13 Instagram-Worthy Camping Sites That Ooze Luxury
Want to go glamping? Check out these 13 totally luxe and Instagram-worthy camping sites around the country.
Overview
Swatting bugs, sleeping on the ground and peeing behind some bushes isn't for everyone. But you don't have to forfeit an experience in the great outdoors just because you don't want to rough it! Luxury camping, aka glamping (glamour camping), is a more upscale and glamorous approach to traditional camping.
Basically, you get a similar outdoorsy experience with more amenities — ranging from private bathrooms and 1,000-thread count sheets to fine dining and butlers. We've rounded up 13 of the coolest, chicest and most Instagram-worthy and jaw-droppingly gorgeous glamping spots from coast to coast as well as some tips from experts about how to make the most of your experience.
1. Green Acres: Elgin, Texas
Just 25 miles east of Austin, Texas, is Green Acres, a pet-friendly boutique event, glamping and retreat space. With unique and eccentric lodging options like yurt tents, a vintage Spartan trailer and a vintage Airstream trailer, you can choose your own outdoor adventure. All visitors get to enjoy the property's communal open-air barn, outdoor kitchen and grills, fire pits, animal field (filled with alpacas and donkeys), modern bathhouses, hammocks and walking trails. Plus, you're close to everything Austin has to offer. Prices start at $125 per night (plus cleaning and taxes).
Pro tip: Be prepared to disconnect from social media and email. Green Acres doesn't have Wi-Fi and encourages guests to put down their phones until they leave — aside from taking photos, of course!
2. Hotel Luna Mystica: Taos, New Mexico
Located on the Taos Mesa in the high desert, Hotel Luna Mystica offers visitors fully restored vintage trailers with all the amenities of a regular hotel or condo — a comfortable bed, kitchen, bathroom, heat and air and free coffee. Every trailer also has its own private deck facing the mountains and open fields, perfect for viewing the spectacular sunsets and all the stars. An added bonus? Taos Mesa Brewing is right next door and brews world-class beer and hosts live music every night of the week. Rates are $70 to $170 per nightly trailer rental or $40 a night for a bunk in The Sands, a hostel-type trailer equipped with eight beds — a perfect option for the solo traveler who wants to mingle.
Pro tip: Bring your comfort items. All the essentials are covered, but glamping is about making an amazing place home. Guests are encouraged to bring their favorite foods, a special blanket, pets or whatever else needed for a perfect getaway.
3. Geyser Peak Ranch: Sonoma, California
Geyser Peak Ranch, one of the last multigenerational family-owned ranches in California, is nothing short of spectacular. In order to get there, you have to take the old stagecoach road from the gold rush days until you reach the very top. Guests can customize their stay and the activities they experience — whether it's chocolate-making using wildflowers from the meadows, farm-to-table foraging for dinner or clay pigeon shooting overlooking the peak. Shelter Co, an upscale event-planning company that specializes in off-the-grid glamping, provides all the furnishings, including tents, bespoke furniture and accessories. Prices available upon request.
Pro tip: The property is only available for events and buyouts, meaning you better start getting a big group together ASAP!
4. Ventana: Big Sur, California
Big Sur's luxury resort Ventana is offering a new glamping program — and it's really swanky. Fifteen safari-style canvas tents span a 20-acre canyon in an ancient forest, each featuring inspired cabin-style decor, a custom-designed plush glamping mattress with luxury hotel linens, a wood-burning fire pit with firewood and other comforts. Glampers can experience the splendor of the great outdoors without missing out on amenities like daily housekeeping, morning coffee and tea, access to ice chests and custom-curated picnic baskets and a fully stocked bath basket with towels and shower amenities. The brand-new glamping Bath House offers a more refined outdoor experience as well, featuring teak-enclosed showers, heated floors, marble vanities and restroom facilities. Nightly rates from $325.
Pro tip: There are five "hike in" tents that are near restrooms with a sink, and two of these tents are the most secluded!
5. Collective Retreats: Governors Island, New York
Located just 800 yards from Lower Manhattan and even closer to Brooklyn, Collective Governors Island offers 10 private Summit Tents and 27 of the more communal Journey Tents, all inspired by an aesthetic of Scandinavian minimalism merged with the island's nautical history. With views of the NYC skyline, rooms include plush beds, an in-tent French press coffee bar, electricity and Wi-Fi. Summit Tents are equipped with high-end amenities, including 1,500-thread count sheets, private en suite bathroom and private decks. The resort also boasts its signature restaurant, Three Peaks, offering a variety of gourmet dining options. Activities include nightly s'mores, bike riding, lawn games, yoga classes and art exhibits and installations as well as cultural activities on Governors Island. Rates start at $150 per night.
Pro tip: Take advantage of the entire island: Rent a bike and take a scenic tour of Governors Island.
6. Under Canvas Mount Rushmore: Keystone, South Dakota
Nestled between Badlands National Park and Black Hills National Forest on the outskirts of an original gold-mining settlement, Under Canvas Mount Rushmore is perfect for the adventurer with a flair for national history. From the comfort of your safari-inspired canvas tent (featuring luxuries like bathrooms and showers, king-size beds and daily housekeeping) you can enjoy views of the iconic presidential monument. Environmentalists will be happy to know that the Wi-Fi-free camp has a leave-no-trace approach, utilizing solar energy and using 87-percent less water than similarly sized hotels. Customizable activities can include a Buffalo Safari Jeep Tour, rock climbing, panning for gold or horseback riding. Rates from $199.
Pro tip: "Do some research and time your glamping escape during a meteor shower!" says Under Canvas visitor and travel influencer Chaz Brewer.
7. Firelight Camps: Ithaca, New York
Situated in the heart of the Finger Lakes region, bordering Ithaca's iconic Buttermilk Falls State Park, Firelight Camps features 19 fully furnished safari tents nestled in the woods. The lobby area features harvest tables where a locally sourced continental breakfast is served each morning, a full-service bar serving craft beverages and a camp store with homemade s'more kits and other offerings, such as co-founder Emma Frisch's new cookbook, "Feast By Firelight: Simple Recipes for Camping, Cabins, and the Great Outdoors." The campfire lounge areas offer space to spill into the open air under the stars. Other amenities include a bocce ball court, lawn games, a bathhouse with hot showers and ample space to feel refreshed, a spa and a gourmet restaurant. Rates from $189 per night.
Pro tip: "Packing for a glamping excursion is a lot different than packing your own gear for a camping trip, so we've put together a list of what to bring," says Emma Frisch, co-founder and owner.
8. The Gwen Hotel: Chicago, Illinois
Thanks to The Gwen Hotel, you can camp under the stars on Chicago's famed Michigan Avenue. Urban glamping at The Gwen is available during the summer months until September 30. You'll be set up in the Lotus Belle tent — a lavishly furnished glamp site on the 16th floor of the landmark McGraw-Hill building. The package, which will set you back $5,500 per night, also includes round-trip airport transportation and a s'mores turndown service. Guests can either sleep outside in the luxurious Lotus Belle tent or head indoors into The Gwen Lux Suite, a two-bedroom, 2.5-bath suite with a dining room and spacious living room.
Pro tip: If you are a light-sensitive sleeper, opt for an eye mask. A bright rising sun is your alarm clock while glamping.
9. The Resort at Paws Up: Greenough, Montana
For the traveler who wants a personalized, five-star glamping experience, Paws Up is the way to go. Its concierge service will plan your trip before arrival, taking note of everything from your favorite drink to your level of equestrian experience. Additionally, the accommodations offer amenities like en suite bathrooms with heated slate floors, plush bedding, temperature control, Wi-Fi, camping butlers and more. It has an extensive list of activities, including ATVs, horseback riding, authentic cattle drives, clay shooting, dogsledding, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and watercrafting, kayaking, paddleboarding, wakeboarding and waterskiing, along with access to fishing boats, sailboats and a water trampoline. Starting at $522.50 per person per night.
Pro tip: Choose a glamping destination that's very scenic and located in an area equivalent to a high mountain dessert. This way you can enjoy the great outdoors without sharing the experience with too many bugs!
10. Terra Glamping Hutton Brickyards: Kingston, New York
Nestled in the heart of the Catskill Mountains and along the Hudson River is the chicly minimalist Terra Glamping: Hutton Brickyards. Each safari-style tent features queen beds with memory-foam mattresses, plush bedding, wood flooring, statement rugs and thoughtfully curated furniture. A separate shared bathroom structure features toiletries from Apotheke Brooklyn. Special programming throughout the season includes sunrise yoga, guest astronomer sessions, farm-to-table dinners and more. While there's cell service, no Wi-Fi is available in this "unplugged environment" to encourage you to take advantage of all the area has to offer, including hiking, biking, kayaking, swimming and paddleboarding. Rates stars at $225 per night.
Pro tip: "Check the weather before your trip, even if you're glamping in the summer. Temps can drop at night, so it's important to have that one comfy sweater or jacket with you, just in case," says co-founder, David Levine.
11. Autocamp: Santa Barbara, California
AutoCamp Santa Barbara allows guests to live the Airstream experience while staying a short walk away from all the restaurants, coffee shops and art galleries the famous SoCal coastal town has to offer. Autocamp provides ample amenities and have outfitted suites with comfy beds, down comforters, Malin + Goetz bath products and flatscreen TVs, but encourage guests to experience the DIY nature of camping and staying outdoors with barbecue grills for outdoor cooking, outdoor chairs for lounging, kitchens and cookware. Rates from $225 per night.
Pro tip: "One thing that elevates the glamping experience is having everything I need to make an incredible meal outdoors. With cast iron and a campfire, there's no limit to what you can create. That and bringing along all of the makings of a perfect s'more," says co-founder and chief marketing officer, Ryan Miller.
12. Heritage Inspirations: Taos, New Mexico
Unlike many of the other glamping resorts, Heritage Inspirations isn't a fixed property or location: You're taken by a guide into the rugged, captivating wilds of Northern New Mexico on a glamping adventure. The company hauls the glamping supplies (a comfortable canvas tent, foam-pad bedding, bedside table and canvas chairs) out to remote campsites in the wilderness, setting up enchanting facilities in different locations while also guiding you along an immersive outdoor New Mexico expedition. Think of the experience as an all-inclusive, multi-day caravan tour around the Southwest — so only the truly adventurous need apply! $850 for a three-day, two-night excursion.
Pro tip: "Bring a headlamp or small flashlight, so at night when you need to fish things out of your tent or bag, you won't go stumbling through the dark," says owner and guide Angelia Murray.
13. Camp’d Out: Nationwide
If none of these locations tickle your fancy, feel free to pick your own with Camp'd Out. Here's how it works: You reserve a campsite anywhere in the United States (extra delivery fees apply for locations outside of California) and this LA-based company handles the rest — from set-up to tear-down. The accommodations use locally sourced goods to create funky and stylish accommodations for each tent. Additionally, each tent package can be curated to the individual's weekend with add-ons like a coffee cart, toiletry kit, campsite butler and more! Furnished tents start at $650 for one to three nights.
Pro tip: Travel influencer and yoga instructor Shayla Quinn, who glamped with Camp'd Out in Joshua Tree, California, suggests bringing face wipes, as many sites don't have an actual bathroom. Some other glamping must-haves? "Rose water face spray, cozy socks or slippers for inside the tent, a refillable stainless-steel water bottle that accommodates both hot and cold drinks, a good book, a flashlight or lantern and hand sanitizer!"
What Do YOU Think?
Have you ever been camping? What about glamping? Do any of these spots inspire you to take a trip? What about it appeals to you? What other sites would you recommend? Share your thoughts and suggestions in the comments below!