The Ultimate Glamping Guide

Have you ever been shamed for wearing makeup while backpacking? Do you consider champagne just as much of a camping essential as firewood? Have you ever finished climbing a gnarly 14,000-foot peak and then been all, “Okay, why do I have to sleep on the ground like a peasant now?” Below is the ultimate glamping guide.

If you answered yes to any of the above, you obviously need to get your glamp on.

What is glamping, you ask? For starters, it’s a combination of “glamorous” and “camping”–two concepts that most people probably wouldn’t put in the same sentence, let alone in the same word.

But it’s so much more than that. Glamping is a place where you can experience the outdoors without the dreaded leaky-tent-in-a-thunderstorm scenario. You can blow dry your hair, stay connected to social media, enjoy chef curated meals, entertainment and probably a lot fewer bear attacks (no guarantee on that last one; sneaky bears).

Wherever you’re living, there are tons of options for you if you want to go camping this weekend without the damp sleeping bag and rock digging into your back. Here are a few of our favorites.

El Cosmico, Marfa, TX

Forget about saving the best for last. This one’s the best and it’s first because you seriously can’t go another second of your life without hearing about it. Located in far west Texas where the high desert is sprawling and the stars are brighter, this place is really something. El Cosmico rents out safari tents, tepees and most importantly, amazing vintage trailers. From the great big (and aptly named) Imperial Mansion with a king-sized bed and gorgeous deck to the adorable and awesomely fuschia Little Pinky, there’s a rig for everyone. Maybe you’re here to check out local art installations like the infamous Prada Marfa or you’re down to do some serious hiking at nearby Big Bend National Park. Maybe you just want to spend the entire time here because it’s the perfect place to chill out in a hammock, ride a bike around, rent a wood-fired hot tub and relax. El Cosmico has all kinds of workshops if that’s your scene, but whenever you come you’re guaranteed to have a completely unique experience. This is a paradise for desert wanderers. It’s about time you became one. Just the first in the ultimate glamping guide.

Moab Under Canvas, Moab, UT

If you’ve spent time in the great magical American Southwest, or even just thought about it, you’ve probably encountered Moab, Utah in some capacity. The small, artsy, outdoorsy town is nearby two national parks and a whole community of people who like to go hard in every way. Finding lodging in Moab usually forces you to choose between a primitive (and often already booked way in advance) site or a boring, overpriced motel. You, Mr./Ms. Fancypants are better than that. Moab Under Canvas rents luxury safari tents and tepees with sweet views of Arches National Park. Glampsites are carpeted, furnished and include wood burning stoves with complimentary firewood, which is like, a lot easier than building a fire the old-fashioned way. If you’re understandably overwhelmed by all of the awesomeness in the area, Moab Under Canvas offers packages which allow you to glamp and get epic on climbing, rafting, hiking and horseback riding trips. You can even pre-order breakfast to fuel the adventure. These guys refer to themselves as a “1,000-star hotel” and we couldn’t agree more. Another good choice in the ultimate glamping guide.

Posh Primitive, Chestertown, NY

The Hamptons are totally played out, dahling. As far as the ultimate New Yorker getaway goes, glamping in the Adirondacks is about to become even trendier than jetting off to Montauk. Stay ahead of the curve and head upstate before it’s crowded. Posh Primitive is the east coast paradise if your idea of paradise includes custom, log embellished canvas tents and Pendleton wool blankets (ours does). The understated resort is home to a long-established in-house guide service for all of your hiking, biking, rafting, zip lining and caving needs. What could be better than retiring from an action filled day to your comfortable, luxurious safari tent? The fancy folks who run this joint even have their own garden where farm to table meals are the literal cherry on the ice cream sundae that is this glampground. Bon appétit!

Silver Bullet Retreats, Tampa, FL

You know what they say. If you can’t come to the glampground, make the glampground come to you. Silver Bullet Retreats will not only rent you an ultra vintage, ultra chic Airstream but they’ll bring it to you, set it up and tow it away when you’re done. For newbies, they’ll even show you how to use it. There are fewer things more nostalgic and photogenic than a shiny silver Airstream and you know you’ve always secretly dreamed of staying in one at some point. All you need to do is choose a professionally decorated rig and the RV friendly campground of your dreams and these guys will do the rest. They’ll deliver the iconic Airstream to super close RV parks for no charge and others for a relatively nominal fee. Most units sleep four people and all units are going to make the perfect backdrop for you, your high waisted bikini and a sunny Florida vacation. Red lipstick and sunglasses are not required but definitely recommended. Another good choice in the ultimate glamping guide.

Trump International Hotel, Las Vegas, NV

Honestly, this one is too ridiculous not to include. For the completely reasonable and not at all ridiculous price of $1,400 (though to be fair, a portion of this does go to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital), you can go glamping Donald Trump style at a luxury hotel. This is kind of a kid-friendly based thing, but it’s still Vegas, so there’s still going to be booze and shenanigans involved for the adults. Glampers of all ages will get hooked up with a nice suite and all kinds of amenities. Your personal glamping concierge-side note: greatest job ever-will set up a Marmot tent, sleeping bags, planetarium projector, outdoor sound effects machine and an HDTV campfire simulation. Robes, flashlights, and glow sticks are also provided and you certainly won’t be roughing it with your own chef prepared s’mores. Adults get a nice bottle of wine, Trump monogrammed sleep masks and luxury spa products. Of course, in true mini bar style, all camping supplies are available for purchase. Isn’t wilderness the best? We hope you enjoyed the ultimate glamping guide.