Do you love the idea of tent camping but prefer a more luxurious outdoor setup? Here are some simple and creative glamping ideas for tent campgrounds, your backyard or anywhere else you pitch your tent.
How to Upgrade Your Experience Glamping in a Tent
Tent glamping is an ideal solution when you want to sleep under the stars but still have the comforts of home. Glamorous camping — or glamping — provides an experience that is more cultivated and comfortable than traditional camping. Glamping may sound costly, but it does not have to be. You can go glamping in the tent you already own or find a campground that provides luxurious tents for camping.
Learn how to enjoy luxury tent camping and turn your tent into an unforgettable glamping experience.
Where Can You Go Glamping?
Glamping is an adventure that can be experienced anywhere. You can pitch your tent in a beautiful pine-scented forest, nestled among ocean sand dunes or near your favorite national park. Glamping is also a great way to relax at home. If you are new to glamping, some ideal beginner options include your backyard or a campground, like Kampgrounds of America.
Backyard Glamping
Turn your backyard into a luxurious glamping paradise whenever you want to create an unforgettable date night, weekend staycation or the ultimate kid’s sleepover. Backyard glamping is also an excellent way to familiarize yourself and your family with the glamping process before setting out for your adventure. Whether you have small glamping tents or more upscale camping tents, learning to set them up before you go to a campground can help you look like a pro.
If you are planning to go glamping for the first time, having a trial run one weekend in your backyard is the perfect way to gauge your family’s reactions and responses to the activity. You can create a glamping checklist of your favorite gear, decorations and entertainment for your ultimate glamping adventure as well.
Campground Glamping
While glamping at home is a fun and quick way to experience camping, there is nothing like setting up tents at a campground and being surrounded by nature. Campground glamping provides the perfect balance between enjoying outdoor activities and nature and being in close proximity to local attractions and on-site amenities. Some campgrounds like KOA also have designated lodging options for glamping if you do not want to bring a tent.
7 Tips to Transform Your Tent Into a Glamping Tent
Glamping is a great way to enjoy camping without leaving the luxuries of home behind. While having a large glamping-specific tent is fun, fancy tents for camping are not required. You can experience glamping with the tent you already own. Here are seven tent glamping ideas to make your adventure more glamorous and luxurious.
1. Invest in Better Bedding
One of the key benefits of glamping is having a cozy place to lay your head at the end of the day. Comfortable bedding can make your glamping experience more fun and save you from back pain. Instead of sleeping on the ground in a sleeping bag, here are some elevated sleeping arrangements for glamping:
- Air mattresses
- Cots
- Mattress topper
- Multiple camping quilts or blankets
- Duvets
- High-thread count cotton or silk sheets
- Plush pillows
2. Make Gourmet Meals
Glamping is the perfect time to make meals beyond the typical camping menu. While grilling hot dogs is classic fireside fare, the food does not reflect the essence of glamping.
Take your glamping menu to the next level by planning more upscale meals you would cook at home or try something new. Bring a cooler full of your favorite sauces, seasonings, vegetables, fruit and meats. You could also get some wine, beer or mixed drinks for the adults on the trip.
Whether you make juicy skewers or a refreshing fruit salad, eating gourmet meals is sure to improve the glamping experience.
3. Transform Your Dining Area
Transform your campsite’s picnic table or a portable folding table into a luxury dining area. Little touches can elevate the look and feel of any space. Set up different stations for meal prepping, cooking and making drinks. Add a pop of color with a colored or patterned tablecloth to your picnic table, which can also make your table more sanitary and easy to clean after mealtime. Bring a touch of style with a table centerpiece. Just pack a jar and some fake flowers or collect a few flowers from around your campsite — as long as it is okay.
4. Create a Comfortable Environment
In addition to transforming your dining area, you can create a comfortable space inside and outside your tent where everyone can lounge and hang out comfortably.
Consider putting soft, colorful rugs on your tent floor to make walking around and spending time in your tent more comfortable. If you are staying at a campground in a warm climate, you could also set up small, portable fans to create a nice airflow inside your glamping tent. These small adjustments to your tent help create a cozier environment.
You can also create a comfortable living space outside your tent. Hang hammocks and set up inflatable furniture, regular folding chairs and tables for an outdoor living room with enough space for everyone to relax. If your campsite has a fire ring, setting the furnishings around it can help you close the night with a campfire.
5. Plan Entertainment
Glamping is not your ordinary camping trip. It is all about enjoying what you love while relaxing or hanging out at your campsite. When you are not busy exploring the local attractions, you can supplement your time with fun activities like:
- Lawn games: While many campgrounds have amenities and games available, bringing your favorite lawn games from home, like Twister, ladder ball and lawn Jenga, can help you have fun right at your campsite.
- Card games: If your family likes card games, you could bring a few decks and a card table to play tournament-style card games like poker, blackjack, war, rummy or speed.
- Music: Music around the campfire is a long-standing camping tradition and a way to create a shared moment with your loved ones. Bring your favorite musical instruments or just your voice to belt out your favorite fireside tunes.
6. Establish Ambience With Lighting
To further elevate your glamping trip, you can bring string lights, lanterns or electric candles to change the ambience of your tent and campsite. Warm orbs or bulbed string lights can make the atmosphere more whimsical and romantic. If your Tent Site has no electric hookups, you can bring battery-powered lanterns or solar-powered options. Battery-powered candles are an excellent alternative to regular candles if you don’t want to have an open flame near your glamping tent.
7. Pack Familiar Essentials
Glamping is all about embracing comfort, so you should pack items that help you feel comfortable and refreshed. You can save room while packing by bringing travel-size versions of your products or transferring some of them into smaller containers.
You will likely stay at a campground with bathhouses not too far from your campsite. If you like to use specific self-care or cosmetic toiletries, bring them with you to continue your regular morning and night routine.
Packing everyday essentials also relates to other items, like blankets and water bottles. If you have kids on your trip, bring one or two of their favorite toys and stuffed animals so they can have something familiar from home while camping.
Plan Your KOA Tent Glamping Trip
Are you ready to experience glamping? With over 500 KOA Campgrounds in North America to choose from, your glamping adventure is waiting to begin. Contact your campground of choice to see their available amenities and activities.
Learn more about your tent glamping options at KOA and find a KOA Campground near your destination today!
About the Author: Kampgrounds of America
Kampgrounds of America is the largest system of open-to-the-public campgrounds in the world, with over 500 locations across the United States and Canada. Founded in Billings, MT in 1962, KOA’s family of campground brands – KOA Journey, KOA Holiday and KOA Resort – today serve more than a million camping families each year. KOA is dedicated to “connecting people to the outdoors and each other” by providing people with a variety of camping experiences and the information they need to make the most of their camping trip. Read more of their camping and travel resources by visiting KOA.com/blog.
