What’s “glamping” anyway? Glamping is the new way to experience camping with amenities and comforts such as real beds, electricity as well as real plumbings. All these comforts are included in the price which is not cheap as traditional camping but more equal to a hotel stay, usually from $150 and up per day, regardless, in my opinion, is an experience to add to your bucket list.
I used to go camping, and I remember the long lines to take a shower, and the idea to wrangle a tent and sleep on the ground is not appealing to me anymore; still, I’m a nature enthusiast and do not want to give up on comfort, “glamping” is the suitable accommodation for you. It sure doesn’t seem to take away that sense of traditional camping experience.
Huttopia by the Lake Luzerne is where we decided to stay, in the beautiful Adirondacks surrounding located in the Lake George region, one hour from Albany, 2.5 hours due south of Montreal, and 3.5 hours due north of New York City.
We couldn’t be happier about this experience. It’s a great family place. The campground is immense, with a great view of surrounding forests from the main lodge. Outside the main lodge where proposed are activities for the season, including live outdoor music, magic shows, storytellers for children of all ages, yoga and fitness classes, canoes and kayaks, etc. An outside swimming pool and board games will complete your stay! It is your choice to cook in your tent or grab a delicious crepe at the counter-service restaurant, serving wood-fired pizza.
We slept in a Trappeur tent, designed for big families up to 5ppl, with two bedrooms, one of them with a twin bunk bed! A kitchenette fully equipped, a toilet with towels and eco-friendly shower gel, shampoo, and cleaning products; when navigating their site, you can check a list of what’s is provided (basically everything but the food), electricity, and a cozy wood-burning stove in a beautiful natural environment. Outside you have your private patio with furniture and bbq with a fire pit to roast your marshmallows, which you can buy at the main lodge (it is an adorable package for the perfect s’mores).
The lodge is open from mid-May to mid-October, which is the perfect stay for shoulder seasons as the temperature gets cold at night but sunny and warm during the day, so dressing up in layers is strongly recommended. The beds all have down and fleece blankets, but my recommendation is to get there early and start to warm up your tent in advance. The resort provides wooden logs and starters for a small fee and a wagon (free) to carry them over to your lodging that probably is uphill and a short walk from the lobby.
Huttopia is known for its typical canvases tents accommodations. You can choose from the Trappeurs, Canadienne (shared bathroom outside), or duos for a romantic getaway and cabins.
The sustainable way most the glamping sites are developed is one of the reasons we love these lodging and the structures; besides traditional tents, more sophisticated accommodations started to spread like yurts, treehouses, airstreams, cabins, sky view igloos, and much more. Which one you’ll love to try?
But with so many choices, how do you start? Which place and accommodation? The app Hipcamp offers a wide range of accommodations and campsites, either private or public, for last-minute and pet-friendly options.
Just recently, we discovered Under Canvas, beautiful luxury canvas tents with breathtaking views in some of the most amazing National Parks like Yellowstone and Glacier in Montana; Moab, Zion, Bryce Canyon, and Lake Powell-Grand Staircase in Utah; Mount Rushmore in South Dakota; the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee; Grand Canyon in Arizona and Acadia in Maine. Each campsite offers tent types to accommodate groups ranging from couples to large families. Many camp activities are available, from kayaking and whitewater rafting, canyoneering and UTV tours, or simply a guided hike with a local expert, which sounds fantastic!