Fall is an incredible time for outdoor activities. Vastly different in temperature and scenery than summer, it’s among people’s favorite time to camp for good reason. There isn’t as much heat and humidity to battle daily. Instead, you can focus on the simple joys in life such as a homecooked meal over the campfire, the new sleeping bag liner you bought and have yet to try out, and the company of your family and friends who love a good adventure as much as you do.
Here are five things you absolutely must do while camping this fall:
1. Admire Mother Nature and her ability to change landscapes brilliantly.
Take in the beauty and wonder of the season. If you want to document the occasion, collect fallen leaves and photograph their brilliance on the trees surrounding you.
2. Drink a mug of hot apple cider or gourmet campfire hot chocolate.
There’s nothing better than a satisfying beverage on a cool day. You’ll find plenty of recipes for drinks online that can be made easily while camping. Bookmark your favorite sites and refer to them often before your trip.
3. Do some of the activities found in Keri Smith’s Pocket Scavenger book especially if you have kids with you.
Filled with prompts that make every day an adventure, the journal is great for documenting your finds and then altering them to make something new. Kids love activities like this, so pick up a copy of the book at your local bookstore or download the app onto your iPhone or iPad.
4. Spend a night marveling at the stars above you.
See which of the constellations you can name by sight. Nothing feels more incredible than laying underneath the vast night sky above and realizing just how small you truly are. The natural world is full of marvelous moments to treasure like this during the fall.
5. Make a pot of delicious soup or stew containing your favorite root vegetables.
Prior to your trip, dice up some butternut squash, sweet potato, russet potato, and carrots to add to your main dish. Nothing says fall more than a bowl of piping hot soup or stew. It fills you up and keeps you warm during the cooler temperatures of the season.
Fall is the perfect time to camp. The weather is considerably cooler than it is in the summer and the fall foliage is worth admiring and photographing. The way of life tends to be less hectic around the campgrounds, too, because many campers have returned to their jobs or schools after summer break ended.
