🏕 Summer Camping & Glamping with AI

How to use AI for site selection, meal plans, packing lists, and stargazing.

May 16, 2025

💜 Hey M(AI)VENS,

During those long, uncertain months (years?) of COVID in 2020 and beyond, we bought an RV. It felt like freedom on wheels, a safe way to get out, explore, and breathe in fresh air. Since then, that little home on wheels has taken us to state parks, sleepy campgrounds, and beachy stretches where the wifi was weak but the sunsets were strong.

These days, one of my favorite ways to use AI is for help planning travel. As summer rolls in, I wanted to share a few ways you can use AI to plan your own outdoor escape and make it feel a little easier, more fun, and maybe even a little more luxe.

Whether you’re pitching a tent, booking a cabin, renting an RV, or dreaming of a glamping retreat with down-filled pillows, this edition’s for you.

Maybe one day AI will carry the coolers, too. 😉

Don’t forget! Our May book club pick 📚 is in full swing, and M(AI)VENS Premium Membership 💼 is now open! Come join the conversation and connect with other brilliant women as we explore all the ways AI can add ease to your everyday life.

Let’s dive in!

The RV we bought in 2020! Her name is Lady Luxury.

🗺️ Step 1: Let AI Help You Find the Perfect Location

When we first got our RV, I had no idea how many amazing spots were just a few hours from home. Over time, I realized the hardest part of planning a trip wasn’t packing or prepping, it was choosing where to go. That’s where AI has been surprisingly helpful.

Whether you're craving a peaceful adults-only escape or planning something kid-friendly with a splash zone, you can use AI to quickly narrow down campground or glamping options based on your preferences without opening a million tabs.

Try This Prompt:

"Help me find a great summer camping [or glamping] location within a [4-hour] drive of [your city]. I’m looking for [tent camping / RV camping / glamping with amenities like real beds and private bathrooms]. This trip is for [adults only / two adults and two children ages 5 and 8]. Provide suggestions that are [family-friendly / quiet and peaceful / close to water / near good hiking trails / have evening activities]. Bonus if the location allows pets and has good reviews."

You can tailor this prompt to suit your needs: adventurous, cozy, unplugged, or somewhere in between. And if you’re not sure what you want, AI can help with that too. Try this as an alternate approach:

🧭 Which Camper Are You? Take a quiz!
Copy/paste this into ChatGPT

“I want to go on a 3-day camping [or glamping] trip. Ask me a few questions about my vibe, who I’m going with, how far I want to travel, and what kind of experience I want (rustic, comfy, luxurious, quiet, kid-friendly, etc.). Then suggest 5 possible destinations and what I might do there.”

A few years ago, I would’ve loved something like this. I used to spend way too much time debating between “let’s hike all day” and “let’s lounge by the lake.” I love how AI can help you match your mood to a destination.

🧳 Tools to Help You Book That Perfect Campsite

We’ve used all of these over the years. If you’re not sure where to start, this shortlist can help you find the right fit for your camping (or glamping) style.

🛶 Recreation.gov
Best for: National parks and federal land. Book early — popular parks can fill up nearly a year in advance.

🌲 ReserveAmerica
Best for: State park camping across most U.S. states. Reliable for tents, RVs, and cabins, though the interface is a little clunky.

🎡 Campspot
Best for: Family-friendly campgrounds. Great filters (think pools, wifi, and even golf carts) plus instant booking.

🔥 The Dyrt
Best for: All-in-one trip planning. Female-founded! Combines listings, reviews, and tools in one easy app. PRO access adds offline maps, a road trip planner to find campgrounds along your driving route, and campsite alerts.

🚐 Outdoorsy
Best for: RV rentals. Think Airbnb for road trips. This is where you can book motorhomes, campervans, and trailers, including our 2020 Jayco Melbourne Prestige 24LP, based in the D.C./Baltimore/Annapolis area (we still have August openings!). Here’s a coupon for $50 off any RV booking!
✨ Bonus: Their AI “smart matching” helps pair renters with the right rig.

🎒 What Should I Pack? Let AI Build Your List

Packing can feel like a puzzle, especially when you're coordinating gear for the whole family or heading somewhere new. I’ve definitely forgotten my fair share of essentials over the years.

Pro tip: 😵‍💫 Do not be like me and forget the bug spray if you're visiting Chincoteague Island in coastal Virginia during the summer. The mosquitoes there are legendary. 🦟

With just a few details, AI can generate a personalized checklist based on your trip length, location, and crew. Be sure to include where you’re staying, who’s coming with you, and what kind of weather you’re expecting.

Try this prompt:

Create a camping packing list for a 3-night trip in late July to a campground with no electricity. We're a family of four with two kids ages 6 and 9, and we’ll be staying [in a tent, in a cabin with a kitchenette, or in an RV]. Include all the camping essentials, clothing suggestions based on typical summer weather, meal prep gear, and a few fun extras like games or books.

You can personalize it even more:

We’ll be near water and plan to swim
We’re glamping and won’t need cooking gear
We’ll have our RV and want to include board games and wine glasses

Pro Tip: Ask AI to organize your list into categories like Gear, Kitchen, Clothing, and Fun Stuff to make packing easier. You can even turn the whole thing into a printable checklist.

🍳 Meal Planning Made Easy

Camp meals don’t have to be all cold cereal and endless hot dogs (unless that’s your thing!). Whether you’re cooking over a fire, using a portable stove, or have access to a cabin kitchen, AI can help you plan simple, satisfying meals that work in the wild.

I like to use it to map out meals for the whole weekend. I typically aim for meals that are healthy, easy to prep, and fun to eat.

Try this prompt:

Help me plan [3 days] of camping meals for a family of four [two adults and two kids]. We’ll be cooking over a fire [or camp stove or kitchen stove], using a cooler with ice but no refrigerator. Suggest meals that are easy to prepare, use minimal equipment, and don’t require long cooking times. Include breakfast, lunch, and dinner for each day, plus one fun treat daily.

You can also ask AI for:

Create a grocery list based on this meal plan. Include quantities and note which items can be prepped ahead of time at home.
Suggest 2-3 make-ahead meals I can prep at home, freeze, and reheat at the campsite.
Give me one kid-friendly dessert or treat idea per day — something easy and fun to make at camp.

Ideas to Spark:

Foil-wrapped breakfast burritos over the fire
Cast iron one-pot pasta or chili
DIY sandwich bar for easy lunches
Hummus, cut veggies, and crackers as a no-cook snack board
Campfire cones (waffle cones filled with chocolate + marshmallows + fruit), wrapped in foil and heated on coals

Bonus Dinner Prompt:

Give me a hearty dinner recipe for a camping trip that can be cooked in foil packets over the fire. Ingredients should be easy to prep, and the meal should work well for both adults and kids. Bonus if it uses sausage, potatoes, or chopped veggies that I can prepare ahead at home.

Pro Tip: You can also ask AI to adjust for dietary needs or preferences — gluten-free, vegetarian, low-sugar, or picky eaters included.

🔍 AI for Campground Fun

Once we settle in at a campsite, I always look for ways to keep everyone engaged without having to haul a trunk full of entertainment. AI has become my go-to for brainstorming activities that are flexible and easy to get started.

🎒 For Families: Custom Scavenger Hunts

Scavenger hunts are a favorite for many families. They turn even a short walk into something magical, and the kids never seem to get tired of finding “the weirdest stick” or a rock shaped like a heart.

Try this prompt:

Create a fun outdoor scavenger hunt for a family camping trip with kids [ages 6 and 9]. We’re staying in [a wooded campground] with [a lake nearby]. Include about 10 items that are safe and easy to find, like a pinecone, something red, or a bird sound. Add two bonus challenges like drawing something they find or copying an animal sound.

You can ask AI for themed or special versions:

Make it a photo scavenger hunt for teens using their phones
Include silly, laugh-out-loud prompts for a group of adults around the fire
Write it in both English and Spanish for a bilingual group

🔥 Campfire Stories That Catch Fire

The fire is crackling, everyone’s got marshmallows in hand, and someone says, “Let’s tell a story.” Cue the silence.

Getting a group to jump into storytelling, especially teens, takes a little setup. In my experience, the key is to make it playful and low-pressure, with just enough of a prompt to get imaginations going. This is where AI can be a secret weapon.

Before the trip, ask AI to help you create a few story starters. I like to prep 2 or 3 ahead of time and either print them out or save them on my phone so I can pull them out when the moment’s right.

Try this prompt to prep a teen-friendly version:

Create 3 fun and [slightly mysterious] campfire story starters for a family with [teens and adults]. Each one should set the scene, introduce one quirky detail, and leave an open-ended question for the group to answer as the story unfolds.

You can also ask for:

Round-robin storytelling games that let each person add one sentence or twist
Story starters that include a magical object, a forest mystery, or a talking animal
A silly challenge mid-story like “add a llama” or “make someone turn invisible”

You’ll be amazed at how creative teens can get, especially once the pressure to “get something started” is lifted.

The real fun is seeing where the story goes, especially when no one’s trying too hard and everyone’s just laughing by firelight.

🌌 Stargazing with AI

One of my favorite parts of camping is looking up at a sky full of stars and remembering how small we are and how vast the universe really is. But I can only name two constellations on my own, so once again, I turn to AI for help.

Try this prompt:

I’m going camping near Shenandoah National Park on August 10. What constellations, planets, or meteor showers will be visible that night? Please describe where to look in the sky and what time they’ll be easiest to see.

Follow-up ideas to personalize your stargazing experience:

Make this beginner-friendly for someone who doesn’t know how to find north at nighttime
Turn this into a stargazing game for kids
Include a fun fact about each constellation we’ll see

Bonus Tip: If you’re bringing binoculars or a telescope, ask AI what “deep-sky” objects might be visible in your location. Even a glimpse of a planet can make a night feel unforgettable. 🪐

💡 Want to Make the Most of M(AI)VENS?

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💬 A live meetup with other smart, curious women
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🤝 Always space to share, connect, and walk away with something useful

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📚 M(AI)VENS Book Club

A curated collection of stories featuring bold, brilliant women.

Each month, we choose one powerful book by or about women navigating challenge, change, and big ideas.

Our May pick is The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
This unforgettable memoir dives into Walls’ unconventional upbringing. It’s a life marked by instability, imagination, grit, and fierce family ties. It’s a story of resilience, reinvention, and learning how to lead your life on your own terms.

As an affiliate, M(AI)VENS may earn a small commission if you purchase through this link — it helps support our growing community at no extra cost to you. We’ve partnered with Bookshop.org because they support local booksellers. 🥰

Whether you’re planning your first camping trip or your fifteenth, I hope this edition gave you a few ideas to make it easier, more memorable, or just more fun.

Try a prompt or two, save a packing list, or plan a stargazing night with your crew. And if you do use AI to help with your summer plans, I’d love to hear about it. Pop into the group chat and tell us what you tried! 🗨