Grown-Up Camping
Glamping removes the headaches of camping and offers comfort and style
By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
You’ve done the kiddie camping as a child and with your own children. Maybe you have even taken the grandchildren. It’s hot, the cot is hard, the camper or tent is small, and the food is so-so and smokey.
Why not upgrade to grown-up camping to enjoy the outdoors in luxury? Known as “glamping,” a portmanteau of “glamorous” and “camping,” glamping removes all the headaches of camping and offers comfort and style.
• Seneca Sol (www.senecasol.com, 315-270-2084) in Burdett allows glampers to get away from it all without going totally off the grid. 5G Wi-Fi and an equipped outdoor kitchen is available on the site. The safari-style tents include private balconies, high thread count linens on the bed and seating. Guests have access to a bathhouse with hot water, showering rooms, flushing toilets and a shared sink area. Since the owners are on site of the 25-acre camp, any difficulties can be met promptly. Guests are welcomed to hike the 1/9-mile trail to the small catch-and-release pond stocked with bass and bluegill.
• Adirondack Safari (www.adirondacksafari.com, 518-600-1026) in Warrensburg has the expected creature comforts in the safari-style tents, but also plenty of group activities and entertainment—perfect for more social glamping experiences. These include Native American performances, bingo, outdoor movies, silent disco, river tubing, volleyball, corn hole, games, live entertainment and the Sunday morning farmers’ market.
• Treetopia Campground (www.treetopiacampground.com, 518-943-4513) in Catskill offers safari tents on raised platforms to lend a treehouse effect. With wooden floors and timber framing, the tents feel more secure. The raised platform provides ample space for a shaded dining and relaxing space below. Not as isolated as other camps, Treetopia’s guest accommodations are close to each other. Since Treetopia offers a game room and playground, it could be a fun getaway for bringing along the grandchildren. The site offers a pool, and close access to many of the area’s big attractions such as ziplining, Windham Mountain Resort’s bike park, and the Hudson River.
• Mariaville Goat Farm (https://mariavillegoatfarm.com, 518-817-9222) in Mariaville offers on-farm glamping with access to friendly goats. Choose from the safari style tent in the treehouse or the yurt. They include everything to make you feel at home, plus goat yoga as one of the on-farm activities.
• Firelight Camps (https://firelightcamps.com, 607-229-1644) in Ithaca fully furnishes safari-style tents with hardwood floors, king or double queen beds, private screened porches, and seating. Some tents offer electricity and fans and heaters. Guests also receive a locally sourced continental breakfast and access to a bathhouse with hot showers and flushing toilets, use of the sauna, steam room and tranquility room at La Tourelle Resort on the same property.
• Camp Orenda (https://camporenda.com) in Johnsburg provides furnished “canvas cabins” with wood burning stoves, electricity and outdoor showers and communal bathhouse. Three meals are provided. Children younger than 12 are not permitted for regular booking but only for retreats, so expect a tranquil retreat at Camp Orenda.
Glamping Tips
• Verify if the site includes linens before booking.
• Before bringing your dog, ask if pets are permitted. Some facilities that allow pets charge a fee.
• The bathroom and bathing facilities vary among sites. Most provide only shared showering facilities.
• Some owners remain onsite for guests; others don’t.
• Ask about what food is available. Some provide meals, some provide kitchens and others recommend restaurants in the area or a combination of these approaches.
• Plan what you will do before booking. Some remote sites provide a back-to-nature experience. Others are near points of interests and cultural offerings.
For more glamping sites, peruse https://glampinghub.com. Rentals through VRBO and AirBnB also offer unique properties.