By now you’ve surely heard about glamping, a luxe way of getting a close-to-camping experience without any of the yucky parts (sleeping bags and peeing in the woods, for example). And while its rise to fame has come mainly through music festivals and far-flung destinations, there are some glamping experiences that are popping up somewhat closer to home.
A little more than 200 miles north in Ithaca, New York, Firelight Camps gives guests a glamping experience right on the grounds of La Tourelle Resort and Spa (which means you’re never too far from a martini and a massage). The plush platform tents come with hardwood floors, real beds with lovely linens, and even a private balcony. You'll have to step out to find the bathroom within Firelight’s bath house – complete with hot showers, changing rooms, flushing toilets, and even full-length mirrors and hairdryers. As for stuff to do, you can hike the trails of the Buttermilk Falls State Park that surround the property, hang out and play corn hole and bocce, catch a yoga class, or head further into the Finger Lakes to explore wineries and watersports. At night, the campfire gets going and guests can gather ‘round to indulge in that sweet summertime staple: s’mores.
While the place bills itself as more of a camp for grownups, children are indeed allowed. Doubles start at around $229 for two people, but you can add kids under 12 to your tent for an extra $25, or $35 for those over 12. Each stay comes with a locally-sourced breakfast in the “lobby and lounge” tent that’s also home to the site’s only phone charging stations ... but you can totally pretend you didn’t know that and simply disconnect for the weekend.
To go even swankier, check out Collective Retreats, a collection of fab and fancy glamping resorts with locations in drop-dead gorgeous places like Vail, Sonoma, Big Sky ... and the no-plane-ticket-required Hudson Valley. Set on the organic Liberty Farms and equestrian center, these tents add even more high-end amenities including completely private bathrooms with rain-style showers and flush toilets, Turkish cotton bath robes, electrical outlets, super stylish furniture, and wood-burning stoves. Guests also get access to the communal Three Peaks Lodge where you’ll get a complimentary breakfast of yummy housemade stuff like waffles, granola, and omelets. The place also offers lunch as well as a three-course farm-to-table dinner nightly (for a separate cost.)
Addiitonally, you can partake guided hikes and excursions to sights like the nearby FDR Presidential Library. And, of course, you’re never too far from a winery. The additional luxe factor doesn’t come cheap, however. Tents start at $500 a night for a double and, like Fireside, Collective Retreats charges an extra fee ($100/night, in this case) for kiddos staying in their parents’ tents. Sorry, kids, glamping ain’t cheap.
