In 2019, 9.2 million people were recorded taking a camping trip in the UK and fresh data from Cool Camping indicates that searches are up 272 per cent since March 2021. Connecting with nature and the great outdoors is a travel trend here to stay and here we look at camping, glamping and unconventional stays around the world embracing this way of life.
JAPAN
Sustainable luxury treehouse eco resort, Okinawa
www.japan.travel/en/uk/
Designed with the concept of bringing its guests closer to nature, Treeful Treehouse offers secluded private rooms nestled amongst the jungle canopy boasting 360-degree views alongside a communal Aero House space, equipped with bathrooms, rest and relaxation rooms and a kitchen. This space is connected to the treehouse rooms via a series of floating walkways and jungle paths. The rooms have been individually crafted to sit seamlessly within the natural environment, built around the existing flora in the area, whilst still providing a luxurious glamping style setting and modern facilities including air conditioning. The resort is powered purely by its own solar energy, omitting the need to use any fossil fuels. It is passionate about giving back to the local community embarking on projects in the surrounding area, including reinstating a water mill at the site of the Shizogumui Waterfall which was last home to a mill over 100 years ago.
Camping on the Tanesashi Coast – Hachinohe, Japan www.visithachinohe.com
Located in Hachinohe, northern Honshu, Tanesashi Natural Lawn campsite looks out over the Tanesashi coastline and across the sea. From here visitors can explore the Michinoku Coastal Trail, take the Tohoku Emotion sightseeing train along the Sanriku Coast or head into Hachinohe City. Guests can bring their own tent or book one of the on-site yurts, which come complete with beds, for a more luxurious experience. The campsite is equipped with an area for barbecuing, kitchen sinks, public bathrooms, and can accommodate up to 250 tents. Visitors could also try near-by Nanbu Town Tree Houses for a unique glamping experience. Prices from £19 per tent per day (sleeps up to 5 people)
Hakuba nature experience, glamping in Nagano
www.mitsuboshi-kaidou.com
Located in Hakuba, Nagano along the Three Star Road is Mominoki Glamping Site. Mominoki Hotel was the first in Nagano Prefecture that opened its own glamping site. Enjoy sitting in a tent living room and dining area surrounded by nature at the foot of Japanese Northern Alps. The glamping area has a fire pit, a tree house equipped with Wifi and an AC outlet, an Onsen foot bath, hammocks and big tarps that provide shade. Enjoy drinks around a campfire with free marshmallows to toast and indulge under the clear starry nights.
UK
Picket Pods – Vale of Glamorgan
Visitthevale.com
A small, friendly glamping site based in the Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales, Picket Pods offers a unique slant to traditional camping, situated amongst 100 acres of pastureland. Surrounded by trees, there are seven timber camping pods available to hire. Fully insulated, double-glazed with electric lighting and power sockets, each pod has a double sofa-bed, balcony and a paved picnic area for outdoor dining. Its central location means that guests are close to the 14-miles Heritage Coast Path – starting from Llantwit Major, this walk takes in churches, lighthouses, caves, castles and beautiful beaches, including the beautiful Ogmore beach and Merthyr Mawr sand dunes. On the 1/3/4 Saturday of each month a farmer’s market is held in Cowbridge, Penarth and St Fagans selling locally grown produce.
USA
Camping at height – Estes Park, Colorado
www.colorado.com
Reach new heights at Estes Park in Colorado with a daring cliff camping experience. Adrenaline-junkies are suspended more than 100 feet up a sheer rock face, where they are strapped in for a peaceful night’s sleep among the stars. Kent Mountain Adventure Centre offers a vertical grill and delicious food, in addition to spectacular views of Rocky Mountain National Park and plenty of rock climbing opportunities.
Camp in the Sierra Nevada wilderness – Mammoth Lakes
www.visitmammoth.com | www.mammothmountain.com/lodging
Whether visitors want to pitch a tent near an alpine lake or under a forest of Jeffrey Pine, there are plenty of places to camp in Mammoth Lakes. Each campsite offers a different experience and unique access to Mammoth Lakes’ many scenic wonders. The Mammoth Lakes Basin (accessible via the Lakes Basin Trolley) offers easy access to hiking trails and alpine lakes. For those looking for true wilderness, South of Mono Lake in Inyo National Forest you’ll find Sagehen Meadows Campground. It’s wonderfully remote and home to a herd of wild horses. Accessible only by dirt road at 8,000-feet-plus elevation, campers will have to pack in their own water and supplies. The payoff? Daytime views of the sparkling lake; and dark sky camping after sunset and shooting star sightings are pretty much guaranteed.
Conestoga Wagons, Yosemite Pines RV Resort & Family – Tuolumne County
visittuolumne.com
One of the first resorts in Northern California to offer a glamping experience, the Conestoga Wagons at Yosemite Pines offers guests the opportunity to connect with nature and the great outdoors without sacrificing comfort. Sleeping four to six people and measuring slightly larger than those described in the stories of the Old West, couples and families can re-create the ‘Pioneer Spirit’ with all the comfort of modern day lodging. A king-size bed and twin-size bunk beds in addition to air-conditioning, fridge, a microwave and coffee facilities awaits inside and outdoors guests will find a personal picnic table and barbecue. Yosemite Pines is Just a stone’s throw away from the Western gate of Yosemite National Park where guests can explore the vast and remote wilderness on foot, via horseback or on the water. Attractions include, Hetch Hetchy, Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias and Tuolumne Meadows.
Starry Safari at the Living Desert, Greater Palm Springs
visitgreaterpalmsprings.com
For those with a keen interest in desert wildlife and an adventurous spirit should consider an outdoor overnight adventure at The Living Desert. Starry Safari is a weekly camp-out at Greater Palm Springs’ best-known wildlife venue. Taking place on the first Friday night of each month from October-June, visitors can stay past closing time, camping out in the park. Each Starry Safari overnight features up-close animal presentations and a nighttime guided walk through the park. Campers are treated to campfire stories, roasted s’mores, easy and accessible access to bathrooms and a continental breakfast the next morning.
Campland on the Bay, Mission Bay – San Diego
sandiego.org
Located on the shores of Mission Bay, and part of Mission Bay Park, Campland has been a popular spot for families since 1969. The balmy climate, proximity to Sea World (so close guests can watch the theme park’s fireworks display at night from the campground), Legoland, San Diego Zoo, the Gaslamp Quarter, La Jolla and other area attractions, combined with Campland’s amenities, make this beachfront playground a legendary family retreat. With over 500 sites available with varying amenities, including full hook ups, dry hook-ups and water and electricity only, be sure to nab a spot facing Rose Beach for complete privacy.
Chickee Huts, Hell’s Bay Trail – Florida’s Paradise Coast
Paradisecoast.com / recreation.gov.
Located on the Southwestern tip of Florida, Florida’s Paradise Coast spans Naples, Marco Island – the
largest inhabited island of the Ten Thousand Islands, and Everglades National Park. Home to a diverse range of endangered species including the manatee, Florida panther, and American crocodile, popular activities in the 1.5 million acres of mangrove islets, forest hammocks, marshes, lakes and ponds, include swamp walks, eco-kayaking tours and airboat tours.
Since camping on land isn’t an option along the mangrove-forested waterways, overnighters sleep on chickees. Different from the traditional Native American Seminole thatch-roofed chickees on stilts, the park’s version is elevated above the water and often covered with a wooden roof. It’s open design allows for waking up to fresh breezes and the sound of nearby dolphins surfacing for air. There are a total of 17 chickee campsites across the entire park. Two of those – Pearl Bay and Hell’s Bay – are accessible to paddlers on the Hell’s Bay Trail. Each campsite features two chickees connected by a walkway with a shared portable restroom. Each chickee can hold up to six people or one camping party.
EUROPE
Camping Bled, Julian Alps – Slovenia
slovenia.info/en
Camping Bled, part of the Sava Hoteli Bled company, ranks among the most popular and recognised campsites in Europe. Boasting five stars, in 2010 it received a prize for the best European campsite in the active holidays category. With services designed to suit the ecologically aware and demanding visitor, the resort is home to two wooden cabins made of natural materials, offering guests greater comfort than a tent, but still with the advantages of camping. Recently the resort opened an ornithology trail, intended for bird watching at Bled Golf Course, allowing visitors to experience the rich cultural and natural heritage of the local environment. Along the three-kilometre trail various types of birdhouse have been set up with resident nesters already taking spots. Swimming in and hiking around the picturesque lake is encouraged.
REST OF WORLD
Stay on the ELYT eco-friendly catamaran
www.tahititourisme.uk
This solar-powered and eco-friendly catamaran was inspired by Polynesian canoes and the islands’ water lifestyle. Everything aboard the floating bungalow, from propulsion to hot water to equipment, is powered by solar panels. The absence of a diesel engine also means that the catamaran will be low-impact, smoke and smell-free, making the stay aboard much more enjoyable. The catamaran can welcome up to eight guests, hosts two bathrooms, a living room and a kitchen with a sundeck that offers 360° views of the lagoon and comes with a bar and a barbecue setup. Aboard the catamaran are two inflatable kayaks, two inflatable SUP boards and snorkelling gear for guests to explore the stunning cool blue waters.
