Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Outdoors

Here Are the Reasons Why You Should Embrace Glamping Already

Latifah Al-Hazza
By
Moab trip with Cooper Tire & Rubber Company Glamping.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Glamping is where rugged, beautiful nature meets luxury amenities. Think of it as a way to experience untouched parts of this world without having to sacrifice comfort and peace of mind. If your vacation essentials list includes a real mattress, running water, and an actual toilet, glamping is perfect for you. Glamping, a fusion of glamour and camping, allows you to live in nature on your own terms. It may not be as authentic as camping, but hey, it’s a whole lot less stressful!

But the ritzy experience extends well beyond a nice tent and a memory foam mattress. There are a lot of great glamping destinations and experiences to try. Whether it’s sleeping in a treehouse up in a rainforest canopy, sipping and sleeping in an airstream in the middle of a vineyard, or waking up in a yurt to stunning views atop a mountain — all of these things fall under the movement called glamping.

Recommended Videos

Who Goes Glamping?

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Toby O’Rourke, President and CEO of KOA campgrounds, told The Manual, “We’ve been tracking glamping as an emerging travel trend for the past several years as we’ve seen growing demand for different types of glamping experiences.”

Related

Takeaways from his KOA North American Glamping Report suggest that millennials make up the largest group of glampers at 48%, and 42% of travelers who glamp self-identify as non-white. Over 60% of travelers say they glamp because they want services and amenities that aren’t available with traditional camping, while 59% of glampers go with their children, likely because glamping gives families the fun of the outdoors without the hassle of traditional camping.

“Most of my childhood, I’ve done camping as a rugged experience,” adventure travel content creator Justin Walter tells The Manual. “It’s nice to treat yourself to a luxury version through camping.” Walter also loves that glamping opens doors for him to be able to travel with various friend groups, even ones who prefer high-end travel experiences.

Types of Glamping

Genevieve Poblano/The Manual

From safari tents to igloos, glamping can come in a variety of shapes and forms. Glamping Hub, for instance, offers 28 different types of experiences to choose from, including tented cabins, yurts, safari tents, treehouses, domes, huts, caves, and igloos. Airstream rentals, trailers, barns, towers, and cottages are also fair game to call glamping experiences if they’re tucked away in nature and off the grid. If you don’t care about the type of glamping “tent” you’re in, pick a destination based on where you want to travel. In fact, some of the most luxurious tent rentals can be found around the world.

Rewards of Glamping

Opting to make one of your trips a glamping experience, as opposed to a hotel, means you’ll likely use less electricity during your stay. You’ll also learn about nature and why it’s important to preserve its wildness, and even though it’s not as bare-bones as camping, you’ll find yourself wanting to disconnect and enjoy just being. Aside from that, you can make the experience unique by bringing in your own glamping gear.

“Spending time outdoors allows me to center myself. It’s a more hands-on life experience, and it reminds me how I am a small person in this universe,” says Walter. “When it comes to travel, I choose the outdoors versus big cities. I want to experience as much as possible that this planet naturally has to offer.”

Each glamping experience is also purposefully unique, and the owners of each site pride themselves on the guest experience. You’ll likely find additional services like guided hikes, canoeing, archery, and fireside cookouts. The glamping tents themselves are often dazzlingly designed, and with attention to detail. It can be like going to an adult summer camp or can offer an excuse to enjoy your solitude.

At the end of the day, follow Walter’s lead: “Put your fears aside and realize that going out of your comfort zone is a great experience, and the outdoors is our greatest teacher.”

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Latifah Al-Hazza
Latifah Al-Hazza
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Latifah is an Emmy Award-Winning travel journalist and documentary filmmaker, as well as the Cofounder of Femscape Sojourns…
Here’s why you should be using AllTrails+ to find new outdoor adventures: Review
The AllTrails app will allow you to find new trails and explore further this summer
A person walks in the woods with their phone open and AllTrails running.

With the world at your fingertips and all information at the push of a button, finding new trails and pushing the boundaries of your exploration has never been easier. I've been using the AllTrails app for years, but this summer, I've finally upgraded to the AllTrails Pro version (now called AllTrails+), and it's taken my experience to a whole new level. This crowdsourced app features hundreds of thousands of trails from all over the world, and in a digital age, if you're not using the right hiking apps, you're potentially missing out on so much of the outdoor world.

AllTrails is not only a great way to get the most out of visiting a new area, but it's also allowed me to discover new trails right on my doorstep. The benefits of AllTrails+ transform this trail-finding app into a complete navigational tool. This app now boasts everything you could need for every step of your hike — planning and execution. Here's what I've found from my AllTrails+ experience and my opinion on whether you should upgrade your AllTrails login and go pro.

Read more
You know you should avoid poison ivy, but stay away from these 5 plants, too
Avoid these 5 poison plants like the plague
Poison ivy leaves of three

Summer is a season of outdoor adventures and exploration. However, hidden amongst the foliage are plants that can cause itching, rashes, and discomfort. While poison ivy is notorious for its irritating effects, there are several other plants that can cause similar reactions.

Not sure what to avoid on your next hiking trip? Understanding what these poison plants look like, their common look-alikes, symptoms, and how to alleviate the itching can help you enjoy a rash-free summer.

Read more
Car campers, overlanders, and vanlifers: Why you need a portable composting toilet
If you're tired of constantly looking for a place to "go" on the go, a composting porta-loo is the answer
Young bearded man sitting on a Trelino portable composting toilet next to an orange campervan.

From car camping to overlanding to living the van life, few things embody a sense of freedom and adventure more than hitting the open road. If you love exploration and the great outdoors, it just doesn’t get any better. But spend any time living out of your vehicle, and you soon realize that it’s not all roses. There’s a never-ending list of things that need figuring out, from finding the best campsite for the night to making sure you don’t run out of gas to researching YouTube at three o’clock in the morning to determine why your 4Runner is making that weird tchtkktchk rattling noise. The hardest problem of all? Figuring out how and where to go to the bathroom.

If you live in the States, where there’s a fast food restaurant or a Walmart on every corner, you’re never far from a public restroom. But what if you're just tired of shared toilets or you want to explore farther — sometimes much farther — afield? What if you’re looking to escape civilization and rely only on the tools, food, and appliances you’re carrying with you? Among other things, you need a portable waterless toilet — more specifically, a composting toilet.

Read more