The 10 Best States For Warm Winter Camping

While the pandemic has certainly increased the appeal of camping and outdoor recreation in the last 18 months, Google Trends data confirms that interest has in fact been growing rapidly for longer than that. Overall search interest in RVing was flat or on a slight decline for most of the 2000s and early 2010s. In more recent years, interest has grown rapidly, reaching an all-time high in 2020. Now, search interest in RVing during off months is comparable to peak season search interest from a decade ago.

This interest is also apparent across different demographic groups. The population of older Americans—who have long been a major segment of the RV market—is growing with more Baby Boomers reaching retirement age. But demand for RVs is also strong among Millennial and Gen Z consumers drawn to outdoor experiences and a more flexible lifestyle. Around two in five RV owners are aged 18 to 44, showing that camping and RVing have wide appeal.

While overall interest has increased, camping and outdoor recreational activities still follow seasonal patterns, with most campers venturing outdoors during the summer months when temperatures are warmer. However, many states have excellent camping options year-round. States across the West and South offer temperate winter climates, less precipitation, and ample natural attractions and parklands to entice outdoor recreation enthusiasts.

To find the best states for warm weather winter camping, researchers at Outdoorsy created a composite score based on the average maximum temperature, average minimum temperature, average monthly precipitation, and total land area allocated to parks and wildlife. Weather statistics are long-term averages for December–February, sourced from NOAA, and land area statistics are from the USDA. In the event of a tie, the state with the higher average winter maximum temperature was ranked above.

Here are the 10 best states for warm winter camping.

The 10 best states for warm winter camping

10. Alabama

• Composite index: 62.6
• Average maximum temperature: 57.7
• Average minimum temperature: 35.3
• Average monthly precipitation (inches): 5.2
• Total parks and wildlife area (acres): 548,000

9. Georgia

• Composite index: 67.5
• Average maximum temperature: 58.6
• Average minimum temperature: 35.9
• Average monthly precipitation (inches): 4.3
• Total parks and wildlife area (acres): 747,000

8. North Carolina

• Composite index: 67.8
• Average maximum temperature: 51.9
• Average minimum temperature: 30.3
• Average monthly precipitation (inches): 3.8
• Total parks and wildlife area (acres): 1,575,000

View the full article from Outdoorsy here.