Glamping is a portmanteau.
What is a portmanteau you ask?
The combining of two words, for example, glamorous camping becomes glamping.
The following written content from Veronica Stoddart
After more than a year of lockdown, travelers are flocking to open-air destinations as a welcome refuge from the pandemic. Indeed, this year is shaping up to be a banner one for camping vacations, with 51 percent of boomers planning to increase their camping trips, according to the 2021 North American Camping Report, sponsored by Kampgrounds of America (KOA).
But some of us may not see the appeal of old-style roughing it.
Enter glamping, which lets you immerse yourself in the great outdoors without sacrificing the comforts of home. A perfect marriage of rustic nature and modern luxury, this form of “glamorous camping” combines the joys of the wild with the amenities of civilization, like comfy beds, running water and electricity. Not to mention hot tubs, personal butlers, chandeliers and heated floors in some. It’s no surprise, then, that 49 percent of all campers are interested in glamping this year, according to the KOA report.
Here are nine fun glamping spots across the U.S. Prices are summer estimates, unless otherwise noted. To find additional options, try sites such as Hipcamp, Glamping Hub and Glamping.
Asheville Glamping (Asheville, North Carolina)
Tucked snugly into the verdant forest, the deluxe air-conditioned tents of Asheville Glamping sit on raised wooden platforms and feature queen-size beds, private fire pits and propane grills, and (in some) hot tubs. Half the tents have private bathrooms; the others share a nearby bathhouse. There are also eight light-filled air-conditioned domes (snuggle under heated blankets in winter) with their own bathrooms as well as vintage trailers, yurts and even a tree house. The Blue Ridge Parkway, Pisgah National Forest and lovely Asheville itself are all a short drive away.
Black Tree Resort (Lake George, Colorado)
High end marries high country on 80 acres bordering Pike National Forest. With privacy in mind, the 11 tents at Black Tree are spaced out and outfitted with luxury linens on queen-size beds, handcrafted furniture, solar-powered lighting and private bathrooms (one tent and bathroom are ADA-compliant). Love seats and wood-burning stoves ramp up the cozy factor. You can zip around the property on an electric golf cart or just chill on your private covered deck or on Adirondack chairs around your own firepit. After a day of hiking, boating, fly-fishing, horseback riding, ziplining or white-water rafting nearby, cozy up to a chef-prepared meal delivered right to your tent. And, yes, it’s pretty pricey.
DOUGLAS MERRIAM FOR SANDY PINES CAMPGROUND
Sandy Pines Campground (Kennebunkport, Maine)
Just a mile from Goose Rocks Beach and a short drive to the waterfront attractions of charming Kennebunkport, Sandy Pines Campground boasts the best of both worlds. This stylish resort in the woods offers nine individually decorated “couples glamp tents,” with such evocative names as Blixen’s Oasis, Castaway and Wanderlust. At 430 square feet, each one features a king-size bed with fancy linens, wood deck with cushioned seating, AC and heater, mini fridge, firepit and access to a shared bathhouse. When you’re ready to venture out of your cozy cocoon, enjoy a heated saltwater pool; bike, kayak and paddleboard rentals; and a variety of lawn games. You can even play bingo on Sunday nights.
Alpenglow Luxury Camping (Glacier View, Alaska)
Here’s one for the bucket list: camping on a remote Alaskan glacier after swooping in by helicopter. Alaska’s biggest and most accessible glacier, Matanuska, serves as home base for this overnight on the ice. And what a base Alpenglow is. Settle into one of your tent’s two deck chairs, a glacier cocktail in hand, to swoon over stunning views of the glacier. There’s no electricity and you’ll have to share a composting toilet, but just think of the bragging rights!
For a longer stay, choose from a two-person, 10-foot-by-12-foot Forest Tent or a three-person, 12-foot-by-14-foot Mountain Tent back at the main camp. Featuring Alaskan decor, each is perched on a covered cedar deck with Adirondack or rocking chairs for taking in the spectacular vistas. Again, this is nature in the raw, with shared bath facilities and no heat or electricity (charge your electronics in the common area); warm up under your down comforter, in a communal cedar hot tub or around the firepit.
Conestoga Ranch (Garden City, Utah)
Perched on the shore of beautiful Bear Lake, Conestoga Ranch calls itself “the Caribbean of the Rockies.” Yes, you can actually sunbathe on white sand beaches or go boating, fishing, kayaking, waterskiing and standup paddleboarding. The ranch is also near two marquee national parks: Grand Teton and Yellowstone. Come for the location but stay for the glamorous part of glamping in Royal, Grand or Traditional tents. King-size beds? Check. Mini fridges and dining tables? Yes. Oriental-style rugs and private campfire patios? You bet. Campfire valets will even start your blaze and deliver all the fixings for s’mores! Don’t want to trek to a shared bathhouse? Choose the Royal or Grand Tents with their en suite bathrooms. The Royal even boasts a clawfoot soaking tub and pinch-me hilltop views. Alternatively, you can stay in four- or six-person covered wagons that would be the envy of the early pioneers. Enjoy meals at the on-site restaurant. Just be sure to treat yourself to a heavenly in-unit massage. Read more from AARP
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