How To Camp In Your Backyard (With Checklist)

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We all love a cheap getaway. One of the cheapest ways to have a vacation is to go camping. And probably the cheapest destination is… your own backyard.

No traveling, no accommodation costs, no packing stress, no annoying guests, no extremely high food and drinks prices, just to name a few benefits.

Does backyard camping sound like a perfect getaway to you? Then here’s your guide to backyard camping!

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Don’t forget to download the checklist at the end of this post!

What is backyard camping?

The word is pretty self-explanatory, it’s literally camping in your backyard.

In last weeks post we talked about backyard staycations. Vacations in your own backyard. Camping makes it entirely possible to even sleep in your own backyard.

Literally all you have to do is pretend your backyard is some kind of camping in your favorite destination, set up a tent and you’re good to go!

Again, vacations shouldn’t be limited to just a few times a year!

Backyard camping activities

Think about the activities you would usually do on a camping. Isn’t it weird to think we usually don’t do those things in our day to day life. Here is a list of my favorite camping activities that are suitable to do in your garden.

Read more: 13 Creative & Budget-Friendly Ways to Be a Tourist In Your Own City

Badminton

Badminton is one of the most popular camping activities, so why not do it in your own backyard? You could tense a rope through the middle of your garden to create a ‘net’.

Reading a book in a hammock or lazy chair

Is there a more classic camping activity than reading a book in the sun? I don’t think so. Dream away in your own little world. Another perfect way to feel like you’re not just at home!

Sing songs around a campfire

Play some classic campfire songs and have everybody sing along. Check out this playlist on Spotify for some inspiration! Bonus points if anyone knows how to play the guitar. You’ll have everybody singing along in seconds.

Stargazing

Make sure you turn off as much light in your garden as possible, download a stargazing app, like StarWalk 2, and try to find as many of the star signs as possible.

Frisbee

If you have a little space in your backyard (or maybe a dog), you could throw around a frisbee. Who can do the most creative throw?

‘Beach’ volleyball

Similar to the badminton game, you could tense a rope in your garden as a ‘net’. Divide your friends or family in two teams and let the game begin!

Any card game

Set up a few camping chairs around a table and play any of your favorite card games. There are an endless amount of games you can play with a single deck of cards.  

Backyard camping cooking

Honestly, would you be really camping if you went inside your regular kitchen to cook your meals?

No, ofcourse not!

Get out your camping stove and bring the cooking outside. You probably won’t whip up a Michelin star worthy meal, but isn’t that the beauty of camping cooking?

Try to keep the cooking simple. Make meals such as a nice creamy pasta, a spicy curry or even just a healthy salad.

If you don’t want to use a camping stove or you don’t have one, you could use your bbq as well.

And don’t forget to roast some marshmallows on a stick as desert! Stick it in between some graham cookies and some chocolate and you have yourself THE camping snack!

Backyard camping checklist:

Print the following checklist so you can make sure you won’t forget anything to make your backyard camping trip complete!

Click the following link to download the full resolution file.

Some of my favorite things on this list are the toilet roll and the flip flops. Is there a more camping feeling than walking to the bathroom with a toilet roll under your arm? And is there a more camping sound than flipping your flops?

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Ready to plan your next vacation in your backyard? Check out this post to get more inspiration!

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