Closer to Nature
The Lowdown
Where
Over 11 national parks in America have designated glamping spots nearby where you can spend the night on a stylish glamping campsite, cutting down on journey time and providing a wealth of ways to connect with the epic environment.
How it Works
Your safari-style tent is already set up for you on arrival at your glamping campsite. Expect comfort and more including hot showers, plush king-size beds, private bathrooms and a wood-burning stove. Some campsites also have on-site dining from open kitchens plus yoga classes and live music.
Who For
Outdoorsy families who are looking for an active and adventurous trip: bonding in awe-inspiring nature makes for a truly memorable holiday.
The unsurpassed experience of being close to nature shouldn’t end when you leave a national park. With stylish glamping sites located in secluded spots near to many of America’s most famous national parks, continue the connection with nature including insider activities to bring the landscapes to life. Glamping also presents an immersive alternative to America’s ubiquitous and somewhat bland hotels and motels.
ACADIA CAMP
Acadia National Park
On the rocky Atlantic coastline of Maine on America’s east side, Arcadia National Park is a millennia-old geological site and outdoor playground full of the promise of active fun. Characterised by granite mountains that intersperse with coniferous forests, miles of boulder-strewn beaches, glassy lakes and gushing rivers, it’s a coastal paradise for hikers, bikers and kayakers. Foodies are also attracted to Maine with good reason – get ready to enjoy its famous cuisine sourced from the sea: crab, lobster, oysters and clams are here in abundance.
You can uncover all this and more from the stylish set up at your glamping spot, just half an hour from Arcadia National Park, with a prime waterfront location clasped by pine trees. Your spacious and comfortable tent awaits, as does the al fresco kitchen, ready to offer you the catch of the day with a craft beer. Even better, use the expertise of your glampsite to get more out of your natural environment: enjoying guided tours of the park, sunset boat cruises, climbs up Cadillac Mountain and visits to the historic Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse, built in 1858.
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“Go outside and get active in Acadia's rugged landscapes and afterwards feast on bucketloads of freshly caught seafood."
Combine With:
Make your glamping excursion just one part of a road trip around New England including Boston, Rhode Island and Vermont.
WEST YELLOWSTONE CAMP
Yellowstone National Park
The ultimate in wholesome family fun, glamping near Yellowstone National Park in Montana is a world of adventure. Huge landscapes surround you from endless plains, plunging waterfalls, winding rivers, geological wonders and mountain peaks. And at the end of every day, be at one with nature in the flower-field meadow which you will call home, fishing the river, toasting s’mores on the fire and watching the sky prick with a million stars before turning into your cosy tent.
During the day, adventure calls in Yellowstone National Park – the west side entrance is just ten minutes away. Explore the park on guided hikes or traverse on horseback and discover the secrets of the 2.2 million-acre park, created from an eruption 631,000 years ago where today geysers spurt, obsidian forms into cliffs, colourful hot pools bubble and bears, wolves, bison, elk, antelope and grizzly bear wander the volcanic land.
“Live in the great outdoors - by day explore Yellowstone's geological wonders; by night sleep under canvas."
Combine With:
Head to a working ranch in Montana and tap into cowboy traditions: live in a cabin, gallop across the plains and learn how to herd cattle on horseback in ‘big sky country’.
MOAB CAMP
Utah Canyon Country
Endless arid landscapes greet you in the rocky wilderness of Moab in the heart of Utah’s Canyon Country, where your desert camp is camouflaged into the sandstone cliffs and scrubland. Safari-style tents are spacious retreats which allow you connect easily with the epic night skies and the endless views from apricot dawn to dramatic dusk.
Your days here are characterised by activity in the larger-than-life landscapes of Canyonlands and Arches National Park, just six miles away, that few could fail to be impressed with. Hike the natural red rock arches – sunrise at Delicate Arch is a mesmerising start to the day and ‘teetering rock’ makes for a great photo opportunity. There are also excellent biking trails through the burnt orange formation of Arches and climbers are well-catered for at Granary Canyon where you can descend 2,000 metres into the chasm.
“Lose yourself in the evocative geology of Arches National Park - its rust red, wind-sculpted forms will be indelibly seared on your memory."
Combine with:
With several other awe-inspiring sights in the area, add on the Grand Canyon into an American Southwest Grand Circle road trip alongside Bryce, Zion and Lake Powell.
GRAND CANYON CAMP
The Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon is one of America’s most enduring sights – the vast ravine drops 6,000-feet in spectacular scale, created from layers of red sandstone. It will certainly stop you in your tracks as you gaze at this natural wonder, yet the Grand Canyon National Park is also full of adventure. Hiking the South Rim route will give you epic views of the canyon and Colorado River and you can follow the footsteps of Native Americans by taking pathways right down into the canyon. You can also bike along Hermit Road spotting river rapids or trust in a sure-footed horse to take you into the chasm.
Grand Canyon Camp offers you the chance to extend the day in nature away from the crowds, offering a much more immersive experience than heading back to a characterless South Rim motel. Set in a juniper forest, 25 minutes from the South Rim entrance, the camp has a bar, restaurant and picnic area strung by fairy lights where families gather to toast s,mores before cosying down in comfy tents.
“Be more than a tourist at the Grand Canyon - glamp nearby to feel immersed in America's most epic sight."
Combine with:
Visit the Grand Canyon from a Route 66 road trip or include it on a more extensive ‘desert to California’ itinerary taking in Las Vegas, Death Valley, San Francisco and the central Californian coast.
