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We have seen the trend on social media… Big safari-style tents, cabins, cottages, great outdoors, and resorts filled with amenities. Glamping is HOT! We often see singles or young couples discovering the latest glamping spots. At GoWhee, we sent one of our own, to check things out and keep it real. Our founder tried out family glamping with kids for the first time, here are her thoughts…
Preface: “As a traveling mom who is used to staying at hotels and the occasional RV campsite, I was eager to try out this glamping thing with children! I had experienced traditional tent camping before and honestly, with kids, it is not for me. So I went into this experience with the hope that a luxury camping setup could be a great compromise. Here is how it went…” – Maud, CEO and founder of GoWhee App.
Whether your summer vacation is in a luxury glamping resort in Northern California, whether you decide to rough it up in a national park glamping site, or get an all-inclusive resort experience near a river in Canada, all glamping resorts have one thing in common: large canvas tents and amenities a bit more elaborate than your traditional campground.
What is Glamping? Glamping is the concept of an outdoor sleeping experience provided with the necessities like a hotel would (i.e. safari tents, beds, and often linens) while keeping the connection to nature intact just like traditional campsites offer.
What makes a great glamping experience? Try to stay at a resort that focuses on the wilderness while allowing your family to relax away from the daily chores, and enjoy outdoor activities together to reconnect.
“When I travel with my son, my only choices are hotels/vacation rentals, which usually means closer to a city, big infrastructure, less of a natural environment, and privacy. Or, we are staying at a campsite, which usually means much more work for us (the parent), between, the food, the set up and the activities… Not to mention having to choose between the uncomfortable tent setup, or pulling our camper/RV for comfort. It can become quite an ordeal! Glamping spots like REO in British Colombia, Canada, offer a great balance for families, wanting to reconnect with their kids, with nature, and with themselves, while keeping the chores at bay and staying comfortable.” – shares, Maud Maciak GoWhee Founder.
Although it is not always advertised as a family-friendly accommodation, glamping can be super fun with children. The caveat is to choose a resort with kids’ amenities and make sure you understand the way things are set up before your arrival so you can come prepared.
Maud recommends looking primarily for what the glamping site offers remembering her experience, “Glamping without REO’s playground, kids club, board games available, and other fun activities they had on site to keep kids busy, would have not been the same! If feeling relaxed is your main goal during your family glamping trip, then make sure kids are part of the glamping resort’s program from the get-go”.
Understanding the different age-appropriate safety measures is also important. Not all glamping sites are created equal to accommodate infants, toddlers, and older children.
“The environment around the tents and the structures themselves will change the way you enjoy your glamping experience. Even luxury glamping resorts are bound to nature limitations, animals and rivers for instance, so if it is your first time going glamping with kids, make sure you understand the resort’s limitations and adjust accordingly with your kid’s ages” warns Maud.
Ask about meals, snacks, and everything else that is included. There are never too many questions. Each glamping experience is set differently. Glamping is a term that has not been streamlined as much as “hotels” or “resorts”, so different campgrounds will put different things under the word “glamping”.
Maud shares that “Places like REO glamping resort, offer packages where meals and activities are included. This is great, but looking back I wish I asked about the time and quantity of the meal options and although the site did an amazing job with my dietary restrictions, I should have come prepared for kids’ special requests and their insatiable need for snacks”.
Double-check, the accessibility of the campground, tents, cabins, cottages, and activities for your special needs kiddos.
“Don’t assume that glamping is not accessible by nature, since many locations are offering accommodations to be ADA accessible or offer sensory experience for children with SPD. But I suggest you mention it ahead of time to the staff so they are aware of your need and double-check things. Contrary to hotels, glamping is dependent on natural terrains and resources, so things may be changed from one year to the next.”
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Nature and hiking trails are right at your doorstep. Typically those camps are located near a park, on a ranch, near a lake, or close to beaches. At the very least you will be far from the city center and you will have easy access to hiking trails. “REO even had a private beach onsite, that was such a treat for the kids and the adults!” – Maud.
No screens! This kind of family travel is really about hiking, outdoor adventures, and reconnecting as a family. Kids will have enough sensory input to keep the screens at bay for a weekend. We recommend bringing board games and stories to share for the evenings around a campfire. Maud says, “There is nothing better than cozy up in the tent after a day of adventure and get competitive, REO even provided the board games… yeay for less packing!”.
No chores. Family vacations always come with a level of chores and organization. But places like REO rafting resort know how to put parents at ease with an all-inclusive setup. No dishes, no cleaning, no need to unpack tents, and no cooking. “We didn’t even need to choose what to order, that was surprisingly freeing!” remembers Maud.
It will be a new and exciting family experience! If like REO, your campgrounds offer tons of cool activities, it is perfect to check off some bucket list items. You can try new things like archery, and rafting, swim in glacier water, and take an outdoor shower!
Perfect for multigenerational travel or families with a different wish list. Maud explains, “I traveled to REO with a friend and her two children, we have a very different wish list, she is more outdoorsy so naturally she gravitated towards water sports and other outdoor adventures. I, on the other hand, preferred the spa and relaxing in the hammocks with a good book! The bottom line is, the campground had something for everyone”.
Going to sleep early and with the sound of water, waking up with birds singing, the fresh air… All of these are setting your kids up for amazing sleeping patterns. Camping does offer that too, but glamping will also have those luxury tents and comfortable beds!
No connection: If you need to check on email or plan to work remotely during your vacation. Computers and cell phones will probably be out of order for a few days at a glamping site. So in that way, hotels are more flexible.
Difficult Access: Glamping resorts like REO which are a destination type resort, are not meant for you to leave, they are meant for you to spend a few days onsite and enjoy their activities. They give you shuttles to go to activities that are not within walking distance and the rest is usually onsite, so come prepared and don’t plan on driving out. Also, make sure you inquire about access and the kind of vehicle you need. “REO was remote and beautiful, but I wouldn’t go there with a Tesla! Come with a vehicle that can handle dirt roads and steep hills,” says Maud.
Traditional resort amenities might be missing: “if you are looking for a place with a bar, on-demand movies on giant TVs, and a luxurious spa… places like REO which focuses on health and connection to nature, will be missing the marks. Just make sure you set your family expectations properly so everyone has fun.” mentioned Maud.
“Now that I have experienced it, I am hooked! I will come back to glamping with kids again, but this time with a different mindset and better prepared. For instance, I was so afraid to be bored in the middle of nowhere… but I found myself longing for less to do and more empty/quiet space during our days.” says Maud.
The traveling mom recommends planning for a more relaxed schedule like booking an extra night (compared to a campsite or a hotel) so you can space out the physical activities (i.e.: rafting or yoga for REO’s glamping resort). It also helps to communicate with kids about the kind of schedule they will be experiencing during a glamping vacation ahead of time.
“This experience is not for everyone (you have to be ready to let go of all preconceptions!), but families should look at glamping spots like REO as an alternative to other types of vacation. “It is a unique experience, it allowed me to create bonds with my son, that will last a lifetime, and I did come out of it refreshed! It felt like a true vacation!” concludes Maud.
REO in British Colombia, Canada
61755 Nahatlatch Forest Service Rd, Boston Bar, BC V0K 1C0, Canada
Royal Gorge cabins in Colorado, USA
45054 W, 45044 W U.S. 50, Cañon City, CO 81212
Westgate River Ranch Resort in Florida, USA
3200 River Ranch Blvd, River Ranch, FL 33867
Zion Wildflower, in Utah, USA
100 Kolob Ter Rd, Virgin, UT 84779
El Capitan canyon in California, USA
11560 Calle Real, Santa Barbara, CA 93117
Resort at Paws Up in Montana,USA
40060 Paws Up Rd, Greenough, MT 59823
Sandy Pines Campground in Maine, USA
277 Mills Rd, Kennebunkport, ME 04046
Grand Canyon National Park Glamping Resort in Arizona, USA
6033 E Shamrock St, Meadview, AZ 86444
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