Sometimes city girls crave a calming respite from T delays, Sox game traffic, and skylines filled with concrete and glass. Consider escaping the urban grind by going glamping—glamour camping, which provides a woodsy experience without bothersome camping inconveniences, such as sleeping on the ground. Real beds and access to bathroom facilities are some of the amenities you can expect glamping sites to offer. At fancier sites you might even spot a chandelier or writing desk.
The Northeast is lucky to have a number of glamping sites to suit solo adventures, romantic getaways, and family fun. They range from charmingly rustic to almost hotel-like luxury. Exhale compiled the best local glamping experiences around based on comfort level.
If you own hiking boots and know your way around a campfire, Tops’l Farm is for you. This is the glampsite most akin to traditional camping. The farm’s mission is for visitors to disconnect from their cell phones and to reconnect with nature. Though it’s a huge upgrade from pitching a pup tent, be prepared to use your wilderness skills.
What’s Provided
When booking a stay you choose either a camp tent or an A-frame cabin. Each dwelling is suitable for two guests, with cots available for children. The cabins have locks but the tents do not. These accommodations are appointed with beds, faux-fur rugs, cozy flannel blankets, vintage trunks, and battery-powered lights. Every dwelling sits on its own campsite and has its own firepit. Guests also receive access to a kitchenette stocked with pots and plates where you can wash your dishes and charge your phone, and a bathhouse with toilets and showers.
What You’re Going Without
The cabins and tents have no electricity, and you should expect a stroll to the bathhouses. Food is not provided although you can pay extra to receive meals or ingredients at your campsite. Prices range from $8 per person for coffee and doughnuts to $12 per person for a gourmet hamburger kit. There is no Wi-Fi at the campground. While you can charge your phone, the outlets don’t accommodate laptops.
If you’re an urban warrior traveling with your woodsy partner (or vice versa) and you both want to be happy, Huttopia is a great middle ground. The campground offers a spectrum of accommodations ranging from rustic to well appointed, mixing tents and cabins in a scenic outdoor setting.
What’s Provided
Huttopia offers three types of lodging: cozy tents on an elevated platform, cabins chock-full of amenities, and a tent-cabin hybrid made of wood and canvas, merging comfort and connection to nature. The dwellings vary in size, sleeping one to six people. Many accommodations come with electricity, beds, and a private firepit. Cabins and hybrids also have a bathroom, fridge, and kitchenette. Kitchenware is provided for campfire cooking. Huttopia’s focus is less on decor and more on comfort. Shared facilities include coin-operated laundry, and all tents and cabins lock for safety.
What You’re Going Without
Individual lodgings don’t offer Wi-Fi, but you can get your online fix in the communal lounge. Food isn’t included though you’ll find a food truck-style outdoor restaurant and on-site bar selling sustenance all day. Some of the more basic tents require a walk to the bathroom.
If you own flannel more for fashion than for function, and you definitely can’t go on vacation without checking your e-mail, Sandy Pines is your perfect glamping destination. This site takes the glamour part of the experience to a new level with enormous tents decorated in different themes, mini cabins on wheels dubbed “Camp Carriages,” and A-frame cabins with canvas doors.
What’s Provided
All Sandy Pines accommodations have electricity, and there’s Wi-Fi throughout the campground. Each lodging option is designed for two people, though they offer family sites, which include a separate children’s tent for up to two kids. Tents come fully furnished (more Architectural Digest than first apartment) and include a mini fridge, outdoor beverage cooler, and heating/cooling options. The campground also boasts an outdoor swimming pool, and some lodgings come equipped with AC.
What You’re Going Without
Bathroom facilities require a walk. Food is not provided, but for an extra $25 you can rent a grill to cook on. The compound has a general store with supplies and a snack bar selling light fare. None of the dwellings have door locks; the staff recommends you keep valuables locked in your vehicle.
So, pick just how pared down or posh you want to go and prepare to be one happy glamper.