‘Tis the season for glamping!
The definition of glamping from Oxford Languages is “a form of camping involving accommodation and facilities more luxurious than those associated with traditional camping.” “glamping is likely to satisfy any city slicker seeking a little refuge in nature without foregoing any of life’s luxuries.”
Ready to explore the great outdoors? Start your search at Glamping.com. They’re kind of the authority on all things glamping with a highly curated and vetted collection of destinations and a variety of accommodations. Each must meet a strict set of standards to land on the website. Glamping.com acts as an advocate for property owners but there doesn’t seem to be biased in how properties are listed. You can refine your search by Experiences — climbing, fishing, wildlife viewing to setting — dude ranches, farms, national parks, and countryside to caves. Some are just a short drive from the big city life.
I just randomly chose a few locations from hundreds of listings. What I found was that you could stay relatively close to home and pack up the car with food, games, equipment, the dog, and the lot (or with just a cooler) — or fly across the country to have everything waiting for you. I also discovered that a glamping trip, although priced similar to hotels (budget to posh), comes with the perks of enjoying quiet settings, firepits at night, dark skies and sharing small space (you know, making memories). Many glamping sites are open year-round and most offer a great value for groups of friends and family.
Surrounded by Tennessee mountains, Little Arrow Outdoor Resort is steps away from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Accommodations are in glamping tents, tiny homes, villas, cabins to trailers and Airstreams at prices from $110 a night. Cozy lodgings are thoughtfully designed with perks like wood-burning fireplaces, plush bedding, and robes. On-site is a club house, swimming pool and easy river access.
The 40-acre Country Woods Inn in the Texas Hill Country is just a short drive from Dallas-Fort Worth and minutes from top attractions like Fossil Rim and Dinosaur Valley State Park. Fish and swim on the Paluxy River perched on big rocks or take the riverwalk to the historic downtown square. Kids can feed and brush the barnyard animals or explore the woods to the water and the meadow in between. Stay in Airstreams or a Sante Fe Rail Car. From $125 a night.
Costanoa on California’s coast sits on acres of undisturbed wilderness, rolling coastal hills, and secluded beaches. The lodge, cabins, and tent bungalows each give a different experience. There are miles of hiking trails accessed right from the property as well as four State Parks in the area with 30,000 acres of hiking trails and a wildlife preserve. Mountain bike rentals for kids and adults are available every day and horseback rides are open for kids in the warmer months of the year. The Cascade Restaurant + Bar is open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with the Bar available all day. There are numerous spots on the resort to sit by a fire and relax with a drink or make s’mores. Rates from $129 a night.
There are many other websites that offer searches to glamp camp. There’s Huttopia that offers French-style camping or glamping resorts in Quebec, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and California. Locations feature heated swimming pools, bistro restaurants and activities for the whole family. Explore camping with comfort and luxury with easy access to lakes, rivers and trails. White Mountains is on Iona Lake, perfect for kayaking and canoeing and close to the trails and roads of the White Mountains National Forest. Additional attractions are conveniently nearby, including the shops and outlets of North Conway, tubing on the Saco River and the scenic vistas all along the Kancamagus Scenic Byway. And all under a 2.5 hour drive from downtown Boston with rates from $112 a night.
Lock away your phone and connect with loved ones at a Getaway location near you. All Getaway properties are a collection of cabins (or even renovated motels) called Outposts. While each cabin is fairly secluded and has its own space, you should expect to see other cabins on the land. Locations are within a two-hour drive to major cities such as Boston, DC, NYC, Atlanta, LA, Houston, Cleveland and Pittsburgh. Cabins are teeny-tiny (averaging 140-200 square feet for 2, 3 or 4 persons) and come with the must-have basics such as cooking essentials like oil, salt and pepper; a tiny 2-burner kitchen with pots, pans and utensils; dining ware; non-perishable provisions like pasta, snacks and coffee for purchase; fresh linens and towels; a hot shower with biodegradable shower products; and A/C and heat. As Getaway proudly states in its FAQ section, “There is no Wi-Fi and never will be.” Rates start from $79 a night.
Hipcamp lists outdoor stays and camping experiences for private landowners. You’ll find mostly DIY campsites, farmsites and RV space but cabins and glampsites. Filter the thousands of listings by lodging type, location, landscape, pet-friendly, family-friendly, adults only, activities offered, and amenities. Check out this mountaintop treehouse for 6 people at rates from $108 a night (selected by Outside Magazine as their Favorite Hipcamp in North Carolina and a Hipcamp Finalist in N.C. 2020, 2021, and 2022). The staff of Hipcamps shares their favorite locations. Hipcamp locations can charge prices from $25 a night to you-can’t-afford-it.
Atlantans might find The Glamping Collective for a getaway on top of a private mountain. This 171-acre glamping oasis is located 20 minutes east of Asheville and 60 minutes east of Great Smoky National Park. Choose from nearly two dozen domes and glass cabins. Rates from $200 a night.
And here’s one for the couple who really want to get away from everyone and everything! Glamp on your own private island. Little Raccoon Key, 10 minutes from Jekyll Island, is a reef island off the coast of Georgia, and part of the Golden Isles of Georgia. The abundant marine, land, and bird life make the unspoiled island one-of-a-kind. The island’s rich history involves Timucua/Guale natives, French, Spanish, and English Explorations, and now modern-day ecotourism and conservation efforts. Stay in a solar-powered luxury canvas weather-proof tent that has a memory foam mattress and pillows, fresh linens, wood burning stove, dishes and pans for meals, coffee/tea kettle, board games and books. An outdoor shower and a toilet are located outside of the tent. Fresh towels and sustainable toiletries will be provided. There’s also a gas grill, hammocks, Adirondack chairs, lanterns and lounges, There’s a cooler for ice, but it’s recommended that you bring a cooler for your food. Book the island for $1,699 per night. There’s also an a la carte menu to add chef-prepared meals, an on-island chef, massages, guided yoga and more.
See Clark’s travel planning and booking guide for the best tips on stress-free travel, and check out InsureMyTrip.com for travel insurance.
Why I Dig this Deal:
There are hundreds of glamping locations around the world with a wide range of prices from under $100 to the $1,000s. Take it outdoors!