My First Glamping Experience
When Mr. RC first mentioned the idea of glamping to me, I quickly shut it down. My family camped frequently when I was growing up and I adored it so much that I would even "camp" in our own backyard. Yet, somehow, after all these years as a city dweller, the thought of going sans-electricity or running water was highly unappealing. Still, Mr. RC somehow convinced me that glamping would be nothing like camping, so off we went.
I know glamping is nothing new, but as a recent first timer I wanted to share my experience for others who may not have gone yet, but are considering going and want to know what to expect, pack, etc.
On first thought, Mr. RC was absolutely right about the whole experience. Glamping is a world apart from the rustic nature of pitching and sleeping in a tent. You still get the fun sleeping-in-a-tent part, but without having to sacrifice sleeping in a bed. There's no twisting and turning yourself as you try to finagle your clothes on while also avoiding the sides of a dew-soaked tent. There's space to actually hang out. There's a real wood floor, as opposed to the hard ground, and, uh, did you catch the part where I mentioned the bed??! Also, depending on the glamping site you pick, you may even get breakfast included and updated washroom/bathroom facilities. It's pretty safe to say that I'm never camping in a tent ever again.
One of the things I was most concerned about with glamping was the bathroom situation. Like, am I showering with a hose? What happens when it's 3am and I wake up having to go to the bathroom? My mind immediately went to a vision of my headstone reading "Here lies Alyssa who died by a midnight bear attack in the woods on her way to the restroom".#dramaqueen The Mr. guaranteed me that I could wake him up any time I needed an escort to the restroom and you better believe I took him up on that. Still, that part of the glamping experience wasn't all that fun for me.
Similarly, keep in mind that the only public outlets were in the shared restroom. This isn't an issue by any means, but if you're a high maintenance hair person, be aware. Similarly, if you have lots of electronic to charge (aka phones, camera batteries, etc), you'll want to plan accordingly. The place provided us with lanterns, but we still needed to use the flashlights on our phone, which in turn caused them to drain quickly and I was definitely not prepared with extra batteries, chargers, etc (silly city girl thinking one charger was enough *insert eye roll*). I'd definitely recommend bringing an actual flashlight and extra chargers.
Because there isn't a kitchen, you'll need to either plan all your meals out, or pack lots of non-perishable items. It's not a make-or-break issue, but it's something to be mindful of so that you can prepare accordingly (i.e. if you're staying in an area without many restaurants).
Another thing to consider is other campers. The grounds we stayed at were small so there were only a few other tents, and the campers staying there were mostly other young couples and one family. Everyone was friendly and relatively quiet, but, because you are in a tent you do hear everything, yes, even the late night conversations and early morning departures.
I was also completely unaware of just how cold it would actually get at night. Thankfully I had brought socks, sweatpants and a light sweater, but I would have been in serious trouble of becoming an icicle had I not. Ok, maybe not quite, but you get the point...it gets cold. Pack accordingly.
Last but not least, just because you're "roughing" it, don't think it's necessarily going to be cheaper than a hotel. While you may not be paying for hotel amenities, you are paying for an experience, which means it can be just as a pricey.
I know many of these things pertain to the specific place we were staying. Things like weather, facilities available, campground layout, etc will all be different for each glamping site, but I think it's all things to be aware of, should you be planning a glamping getaway. Overall, it was a great experience, it was incredibly peaceful and relaxing, and I would hands down do it again (but never for more than 3 nights! HA!).
FYI, this isn't sponsored, but for the record, we used and loved Glamping Hub to find the place we stayed, Seneca Sol in Burdett, NY, which we can't recommend enough (incredible hosts, super clean facilities, perfectly decorated tents and a great complimentary breakfast).