Trip Planning

Thanksgiving Activities at Campgrounds, RV parks, and Resorts Across the U.S.

If you are planning to spend Thanksgiving on the road, here are various destinations with some very festive activities for the whole family.

People often equate camping with summer activities. But at Carolina Adventure World in Winnsboro, North Carolina, RV enthusiasts enjoy a Thanksgiving weekend that includes riding their side-by-sides, dirt bikes, and other ATVs on the park’s 100 miles of trails, which have been cut through dense forests.“It’s our busiest weekend of the year,” said Jillian Sweat, the park’s manager for sales and events, which include a fall concert series.

Across the country, many campgrounds, RV parks, and resorts offer unique activities over Thanksgiving weekend. Here’s a sampling of activities and events taking place this coming Thanksgiving:

Colorado Springs KOA Holiday in Fountain, Colorado: This park organizes an annual Thanksgiving feast in addition to helping local food banks. For every non-perishable item guests bring in, they get their name entered into a drawing for a free weekend in 2023 and a coupon valid in the camp store.

Fiesta Grande RV Resort in Casa Grande, Arizona: This park will host its first 2-Mile Pie Walk around the neighborhood on Nov. 22. Each resident that participates will receive a pie. The park will provide turkeys for Thanksgiving Family Feast. However, each table host will be responsible for cooking the turkey for their table, while their tablemates bring the side dishes and desserts.

Great Escapes RV Resort in Chestnut Bay, Alabama
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This park organizes an annual Thanksgiving feast in addition to helping local food banks. For every non-perishable item guests bring in, they get their name entered into a drawing for a free weekend in 2023 and a coupon valid in the camp store.

Great Escapes RV Resort in Bryan College Station, Texas
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This park organizes an annual Thanksgiving feast in addition to helping local food banks. For every non-perishable item guests bring in, they get their name entered into a drawing for a free weekend in 2023 and a coupon valid in the camp store.

Jellystone Park in Burleson, Texas: Every weekend in November features Thanksgiving-themed activities at this park, including a Thanksgiving Turkey scavenger hunt and a gobble contest to see who sounds like the best turkey! There will also be games of “Tip the Thanksgiving Basket” and turkey trot races. 

Jellystone Park in Cave City, Kentucky: Activities at this park include bingo games and a Thanksgiving dessert with Yogi Bear.

Jellystone Park in Fredericksburg, Texas: This park will provide the turkey for a potluck Thanksgiving dinner while park guests are asked to bring either two side dishes or a side dish and a dessert. There will also be live entertainment and wine tasting.

Jellystone Park in Pelahatchie, Mississippi: This park organizes an annual Thanksgiving feast in addition to helping local food banks. For every non-perishable item guests bring in, they get their name entered into a drawing for a free weekend in 2023 and a coupon valid in the camp store.

Jellystone Park in Tabor City, North Carolina: Activities over Thanksgiving weekend include crafts, scavenger hunts and story time, horseshoes, and bingo. Guests are encouraged to bring a non-perishable food item to the potluck Thanksgiving dinner, which will be donated to Families First, a local shelter.

Lake Conroe KOA in Montgomery, Texas: This park will host a food drive for Thanksgiving, from Nov. 1-20, in time to deliver the food to a local food pantry, as well as a “Friendsgiving” potluck on Saturday, Nov. 26.

Mesa Spirit RV Resort in Mesa, Arizona: This park is planning a hosted Thanksgiving meal for all guests of the resort on Wednesday, Nov. 23.

Okeechobee KOA Resort in Okeechobee, Florida:
This park will host a “Friendsgiving Dinner” on Thanksgiving Day. The campground provides the main course for 300 or more people. Guests may reserve a hosted table and decorate it as if they were in their own homes. All guests are encouraged to bring shareable food for all to enjoy. On Friday, Nov. 25, the park will have its first Black Friday Crafter Bake Sale. On Saturday, Nov. 26, there will be a Thanksgiving Dance with music by the Southern Blend Band.

Port Lavaca / Matagorda Bay KOA Holiday in Port Lavaca, Texas: This campground will have wine and hors-d'oeuvres, cookies, lemonade, and Thanksgiving on Nov. 23, and a Thanksgiving dinner on Nov. 24.

San Antonio / Alamo KOA Holiday in San Antonio, Texas: This campground hosts an annual Thanksgiving dinner on Nov. 24 with the park providing the turkey, dressing, gravy, and drinks and the guests providing side dishes and desserts.

Voyager RV Resort in Tucson, Arizona: This park will host its annual “Share the Bounty Dance” on Friday, Nov. 18. Guests are asked to bring at least two non-perishable food items as their entry into the dance, which features live entertainment. Food items will be donated to the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona the week before Thanksgiving. On Thanksgiving Day, Voyager will provide turkeys for the park’s annual Thanksgiving dinner for more than 250 guests and residents.

Jeff Crider

Author

Jeff Crider, President and CEO of Crider Public Relations, has been involved in covering the campground industry for over 25 years. Jeff has worked as a freelance writer for publications such as RV Business, Motor Home Magazine, Trailer Life, Highways and other Affinity Group Inc. publications since 1995. He has also successfully pitched many of the nation's top tier media outlets, including CNN, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, The Financial Times, Reuters, The Associated Press and National Public Radio. In addition to writing, Jeff is also a talented photographer and humanitarian.