Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Travel
  3. Outdoors
  4. News

Find the Most Unique, Undiscovered Campsites in the U.S. With Hipcamp

By
Şahin Yeşilyaprak/Unsplash

Anyone who’s tried to find and book a campsite on public land knows the struggle. Without an all-in-one metasearch engine — think Kayak or Expedia — for campgrounds, searching for campsites was a painful, time-consuming task. Now, with the release of its new mobile app, Hipcamp has streamlined the process, making it easier than ever to book right from your phone.

By the numbers, Hipcamp is impressive. With more than 300,000 sites available, it claims to be the largest resource of its kind in the United States. That number includes public park campsites and private campgrounds, making it easy to zero in on the site that fits your needs. Most impressive are the niche options available for specific types of camping. Hipcamp curates lists for lake camping, beach camping, pet-friendly campsites, and glamping (glamour camping) options. Like Airbnb, many of Hipcamp’s sites are unique and destination-worthy in their own right like this off-grid tiny cabin in Oregon, California’s The Sanctuary Treehouse, and this rustic campsite on a vineyard in Minnesota. 

Recommended Videos

For at least a decade, most campground-booking engines around the country were siloed, closed off from one another. That made it almost impossible to do a quick, location-based search for, say, all available campsites in Yosemite this weekend or the best beach camping near Savannah, Georgia. Instead, it usually involved an arduous process of searching dozens of sites, all with different layouts, requirements, contact forms, payment systems, and owners. Even today, some systems aren’t online at all, forcing would-be campers to pick up the phone and — brace yourself — call the reservation office (the horror!).

There’s no shortage of peer-to-peer options for campers looking to reserve a temporary stay on their own secluded patch of Earth. Most, however, tend to cater to a specific niche. GlampingHub, for example, is the country’s largest booking engine for upscale camping, where campsites typically offer most, if not all, the comforts of home. On the other end of the spectrum is FreeHouse — a site dedicated to disconnected, off-grid accommodations where nature-lovers can expect a proper digital detox far from civilization. Hipcamp is unique with a comprehensive catalog that offers luxury and barebones accommodations, plus everything in between.

The Hipcamp app is free to download for iOS, and the company promises an Android version is in the works. Users can also book through the Hipcamp website. It’s free for campers to register, and money only changes hands when a site is reserved.

Mike Richard
Mike Richard
Contributor
Mike Richard has traveled the world since 2008. He’s kayaked in Antarctica, tracked endangered African wild dogs in South… Read Full Bio
Topics
Travel
These 2026 island getaways are surging in popularity right now
Sandals St. Lucia Grande

Expedia just released its latest set of data: The 2026 Island Hot List, a trending list that compiles the emerging islands travelers are searching for before they become the next big thing. According to the newExpedia data, interest in these rising island destinations is up 55% on average year-over-year, while social media mentions have climbed 20% as travelers look for new experiences, better value, and fewer crowds. If you ask me, this is pretty surprising to hear it’s up 55%, especially when I thought islands were already one of the most popular year-round travel destinations.

Ranked #1 on Expedia’s 2026 Island Hot List is St. Lucia, an island I first fell in love with back in 2023 when I went on my honeymoon there. Once you visit here, it’s pretty easy to see why it’s ranked the best for romantic escapes. This destination has been a popular spot for anniversary and honeymoon trips for a long time now — and it doesn’t appear to be slowing down. As travelers move beyond crowded Caribbean hotspots, many are willing to take the extra trek to destinations like St. Lucia for it’s dramatic scenery, romantic resort options like Sugar Beach, and soft adventure focus.

Read more
Travel
Six Senses Rome is a peaceful retreat in a beautifully chaotic city
the lobby at Six Senses Rome

Rome is one of the most visited cities in Europe, and by all accounts, it gets crowded. But considering that it’s one of the world’s most important epicenters for history, culture, food and architecture, we can forgive the crowds. After all, complaining about tourism when you’re a tourist is not the way. But booking yourself a peaceful respite to start and end each day most certainly is.

I chose Six Senses Rome as my home base during a recent four-day trip to the city. The property opened in 2023 in the restored 15th-century Palazzo Salviati Cesi Mellini. The historic building sets the tone before you even check in, with restored 600-year-old columns in the main entrance, pale travertine floors, a light-dappled lobby overflowing with greenery, and a massive marble staircase that’s almost comically regal. And its neighbor is the gorgeous San Marcello al Corso Church—so you can start your sightseeing by literally going next door. 

Read more
Travel
5 Tips If You’re Traveling With Cigars: I Learned No. 2 the Hard Way
Wood, Hardwood, Accessories

Traveling with cigars can be challenging if you’re not prepared. The lack of preparation can lead to your favorite cigars getting smashed from inadequate storage, or they can peel because they weren’t kept at the proper temperature, among other issues. Sometimes you do all the right things, and still come away shaking your head.

I’ve been smoking cigars for two decades now, and it’s not beneath me to admit that I’ve made plenty of cigar travel mistakes in that span, and as recently as two weeks ago. You live, you learn, and hope you don’t waste a stogie on the next trip. My most recent cigar travel mistake is what inspired me to share these tips. Sure, there are plenty of articles out there offering similar advice. But this list comes from a cigar smoker and writer who has visited six countries and about a dozen states in the last year alone. And in that time, mistakes were made, and lessons were learned.

Read more