9 Rainy Day Activities While Camping

Need some rainy day activities while camping? No matter how carefully you plan your RV trips, there will be days when the rain hampers your plans.

There are still many things to do on rainy days, even if your original plans have to be delayed. And even though some of these rainy day activities may seem mundane at first glance, even the less appealing suggestions are things that have to be done eventually, and a rainy day makes excellent use of unexpected spare time.

Do Some Chores

Too much time spent enjoying the RV lifestyle can create a backlog of things that you never seem to get around to. From general cleaning to folding the laundry, doing chores on a rainy day helps pass the time and makes your trip more enjoyable when you can get back to your adventures.

Cleaning up and dusting off may not be the most exciting thing you can think of, but that kind of work has to be done, and taking advantage of the opportunity when it patters on the roof will at least give you a sense of personal accomplishment when the day is done.

And if you don't mind going out in the rain for a bit – watch what Jennifer recommends to do on the outside of your RV!

Enjoy Some Games

Games of all sorts are excellent for passing the time. On the other hand, the limited space inside an RV means you have to be picky about what games you can pack along.

Even though checkers, chess, and backgammon are popular, they each require specialized pieces and dedicated spaces.

By comparison, a deck of cards has hundreds of games, from the simplicity of “War” to more complicated trick-taking games like Hearts or Spades. You could spend hundreds of rainy day hours enjoying watching other people play card games on YouTube.

Savvy travelers will always want to have some board games on hand. Backgammon, for example, typically comes in a hinged and clasped case that easily fits into a cabinet and offers hours of strategic gameplay. If all else fails, your phone has hundreds of games that can while away the hours.

Get Out and About

Going to local museums, shopping plazas, or other predominantly indoor activities makes passing away a rainy day easy and enjoyable.

You may be surprised by the abundance of hometown museums that give tribute to the founding or history of small-town America, and the country is dotted with transportation-related museums such as old rail stations, aviation history, and honorary tributes to the automobile.

You might get a little damp moving from the RV to the ticket window, but that type of place is a wonderful way to learn about the local micro-culture and escape the confines of your house on wheels.

Maybe you are near a few of these — RV Road Trip: 10 Best Museums in the United States [PLUS 9 More!]

Rainy Day Activities while Camping? Get In Tune With Nature

You wouldn’t normally be outside during a heavy downpour or thunderstorm, but days with light rain are sometimes ideal for getting in touch with the natural world.

Not only is strolling along under an umbrella a relaxing pastime, but wet weather is also inviting for a broad range of animal life that would otherwise remain hidden away.

For many, simply sitting under an awning and watching the rain come down is the perfect reminder of how rewarding the simple life can be. And if you need a rain poncho for this – we got you covered (literally). 🙂

Kitchen Chemistry

Cooking is a form of chemistry that is available to everyone. Try keeping a recipe book or two on hand and try out new dishes on a rainy day.

If your RV has enough refrigerator and freezer space, you can also pre-cook meals for later use. Doing so would allow you to spend more time having fun on sunny days without skimping on homecooked meals or nutritious meals.

The downside of cooking on a rainy day is that you are going to need ample ventilation, and some RVs are difficult to vent when it is pouring outside.

Hobby Time

Puzzles, models, knitting, or just about any portable hobby are ideal for a rainy day. For some, carving a bit of locally collected wood into the shape it cries out to be can easily fill the day.

For others, painting or writing goes well with pattering rain as a backdrop. And since the RV lifestyle tends to keep us moving instead of doing, taking advantage of a rain day to spend time on favorite activities is often a blessing in disguise. Variety is the spice of life.

Play Catch Up

If you have Internet available, a rainy day is great for updating Facebook or Instagram, getting in touch with family and friends back home, and much more.

Similarly, this is a good time to sort through and edit gigabytes of collected images, scheduling a month’s worth of blog posts, and fine-tuning your travel itinerary for the days to come.

For those living active daily lives, a short break to get things caught up can be rewarding in and of itself. Or like Mike, edit your NEW YouTube version of the RV Lifestyle Podcast!

Indoor Maintenance

Road travel can take a toll on things like cabinet hinges, lighting fixtures, doorknobs, and more. Even though you may not be able to get a lot done outside, a rainy day is a great opportunity to make minor interior repairs, hang pictures or new curtains, and do other things that make your motorhome homier.

You might want to put off painting the walls, but installing shelf liners, organizing the kitchen junk drawer, and repacking your travel bins are all within reach and bound to make life easier moving forward.

Rainy day activities while camping might mean going for a ride

If you are towing along a passenger vehicle, leave the RV parked and go explore the countryside. This may not be feasible if the rain is coming down in sheets, but a light rain can make a pleasant ride on country roads an enjoyable experience.

This is even more of a bonus during the heat of summer when even an air-conditioned vehicle is fighting to keep the interior temperature in a pleasant range.

Instead of thinking that a rainy day is hampering your vacation, think of it as an opportunity to relax, regenerate, and prepare for sunnier times to come. Whether you play games, do chores or just take an extended nap, make the most of the opportunities life hands you.

Tell us about your go-to rainy day activities while camping

We've been writing about the RV Lifestyle and rain for a long time! If you're stuck inside – we have a whole bunch for you to read right here.

Let us know about your favorite things to do while camping when it's rainy outside in the comments below or on our social media posts.

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Planning an RV Trip has never been easier than with RV TripWizard. It is a comprehensive tool that Jennifer and I use whenever we are planning a trip. It works seamlessly with all our devices and gives us access to the info we need on where to stop, what camping is nearby and what we should do in an area.

Best of all, you can try it for free to see how it will fit into your trip planning process.

Looking for Expert RV Trip ideas and RV Travel suggestions?

We've written a library of RV Travel books that lay out seven-day guided explorations of scenic areas of the US that we'’ve explored and think would make an excellent RV trip for you.

In each location, we provide a suggested route and itinerary (7 stops in each guide, one for each day of a week trip!) as well as links to multiple campgrounds and boondocking spots, local tips, and interesting things to do at each location.

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Planning an RV trip can be very time-consuming so that’s why we’ve done the research for you! Just take our guides and use them, we’re sure you’ll have an RV trip for the ages! Instant download. CLICK HERE for information on our RV Travel Guides

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