Make a temporary house a home in Animal Crossing: New Horizons with these campsite decoration tips and tricks.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is still going strong, years after the social simulation completely replaced our real lives during the pandemic and turned us all into gibberish-talking bell collectors. Part of the game's success was due to more customisation than ever before, as you were finally able to construct cliffs, waterscapes, and completely terraform the island to your liking.

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This extended to the returning feature of a campsite, a neat little idea that allowed prospective villagers to temporarily stay. The possibilities are almost endless, so it's not surprising if you're feeling overwhelmed — thankfully we're here with a few design ideas to make your campsite the talk of the town.

The tent will be the centrepiece of your campsite, so be wary of the spot you pick when using the campsite construction kit. Have at least a rough plan for the surrounding area, and make sure the tent is close, or at least accessible, to the other features and amenities you have planned for your campsite.

You’ll also want to place the campsite relatively close to your own house, so that it is easy for you to go and check for new campers and interact with them.

However, your campsite location may also depend upon your theme...

One of the first decisions to make is, obviously, to choose a theme for your campsite. This doesn't have to be anything crazy - perhaps you'll stick to a traditional Animal Crossing woodland setting, or focus your campsite on the beach for a more exotic locale.

However, if you’re feeling a bit bolder and want to try something more advanced, the New Horizon customisation options are extremely versatile. From a water park to a city, a Hawaiian island to the Moon, the possibilities are quite literally endless. If you’ve got the time you, could even redecorate for each season, with plenty of themed ways to decorate for fall or redesign for winter.

If you're serious about designing your campsite, and particularly if you have a separate theme to the rest of your island, you may want to consider enclosing your campsite with cliffs, trees or fences.

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It can help separate your island, and really help your campsite feel like a distinct experience. It also gives a natural explanation for the change in aesthetics. Cliffs, in particular, are great for this — they can make your area feel like a canyon, a nature reserve or indeed a private campsite.

The campsite sign really completes the holiday destination feel and should be a must-have for all campsites, but unfortunately is a bit of a pain to get your little digital hands on. The item is not actually available in-game by normal means, Instead, it's only obtainable by downloading the mobile spin-off Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, and linking the app to your Nintendo Account.

The campsite sign can then be bought from Nook Shopping for 2,500 Bells. It could also be a key feature for your campsite — place it by the tent to create a focal point in the middle of your site, or use it as a welcome sign right at the entrance.

Another essential part of any camping experience is surely the fire, and thankfully New Horizons has you covered ready for those late-night fireside chats. Both the campfire and the much larger bonfire are on offer, and while you could just plonk it wherever on your campsite, it would be quite fitting to have a dedicated firepit area.

So, lay down some dark path, add any other fire-related decorations you might have, and pull up some chairs. You'll have an atmospheric area, perfect for marshmallows and campfire songs, in no time.

Depending on your theme, you might want to avoid the standard decorations and instead think outside the box a little for some alternative furniture options. For example, if you're aiming for a natural forest-themed campsite, you can use tree stumps as seats, log stakes as fences, and allow weeds to grow out for seasonal plants all year round.

The New Horizons customisation options are incredibly versatile, so don’t be afraid to experiment a bit for finer details you don’t get with the default options.

While your island may use a different path material elsewhere, using a dirt path throughout your campsite can really complete the camping expedition feel — and is an excellent way to fill empty space without cluttering. Dirt paths pair quite naturally with campsite features such as a lake or a firepit, and can also be extended to form the base of the latter.

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There are also several fun custom paths for you to download and play around with, including a particularly popular one from Denim2 that recreates the grassy dirt paths from previous Animal Crossing games.

While a water feature is not a mandatory part of a campsite, there's no denying that a well-designed waterscape can make a big difference and really add some of those summer camp vibes. Whether you just want to add a small relaxation pond, a large lake as a central showpiece, or just want to go ham with waterfalls, there are all sorts of options for adding a bit of aquatic art to your campsite.

Don't forget to decorate your water feature with flowers, custom designs and all sorts of H20-themed furniture — you can even place your fishing rod at your creation, to give the illusion of a popular angling spot.

Outdoor eating is a key feature of all camping trips, so a picnic area is a natural addition to any Animal Crossing campsite. So whether you want to go for the iconic checkered picnic blanket, the standard camping table or want to be a bit wild and create your own unique picnic area out of logs, there are more than enough options to make your outdoor dining experience as complex or simple as you like.

There's no shortage of picnic-themed decorations either — think lanterns, themed magazines, cooler boxes, outdoor heaters, barbecues, and of course, picnic baskets.

Remember after all this is your campsite, and even if you have selected a theme, that doesn't mean you have to slavishly stick to it. Want a Mario warp pipe to connect your all-natural themed campsite? Do it. Want a dance floor at the centre of your winter wonderland experience? Chuck it in.

There are plenty of features you can add that don't appear in campsites often, but would still naturally fit in. A prime example of this could be a digging or excavation area, which can easily be made by terraforming out a block and adding in equipment. The choice is yours.

Next: Animal Crossing: The Best Villagers Ever, Ranked

Daniel is a University of Sheffield Journalism graduate and freelance writer covering all forms of on-screen entertainment. He can often be found travelling the world in Assassin’s Creed, listening to the Kingdom Hearts soundtrack and trying (and usually failing at) the latest battle royale.