It’s an unfortunate fact of UK camper van trips, that the occasional rainy day may dampen your plans for crazy outdoor adventures, but they do offer a unique opportunity to indulge in the cozy comforts of your camper van. With a bit of creative thinking, you can turn a potentially dreary day into a lasting, memorable experience. Whether you’re travelling solo, with a partner, or with the family including the dog, here are ten awesome rainy day activities to enjoy in a camper van, when the drizzle is making the outdoors dreary.
Board Games and Card Games:
Unplug from mobile phones and laptops and reconnect with your fellow travellers over classic board games like Monopoly, Scrabble, Cluedo, or Settlers of Catan. Alternatively, a simple deck of cards can provide countless hours of entertainment and conversation with games like poker, bridge, or gin rummy.
Read a Book:
Rainy days are a perfect excuse for getting lost in a good book. Always be sure to bring along a selection of novels, travel guides, or magazines to suit your mood. The gentle pitter-patter of rain on the camper van roof creates an ideal ambiance for reading. Perhaps take the time to read up on your locality so that, when the rain eases, you can go out and explore with a little more information about what to look out for in particular.
Cook Comfort Food:
One of the most useful rainy day activities in a camper van is the opportunity to prepare some nutritious meals in your camper van kitchen. Put together a hearty soup, bake some fresh bread, or conjure up a cake or a batch of warm chocolate chip cookies. The aroma of home-cooked food will certainly lift your spirits.
Movie Marathon:
Transforming your camper van into a cozy cinema can be very simple and straightforward. Stream movies or TV shows on your laptop or tablet, get some popcorn on the go, snuggle up under some warm blankets and enjoy a cinematic escape from the bad weather. Making the experience even better by bringing along a bigger monitor is very easy, too. Modern monitors are so flat, they can be tucked into the side of a cupboard and hardly take up any extra room!
Arts and Crafts:
Coming up with rewarding rainy day activities in a camper van is the perfect opportunity to get your creative juices flowing with arts and crafts projects to pass the time. Whether it’s sketching the scenic views from your trip, painting a landscape, or making DIY camper van decorations, expressing your creativity can be both relaxing and rewarding. If you’re travelling with the kids then this a perfect way to stave off the boredom and put a stop to the squabbling!
Listen to Music, Podcasts or even learn to play a musical instrument:
Create a playlist of your favorite songs or explore new musical genres while watching the raindrops dance on the windows. Pick up a ukelele, guitar or a keyboard and learn to make your own music! You could also tune in to myriad podcasts on topics ranging from travel stories to true crime mysteries.
Journaling and Reflection:
Use the rainy day as an opportunity for introspection and journaling. Write something cool about your exciting travel experiences, jot down your innermost thoughts and feelings, or just simply reflect on life’s journey. Keeping a travel journal means that you’ll capture all those precious memories to read back and remember in the future.
Yoga and Meditation:
Practice mindfulness and self-care with yoga and meditation exercises inside your camper van. Roll out a yoga mat, make your camper van a haven of peace and stretch your limbs while focusing on deep breathing and relaxation techniques.
Rainy Photography:
Don’t let the rain deter you from capturing the natural beauty of your surroundings. Grab your camera or smartphone and take advantage of the unique lighting and reflections that rain brings. Experiment with different angles and perspectives to capture stunning rainy day photographs. You may even catch a rainbow if you’re lucky!
Kayaking and Rafting:
Of course, you don’t have to stay in the camper van when it’s chucking it down with rain. If you’re going to get wet, then get wet while having a blast, with kayaking or whitewater rafting!
Rainy days in a camper van offer a chance to slow down a little, reconnect with loved ones and indulge in simple pleasures. By embracing the cozy comforts of indoor activities, you can turn a rainy day into a memorable and enjoyable part of your travel experience. So, the next time the rain threatens, don’t fret—embrace it and make the best of your time inside your cozy camper van retreat.