Glamping: More Than Just Big Tents

Glamping is one of the best ways to escape to the great outdoors without leaving too much of home behind. While traditional camping encourages utility and packing light, glamping is all about modern luxuries. So how do you go glamping? There are several options that go beyond your basic tent and campfire.

Here are some of the most common glamping methods:

Motorhomes

Motorhomes have been a perfect vehicle for glamping long before the term became popular. With a motorhome, you are essentially driving around your very own mobile apartment. They come in all sizes and levels of luxury but most have sleeping space for multiple people, ample storage, kitchens and even toilets. To take a glamping trip in a motorhome, simply get in and drive! You will find countless places across the country that offer RV and motorhome parking for overnight or extended stays. This allows you and your traveling companions to enjoy the great outdoors in the same vehicle that brought you there.

Cabins

Cabin camping is another form of glamping you can find as an option in many parks or recreation areas that also offer camping. Glamping in a cabin means you have a roof over your head and sturdy walls around you to protect from the elements. You’ll also be able to sleep in a bed and might even have a private bathroom. Most of the time, camping cabins only have room for sleeping and storage, while cooking, dining and other activities are still outside. Regardless, you can’t beat the luxury of having your own private structure—no tent required.

Safari Tents

Made popular by wealthy English travelers in the early 1900s, safari tents are still popular for glamping all over the world today. Safari tents are massive compared to your usual camping tent—usually as large as a hotel room. They include space not only for beds but other additional furniture like tables, dressers and other storage. They also have modern amenities like Wi-Fi, electricity and even wood flooring. The original safari tents were mostly built of canvas, but these days manufacturers offer even more durable and insulating fabric options and high-tech structural elements.

Yurts

Yurts can be like safari tents in size and luxury but differ in shape and origin. Yurts are a style of tent dwelling originating in Central Asia that are sturdy but quick to set up or break down. They are round with a shallow cone-shaped roof traditionally made from felt or canvas. Modern luxury yurts come with wooden platforms that serve as flooring and a structural base, as well as modern building materials like metal frames and wire rope. Yurts are an incredibly popular way to enjoy the outdoors and have become ubiquitous as many campgrounds and resorts in all climates because of the ease of insulating them from harsh elements.

While all the above options provide modern comforts and luxury in the great outdoors, glamping is truly what you make of it. The comfort and style you bring to your own glamping experience truly makes it “glamorous” regardless of the structure or location. Whether you want to drive the home yourself or retreat to one already built in the wilderness, there are lots of ways you can enjoy both modern comforts with a traditional outdoor experience.