Rain, rain, go away,
Come again some other day,
We want to go outside and play,
Come again some other day,
Even as an adult, that nursery rhyme always pops into my head whenever it rains. Especially when we are camping and all we want to do is go outside and recreate!
But with over 25 years of enjoying the RV Lifestyle and lots of rainy (and a few snowy) days, we’ve learned how to keep ourselves entertained on days when the weather is not cooperating with our original itinerary.
I’m going to offer numerous ideas on how to spend a rainy day while camping plus some links to help you make the most of these ideas.
I’ll start easy but don’t expect all of these activities to be lounging activities—they’re not! Sure, rainy days are a great day to relax but that doesn’t mean you have to be completely inactive.

1. Read a good camping book (not just any book)
Now I know you may think this isn’t original advice but reading a book is a go-to rainy-day camping activity for good reason. There’s something about the pitter-patter of rain that helps you immerse yourself in the pages of a good book.
I will point out, too, that I said you should read a good camping book. Not just any book!
A good camping book will transport you to another world while keeping you connected to your current travel experience. It will help inspire and motivate you to get out there and enjoy the great outdoors as soon as the rain lets up. That’s why I highly suggest you keep at least one of these great books to read while camping at the ready on every road trip.
Here’s a few to get you started:
- Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
- Modoc: The True Story of the Greatest Elephant That Ever Lived by Ralph Helfer
- Take Me With You by Catherine Ryan Hyde
- The Call of the Wild by Jack London
- Into the Wild by John Krakauer
- Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt

2. Watch a good camping movie (again, not just any movie)
That’s right, not just any movie—a good camping movie. As I said about books, you should choose a movie that keeps you immersed in your travel experience. That way, you still get a taste of adventure even if confined to your RV.
To make it easy for you, I’ve made a list of 10 Iconic Road Trip Movies. This list includes a WIDE RANGE of movies bout life on the road. I researched the history of road trip cinema and chose 10 of the most iconic films in which people drive across the U.S.
Speaking of movies, I have posted articles on film-making in various regions of America. Here’s a quick sampling:
- 11 Must Watch Films Shot on Route 66
- 12 Movies You Didn’t Know Were Filmed in Arizona
- Most Iconic RVs from the Movies
- Filmed in Utah: 9 Itineraries through Hollywood’s Most Iconic Settings
- Visiting Hollywood South: Louisiana’s Film Trail
- The Ultimate Road Trip for Clint Eastwood Fans

3. Invite camping neighbors over
No matter the size of your RV, you could always invite fellow campers over. Whether you squeeze inside or tuck under your awning, it’s always nice to gather together on a rainy day.
Plenty of campers will agree that one of the best rainy-day camping activities is playing games. So, invite some people over and have a game night! Or, rather, a game rainy day!
This brings me to my next rainy day suggestion…
4. Host a championship game day
Forget game NIGHT. Host a championship game day! Whether you invite your camping neighbors over or play at your travel party, games are always fun on a rainy day.
But don’t get stuck playing the same game for hours. Instead, organize an impromptu championship series where you play various games to determine an ultimate winner.
Since every person has different strong suits, this style of game day levels the playing field. Each player can pick a game and then the person who wins the most games is the champion.
You can pick standard board games or card games or you can get creative with different challenges.
There should definitely be a prize for the champion, whether it’s a silly homemade trophy or an inexpensive gift for RVers.

5. Cook up some comfort food
Comfort food and rainy days go hand in hand! Whether you’re curling up to a good book or movie, doing crafts, or playing games, comfort food is the perfect complement to all the activities on this list.
6. Camping puzzles and adult lego
What can be more relaxing than working on a puzzle while listening to raindrops hit your RV roof? If you think it’s not practical to do puzzles in a bumpy RV that you move from campground to campground, you’d be (happily) wrong!
You can use a roll-up puzzle mat to preserve your progress until you finish!
And I’m a big fan of crossward puzzles. As well as a rainy day activity, it helps to keep ones brain active as we age.
And on that same note, what about 3-D puzzles? Yep, I’m talking about Lego! Lego aren’t just for kids anymore.
Like the puzzle mat, you can use an organizer box to stay tidy. As an RVer, you might consider the following:
- Lego Volkswagen Camper Van
- Lego Wildflower Bouquet
- Lego Birds Model

7. Journaling and scrapbooking
Another great rainy day camping activity is journaling and scrapbooking. It’s the perfect time to sit down and catch up on your recent experiences on the road.
If you want to be prepared for such a rainy day, you can check out my Guide to Journaling.
Some of the journals have prompts, while others give you plenty of space to write freely.
8. Unique crafts and related activities
Doing arts and crafts is one of the best ways to keep yourself busy while being stuck inside on a rainy day. You can draw, paint, knit, quilt, leatherwork, carve, or even color. You can also enjoy many different activity books from crossword puzzles, sudoku, and miscellaneous games.

9. Plan your next RV road trip
There’s no time like the present to plan your next RV trip especially if rain is keeping you from enjoying your current one. If you’re stuck inside, you might as well make good use of your time and start planning your next adventure whether it’s reworking your current itinerary or starting a new one.
I have lots of articles about planning a great trip but I recommend starting with The Ultimate Guide to Planning a Cross-Country Road Trip.
Or, you can take the opportunity to review some of my tried-and-proven road trip guides. That way you only have to decide where to go next rather than plan the whole trip yourself.
- The Ultimate Guide to Interstate 10: 32 Delightful Stops
- Where the Journey Is the Destination: Texas State Highway 35
- The Ultimate Road Trip Guide to East Coast Destinations
- The Ultimate Coastal South Road Trip: From New Orleans to Savannah

10. Go out in the rain
Just because it’s raining, doesn’t mean you have to stay inside! It doesn’t mean you can’t hit the trail or enjoy what you had planned for the day regardless. (As long as there’s no thunder storm, of course.)
Rain is just water, after all. You’re not going to melt. Like they say, there’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing.
So, whip out your camping poncho, put on your Tilleys hiking hat, and slip on your waterproof shoes. Get out there and see how the world looks different under its cover.
Jump in puddles if you will, turn your face up to the sky, and enjoy the rain!
Worth Pondering…
The blizzard doesn’t last forever; it just seems so.
—Ray Bradbury