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Do you love camping or RVing? Then, you will probably love watching movies about camping. In this article, we share the 20 best camping movies, including everything from family-friendly adventure flicks to horror films about camping nightmares!
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Best Family Friendly Camping Movies
Whether you are watching a movie at the campground or snuggled up on the couch, the whole family will love these wholesome camping movies!
The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About Camping!
Rating: Appropriate for All Ages
The perfect camping movie for small children, The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot about Camping, brings one of Dr. Seuss’s best known characters to the big screen.
In the one-hour long film, it is the first day of summer vacation and The Cat in the Hat whisks Nick, Sally and Fish off on an outdoor camping adventure. They gang gets back to nature as they hike, canoe and camp out overnight.
How to Watch: Stream for free with an Amazon Prime Video membership or rent for $3.99 on Amazon.
Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood: Daniel Goes Camping
Rating: G
Daniel Goes Camping is another short, animated camping movie for small children. Inspired by Mister Rogers Neighborhood’, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood stars 4-year old Daniel Tiger, son of the original program’s Daniel Striped Tiger.
In this movie, Daniel goes camping for the first time and experiences the wonders of nature. Your kids will enjoy stargazing, playing with flashlights and watching the sunset along with Daniel.
How to Watch: Stream through PBS or with a PBS Kids subscription through Amazon Prime Video.
Camp Nowhere
Rating: PG
Millennial parents will love sharing this classic 1990s camping movie with their families. Camp Nowhere, tells the story of the summer misadventures of Mud and his friends. Unhappy about their summer camp plans, the group devises a scheme to have a fun summer.
They bribe an ex-teacher to pose as a counselor for a fake camp and rent a campground where the kids can run amok. However, the kids run into trouble when their parents want to come for a visit.
How to Watch: Stream for free with a Disney+ subscription or rent on Amazon Prime Video for $3.99.
Troop Beverly Hills
Rating: PG
Another classic camping movie that parents may remember from their own childhood is Troop Beverly Hills. In the film, a Beverly Hills socialite (played by Shelley Long) is determined to prove to her soon-to-be-ex-husband that she can finish what she starts. Which leads her to become a den mother to a troop of Beverly Hills Girl Scouts.
When, the troop is threatened with being dissolved, they must prove their wilderness skills at the annual jamboree. Their silly adventures include ending up in a snake-infested swamp and running from a smelly skunk!
How to Watch: Rent on Amazon Prime Video for $3.99.
The Muppet Movie
Rating: G
For kids who love to sing along to campfire songs, The Muppet Movie, is a great camping movie. This 1979 road trip musical is the first feature film starring the Muppets.
The road trip movie tells the origin story of the Muppets. Kermit the Frog embarks on a cross-country trip to California, encountering several of the Muppets along the way, even hanging out with Miss Piggy by a campfire.
How to Watch: Stream for free with a Disney+ subscription or rent on Amazon Prime Video for $3.99.
Best Funny Camping Movies
Next up are the best camping movies in the comedy category. These slapstick movies are sure to have you in stitches around the campfire.
The Outdoorsman
Rating: 13+
The Outdoorsman is a quirky romantic comedy about camping. The film’s main character, Jason, has made up his mind: he is going to live in the wilderness for a year. However, there is a slight problem: he has never been camping.
While he is preparing for the adventure, he meets Mona, a type A personality who has just suffered a nervous breakdown at work. They fall in love, but ultimately Jason must decide: follow his dream or his heart.
How to Watch: Stream for free on Pluto TV, stream for free with an Amazon Prime Video membership or rent for $3.99 on Amazon.
Without a Paddle
Rating: PG-13
Without a Paddle tells the story of three buddies who go on a camping trip to honor the memory of their recently deceased friend, Billy. While the plot may sound sentimental, this movie is actually a funny camping flick.
Billy believed there was hidden treasure in the area where the friends are camping, and they are trying to find it. Unfortunately, they are not prepared for the adventure. Disaster and hilarity ensue.
How to Watch: Stream for free with a Paramount+ subscription or rent on Amazon Prime Video for $3.99
The Great Outdoors
Rating: 13+
The Great Outdoors is a classic comedy about a summer vacation gone wrong. A Chicago family heads out for a trip to Perk’s Pine Lodge Resort. Unfortunately, their unwanted relatives (played by Dan Aykroyd and John Candy) decide to join.
While the characters stay in a cabin, their rustic trip feels like a camping adventure. Their silly great outdoor adventure includes a fun ghost story and an unwanted encounter with a grizzly bear!
How to Watch: Rent on Amazon Prime Video for $3.99.
The Long, Long Trailer
Rating: 13+
Another classic camping movie, and one of the best camping movies of all time, is The Long, Long Trailer. Starring Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, the film follows a couple traveling across the country for a year in a travel trailer RV.
RV campers will belly laugh at the couple’s challenges, which include annoying campground neighbors and trouble backing up the trailer. The best scene is the one where Lucille Ball tries to cook dinner while her husband is driving down the road.
How to Watch: Rent on Amazon Prime Video for $2.99.
RV
Rating: PG
RV is a funny camping movie about a family road trip. The movie is about the Munros, a typical but dysfunctional American family. To bring the family together, the dad (played by Robin Williams) rents a motorhome and plans a road trip to the Rocky Mountains.
During their journey, the non-camping family encounters many hilarious obstacles and interesting characters. Watch to find out if a camping adventure can really bring a family together.
How to Watch: Stream for free with a Netflix subscription or rent on Amazon Prime Video for $3.99.
Best Dramatic Camping Movies
If you are in the mood for a more serious movie, check out our picks for the best dramatic camping movies, including several Oscar-winning films.
Nomadland
Rating: R
The Academy Award winning film, Nomadland, is one of the best camping movies released in the last decade. After losing her job and struggling financially, the main character, Fern, (played by Francis McDormand) moves into a van and embarks on a journey.
Her travels first take her to an off-grid desert community in Arizona where she meets fellow nomads who help her adjust to the lifestyle. Eventually, she ends up working as a camp host in Badlands National Park. Watch to see where Fern’s journey ultimately takes her.
How to Watch: Stream for free with a Hulu subscription or rent for $3.99 on Amazon Prime Video.
Brokeback Mountain
Rating: R
Another Oscar-winning film, Brokeback Mountain is a a tragic camping movie. The film tells the story of an affair between two 1960s cowboys (played by Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal).
Their initial encounter occurs while working as sheep herders and camping out on the mountain. The film then follows both the tortured relationship between the two men, as well as the story of their married lives away from each other.
How to Watch: Stream for free with a Netflix subscription or rent for $3.99 on Amazon Prime Video.
Into the Wild
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Rating: R
Into the Wild is the true story of Christopher McCandless. After graduating from college, McCandless decides to walk away from his life and head into the wild in search of adventure.
The film details his journey, which ultimately leads him into the Alaskan wilderness. There, he sets up camp in an abandoned city bus that he names “The Magic Bus”. He hunts for food, reads books and keeps a journal as he prepares his new life in the wild.
How to Watch: Rent on Amazon Prime Video for $3.99.
A Walk in the Woods
Rating: R
For a more lighthearted camping movie, watch A Walk in the Woods. Based on the autobiographical book by Bill Bryson, the movie follows the author’s Appalachian Trail hike.
Joining Bryson on the trail is Stephen Katz, his old friend who is currently down on his luck, and therefore, is the only one with the time to join him on the adventure. Watch the film to see how far they make it on this famous hike.
Also check out the book, which made our list of the best books to take on a road trip.
How to Watch: Stream for free on Pluto TV or rent for $3.99 on Amazon.
Edie
Rating: 13+
For a story that will warm your heart better than any campfire, watch Edie. This British camping movie tells the story of an elderly woman who decides to follow her dreams after the death of her controlling husband.
She makes plans to fulfill her dream of climbing a mountain in the Scottish Highlands. Watch along to see how her late-life adventure goes.
How to Watch: Stream for free on Tubi or stream for free with an Amazon Prime Video subscription.
Best Camping Horror Movies
If you love a good ghost story, check out our picks for the best camping horror movies. These films are sure to make you a little nervous sleeping in your tent!
Backcountry
Rating: R
Backcountry is about a city couple who heads out for a country camping trip. After setting off in the woods, they frighteningly realize that they have forgotten their phones and become lost. The trip turns into a fight for survival when they are stalked by a man-eating bear.
How to Watch: Watch for free on Amazon Prime Video with a premium subscription or rent for $3.99.
Canyonlands
Rating: 16+
Canyonlands is one of the best horror movies about camping. It is the story of five contest winners on a trip down the Colorado River in Utah. However, the fun camping getaway soon turns into a nightmare as a deranged killer starts to stalk and kill the unwelcome tourists.
How to Watch: Stream for free with an Amazon Prime Video subscription.
Killing Ground
![Killing Ground [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51X46tSqUmL._SL160_.jpg)
Rating: 18+
Killing Ground is an edge-of-your-seat thriller about a couple on a camping trip. The trip quickly goes from peaceful to disturbing when they discover a bloody toddler wandering around and discover that an incredibly disturbing crime has been committed.
How to Watch: Stream for free on Tubi or rent for $3.99 on Amazon.
The Ranger
Rating: 18+
The Ranger is a horror movie about a park ranger that no camper would want to encounter in real life. In the film, a group of punk-styled friends, fueled by a hallucinogenic drug, go on the run from the law and face off with an unhinged park ranger.
How to Watch: Watch for free with a premium Amazon Prime Video subscription or rent for $3.99.
Willow Creek
Rating: 18+
Willow Creek is another terrifying camping movie. In the film, a young couple finds themselves face-to-face with a terrifying evil when they venture into the heart of Bigfoot country.
How to Watch: Stream for free on Tubi or stream for free with an Amazon Prime Video subscription.
How to Watch a Movie While Camping
You need 4 things to watch a movie while camping: a projector, a smartphone, a streaming subscription, and an internet connection.
Camping Movie Projector
The Anker Nebula Solar Portable Projector allows you to create your own drive-in theater. With a built-in battery, the projector is able to run for up to three hours on each charge.
The Solar Projector also offers top-notch sound and picture quality and a built-in stand to easily adjust the angle of the projection. The device allows you to cast a movie from your smartphone or computer streaming apps straight to its huge 120-inch display
Project the movie directly onto the side of your RV or buy a portable screen to use while tent camping.
How to Stream Movies while Camping
Of course, you will need an internet connection to access your streaming apps while camping. The easiest option is to use cell service or a mobile hotspot. However, if cell service is not available, you will need an alternate connection.
Click here to read about all of your options for internet access while camping.
Power Source
You may also need a power source to charge your smartphone and projector batteries. To bring power on your camping trip, purchase a portable power station.
Portable power stations, such as the Jackery Explorer 500, allow you to use any electrical appliance or device.
Thanks for reading our complete guide to the best camping movies. We hope you found the perfect flick for your next camping trip.
For more RV entertainment, also check out our list of the best RV TV shows.
Happy Camping!
Christina Pate is a seasoned full-time RVer who, along with her husband Justin, has journeyed across the US, Canada, and Mexico. Drawing from her extensive travels, RV repairs and RV renovations, she founded Travels with Ted to guide and inspire fellow RV enthusiasts. Christina is also the co-author of The Owner’s Guide to RV Maintenance and the creator of My RV Log Book.
