If you’re lucky enough to live in a home with a backyard or patio, you’ve probably heard of the latest and greatest in backyard party tools. The backyard fire pit is all the rage recently, and for good reason. People love an excuse to recreate the cozy campfire setting of their youth, with good people, good food, good stories, and good music. There’s nothing like sitting around the fire with your friends, roasting s’mores, having a drink or two, sharing stories and memories long into the night.

Until recently, however, this experience was limited to summer camp or camping trips. Not anymore! Fire pits have become extremely popular in landscape design and have been popping up on dozens of DIY blogs. If you’re even the slightest bit handy, chances are you can build your very own fire pit in your backyard. If not, there are plenty of off the rack options at home improvement stores that you can bring home with you and set up without a fuss.

Fire pits are a great way to get the family together outdoors, even on the chillier nights into the fall, and make for a great conversation piece at your next outdoor party. Check out some of our favorite examples below, and click here for instructions on how to build a fire pit of your own.