the last weekend of September, with activities including coffin races, campsite decorating contests and trick or treating. The first weekend includes fundraising events for Breast Cancer Awareness. The first of November is a scarecrow-themed weekend with a scarecrow making activity and prizes awarded for the best scarecrow.
     
  • Mountain Creek Campground in Gardners: This campground has Halloween-themed activities every weekend in October, including costume, campsite and pumpkin contests and trick or treating, paintball for the Zombie Apocalypse and Monster Mash dance parties.
  • Great Escapes RV Resort in Bryan: This campground will have a “Harvest Hoedown Weekend” Sept. 20-22 with a scavenger hunt, line dancing, apple bobbing and hayrides. Carmel apples, warm cider and fresh baked donuts will also be available. This campground will also have five consecutive Halloween-themed weekends beginning the last weekend of September. Activities in addition to arts and crafts and pumpkin carving include costume contests, campsite and cabin decorating contests and trick or treating.

  • Jellystone Park Camp-Resort in Caledonia: This location has six consecutive Halloween-themed weekends beginning Sept. 6-8. While all six weekends will have trick or treating, the first three weekends are geared more to little kids with activities including a family friendly “Enchanted Hollow Walking Path” on Sept. 6-8 and a magic pumpkin patch and a game of “Wrap a Mummy” for Sept. 13-15. Pumpkin painting and a Monster Mash Dance are among the activities planned for Sept. 20-22, with a Zombie Apocalypse weekend slated for Sept. 27-29 with spine-tingling activities like "Zombie Doctor" and a thrilling "Zombie Relay.” Activities for Oct. 4-6 include creepy crafts such as crafting monsters and designing a spider pumpkin. Guests can also test their courage with a “Halloween feel box.” The weekend of Oct. 11-14 includes a campsite decorating contest.

  • Jellystone Park Camp-Resort in Warrens: A “Fall Carnival Weekend” is planned at this location Sept. 6-8 with various games and activities, including a ring toss, potato sack races, a pie eating contest and face painting. A “Cranfest Weekend” is scheduled for the last weekend of September with cranberry-themed activities and enticements, such as cranberry wreath making and cranberry treats. Halloween-themed weekends are scheduled for Oct. 4-6 and Oct. 11-13 with a magic pumpkin patch and campsite, cabin and tent decorating contests.

  • Lake Arrowhead Campground in Montello: This campground has a state-sanctioned barbecue competition called the Puckaway Pigfest Sept. 6-8 and four Halloween-themed weekends including the last three weekends of September and Oct. 11-13. Activities include a magic pumpkin patch, a haunted walk, a costume dance, and trick-or-treating. Halloween-themed weekends will also include a Candy Corn Carnival where you can play games, win prizes, make a caramel apple, or tie dye a shirt.

  • Lakeside Fire Campground in Nekoosa: Two Halloween-themed weekends are planned at this campground Sept. 13-15 and Sept. 20-22. Activities each weekend include a train ride to the pumpkin patch, a campsite decorating contest, a haunted walk, and trick or treating for children and adults. A chili cookoff weekend is planned for the last weekend of September.

  • Little Creek Family Campground in Fairchild: This campground will have its third annual “Church Lady’s Potluck Dinner” on the weekend of Sept. 20-22. Guests are invited to bring their favorite comfort dish to share. The park will have a Halloween-themed weekend Oct. 4-6 with games and crafts, a costume parade, and trick or treating.

Band playing at Oktoberfest
Photo courtesy of Oktoberfest at La Crosse, WI
Jeff Crider

Author

Jeff Crider, President and CEO of Crider Public Relations, has been involved in covering the campground industry for over 25 years. Jeff has worked as a freelance writer for publications such as RV Business, Motor Home Magazine, Trailer Life, Highways and other Affinity Group Inc. publications since 1995. He has also successfully pitched many of the nation's top tier media outlets, including CNN, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, The Financial Times, Reuters, The Associated Press and National Public Radio. In addition to writing, Jeff is also a talented photographer and humanitarian.