Cool Backyard Stuff for Outdoor Adventure and Bliss [21+ Ideas!]

Outdoor fun doesn’t always have to involve going on vacation. If you have a yard you can add plenty of cool backyard stuff to keep your family entertained outdoors without leaving your property. 

But which cool backyard stuff is the best? While thinking about the ideal backyard hangout, adding a bouncy trampoline or swimming pool immediately springs to mind.

We have a few other ideas, too!

21 Cool Backyard Stuff and Upgrade Ideas

Who else wants to enjoy the warm weather and spruce up their backyard garden, deck, patio, and terrace? If you’re deciding which backyard upgrades are the best and coolest? These are our favorite options.

1. A Tent
2. Pizza Oven
3. Add a Hammock
4. Gazebo
5. Bubbles
6. Solar Lanterns
7. Giant Easel 
8. Outdoor Theatre
9. Swing Bed
10. Fire Pit
11. Fire Table
12. Egg Chairs
13. Giant Chess
14. Unicorn Sprinkler
15. Hot Tub
16. Ziplines
17. Sandbox
18. Slip and Slide
19. Pergola
20. Splash Zone
21. Rope Tunnel

The list above isn’t the end of our backyard decor upgrade ideas. We’re just beginning! You can add another dimension to your backyard space by thinking out of the box.

Let’s consider more cool backyard stuff that will delight your family (or guests) and make your backyard the niftiest place to hang out and spend time.

And your yard’s style doesn’t matter. These backyard decor ideas rock whether you’re rural, deep country, suburban, or urban.

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21 Cool Backyard Stuff Ideas

By adding one of the following items, you can make your backyard the sweetest yard in the neighborhood.

1. Pitch a Tent

You don’t need to travel to a campsite to enjoy fresh air and stargazing! All you need is a tent! And your backyard can become a safe and convenient location to create happy camping memories without ever worrying about packing or forgetting vital equipment at home.

If you’re looking for a compact backyard tent, Amazon has dozens. We also wrote an epic guide about backyard camping! It talks about the legality of tent living – and more.

2. Add a Pizza Oven

Barbecue sets are pretty standard in most backyards, but a pizza oven will take your outdoor cooking area to the next level. The best thing about pizzas is that everyone can chef their unique creations.

What if your family loves pizza, but you don’t want to build a permanent structure? Well, we suggest a portable wood-burning pizza oven unit! They are available to deliver tasty pizzas in minutes. (They cook pizza. Quick!)

For fresh homemade pizza – we recommend Ooni. Check out their website for awesome outdoor pizza ovens or take a look at the comparison guide to see which Ooni is best for you. Ooni‘s our favorite! (It’s true. We’re biased!)

4. Add a Hammock

If you want to spend more time relaxing under the sun, then a big and fluffy hammock wins the day. For sure! We guarantee that relaxing in a hammock with your favorite book and maybe a cat or two is the best way to prevent burnout and rejuvenate! 

Sneaking in a nap now and then also has a few health benefits. May we suggest dozing off in a comfy hammock?

There are a ton of hammocks on Amazon that we love. Beat Butt hammocks are probably our favorite. They’re comfortable, affordable, and hold 500 pounds.

Have a look at our best backyard hammock guide, and our guide on the best sleeping pads for hammocks.

4. Create a Romantic Feel With an Outdoor Gazebo Mosquito Net

Transform your backyard by adding a sheltered outdoor gazebo area. Get one with a soft flowing mosquito net covering to make it a comfortable and intimate chill spot.

A gazebo is a perfect place to spend hot summer days and create a lovely romantic feeling, and if you select one with an attached mosquito net, bugs will get kept at bay on warm summer evenings.

Alvantor makes a cozy waterproof gazebo that’s perfect for complementing your backyard. It’s affordable and well-reviewed on Amazon. It can help upgrade your backyard, patio, garden, or deck.

5. Backyard Bubble Fun

Delight your kids and keep them entertained for hours with a bubble machine. Besides having the kids shrieking in delight as they try to catch the continuous stream of non-toxic bubbles, this machine creates a romantic mood (for date night) or a fun atmosphere at backyard birthday parties.

You can find out more about the best bubble machines on Amazon. (We think Walmart may also have bubble machines in the summer.)

6. Solar Lanterns

Add something magical to your backyard by hanging some solar-powered LED outdoor lanterns around your patio or garden. As the sun goes down each day, these attractive solar jars filled with fairy lights light up and provide a warm nuance to your backyard space.

Solar lantern jars are inexpensive and are perfect additions to large backyards as they don’t require any wiring and transform dark corners of the yard into welcoming spaces, even at night.

Solar lanterns light up your night and provide a comfy ambiance that helps you savor the evening. They’re also perfect if you’re sick of the insanely high energy bills in the USA these days. Off-grid lanterns for the win. Solar lights save the day. And your bank!

You can purchase solar lanterns in a pack of six units inside mason jars. Amazon also has an excellent assortment of hanging solar lanterns. Make sure you charge them before using them! (Follow the instructions!)

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7. Get Arty

Expressing your creativity is tons of fun – especially in the beautiful weather! A giant easel would be a super-cool addition to your backyard that gets the kids into a creative zone without leaving a mess in the house. Let them paint to their heart’s content before erasing their creations with the garden hose and starting over. Again and again!

You can find double-sided outdoor art easels and paints, brushes, and sponges on Amazon.

8. Outdoor Movie Theatre

Your backyard will be the most popular venue in the neighborhood on movie nights. Inflatable screens are easy to set up and are available in various sizes to fit perfectly in any backyard setting. The only challenge with this system will be selecting the movie that everyone agrees on!

You can find a reliable 20-foot outdoor movie projector screen on Amazon.

9. Outdoor Swing Bed

Here’s an elegant and super comfortable addition to your backyard. It’s an outdoor swing bed! Single hammocks can be tricky to keep balanced, and one is sometimes a bit worried about flipping out unceremoniously.

An outdoor swing is a super excellent addition to any backyard setting, and the best part is that it can hold two adults simultaneously, so it’s a great place to chillax and spend quality time.

Purple Leaf has a gorgeous outdoor swing bed with a canopy perfect for backyard gardens, barbeque parties, and get-togethers. It looks relaxing!

10. Fire Pits

Fire pits have become popular backyard additions. Fortunately, portable units are available, so you don’t have to build a permanent structure in your backyard. You will be able to move the location of your firepit according to changes in the season or specific functions.

On a hot summer day? You can fill the fire section with ice and use it as a central backyard spot to keep snacks and drinks ice cold while relaxing with friends.

We love outdoor fires for cooking hotdogs, roasting marshmallows, and entertaining guests. They’re our specialty! Which variety of fire pit would you prefer? You could build a cinderblock fire pit, a smokeless fire pit, or a cinderblock grill. We have guides for all three! Building one is much easier (and cheaper) than you think.

You can also find a safe and portable iron firepit unit for your backyard on Amazon. We found one with stellar reviews. Perfect for garden BBQs and get-togethers.

11. Fire Table

Fire pits make a homely backyard addition. Family and friends can gather around a crackling fire and chat deep into the night.

But if you want the same fire pit ambiance without the hassle of messy cleanup, you can consider a gas fire table. A fire table is a modern and convenient addition to any outdoor setting when you want a warm ambiance at the flick of a switch.

Joyside has a great (low-cost and well-reviewed) fire table available that you can find on Amazon. Light em up!

12. Hanging Egg Chairs

Add something different to give your backyard a vacation feeling. Dreamy hanging chairs provide a nest-like cocoon for adults and kids to relax outdoors. These modern, comfortable chairs can get suspended from a patio ceiling from a sturdy tree branch, or you can use a hammock chair stand.

You can (sometimes) find egg chairs at local furniture stores. They’re also on Amazon. These weather-resistant hanging egg chairs have a comfy seat cushion and pillow.

13. Giant Chess Set

Beth Harmon would love this! Adding a giant chess set into your landscape will immediately set your backyard apart. The usually quiet chess game can be brought to life and become a social activity with family and friends.

These gigantic weather-resistant chess pieces strategically move about from one square to another. Perfect if you want a sophisticated evening filled with plenty of hijinks. And giggles!

After carefully analyzing our next move – we believe we found the best giant chess set on Amazon. Check it out! (Check, and mate!) Also – we noticed that the chessboard comes separately – word to the wise.

14. Inflatable Unicorn Sprinkler

There is nothing better than unicorns, and you can easily add one to your backyard and become the most excellent kid zone around. It’s going to cool everyone off with a delightful jet of water. And the giant size of this magnificent backyard sprinkler that attaches to your regular garden hose can result in plenty of happy smiles.

We scoured Amazon and found the best inflatable unicorn sprinkler with a retro style! We hope you agree.

15. Heat Things Up With a Hot Tub

Hot tubs are irresistible additions to outdoor patio settings. Relax and soak while enjoying the outdoors in the serenity of your home’s backyard. You will need a solid flat space to set up a hot tub, but unlike a pool, it will never go out of style when seasons change. Hot tubs can be in-ground, portable, or inflatable.

Amazon has a ton of hot tubs for sale. But – it looks like most of them are inflatable hot tubs. They look comfy enough – and seem like a great way to unwind.

16. Ziplines

Instantly become the most fabulous backyard ever by installing zip lines between the trees in your backyard. Kids will feel like they are flying as they glide wildly – from one spot to another. A variety of age groups can enjoy this durable, fun item.

We found that a company named Slackers makes some of the best-reviewed backyard ziplines. Check them out on Amazon and read some of the reviews. The reviews are (mostly) excellent.

17. Get Sandy

Create a beach feel by adding a sandpit to your backyard setting. There is nothing quite like sand between your toes, and kids will spend hours enjoying safe and creative play in the backyard.

You can create a natural-looking sand play area in your backyard by surrounding it with natural rocks or ensure that it stays clean by purchasing a covered sandbox.

You can find covered sandboxes for your backyard on Amazon. Most big-box stores will have sandboxes, too.

18. Slip and Slide

Double the fun by getting a 2-lane slip and slide for your backyard. This backyard classic is updated so that you and your best friend can stay blissful and have fun sliding together.

You can find the double lane slip and slide for your next backyard party. Slip and slides used to be popular years ago – but we’re not sure if they’re still as big? They still look fun – either way!

19. Backyard Pergola

Create an attractive and versatile space in your backyard by adding a pergola. These structures will provide a distinctive look and are solid investments that will last for decades. Décor on pergolas can get changed, and this structure in your backyard will quickly become the central setting for outdoor activities.

If you want an epic backyard pergola without spending a fortune, we think LEEDOR makes the best one for the cost. It’s much more affordable than you think – and the reviews are surprisingly good.

20. Splash Zone Splash Pads

Splash pads have become extremely popular replacements for backyard pools. These areas can easily be themed and provide loads of safe watery fun for kids of every age. By adding colored lights, the water jets will give an upmarket relaxed resort feeling to any backyard setting during the evening.

Arfbear makes one of the most affordable and best-reviewed splash pads we could find on Amazon. Check them out and read the reviews – people love them!

21. Woven Rope Tunnels

Lift kids off ground level by suspending a six-foot rope tunnel – bonus points for your backyard. No special assembly is required! Ratchets and hanging straps will securely support up to 400 pounds so multiple kids can develop core muscle strength while playing and, quite literally, hanging out together in your backyard.

Check this rope tunnel out – it’s one of the most popular models. It looks like tons of fun! It also supports up to 400 pounds.

More Cool Backyard Ideas

• Install a wall-mounted patio heater for backyard fun on even the coolest nights
• Build your own bubbling rock fountain
• Add a kids’ playground for hours of fun
• Learn how to roast chestnuts
• Turn your backyard into a butterfly-attracting paradise
• Attract hummingbirds to your garden for visual delight
• Add gorgeous flowering shrubs and trailing plants for a stunning garden
• Grow a vegetable garden for hours of entertainment
• DIY some super fun backyard games with our 19 ideas that cost $50 or less.
• Build a log bench or wine barrel furniture yourself

Let us know if you have more to add!

Conclusion

Adding one main feature to your backyard can transform it from ordinary to memorable. There are plenty of creative ways you can create a cool-backyard environment.

We hope our backyard decor list gave you plenty of brainstorming opportunities to help vitalize your backyard.

If you have more questions about cool backyard stuff? Feel free to ask!

We’re happy to help – and love chatting with you.

Thanks again for reading.

Have a great day!

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