Let’s go glamping! Glamorous camping, that is

Laura T. Coffey • Profile • E-mail

In icky economic times like these, many of us have this much in common:

• No matter how cash-strapped we are, we still want to go on vacation.
• We don’t want to spend a lot of dough on said vacation.

If this is sounding familiar to you, then why not go glamping this summer?

“Glamping” — or glamorous camping — can be the answer to any vacation-related dilemmas you may be facing this year. Don’t misunderstand — glamorous camping can be expensive. Really expensive. For instance, in the summer months two adults can pay about $8,500 to spend three nights in a tent at the Clayoquot Wilderness Resort in British Columbia, Canada. The all-inclusive price of admission includes flights from Vancouver to the resort on a remote fjord, gourmet meals, drinks, massage treatments, horseback riding, fishing, whale and bear watching, kayaking, sailing, clay shooting, rock climbing, mountain biking and nifty day trips.

And the tents ain’t no ordinary tents. They’re big, roomy, white-canvas extravaganzas, perched on raised wooden platforms and decked out with comfy beds and down duvets. “Thermostat-controlled propane wood stoves, antique dressers and tea tables, opulent rugs, oil lamps, heirloom china and silver accessories, and an abundance of candles complete the offering,” according to the resort’s Web site.

As heavenly as all of that may sound, a trip like that may not quite be in your budget this year. Is it possible to go glamping closer to home for much less money? The answer to that question is an emphatic yes.

Clayoquot Wilderness Resort The tents at Clayoquot Wilderness Resort in British Columbia are spacious, white-canvas extravaganzas, perched on raised wooden platforms and decked out with comfy beds, down duvets, area rugs and lots of candles.

Basically, it all boils down to putting plenty of thought into the food, drinks, bedding and other comforts you feel like bringing along with you into the great outdoors. You can actually make car-camping incredibly glamorous, and if sleeping in a tent doesn’t appeal to you, you can make yourself and your loved ones quite comfortable in a cabin, cottage, yurt, tipi, RV, VW bus, vintage Airstream trailer — or, heck, even a covered wagon.

“Some regular campsites provide pre-erected tents with all equipment supplied, so all you would need to do is turn up with clothing, provisions and a sleeping bag, although even sleeping bags can be provided at an extra charge,” said Garri Rayner, editor of GoGlamping.com in Suffolk, England.

“This concept of camping tempts people who wouldn't ordinarily be into old-school camping to try it without having to invest in all the gear. It allows them the chance to enjoy an eco-conscious back-to-nature vacation with the comforts often associated with hotels.”

So, without further ado, consider these tips for camping in style whether you’ve got plenty of money to spend or very little.

1. Go totally glam if you can. Maybe you’ve come into a windfall or you’ve been saving up for the adventure-travel experience of your dreams. If so, you can give these sumptuous glamping options a try:

• The Clayoquot Wilderness Resort in British Columbia, described above;
• EcoCamp in Patagonia, Chile, where you can sleep in luxury geodesic domes, take in spectacular scenery and go on guided adventures. ($3,760 for two adults to go on a seven-day trekking adventure);
• The Resort at Paws Up in Montana, where you’ll find luxury tent accommodations along the Blackfoot River “for those who only want to sleep under ‘five stars,’ ” according to the resort’s Web site. ($3,254.60 for a three-night package for a family of four);
• For more upscale ideas, check out this feature about high-end glamping.

2. Or, take it down a notch. There are plenty of swell glamping options throughout North America and around the world that don’t require an outlandish outlay of cash. Some examples:

• Treebones Resort, Big Sur, Calif.: $190 a night for two guests in a yurt with a full ocean view.
• Sinya on Lone Man Creek in Texas Hill Country: $200 a night for a luxurious safari tent with cushy amenities.
• Rosa Muerta, Joshua Tree, Calif.: $200 to $220 a night for an opportunity to connect with nature out in the desert.
• ConTENTment Camping delivers a spacious tent and furniture to you in New York state parks and sets everything up for you. Cost: $60 a night for a two-person tent or $90 a night for a larger tent that sleeps up to six people. You also can rent bicycles, kayaks and other recreational equipment through ConTENTment Camping.

GoGlamping.com You can sleep in a luxurious safari tent at Sinya on Lone Man Creek in Texas Hill Country.

3. Check out the wide array of options on public lands. If sleeping on the ground and coming into close contact with creepy-crawly critters isn’t your style, you can book all sorts of rustic accommodations with actual floors and doors at state parks, national parks and other public lands. Some examples:

• If you live in the U.S., you likely can find a state park within driving distance that will let you rent low-cost cabins or yurts. To name just one state as an example, check out the yurts and cabins available in 27 different state parks in Pennsylvania.
• You also can rent cabins, tipis and yurts in national parks.
• There are plenty of cabins available for rent on Bureau of Land Management lands.
• U.S. Forest Service fire lookouts are another fun option.
• Lighthouses are always exciting places to stay. Sometimes they’re located on public lands, and sometimes they’re on private property. For examples of lighthouses you can rent, check out this link.

4. Realize the potential of car camping. All of the purist campers and hikers out there will probably cringe when they spot this tip, but here’s the thing: For families with children — or for adults who simply don’t have the energy to haul a whole bunch of gear on their backs — car camping can spell salvation. This style of camping vacation can make it possible for you to enjoy the outdoors and carry all sorts of comfortable gear, yummy foods and heavy cooking equipment with you wherever you go. Some key ingredients to making car camping comfortable:

• A nice, spacious tent — (which can be rented from various outfitters if you don’t have one)
• Full-sized pillows
• A decadent blow-up air mattress and extra padding — such as a memory foam pad if desired
• Comfortable camping chairs
• A nice camping stove with at least two burners
• Good food and drinks (More on this in a minute!)
• A good book
• Board games
• Cards
• An abundance of decent lighting options, from headlamps to full-on camping lamps, so you can keep that fierce game of Monopoly or gin rummy going well after dark.

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5. Rent an RV or another fun set of wheels for a few days. If you’re splitting the cost with friends or family members, this can be an economical and comfortable way to glamp. Depending on how tricked out your RV is, you can spend anywhere from $100 to $300 a night to rent one. (Remember to factor in gas prices as well!) You also can rent Airstream trailers, Volkswagen camper buses and a variety of styles of pop-up campers. Quick Internet searches can turn you on to places that rent these nifty vehicles in your area.

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