18+ RV Patio and Campsite Decorating Ideas

2. Add camping or lounge chairs.

This couple lives in their RV full-time so instead of buying camping chairs, they opted to use pallets to build a couch and 4×4 pots to build an adult swing set.

Full-time traveler Ligia travels in a fifth wheel that boasts two built-in patios:

After renovating her RV, she added these stylish folding chairs to her flip-out patio.

If you're traveling in your RV, folding camping chairs are available in multiple styles. Shop our favorites in our Amazon Store.

3. Add some weather-resistant throw pillows and other decor.

Outdoor throw pillows and a few simple decorative items can transform the area outside your RV into a relaxing outdoor living area.

A small weather-proof coffee table is the perfect accent for camping chairs. If you're staying in campsites for longer periods of time, the above RVers use vases and wall hangings to create their own outdoor oasis.

Recreate this look with:

1. Black and white outdoor rug
2. Beige zero-gravity chairs
3. Outdoor throw pillows with tropical covers
4. Boho macrame wall hanging (which these sturdy removable hooks will let you easily hang on your camper)
5. Accent table
6. Tropical leaf garland

4. Hang string lights.

Using lights to decorate your RV never goes out of style, and there are so many fun options to choose from. 

To hang your lights, Camco makes these plastic clips that are designed to clip on an RV awning (and can be left in place even when your awning is rolled up), or you can use these clips to attach the lights along the edge of your awning fabric.

Don't have an awning?  You can hang lights directly on your RV with these weatherproof adhesive hooks, or you can hang them from tall shepherd's hooks, which make a nice place to hang plants as well.

(You can also have an RV awning installed if you would like to add one!)

Recreate the above look with:

1. Acrylic LED string lights – solar or plug-in
2. Medallion pattern outdoor rug
3. Metal cafe table and chairs
4. “Hello” welcome mat
5. Bench glider
6. Potted plants

Colorful lights are a great way to add a little light and personality to your RV patio.

Recreate this look with:

1. Colorful string lights
2. LED rope lights (on the ground)
3. Garden flag which can be hung on a metal door with magnetic clips

If you're feeling extra creative, you can make your own custom lights for your RV like Josh Ward.

The string lights were inspired by some bear lights Josh's grandparents hung on their RV in the 80s. To make these lights, he collected plastic honey bears and attached them to a string of large bulb Christmas lights. What a fun way to reuse honey bottles!

5. Add a garden flag or a personalized sign.

Garden flags and welcome signs are a fun and easy way to decorate your campsite.  You can find a large variety of them at any store with a lawn and garden department as well as on Amazon, but personally I prefer personalized and handmade ones. 

You can find endless options for personalized garden flags and handmade welcome signs on Etsy.

Recreate this look with:

1. Metal garden flag on a garden flag stand – I couldn't find that exact one online but this one is really cool.
2. Mason jar lantern hanging from shepherd's hook. HGTV has a great tutorial on how to make your own!
3. Pot of flowers
4. Hammock with portable folding stand

6. Add step covers.

I recently came across these RV step covers and wished I'd discovered them long ago. 

Not only do they look nice (and come in several different colors), these step covers, which fasten to your steps with an elastic bungee hook, will help cut down on dirt and sand being tracked into your RV. 

Bonus: Unlike a welcome mat, they can be left in place during travel, giving you one less thing to pack.

7. Decorate with plants.

A few plants really go a long way to beautify an outdoor space.

I recommend self-watering planters with a drainage plug unless you are okay with watering every day or are spending the summer somewhere that gets a lot of rain. Hanging baskets tend to dry out quickly. The kitchen sink is a good place to set your plants in the kitchen sink of your RV during travel.

Above is actually my RV! I used shepherd's hooks to hang potted plants around the perimeter of my patio and weatherproof adhesive hooks to hang string lights. (Since we were parked under trees, I preferred to keep our awning rolled up so my plants could get some sun.)

Recreate this look:

1. Shepherd's hooks
2. Weatherproof adhesive hooks
3. Self-watering planters with a drainage plug

Ideas from the photo above:

1. Portable pet fence
2. Folding Adirondack chairs with cushions
3. Green and beige leaves outdoor rug
4. A folding table
5. Plants

Note: You can't bring plants into the state of California, and if you drive from the U.S. to Canada with plants you'll have to have them inspected. For more information and ideas about RVing with plants, take a look at my article about mobile gardening.

8. Fencing

If you're living permanently in an RV, building fencing is a great way to make your home on wheels feel more like a real home.

Creating an exterior wall is a great way to give a small space a patio feel. Add an outdoor dining area and extra seating to make it a great place to entertain guests!

Recreate this look:

1. Happy Campers garden flag
2. 3D wind spinner garden decoration
3. Colorful hanging planters and coconut coir planter
4. Folding director's chair with attached tray
5. Outdoor rug (Here's the one similar to the picture)

For less permanent fencing, outdoor pet fencing or playpen fencing are great for creating boundaries for small children and pets.

Sale

FXW Rollick Dog Playpen, 32" Height for Small/Medium Dogs, Designed for Camping, Yard, 16 Panels

• 🐶【A win-win solution】The FXW Dog Playpen is designed to bring a win-win solution to you and your lovely dog. Different from a narrow enclosure cage or kennel, the FXW dog pen provides a spacious semi-open activity area specifically for your dog. Your dog will have fun in its safe and sturdy kingdom. Meanwhile, you can take a real break and be truly relaxed without worrying about your beloved pet. Fun, Relaxation and Well-being is the orientation of the FXW team.

$169.99

Buy on Amazon

9. Add a privacy screen.

Fencing can be a major investment, but there are simpler privacy options too.

Some trellis panels like the ones shown below can be used to hide the “ugly” parts of your RV, add shade and privacy to a motorhome's front windows, create storage under the tongue of a fifth wheel, or add shade around a patio.

Even one panel of inexpensive and lightweight lattice leaning next to your camper makes a nice place to hang plants or decor.

Recreate this look with:

1. Lattice panels
2. Decorative sign
3. Potted hibiscus trees
4. Yard ornaments
5. Antique chair planter – see how to make one here.

10. Hang curtains from your awning.

Get extra privacy or protect yourself from sun and bugs by adding curtains to your RV awning.

The RVer who shared this photo with me hung tab curtains along her awning which can be closed to block the sun or create additional privacy.

If you don't have a bar along which to hang curtains, I believe you could also use a grommet punch to create holes in a sheer curtain and hang it along the edge of an awning with these curtain clips.

If you want to hang curtains around your patio area and don't have an awning, you could run a piece of rope between two tall shepherd's hooks and hang curtains from that.

Recreate this look with:

1. Sheer tab curtain
2. Folding round patio table
3. Seashell tablecloth
4. Indoor/outdoor rug
5. Acrylic chairs
6. Over-railing flower pot coir holders

11. Create a screen room

If bugs are your problem rather than the sun, a screen room can make your time outside more enjoyable.  One subscriber solved this problem by purchasing a screen tent to set up next to her RV.

You can also buy a screen room that will fully enclose your RV awning. (These are actually incredibly popular in Europe, where most RVers have screen rooms attached to their awning!)

Sale

Wenzel Magnetic Screen House, Magnetic Screen Shelter for Camping, Travel, Picnics, Tailgating, and More

• LET’S GO CAMPING: Make the Wenzel Magnetic Screen House an essential part of your summer picnics and parties! Cool off in the shade and escape pesky bugs at your next outdoor gathering. With a peak height of 7.5 feet, it’s also large enough to fit over a picnic table. Magnetic strips line the large “I” style doors for automatic closure and hands-free entry/exit, making going in and out with kids, pets or food a breeze!

$159.95

Buy on Amazon

12. Find a decorative bird feeder.

Birds at feeders are fun to watch, and it's especially fun when you're in different parts of the country to see species of birds other than what you may be used to.

Recreate this look with:

1. Camper bird feeder
2. Set of zero-gravity chairs
3. Cutout barrel side table
4. Brick pavers laid down directly on the grass to create a temporary patio

I have hung bird feeders directly on the windows of my RV.  I used this suction cup hanger to hang my hummingbird feeder, and it never fell down.

If you find birds are colliding with your windows, you can add some decals for their safety.

13. Create a little atmosphere with a fire pit.

Sale

Bond Manufacturing 67836 54,000 BTU Aurora Camping, Backyard, Tailgating, Hunting and Patio. Locking Lid & Carry Handle Portable Steel Propane Gas Fire Pit Outdoor Firebowl, 18.5", Bronze

• Includes lid, stones, tank holder, gas hose and regulator

$110.47

Buy on Amazon

What's camping without a campfire? Not all RV parks and campgrounds provide fire pits, so you may need to bring your own. 

If you're camping in an area with a burn ban or just don't want to mess with firewood, a propane fire pit is the answer. A portable propane fire pit is good for RVing because they are small, don't require a lot of fuel storage, and they're easy to store.

14. Build a temporary patio.

One creative RVer wanted a patio but didn't want to install anything too permanent. She ended up building one out of free lumber and plywood. She even suggested a way to make a DIY wooden patio like this portable, which is to build it in two halves connected with hinges.

Later she ended up stenciling her patio with acrylic paints.  She recommends applying a clear coat afterward to protect the wood from weathering.

Recreate this look:

1. DIY plywood patio
2. Fire pit
3. Pallet used as a base for the grill (a grill mat may be added underneath for safety)
4. Flowers/plants
5. Pink outdoor rug

Another RVer who planned to stay in the same spot all summer did something similar, only instead of using plywood, he actually built a temporary deck using pallets as a base with deck boards screwed to them for simple disassembly.

Recreate this look:

1. DIY temporary deck and bench
2. Padded chairs
3. Potted flowers and plants
4. Shade umbrellas
5. In-ground solar lights
6. Round outdoor rug

Sale

OUTDOOR LIVING SUNTIME Leisure Moon Folding Camping Saucer Chair, Oversize Padded Portable Stable Comfortable Folding Sofa Chair for Camping, Hiking, Carry Bag(Red)

• ⭐【MOON SAUCER DESIGN FOLDING CHAIR】Suntime chair is wide bucket moon shape, ergonomic design, provide a large area of seat and comfortable. Make your more relaxed outdoors.

$66.99

Buy on Amazon

15. Add a deck.

Some RVers who are parked permanently or who always return to the same place have built a deck or porch next to their front door.

These owners built a ramp to make their RV more accessible.

Recreate this look with:

1. Deck with Flex-Fence railing which can be opened to let in light or closed for privacy
2. Shepherd's hook with a hummingbird feeder
3. Lawn furniture on deck
4. Potted plants on deck
5. Landscaping with rock-bordered flower bed, gravel patio, and stepping stones

For RV owners who travel from place to place, Sunrise Decks makes a lightweight, completely portable RV deck or porch which can be set up in under half an hour.

16. Use multi-purpose furniture.

If space is limited, you don't have to own separate chairs for inside and outside. 

The vintage-style rattan chairs decorating the space in front of Mavis the Airstream could be used as living room furniture and brought outdoors only when needed.

Recreate this look:

1. Fab Habitat brand eco-friendly outdoor rug (made from recycled plastic)
2. Rattan lounge chairs (Here are the ones in the photo)
3. Mexican blanket
4. Plant in a woven basket
5. Adorable pup wearing a sweater

17. Hammock

Nothing says relaxing outdoors like a hammock, right?

More Inspiration for Long-Term and Permanent Campsites

Pictured below is the RV of one of my former RV park neighbors whose campsite landscaping really impressed me.  She and her husband were retirees and permanent residents of the RV park.

The brightly colored furniture really makes this campsite pop!  I also love the hanging basket garden in the woods.

Recreate these looks:

1. Metal patio furniture – can be spray painted whatever color you want!
2. Hostas in baskets hung on small shepherd's hooks
3. A striped hammock hung between two trees

This photo was shared with me by one of my email subscribers.  I love how she used a large piece of found driftwood as the centerpiece for several items of garden decor.

Since the couple who live in this RV stay parked here permanently, they installed the patio pavers and built most of the furniture themselves.

Ideas from the photos above:

1. DIY pallet sofa – See how to build one here
2. Reclaimed wood trunk – See how to make one here
3. Pink & turquoise Mexican blanket for chilly evenings
4. Metal cutout side table
5. Folding wooden bistro table and chairs
6. Concrete propane fire pit
7. Hammock chair swings – See how to make a frame like theirs here
8. String lights
9. Plants

Minetom Outdoor String Lights, 48FT Patio Lights with 15 Shatterproof LED Bulbs, UL Listed Commercial Grade Strand, IP65 Waterproof Hanging Lights for Outside Deck Backyard Garden Party, Warm White

• Shatterproof Energy Saving LED Bulbs - This thickened PC S14 bulb is more shatterproof and not easy to deform, up to 92% transmittance will be more brighter than 80% of PET ones. Comparing with incandescent string lights, the LED string lights is eco-friendly, 80% energy saving and 3 times brighter, helping you saving more electricity bill. The patio string lights with CRI>90 will bring you a pleasant visual experience of the more vivid and actual color of the items you seen

$39.99

Buy on Amazon

This last stunning RV deck and mudroom were built by one of my email subscribers at an RV campground in Utah they own.

It advertises “unobstructed views of the Red Cliffs, Vermillion Cliffs, and the Kaibab Plateau, with epic sunrises and sunsets, and the darkest skies in Southern Utah.”  Added to my bucket list!

Start Decorating Your RV Patio

There are tons of decor ideas listed in this article. We compiled them all into this handy Amazon shopping list. Check it out 🙂

Would you like to share a picture of your campsite?  We'd love to see it! Add it to the comments below!