Camping with Kids: Glamping

If traditional camping leaves you feeling cold, but you like the idea of spending time in nature with your kids, glamping may be for you. This glamourous take on (not really) roughing it combines the luxuries of civilized living with the beauty of nature. Here are four ways to try glamping with your kids this summer.

Glamping with Kids

1. Get the Best Gear

Glamping, like all camping, is all about preparation. Once you’re out in nature your level of enjoyment depends on having the right stuff. For a true glamping experience, this is going to mean having the best. Think big tent, big (and thick) mattress, fluffy pillows and soft, cozy sleeping bags. You’ll also want to invest in good-quality lanterns, camp stoves and camp chairs. There are more and more solar-powered and battery-operated gadgets that will make camping better, too, from phone chargers to lights to coffee grinders. Pack your best (practical) stuff from home, too – often when people go camping they bring all their old towels, pillowcases and sweatshirts. If you bring a fuzzy sweater you love and a towel that makes you feel good to use, plus some top-notch toiletries, camping will be much more pleasant.

2. Choose High-Brow Cuisine

We love a roasted marshmallow as much as the next person, but you can only eat so many of those. One way to turn camping into glamping is with great food. It really is possible to prepare great meals while you’re roughing it. Plus, when your kids are spending all their time outside they’ll be hungrier and more likely to try new things. We introduced you to personal chef Sydney Badger last summer. She offers events and classes for outdoor gourmets, so connect with her before you go and you’ll be prepared to enjoy the best food while you’re glamping.

3. Rent an RV

There are some seriously sweet RVs out there, but buying one may not be within your budget. Plus, where would you store it? If you just want the use of one for a week or two, rent. It’s a way to enjoy camping with your own kitchen and bathroom facilities, plus a shelter that doesn’t leak and a better-quality bed. This is an especially great choice for a glamping road trip, since your shelter comes along with you and you don’t have to pack and unpack at each campsite.

4. Visit a Glamping Resort

If you don’t want to invest in the gear – or even pack it – consider visiting a glamping resort or renting a yurt. These wilderness locations offer lodging that gets you up close and personal with nature, but with a real bed and luxury bedding. Here in BC there are a lot of great resorts that offer you a glamourous take on camping. Xenia on Bowen Island offers yurts to sleep in. Clayoquot Wilderness Resort offers the most high-scale tents you can possibly imagine. Free Spirit Spheres in Qualicum Beach gives you a chance to sleep in an orb dangling from the treetops (for real).