Glamping Creates A New Outdoors

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Glamping schlamping! What the heck is it?

The word glamping was made by combining the words glamorous and camping.

You can also think of glamping as luxurious camping that is very different than our parents did in the 70’s!

Glamping gives you the opportunity to go camping, get away from the city and stress of day to day life but not have to rent a U-Haul truck to transport all your camping gear. Glamping is all the rage for folks from the city to families from the suburbs that are wanting to spend more and more time outdoors rather than renting a house or hotel room. It gives you the ability to try your hand at getting up close and personal with nature without having to mortgage the house to purchase tenting gear, a tag along camper or an RV. The glamping movement is sweeping the country and the world. What used to be unheard of, now has become more widely known. Certain parts of the US have more glamping experiences to offer but hold on, the number of unique and quirky accommodations are popping up all over!

Experiences

The experience you’ll have glamping with your friends or family are unique and vary wildly!

Let your imagination and your kids’ imagination run wild with what type of accommodation that would wow your family.

Dare to imagine an amazing getaway in a secluded location, or a mountaintop retreat you reach by hiking, boating, or by horseback. Think back to when you were a kid and what kind of camping adventure you thought would be the coolest adventure. Talk to your kids about they’d love to do while camping or what type of accommodation would make their eyes pop out of their heads.

There are glamping venues and locations for everyone – no matter how off-beat and funky your taste.

Get ready for the treat of your life. Unique locations, all kinds of venues, gorgeous landscapes, and there’s NO need to rough it!

If it’s on you list of must-haves, you can find glamping spots with comfy beds, Wi-Fi, on-site massage therapists and inground pools, kids activities, or leave all that behind and choose a secluded spot next to a private pond so you can catch your supper.

Think of the choices you’ll have when glamping; wake up in a yurt on a mountainside, listen to the gurgle of a slow-moving stream from a safari tent, watch a herd of horses graze peacefully from you cabin, tough it out in a cave, climb to your bed in a treehouse, have a blast in a tipi, sip hot chocolate in an igloo or exit your converted storage container in town and walk to the seashore.

Whatever you might have dreamed about when you were a kid, this new and quirky kind of camping can fulfill those dreams!

More Environmentally Friendly

I don’t have to go into detail about what it takes to build a hotel, Inn, or Motel.

Think of all the raw materials, wood, cement, etc and then think about your accommodations when glamping.

The square footage of a glamping venue is most likely much smaller, many are created out of upcycled or reused items. Imagine how cool it would be to create a sleeping space out of things that otherwise would be part of a landfill.

Some are part of nature like underground homes, caves, or a treehouse.

Glamping in a Natural Environment

Most glamping sites allow you to experience nature like you never have before. That’s because glamping venues tend to be privately owned and not grouped together in a campground type environment.

Escape from the hustle bustle of cites and try something new. You can really relax because you don’t need to pack, transport, unpack and set up your glamping spot. It’s all done for you!

Imagine relaxing in your private yurt, converted storage container, cave or treehouse with no distractions of your daily life. Grab a fishing pole and head to the creek or climb into the hammock and relax for the afternoon. Turn off technology and listen to Mother Nature’s miracles. It’s ok, really!

Bring Boundless Energy because the Sky is the Limit

Try it all; horseback riding, kayaking, hiking, biking, hot air ballooning, hang-gliding, spelunking, or just kicking back and listen to the sounds of nature!

Poo Poo’ing Glamping

Hard-core, long time off grid campers poo poo glamping as fake camping. I have to admit that when I first heard of glamping I did a definite eye-roll and chuckled.

The more I learn about glamping, the more I find I’m embracing it for those folks that cherish the outdoors but just don’t have the constitution to sleep on a foam pad in a lean-to.

Glamping is a wonderful way for many city folk to get as close to nature as they comfortable. Most glamping venues have lots of creature comforts and hopefully, if you or others in your group are squeamish, there will be no unwanted creatures in your campervan or yurt. This style of camping is just taking hold in the US. I am from a small town in northern NH and there is already a glamping community called Huttopia. I’ve spoken with many tourists that have vacationed there and it fits their outdoor comfort zone to the T!

You can pack all the outdoor gear you want when you go glamping because all the room in the back of the minivan isn’t hogged by a tent, cookstove and the rest.

Prepare to have to detox off of technology though. Most private glamping sites do not have the technology comfort of home. Relax, breathe, enjoy the quiet.

Prepare Yourself

I thought I should warn you about a few things you may experience while glamping. Don’t worry – you’ll survive.

Toilets – Have you ever heard of a composting toilet? Electricity – you might have to live with limited electric and it might be generated by wind, solar, or batteries. Showers – have you ever taken a 5-gallon solar shower? Hint: use verrry little shampoo/conditioner/soap Heaters – prepare for the possibility of cold temps and no heat Cooking – have you ever lit a camp stove? Refrigeration – if there is a lack of electricity, you can expect to have to keep your perishables cold in coolers Lighting – have you ever seen an oil lamp?
Once thing I can guarantee is that you’ll have a lot of laughs when you return home reminiscing about all your “firsts”.

Pick One from the List

Glampinghub

Glamping Hub’s mission is to create the “largest collection of unique nature-based accommodations with emphasis on a five-star experience”. Glamping Hub is a different kind of online travel agency. Instead of folks picking a destination and then looking for a venue, glamping guests tend to choose the offbeat type of rental first and the destination second. The staff at Glamping Hub is an international group of folks that are interested in experienced based travel. Another quirky requirement is to have lived abroad.

Glamping.com

Looking to experience modern luxury and nature at its finest? If it’s creature comforts you’re looking for, you found the spot. Want to travel to unique locations in the world, looking to explore, immerse yourself in the local culture, and most of all, want to spend your vacation time IN nature and not just visiting.

Check out Tentrr

Private landowners can have the opportunity to welcome guests to their property and host them in an efficient tent erected by Tentrr. The campsites are hand picked by an employee of the company. They tour the landowners property to pick the best spot for folks that want to experience new and amazing spots. The tent provided will become your home base. You can feel free to explore and enjoy the property. Hosts typically are willing to help you plan your day trips so you can get the full experience of the area. Go have some fun!

Huttopia

Huttopia is an international glamping company that is growing like a weed. Based in Canada, they recently opened up a site in NH. You can choose between a wood and canvas tent of a chalet, swim in the lake or the heated pool. You have the freedom and choice to make your vacation perfect for you. There are organized activities, pizza, and campfires. You can bring your fur friend along too.

Glamping is a fantastic way to enter the world of camping. You can live on the wild side and not have to break the bank with purchases to prepare for your trip. Glamping venues have what you need to survive, you need to bring all your personal items and just enjoy yourself!


feature image credit: Photo by Tom Beckermann on Reshot