I’m all for getting in touch with my mountain-man side, but c’mon: We all have our limits.
For those of you not in the know, it’s called “glamping” (glamorous camping). You have the tents and the rustic surroundings, but forget the somewhat tired-looking campgrounds, questionable lavatories, and stiff necks in the morning. Glamping tents are safari-style, or tree houses, or even something just short of a log cabin. They are equipped with hardwood floors, a private balcony, a king or queen size bed, brass baths, and high thread-count linens — all set in some of the most photogenic landscapes in the country.
I came across Firelight Camps earlier this year. Nestled in the landscape on the sprawling grounds of the trés-chic La Tourelle Hotel in Ithaca, NY, all tents are within hiking distance of the well-known Finger Lake Trail system and Buttermilk Falls State Park. After exploring nearby waterfalls and scenic gorges, I feasted in the steakhouse, relaxed at the spa, and shared a communal campfire with local wine (!), spirits (!!), and homemade s’mores (!!!) prepared by Firelight founder and Food Network star Emma Frisch (Season 10). If that isn’t a hook, all the modern amenities are there, from phone-charging stations to sauna. If you are still unimpressed, check out Frisch’s husband, Robert. Totally worth price of admission, but remember: Hands off the staff.
It proves that time spent outside is not a constant us-vs.-them battle with mosquitoes or tent kits that come with either not enough parts or too many.
So think of glamping similar to any other elegant destination, but one where you spend most of your time in the great outdoors, or very close to them. Kiss your addiction to air conditioning good-bye, for example. You will hear birdsong in the day, crickets at night. But as pampered as you are, you are still one with nature on a glamping trip; Firelight’s season (May to October) is just winding down as winter sets in. Pack your tank tops in summer, your flannels in fall, hiking shoes throughout, and leave the designer-wear in the closet.
And this isn’t some oddball American one-off — glamping is probably the biggest trend in eco-tourism going. Elqui Damos in Chile, the Talo Resort in Australia, Eolo in Argentina prove the phenomenon has worldwide appeal, and new properties just opened up in Bora-Bora and the Seychelles.
For more information, go to firelightcamps.com or glamping.com. Steele Luxury Travel can assist with all of your glamping requests worldwide. Visit our website at https://steeletravel.com