Glamping: The 11 best resorts in the U.S.

Luxury camping at its finest

By Megan Barber@megcbarber Updated May 24, 2018, 1:12pm EDT

The interior of a large white tent. There is a bed on a bed frame, chairs, a table with a mirror, and plants in planters. The floor is wooden. There are windows in the walls of the tent. — The high-end tent accommodations of Mendocino Grove, a glamping resort in Northern California.

Let’s face it: Camping is not for everyone. Whether it’s the bugs, sleeping on the ground, or the lack of plumbing, for some people, the Great Outdoors can feel more like a natural disaster than an adventure.

Glamping—a slightly obnoxious term short for “glamorous camping”—wants to change that. Instead of the hard ground and too-cold sleeping bags, glamping usually includes feather beds, comfy blankets, and yes, sometimes a flushing toilet. When you glamp, you get all the amenities of high-end hotels set in a natural environment that’s literally miles away from any city.

If glamping sounds like the only type of camping you’d be willing to try, you’re in luck. An array of glamping resorts now exist around the country, from iconic (and expensive) guest ranches in Montana to more reasonably priced digs in upstate New York.

We’ve rounded up 11 of the best, prioritizing the resorts that have great interior design and stunning surroundings. This is how you camp in style.

Collective Retreats

A large white tent on a raised wooden platform. The front of the tent is open revealing a large bed inside of the tent. There is a person sitting on the bed. There are two chairs on the wooden platform outside of the tent. — One of the temporary “hotel rooms” created by Collective Retreats.

Where: After two years of testing in Vail, Colorado, and Yellowstone, Montana, Collective Retreats now also offers glamping in Sonoma, California; the Hudson Valley, New York; the Texas Hill Country outside Austin; and even an outpost on Governor’s Island across from Manhattan.

The cost: $500 to $700 per night.

The details: Collective Retreats takes camping to a whole new level with luxurious tents in places where traditional hotels simply can’t exist: A picturesque field in Yellowstone, Montana, for example, or unspoiled countryside in New York’s Hudson Valley.

The company partners with landowners to set up around 15 tents in each location and provides guests with lodging, meals, and activities.

High-end decor includes wood floors, electricity, antler chandeliers, 1,500-thread-count Egyptian cotton linens, Turkish hotel spas, ensuite private bathrooms with L’Occitane bath products, and even gourmet French-press coffee bars.

Mendocino Grove

A large white tent on a raised wooden deck platform. Inside of the tent is a bed with bed linens and pillows. There are two chairs outside of the tent. There are trees in the background. — Each tent rental at Mendocino Grove comes with its own deck and leather butterfly chairs.

Where: Northern California’s Mendocino Coast

The cost: Starting at $145 per night.

The details: Located on a forest bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Mendocino Grove is a two-minute drive or 20-minute walk from the artsy town of Mendocino. The 37-acre property includes 60 safari-style classic and family tents, as well as amenities like picnic tables, hammocks, hiking trails, and games.

The interior of a large white tent. There is a bed, chairs, tables, dressers, and windows. — The peaceful accommodations at Mendocino Grove.

Each tent is outfitted with comfortable beds, down comforters, wool blankets, cotton linens, and lanterns. The floors are made of redwood, leather butterfly chairs allow a place to relax, and each campsite includes its own outdoor table and fire ring.

A complimentary outdoor breakfast bar is included in every stay, and you also get bathroom facilities, gas barbecues, and the property is even dog friendly for $20 per night.

The Ranch at Rock Creek

Cabins with a combination wooden and canvas exterior. In the foreground is tall wild grass. — The canvas cabins at the Ranch at Rock Creek in Montana.

Where: Southwestern Montana near the historic mining town of Philipsburg.

The cost: Around $1,300 per person, per night in summer.

The details: It doesn’t get more glamorous than the Ranch at Rock Creek, a luxury resort in Montana. This five-star guest ranch has a gorgeous lodge in which to sleep, but it also boasts several large canvas tents that are perfect for couples and families alike.

The interior of a large white tent. There are multiple beds with bed linens and pillows. There are area rugs. There are chairs and ceiling fans. — The interior of a family canvas tent at the Ranch at Rock Creek.

Rustic style meets high-end design in the tents, with many featuring two rooms separated by a curtain. You also get a private bathroom, top-notch bedding, two gas stoves, a screened porch, and a private deck.

While the Ranch at Rock Creek stretches the definition of camping—seriously, these accommodations rival the nicest rooms in New York City—their per-night pricing includes everything you need to relax: housekeeping, all food and premium drinks, activities, gear, and transportation to and from the airport.

Asheville Glamping

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Where: An 18-minute drive from Asheville, North Carolina

The cost: Hike-in tents starting around $70 per night, most tents around $145 per night

The details: Set on a rural 15-acre property, Asheville Glamping boasts an array of different lodging accommodations. Geodesic domes can accommodate larger families, three different Airstreams give a vintage feel, and then a team of tents combine traditional camping with more modern amenities.

A post shared by Asheville Glamping ™ (@ashevilleglamping) on May 1, 2018 at 3:26pm PDT

Each safari tent comes with a queen bed on a wooden frame and a pull-out sleeper sofa so the tent sleeps four. Air conditioning helps you stay cool at night, while lights and charging outlets mean you don’t need to stay completely off grid. A private fire pit and propane grill lets you cook under the stars, and the tent is a short walk away from a rustic shower house with hot shower.

Posh Primitive

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Where: The Adirondacks of northern New York.

The cost: Rates start at $395.

The details: Although Posh Primitive is not as fancy as some of the other glamping resorts on this list, their log-embellished canvas tents are just the thing for people who want to camp with a bit of comfort. Each stay includes fine linens, comforters, and classic Pendleton wool blankets, and the tents are outfitted with antiques and furnishings made by local craftspeople.

A post shared by Rachael Yarnell-Shafer (@poshprimitive) on May 28, 2016 at 8:29pm PDT

Each tent also has a wood stove, and the 100-acre property boasts a bath house to stay clean. A dining lodge hosts the included meals, and many of the ingredients are sourced from the on-site garden. Good dogs are also welcome—a major bonus for our four-legged friends.

Under Canvas

A large tent with its front flaps open is in the foreground. There are chairs and a table in the tent. There are chairs in front of the tent. In the background are mountains in Utah’s Zion National Park. — Under Canvas glamping tents in Utah’s Zion National Park.

Where: Under Canvas has tents in Zion, Moab, Yellowstone, and Glacier, and its Grand Canyon location will open in 2018.

The cost: Rates depend on the time of year and location, but most start around $159 per night.

The details: As one of the largest glamping companies in the United States, Under Canvas has figured out the key to success: simple and luxurious accommodations in stunning settings.

The inside of a glamping tent. There is a hardwood floor, chairs, a dresser, a large bed, and area rugs. — An Under Canvas suite in Utah’s Zion National Park.

Under Canvas offers a range of different tents to choose from, some with ensuite bathrooms that include a shower, sink, and flushing toilet. Deluxe tents boast a wood stove and a private deck, while suites work well for families thanks to both the bedroom wing and a lounge area that features a leather queen sofa bed.

You can also add an adjacent tepee to any tent, and all tent rates include up to four guests per night.

Dunton River Camp

A tent with a porch. On the porch is a chair. There are mountains, trees, and a clearing in the distance. — A mountain tent at Dunton River Camp in Colorado.

Where: Dunton River Camp is located at Cresto Ranch in the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado.

The cost: $1,500 per night.

The details: Boasting eight spacious tents on a 500-acre former cattle ranch that dates back to the late 1800s, Dunton River Camp is a summer-only luxury glamping resort. Guests can choose between mountain tents nestled in Aspen trees or river tents that sit steps above the West Fork of the Dolores River.

A large tent with its front flaps open. Inside of the tent is a bed, area rug, chairs, and dressers. There are chairs and tables on a deck in front of the tent. In the background are trees. — The view inside a tent at Dunton River Camp.

All of the tents are outfitted with king beds, ensuite bathrooms with a 6-foot soaker tub, gas stoves, and high-design furniture. A huge shaded deck at the front of the tents provides a perfect perch to contemplate nature, and Dunton River Camp also provides guests with mountain bikes to get around the property.

Ventana Big Sur

A large tent in a clearing in a forest with many trees. Inside of the tent is a bed and tables. In front of the tent are chairs, a picnic bench, and a fire pit. — The glamping tent at Ventana Big Sur.

Where: The gorgeous coast of Big Sur, California.

The cost: From $400 per night.

The details: If the only type of camping you want is 5 star luxury, Ventana Big Sur is your resort. Set on 160 forested acres on the coast of Big Sur, Ventana features a range of different accommodations, but we like the 15 different Redwood and Canyon “Glampsites,” or safari-style tent campsites.

The inside of a tent. There is a bed, tables, lamps, a bench, and hanging art. — A modern hotel room set inside a tent at Ventana.

Each tent comes with heated blankets on a king bed, natural fiber rugs, a picnic table, and separate gas and wood-burning fire pits. Throw in daily housekeeping, morning coffee and tea, and access to the resort’s pools and fitness center (for an extra fee), and this is the fanciest camping you can do. Ventana glampers also have access to a fully-stocked bath house with towels and shower amenities.

The Resort at Paws Up

A large tent with its front flaps open. Inside of the tent is a bed, tables, lamps, and hanging art work. In front of the tent are chairs, tables, and art. In the background are trees. — A two-bedroom tent at River Camp, one of the many places to glamp at the Resort at Paws Up.

Where: Located on Montana’s Blackfoot River, the setting of the iconic story—and Robert Redford-directed film—A River Runs Through It.

The cost: Nightly rates start at $1,255 for a one-bedroom tent in the fall and include all meals, drinks, and transportation.

The details: One of the most famous glamping resorts in the U.S., the 37,000-acre Resort at Paws Up goes way beyond nice thread counts and fancy furniture. Each of their 30 tents comes with its own camp butler, to say nothing of the indoor plumbing, air conditioning, and heated blankets when it’s chilly.

The interior of a large glamping tent at the Resort at Paws Up. There is a copper soaking tub, chairs, a dresser, a bed, an area rug, a ceiling fan, and windows in the walls of the tent. — A honeymoon tent at the Resort at Paws Up.

The Resort at Paws Up also has some of the largest glamping tents around. Their three-bedroom tents measure 1,220 square feet, can sleep six guests, and have two bathrooms. And no matter the size, the accommodations all feature feather beds, large decks, daily housekeeping, and Western-chic furniture.

When they’re not sleeping in the tricked-out tents, guests can explore more than 120 miles of hiking, mountain biking, horse riding, and ATV trails.

El Cosmico

A row of three tents in a field. It is night and the sky is full of stars. There are trees surrounding the field. The tents are illuminated from within. — The El Cosmico safari tents at night.

Where: The high plains desert of Marfa, Texas.

The cost: Rates start at $85 per night.

The details: This funky glamping outpost also features trailers, yurts, and tepees, but we’re partial to El Cosmico’s 120-square-foot tents. Each tent comes with wood floors, durable canvas walls, lighting, a queen bed, and a chair.

The interior of a tent. There is a bed with colorful bed linens, a bench, a table, a chair, and a hanging lantern. — The interior of a glamping tent at El Cosmico.

High-end linens and towels make you feel at home, and electrical outlets for charging your tech mean that you won’t miss a single Instagrammable moment.

The El Cosmico bath houses feature showers, a tub, toilets, and sinks, and the resort also has a hammock grove for relaxed swinging. Don’t miss the Dutch tubs: wood-fired hot tubs available for rent every night from 6 to 10 p.m.

Firelight Camps

A tent in a clearing surrounded by trees and tall grass. The tend is white. There is a bed and chairs inside of the tent.

Where: On the grounds of La Tourelle Resort and Spa in Ithaca, New York.

The cost: Rates start at $189 per night.

The details: The well-thought-out tents at Firelight Camps sit on platforms and contain all the amenities you’d expect from a hotel room. Hardwood floors, large beds with plush linens, and private balconies make camping easy, and perks like a complimentary, locally sourced continental breakfast start the day off right.

The interior of a tent. There is a bed, chairs, area rugs, and tables. Outside of the tent are outside chairs and a table.

Each tent is lit with battery-powered lanterns that can also charge your phone, and mesh screening keeps out unwanted bugs. The low-key resort has plenty to do; try your hand at bocce ball or check out the many hiking trails.

Glamping: The 11 best resorts in the U.S.

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