7 things we learned on our first glamping trip

Almost as soon as I saw pictures of the glampsites with slides at Airydale Retreat, I booked our first glamping getaway. I had wanted to try glamping since before my now-five-year-old son was born, and I knew that this place—about three hours from our home in the Philadelphia suburbs—was the perfect destination for our first glamping experience. 

Airydale offers nine glampsites in Central Pennsylvania: six in Mill Creek and three new sites on Stone Mountain in nearby Allendale. Between them lies a stretch of the scenic Kischacoquillas Valley, an Amish community filled with fresh produce stands, bakeries, an old-fashioned cheese shop, and other simple pleasures.

From the moment we drove up to our glampsite (the Cardinal 2) to the last flicker of our campfire (where we enjoyed many, many S’mores), we loved every bit of our glamping getaway—and learned a few things throughout the weekend. If you’re planning your own glamping trip, here’s what to keep in mind.

Glamping is ideal for non-campers. 

If you want to immerse yourself in nature without sacrificing (too much) comfort, glamping is the perfect solution and a lot easier than camping. You can enjoy the great outdoors—taking hikes by day and building campfires by night—but still have a place to charge your phone. 

Glamping isn’t always glamorous.

Despite the name, glamping isn’t necessarily luxurious. You might have to work for your coffee (e.g. use a percolating coffee pot), you won’t have a perfectly hot shower, and yes, there will be bugs—lots of them. The true “glamour” is in the conveniences you wouldn’t have if you were backpacking through the wilderness and pitching your own tent: a real bed and electricity. 

There are different levels of glamping, though.

Glamping accommodations run the gamut, from canvas tents set on wooden platforms to fully furnished Airstream trailers at AutoCamp, to all-inclusive luxury retreats with butler service (see: Paws Up in Montana). Not only do offerings vary from one resort to another, but they often vary within the same property. At Airydale Retreat, our site had an outdoor shower below the tent, a private bathroom just steps away, and a split unit to keep things cool—or, in our case, to take the November chill off. It also had several outlets for charging devices. Meanwhile, the resort’s Domes feature full indoor bathrooms with a shower, pellet heaters, and kitchenettes with mini-fridges. The new glampsites at Stone Mountain offer similar upscale amenities.

Glamping accommodations can be well climate-controlled.

The beds at Airydale Retreat are outfitted with sheets and duvets (and seasonally, all of the queen beds have electric blankets). Still, I packed exactly nine extra blankets out of fear we (or just I?) might freeze otherwise. I was pleasantly surprised to discover the split unit kept the tent warm, and with the added blankets, we were as cozy as we would have been at home. (That said, only the Domes at Airydale Retreat remain open in the winter months). 

You should pack like you would for a camping trip. 

While Airydale Retreat provides several useful amenities—linens, towels, a camping stove, a percolator coffee pot, cookware, cooking utensils and soap were among the provisions provided at our campsite—it was still necessary for us to bring items like (compostable) paper plates, cutlery and flashlights. Here’s a list of essentials I recommend adding to your packing list for glamping (regardless of the season):

• Tissues
• Toiletries
• Bug spray
• Sunscreen
• Paper towels
• Extra blankets
• Layers (hoodies and jackets)
• Waterproof hiking boots and/or old sneakers
• Puzzles
• Board games
• Fire starter

You can often bring your dog.

Like regular camping, glamping is typically a pet-friendly vacation option. Airydale Retreat welcomes dogs in all its accommodations for an additional fee. Dogs must be leashed and cannot be left alone, which is a standard rule at many pet-friendly hotels and resorts.

It is the ultimate way to connect with family. 

There was no TV in our tent, and aside from the one time my son asked to watch a bit of KPop Demon Hunters on my phone (we’d just discovered what all the hype is about the week prior—cut us some slack), we unplugged from our devices and connected as a family. We played cornhole and ladder ball (both provided at the resort), we went for a hike, and we stopped at Shy Bear Brewing in Lewistown (a great dog-friendly spot, by the way). We cozied up around a campfire and we made up silly songs. And then we laid in bed and chatted and giggled before we all fell asleep.

More from FamilyVacationist: