Like ice cream and sprinkles or a burger and ketchup, camping and July 4th just go together. You’ve undoubtedly seen this phenomenon firsthand on your campground; you might even have some regulars that visit you every year around this holiday.
Yet even if you have a stable crop of customers celebrating our nation on your property each summer, it’s always a good time to evaluate the experience you provide these folks. This is especially true right now, as camping becomes increasingly popular and summer temperatures continue to rise across the U.S. You want your people to be safe, happy and comfortable, and that’s exactly what we’re here to help you do.
With July 4 coming up in just a few weeks, here are four ways you and your campground crew can make this holiday the best yet for your customers.
1. Launch Some Fireworks
Let’s start with a classic. You’ll have to consult your county regulations involving fireworks and noise, of course, but few things say “Fourth of July” like an explosion of red, white and blue alighting the sky above.
If you’ve already added a fireworks celebration to your campground, or if you prefer a celebration that’s a tad less noisy, consider handing out sparklers or throwing a themed barbeque with some Fourth of July crafts for the kiddos. You could invite a local arts and crafts teacher to your campground to teach the youngsters how to make their own mini flags, and all the while, the adults on your property can be sipping some cool drinks and chowing down on burgers and hot dogs.
2. Movie Night on the Water
“Cool” is the keyword in the tip above. Some states have already smashed records with the temps they’ve reached this month, and we haven’t yet reached the dog days of summer.
Fourth of July is typically when temps start to rise even higher, which means now is the time to use any kind of body of water near or around your campground. Consider this: Rent a large projector, hoist it above the water, then invite your campers to wander said water for a free-floating movie night.
Some venues take this water-born movie night to a whole new level by screening scary flicks like Jaws or Friday the 13th (Jaws on the water — just picture it) or showcase a patriotic flick that befits the holiday like Top Gun. The key here is to get folks out on the water.
To that end, you might also consider renting out paddle boards or kayaks painted red, white and blue. Small but thoughtful flourishes can go a long way to impressing your clientele and making their experience even more memorable.
3. Dive into the Theme
Speaking of thoughtful flourishes, now might be the time to try some new activities on your campground. The data doesn’t lie: Campers are getting younger, and more families are going camping for the very first time. We’d never recommend straying from what makes you you, but we definitely want to help you find the fun, creative activities that work best for your campground.
That’s why we recommend trying out some new activities like America-themed trivia, a Fourth of July costume contest (with prizes for Most Patriotic and Most Ridiculous), or a Fourth of July talent show. You could even add new, backyard-style games like croquet, cornhole, or horseshoes. Each of these new activities can be themed accordingly, but at the end of the day, we want you to pick what best suits your campground.
4. Keep it Festive — but Low-Key
As you’ve been reading this, you’ve probably been thinking about your regular campers and the ways they enjoy celebrating. Maybe your visitors would love trivia and fireworks; maybe not.
Above all else, Bonfire is here to help you understand your customers and enhance your campground in any and every way we can. In this case, that might mean a low-key holiday.
You could consider roasting some s’mores by a campfire or inviting an acoustic performer to entertain your guests with some soft tunes. With high temps in mind, you might even consider turning your river into a lazy river, with emphasis on the lazy.
These are just a few ways you can celebrate American independence while minding both your budget and your campers’ preferences.
If you would like more tips like these, or if you want to learn about Bonfire's easy-to-use, all-in-one management, and reservation software, please reach out to us at howdy@letsbonfire.com. Included in our software are both blackout dates AND surge pricing, perfect for increasing the pricing of your campground automatically on the busy weekend such as the Fourth of July. To learn even more about catering even the tiniest aspects of your campers’ experience to their wants and needs, read our blog on that very topic.
