8 Great Outdoor Living Ideas for RVers

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RVing as a family is wonderful in many ways. It allows you to travel to new places together and develop closer relationships. The thing is, it also has some downsides. The main one? The close quarters.

One of the best ways to overcome the small living space offered by an RV is to create a comfortable outdoor living space where you want to spend time. Here are some of our favorite outdoor living ideas to make your campsite a nice place to be.

Get an Outdoor Rug

First and foremost, we will always recommend investing in an outdoor rug. Putting down an outdoor rug does several things:

• It creates a sense of personal space, making the area feel more like a private living area even when no walls are involved at all.
• It makes walking in your outdoor living area more comfortable, even if you don’t want to wear shoes.
• It helps keep dirt and debris out of the RV. When people have to walk over the outdoor rug first, most dirt will fall off their shoes before they make it indoors.

Considering the many purposes it serves, an outdoor rug should be a no-brainer when creating your outdoor living area.

Build an Outdoor Kitchen

Many modern RVs come with outdoor kitchens built in. This is great because it means you can 1) take your cooking outdoors, 2) avoid heating up the RV, and 3) enjoy the nice weather and pretty views while preparing meals.

That said, there are still plenty of RVs that do not have this feature built in. The good news? You can totally create an outdoor kitchen of your own! Here’s how we’d do it:

1. Start with a vinyl tablecloth on the picnic table, or on a folding table that you carry.
2. You’ll then need a way to cook. A grill, a Blackstone griddle, or a camp stove will work well for this.
3. A cooler works well for storing foods outside until you cook. Some people also use mini fridges.
4. For washing up, consider a sink like this. Of course, you could also just carry dishes inside.

Invest in Good Camping Chairs

Nobody wants to sit around in uncomfortable chairs for hours at a time. That said, if you get some good camping chairs, you quickly transform your outdoor living space into a comfy space where the whole campground will want to gather.

Fortunately, there are tons of amazing camp chairs available. The tricky part is figuring out which chairs best suit you. Below are some of our favorites.

ALPS Mountaineering King Kong

This super comfy chair is huge and has a huge weight capacity, meaning the ALPS Mountaineering King Kong can hold absolutely everyone. We love the light padding, which makes it easy to lounge in the chair for hours. The durable, easy-to-use frame design is also a major plus.

YETI Trailhead

The YETI Trailhead is luxurious for sure. The support and comfort it offers is pretty hard to top, and the fact that it is mesh means it breathes well in hot weather. Unfortunately, the chair is pretty heavy and the price is much higher than anything else on this list.

Kelty Low Loveseat

If you’re looking for a chair that seats two, we have to recommend the Kelty Low Loveseat. This lovely folding double-seater has comfortable padding as well as a sturdy and supportive frame. We love the included carrying case, but do still find that the chair is pretty heavy to tote around. Still, it’s easier to carry than two individual chairs.

Always Carry a Table

Most campsites include a picnic table. That said, there are a few out there that do not include a picnic table. We’ve also seen tables that are so worn out they don’t seem safe to use, and of course, if you boondock, you’re not going to find tables at those sites. For this reason, we highly recommend carrying a folding table of your own.

Not only will this come in handy when a picnic table is not available, but it can be nice to have a second table. On top of that, when you’re attending events, tables are always nice to have for potlucks and other gatherings.

Consider a Clam Tent

Obviously, you will want to put out your awning for shade and shelter from rain when the weather allows (never leave your awning out in pouring rain or high winds). What if you want more shelter than the awning can offer though? This is where a Clam shelter can come into play.

Clam tents come in a variety of sizes and are perfect for extending your living space into the outdoors while remaining well shaded and sheltered from the elements. These tents are easy to set up and take down, and even protect themselves from high winds and heavy rains by collapsing.

…or Set Up Awning Screens

Don’t want to lug a Clam shelter around? We get it. Some of us have very limited space to work with. In this case you might want to consider investing in some awning screens—side screens are available too—to create a sort of screen room around your awning and provide extra shelter from the sun.

Awning screens are lightweight and easy to set up. They are mesh, so they breathe well in the heat while still offering shade. The only problem? You really can’t use them if the weather is bad enough that the awning needs to come in. That said, you’d likely want to be inside at that point anyway.

Add Some Lights

One of the biggest problems we have with outdoor living in a campground? The outdoor lights on RVs are rarely enough. Luckily, you can remedy this very easily:

• String up some lights along the awning for a cute, festive look. Just know that putting them up and taking them down can be a pain.
• Add a strip of LED lights to the awning. These can be left in place when you move.
• Grab some solar lights that can be pushed into the ground.

Put Out a Fan

Our final tip? Grab a fan and set it up outside. This serves a couple of purposes:

1. First, the fan keeps air moving, helping to keep you cool even on the hottest summer days.
2. Second, because the fan moves air, it deters gnats, mosquitos, flies, and other bugs, making for a more pleasant outdoor living experience.

There you have it, our top tips for outdoor living at your campsite. Use these tips, set up a lovely outdoor living area, and enjoy the extra space that an outside living room provides your RVing family!

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