You’ve arrived at the perfect winter campsite. You’ve parked the RV and settled down to settle in. You’ve gathered around the campfire in your favorite chair, with all your favorite campfire accessories, but something is missing. You’re winter RV camping and looking to stay warm, so you’ll need a drink in your hand.
Whether you’re craving an adult beverage, a seasonal drink, or both, we’ve put together a few options that will hit the spot. So, keep the fire going because these drinks are all easy to make! Simple drinks are the best and, when it comes to camping drinks, we all know refills are inevitable.
Family-Friendly Camping Drinks
Do bedtimes exist when camping? It’s debatable, so have a few family-friendly drink ideas that everyone can enjoy after dinner when the sun goes down.
Peppermint Hot Chocolate
There’s something perfect about a mug of hot chocolate. Nothing compares to the feeling of cold weather with the heat of a drink in your hand, warming you from the inside out. It’s comforting. It’s nostalgic. It’s perfect.
Ingredients:
- Hot Cocoa Mix
- 1 Peppermint Tea Bag
- Candy Cane (optional)
Directions:
Boil water over the campfire. Add the peppermint tea bag to steep for about five minutes. Remove the tea bag and add in the hot cocoa mix. Stir until mix is dissolved and pour into your favorite insulated mug. Optional: hook a candy cane over the side.
Nutella S’mores Hot Chocolate
Are you really camping if you don’t treat yourself with a s’more now and then? S’mores are a camping staple, so why not indulge in the beverage version once in a while to mix it up? Variety is the spice of life, after all. The kids will love this kid-friendly RV activity – and you will, too, believe us.
Ingredients:
- Hot Cocoa Mix
- Nutella
- Marshmallows
Directions:
Boil water over the campfire, about one cup per person. Add a few generous tablespoons of Nutella to the pot and stir to dissolve. Once dissolved, remove the pot from the heat and stir in the hot cocoa mix. Top each mug with a roasted marshmallow.
Mulled Spice Cider
Sipping a cup of warm cider under the stars is the epitome of a cozy camping drink, so we couldn’t create a list of campfire drinks without adding it. There are a million options for making your own from scratch, but there’s nothing wrong with a little store-bought help. Camping isn’t complicated so why should the drinks be?
Ingredients:
- 1 gallon of Sweet Cider
- Apple Pie Spice or Pumpkin Pie Spice
- Cinnamon Stick (optional)
Directions:
Pour the cider into a pot. Mix in a couple teaspoons of your spice of choice (apple pie or pumpkin pie or get creative with others) and let it simmer towards the back of your campfire until you’re ready to reach for a mug. Throw in a cinnamon stick for garnish and boost of flavor, if you’d like. It’s simply delicious.
Warm Campfire Milk
Let’s face it; sometimes, a bedtime is necessary while camping. If your kids have been having fun all day, you shouldn’t feel guilty if you want to usher them to bed with a drink that feels like a warm hug. This easy-to-make option is an ideal choice.
Ingredients:
- Milk
- Cinnamon Stick (optional)
- Ground Cinnamon (optional)
Directions:
Over a low fire, pour the milk into a pot and steam. Be careful that the fire isn’t too hot or the flame is too high that the milk burns or boils. To boost flavor, throw in a cinnamon stick or sprinkle ground cinnamon on top. Pour each kid a mug and read them their favorite bedtime story by the light of the campfire.
Adult Camping Drinks
With the kids tucked in for the night, it’s time to warm up with your favorite person and your favorite drink. You can easily modify the recipes with an extra boozy ingredient. Try adding Peppermint Schnapps to the Peppermint Hot Chocolate, a shot of Irish Cream to the S’mores Hot Chocolate. Add a kick with bourbon to the Spiced Cider for a little extra warmth that helps soothe a sore throat.
Moscow Mule
This drink doesn’t incorporate the campfire unless you count sitting around it, which is highly encouraged. It’s also traditionally served in a copper mug, but like most rules when camping, you can do whatever you want – it’s a judgment-free zone.
Ingredients:
- 1-1/2 ounces of Vodka
- 4 ounces of Ginger Beer
- 1/6 ounce of Lime Juice
Directions:
Fill a mug (a copper one, if you have it) with ice, then add vodka, ginger beer, and lime juice. Give it a gentle stir and garnish with a lime slice, if you’re feeling fancy. Keep your vodka and ginger beer ice cold with the right cooler and a few handfuls of snow.
Hot Toddy
It’s a camping classic. If you’re not sure what drink you want to reach for, then this is it. It’s timeless. With just a few simple ingredients, you’ll be sipping and stargazing within minutes.
Ingredients:
- Whiskey
- 1 Black Tea Bag
- Honey
- Lemon Wedges
Directions:
Boil a pot of water over the campfire. Remove from heat and steep the black tea bag for about three minutes, no more than five minutes. Discard tea bag afterward following leave no trace principles. While steeping, squeeze a lemon wedge into your mug (watch out for seeds) and drizzle in honey to taste. Add a shot of your favorite whiskey and top with tea. Give it a stir and a sip, then recap your day’s adventures.
Mulled Wine
Sitting around the fire might as well be a holiday all its own, so why not toast with a drink that’s perfect for the holidays. Mulled wine is insanely easy to make. It’s typically made over the stovetop or in a slow cooker but can be adapted for the campfire. Here’s how to make it.
Ingredients:
- 1 bottle of Dry Red Wine
- Orange Slices
- Apple Slices (make sure seeds have been removed)
- 2 Cinnamon Sticks
- Honey or Maple Syrup
- Brandy (optional)
Directions:
Combine the red wine, fruit slices, and cinnamon sticks into a large pot and give them a gentle stir. Let it simmer over the campfire for as little as 15 minutes or as long as three hours, careful not to let it boil. Add honey or maple syrup to sweeten, if necessary, and a shot of brandy for an extra kick.
Shop stylish mugs, cups, and tumblers at Camping World. What is your favorite camping drink to sip on while cozied up around the fire? Tell us below.
