Some of the best times spent camping are gathered around a campfire. Here are 30 of the best campfire songs to keep you entertained…
Camping is a great way to bond with friends and family. A way to spend quality time together, all while in the great outdoors!
Family members gathering around the campfire to tell stories, reminisce, and sing campfire songs is always a highlight.
Whether you will accompany your song with the dulcet tones of an acoustic guitar, radio, or sing a capella, the campfire is a great time to share a new song or an old favorite.
The following is my list of the best camping songs to sing during your next camping trip.
I have organized them into two groups. The first is a list of family-friendly favorites that the kids in your group will love.
The other list comprises popular songs that are easy and catchy for adults to sing along to. Kids would like many of these as well!
(I give a bonus list at the end, too!). UPDATE: Hipcamp created an Ultimate Campfire Playlist on Spotify, too! I've linked to it at the end of this post.
Best Campfire Songs for Families
These family-friendly traditional campfire songs are some of the best pieces to get everyone singing while enjoying a warm fire. You may even remember some of them from your days spent at summer camp.
I've linked to the lyrics so you can print or screenshot them before your next trip.
Enjoy these fun songs with your children or grandchildren. I guarantee you will be singing along with these oldies, but goodies!
“On Top of Spaghetti”
This great song is sometimes called “The Meatball Song” and is set to the same tune as “On Top of Old Smokey.” It tells the fun story of a meatball that falls off a plate of spaghetti and onto the floor.
“B-I-N-G-O”
Who doesn't know this favorite about a farmer and his dog? It's a fun interactive song with clapping and repeat lyrics, making it great for all ages.
“Five Little Speckled Frogs”
This catchy jingle helps kids learn to count to five in a fun way- by singing about frogs!
“John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt”
If this beloved family-friendly tune is not already, it is sure to become one of your kids' or grand kids' favorite songs. It is so fun to sing! Especially when you whisper leading up to JOHN JACOB JINGLEHEIMER SCHMIDT!
“Boom Chicka Boom”
Everyone around the fire will love this fun, nonsensical song.
“The Campfire Song Song” by Spongebob Squarepants
It may seem funny to bring up Spongebob around the campfire. I'm not the biggest fan of Spongebob but this song is loved by kids (of all ages). It's a fun one to bring out when enjoying that bonding time.
“Home on the Range”
An old country song is perfect for spending time in the outdoors. It tells the story of cowboys and pioneers from the old American west.
This reminds me of our article on Retracing Lewis and Clark and the Pioneer Routes West.
“Going on a Bear Hunt”
What better way to celebrate the outdoors than to sing about finding bears through all sorts of different outdoor terrain? Kids will love this interactive tune.
It's a great way to segue into teaching kids about Camping in Bear Country, too.
Best Campfire Songs for Adults
These classic songs were instant hits when they hit the radio waves. They stayed favorites because they are good, catchy, and sometimes deeply meaningful. Most adults will recognize these classic hits.
“Ring of Fire” by Johnny Cash
This catchy tune is an iconic favorite and has been covered in many different genres over time. This hit is a must at your next campfire.
“Take Me Home Country Roads” by John Denver
What a good song! So good that many different country singers have covered this hit. Not only is this popular in cities across America. West Virginia made it an unofficial anthem!
“House of the Rising Sun” by The Animals
This well-known song from the 70s is iconic, and most people will recognize it right when it starts.
“Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison
Van Morrison's signature song is a beloved love anthem for any couple. It also has a fast tempo that is fun to sing and clap along with.
“Fire and Rain” by James Taylor
This sad but beautiful song has three verses all about different types of heartbreak. It covers suicide, drug addiction, and mental illness. Despite that, many love it and make a great sing-along tune for camping.
“True Colors” by Cindy Lauper
This lovely song is all about being true to yourself and has been remade several times. All generations love this simple song.
“Hotel California” by The Eagles
This hit by the Eagles describes an unforgettable landscape and experience. Some rumors claim that it has a deeper meaning, but one thing is sure. It is an excellent time to sing with a group!
“American Pie” by Don McLean
When it was released, this hot by Don McLean stayed on the number-one hit chart for four weeks. Even at 8-minutes long, this song is considered an American rock-n-roll anthem. It is beloved by so many that in 2015 the handwritten lyrics were auctioned off for 1.2 million dollars!
“No Woman, No Cry” by Bob Marley
This sad song is still beloved by many and is one of Bob Marley's most famous tunes.
“Wagon Wheel” by Old Crow Medicine Show
You may be familiar with Darius Rucker's newer version of this excellent song. Either way, it is a catchy and fun song to sing around the fire.
“Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond
This power ballad is always a crowd pleaser! Neil Diamond wrote this in 1969 for his then-wife, Marsha. He needed a different name to make the lyrics work with the melody, and “Caroline” was born!
“Maybe I'm Amazed” by Paul McCartney
This is one of the most memorable songs ever written and talks about a romantic favorite!
“(Sittin' On) the Dock of the Bay” by Otis Redding
Conjuring up images of a great day spent seaside, this classic song is a perfect way to end a great day outdoors.
“Yellow Submarine” by The Beatles
Children and adults of all ages love this Beatles song. Everyone will love to sing along with this fun tune.
“Chicken Fried” by Zac Brown Band
This country song is bound to get everyone standing and clapping. It is a fun and catchy tune that is most definitely a crowd-pleaser.
Best Campfire Songs – A Few Bonus Songs
If you still need some tunes to include in your campfire playlist, consider these other bonus hits for your list!
- “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” by Green Day
- “Heart of Gold” by Neil Young
- “Imagine” by John Lennon
- “Free Fallin” by Tom Petty
- “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd
- “I'm Yours” by Jason Mraz
- “Daydream Believer” by The Monkees
We'd love to add to this list of the best campfire songs! Please share your favorites in the comments below.
Update: Hipcamp's Campfire Songs Spotify Playlist
I recently learned of a Hipcamp post of the 100+ Best Campfire Songs, According to Spotify Users. Quite a few of the songs overlap with our list, plus they have dozens more songs listed.
Better yet, Hipcamp actually put the “Ultimate Campfire Playlist” together on Spotify so you can listen to it at your next outdoor gathering.
Related Articles & Podcasts
- RV Podcast #318: RV Questions and monster Sotires for the Campfire
- Best Portable Camping Fire Pit
- Making Campfire Donuts
Mike and Jennifer's Favorite Places in Florida – all 3 ebooks!
We RVers may wander far and wide but it’s true for most of us that we end up with some favorite “Go-To” places – places that draw us back again and again.
Florida is one of those places for us. And we know it is for many RVers looking to get away and explore during the winter.
That's why we've created three guides, covering Florida's Atlantic Coast, the Gulf Coast, and the Keys.
Each of these guides is a seven-day guided exploration of one of the coasts. And each stop is a curated view of the best things that we’ve enjoyed on this trip and want you to experience.
Altogether these guides are over 300 pages of content!
FAQ's about Florida Gulf Coast beaches of interest to RVers
What is the weather like along Florida's Gulf Coast?
The weather along Florida's Gulf Coast can vary depending on the time of year and the specific location. In general, the area experiences hot, humid summers and mild, pleasant winters.
The Panhandle region can be quite cool in January. It is seldom below freezing, but daytime highs are typically in the 50s. It warms up about 10 degrees each month.
You can also generally add about 10 degrees for every 150 miles you travel south down the Florida peninsula.
By the time you hit Naples, daytime highs in January are in the comfortable 70s.
Are there any websites that can help me get a reservation for a Florida beach campground?
One of the best resources we can recommend is called Campnab. This service monitors parks for cancelations and sends you an alert when an opening matches your criteria. That said, it isn’t magic. The app doesn’t create availabilities.
The service works – but it is not free.
Campnab offers two ways to use the service. The first is individual pay-per-use scans. These watch for vacancies at a specific park for a specific date. These work well if you know exactly when and where you intend to camp. Pay-per-use scans cost $10 – $20, depending on how frequently you want them to check availability.
The second way to use the service is through a membership. These typically run monthly and are tailored to those who camp more frequently or are looking to maximize their chance of finding a site. Membership allows you to scan multiple parks and/or dates simultaneously. With memberships, you pay a monthly recurring fee ($10, $20, $30, or $50), depending on your needs.
Are there places in Florida where you can literally camp on the beach for free?
Not many. And they are very pricey. If you want to sleep directly on the sand in an RV, you'll have to stay at a developed commercial campground like Camp Gulf on the Emerald Coast or an RV resort like Big Pine Key Resort in the keys. Some state parks like the Gamble Rogers State Memorial Recreation Area in the Atlantic Coast or Bahia Honda State Park in the keys or Fort Desto State Park near St. Petersburg have beachside sites, too.
But are there free, unrestricted RV beach camping spots in Florida?
Sorry, none that I know of that would work for RVs.
There is unrestricted camping on wild beaches on a couple of islands, but you need a boat to get there, and it is for tent camping only. If you want to sleep directly on the sand, there is Anclote Key offshore Tarpon Springs, and Shell Key in Pinellas County. Another favorite is Keewaydin Island between Naples and Marco Island but that area remains pretty devasted from Hurricane Ian.
Did Hurricane Ian destroy many beach campgrounds on the Gulf Coast?
While it severely damaged almost two dozen RV parks and campgrounds, about 8-10 campgrounds in the Naples-Ft. Myers area were completely destroyed. Most of the damaged campgrounds have been repaired and reopened.
Check with the Florida Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds if you have questions or concerns.
February 07, 2022at1:34 pm, Davis Freeman said:
“Don’t fence me in.” Cole Porter
“I’m a old cowhand.” Johnny Mercer
February 06, 2022at8:23 am, Susan Paterson said:
These are great choices. How about Kumbaya?
February 04, 2022at4:38 pm, Allen Meng said:
Another song that sang on the farm (eight kids), especially on hay rides to put the hay into the barn, was “Henry the Eighth” by Herman’s Hermits with infinite verses as the second verse is the same as he first.
February 04, 2022at12:19 pm, Van Darby said:
You are my sunshine
February 04, 2022at9:02 am, Jackie W said:
What an eclectic mix of music. I love it!