Glamping Getaways — Take the Rough Out of Roughing It
Camping isn’t for everyone. Let’s face it, it takes a lot of planning, equipment, and fortitude to sleep under the stars. As much as we love the great outdoors, some of us prefer it paired with a hot shower and decent sheets. For us, there’s glamping.
This phenomenon has its epicenter on the West Coast, where glamping options abound in a variety of topographies, fanciness levels, and price points. Whether you prefer the redwoods, wine country, or the sea, we’ve scoped out the best spots within a few hours of the Bay.
To the East
4 Days Diablo
If backpacking intrigues you, but you really prefer to be pampered, this is the glamping experience you’ve always dreamed of. The conservation group Save Mount Diablo hosts a four-day trip every April along the 30- mile Diablo Trail. You’ll carry only a light daypack and cross a paved road just twice during the entire journey. At night, you’ll be greeted at strategic campsites by a host with a refreshing hot washcloth… for starters. The support staff also includes premier local chefs, who cook elegant cuisine for campers each night, with paired libations and sunset vistas.
Price: $1,200 per person | savemountdiablo.org
Basecamp South Lake Tahoe
It’s not technically glamping, but Basecamp Hotel deserves mention for ingenuity and cozy vibe. Its Great Indoors Room has carpet reminiscent of turf, woodsy wallpaper, and an actual canvas safari tent inside the room.You can turn the lights down, spark up a cedar candle, and feel like you’re camping in Yosemite. The common area has a deck and gas fireplace where you can enjoy a s’more from the hotel-supplied ingredients under a canopy of stars. Best of all: no deer ticks.
Price: Starts at $169 | basecamptahoesouth.com
Inn Town Campground in Nevada City
Inn Town Campground is a plush, woodsy spot in Nevada City, near the Yuba River and the Sierra foothills that opened in July, 2016. In addition to 70 traditional campsites, Inn Town offers 15 cush canvas tents with a designy vibe and comfy sleeping quarters among the century-old pines. The property’s central commons includes a communal kitchen, laundry facilities, showers, reading nooks, and the almighty camping bonus: Wi-Fi.
Price: $85 to $150 a night | inntowncampground.com
To the North
Mendocino Grove
In the coastal woods of Mendocino, a stylish cluster of white safari tents is outfitted with high-end beds with white linens and down comforters. Wooden decks, slingback chairs, and nearby hot showers — stocked with aromatic bath products from local company EO Marin — enhance this glamportunity. Walk a quarter mile into Mendocino for a lovely seaside dinner before heading back to sleep under a redwood canopy.
Price: $161 for a classic tent, $195 for a family tent, $225 for a sweet vintage Airstream | mendocinogrove.com
Autocamp on the Russian River
Autocamp on the Russian River is a chic retro take on glamping. In addition to shiny Airstream suites with queen-sized beds, built-in flat-screen TVs, and sparkling white spa bathrooms, Autocamp has handcrafted wooden Shelten huts and canvas safari tents — all of the above meticulously furnished with Casper mattresses, Malin+Goetz bath products, and lighting by Schoolhouse Electric. During the day, walk to the Russian River or into Guerneville to sip, dine, and shop.
Price: Starting at $175 a night ($200 for an Airstream)| autocamp.com
Safari West in Calistoga
Safari West is a unique experience. This 400-acre wildlife preserve in Sonoma County offers a bona fide African safari, with roaming giraffes, cheetahs, nyalas, rhinoceroses, wildebeests, and many other exotic furry friends — as well as one of the Bay Area’s most colorful aviaries. Around suppertime, guests enjoy a communal grill and then have the option to spend the night in one of the property’s gorgeous elevated “tents.” In these cabins with open-air (but netted) sides, you can lie in bed and listen to the calls of the wild as a warm wine country breeze wafts by.
Price: Safari itself ranges from $45 for a child to $83 for an adult. Overnight accommodations are between $260 to $310 a night per cabin. Wildlife sounds are free. | safariwest.com
To The South
Costanoa in Pescadero
About an hour south of San Francisco, where Año Nuevo State Park meets the Pacific, you can find the eco-adventure resort Costanoa. Guests stay in Douglas-fir cabins or tent bungalows that can accommodate couples or families. In addition to comfortable shelter, Costanoa’s campground has a full-service spa and an onsite restaurant which features ingredients harvested from its farm. There’s lots to do at Costanoa besides pretending you’re camping — summer camps for kids, live music, yoga classes, guided bird-watching hikes, and kayak tours are just some of the fun activities.
Price: $90 to $230 a night | costanoa.com
Treebones Resort in Big Sur
Treebones Resort is perched high on a bluff in southern Big Sur — a remote and wild part of the coast where it’s not uncommon to spot a whale. A cluster of colorful canvas yurts makes up Yurt Village, all with snuggly comforter-laden beds for those chilly coastal nights. Every yurt has its own redwood deck with adirondack chairs for reading, sipping wine, and enjoying the spectacular Pacific sunsets. In particular, ask about the Twig Hut — a brand new structure this year. The onsite Wild Coast Restaurant and Oceanview Sushi Bar — both heavily reliant on fresh, local ingredients — eliminate any need to pack in BBQ supplies.
Price: Around $195 a night | treebonesresort.com
Mount Madonna County Park
High in the Santa Cruz Mountains, a low-key getaway within Mount Madonna County Park sits nestled among the redwoods. In addition to 125 “on the dirt” campsites, five domed canvas yurts are elevated on wooden platforms. A bit on the rustic side, the Mount Madonna yurts are still a step up from tent camping. Each yurt has bunk beds, fold-out futons, a plexiglass skylight, and lockable doors. Nearby potable water, communal restrooms, and barbeque grills make this a popular spot for South Bay nature-lovers.
Price: $66 to 96 a night | sccgov.org
