Sense-ible Glamping

Of course, glamping is good for the soul as it provides the opportunity to disconnect from everything and reconnect with nature. It’s good for the body too as it lowers stress levels and provides plenty of opportunity for exercise in the great outdoors. Glamping is also good for the senses – and we found some locations that will delight all five of them. Next time you’re planning a trip, keep these sense-sational spots in mind.

Touch: Sand – gritty, soft or silky. Tree bark – rough, smooth, notched. Snow – cold and wet. There are so many tactile experiences to be had while glamping. See how the beach feels beneath your feet when you stay Oregon’s beach town location of Pacific City or the cold snow falling on your face when you stay in a tiny house at Leavenworth Tiny House Village in winter. How about a healing touch? The vortexes of Sedona are said to provide just that. Book a cabin or tiny house stay at Verde Valley and see if you experience this unique touch of healing energy.

Sight:  What can be more picturesque than field upon field of blooming tulips? Check out the Skagit Valley come spring and stay at La Conner. Or, catch the spectacular views from Yosemite National Park any time of year. Plan to stay in a yurt or cabin at Yosemite Lakes and see just how beautiful every inch of this treasure is. The Dry Tortugas in the Florida Keys made the list of the “50 Most Beautiful Places in the U.S. You Can’t Afford to Miss” (according to attractionsofamerica.com), so book a colorful cottage stay at Fiesta Key RV Resort and Marina and find out why after a short drive along the Overseas Highway.

Sound: Rolling waves hitting the sand; wildlife sounds in the night, the clip clop of horseshoes, the rustle of the trees – can you hear these sounds? Most definitely if you glamp with us at California’s Rancho Oso where guided horseback rides are available. Or, rent a tiny house at the Sunshine Key Tiny House Village and let the sounds of the ocean relax you – it’ll be right outside your window. So many of our locations are nestled in the woods or in the quiet wilderness. What about the sounds of camp-side laughter? Wherever you’re glamping, gather your crew at dusk and recap the day, tell jokes, and play games to evoke this always-pleasing sound.

Bend-Sunriver Yurt
Bend-Sunriver Yurt

Smell: How about the smell of a pine forest – check into a yurt at Bend-Sunriver and check out Deschutes National Forest, which is home to thousands of fragrant Ponderosa pines. The smell of Seattle’s Pike Place Market is a mix of exotic spices, flowers, coffee beans, and more mixing to make it memorable for sure. Add in another yurt experience with a stay at Tall Chief and see how many scents you can identify at one of Seattle’s most visited attractions. What about the plethora of smells emanating from a botanic garden? Plan to stay in a cabin at Bay Landing and head into Dallas to experience the scent-sations of the blooms found at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanic Garden.

Cabin at Miami Everglades
Cabin at Miami Everglades

Taste: How do you taste glamping? Well, for our purposes, you glamp near a unique foodie experience. For example, sample succulent Maine lobster when you stay at our Bar Harbor resorts or try an iconic Door County, Wisconsin, fish boil when you stay in a cozy cabin at Tranquil Timbers in nearby Sturgeon Bay. Enjoy the fruits of the sea when staying at our Pacific Northwest locations and taste seasonal Chinook salmon, Dungeness crab, or Oregon Pink Shrimp or oysters. A stay at Natchez Trace means Nashville’s culinary treats, which include hot chicken (named for the healthy dose of cayenne pepper used), buttery, flaky biscuits, and the oh-so-gooey and sweet Goo Goo clusters. Miami is all about classic Cuban cuisine which can be experienced through a food tour. Check out miamiculinarytours.com when you stay with us in a cabin at Miami Everglades.

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Hike and Yurt – Our Favorite Four-Letter Words!

Yurt at Mount Vernon RV Campground, Bow, WAWe’ve detailed the benefits of camping in our yurts many times – spacious yet comfortable, close to nature yet shielded from the elements, and, they are ready and waiting so you can get camping the minute you arrive at your destination!

We’ve also detailed the benefits of hiking many times – regularly hiking lowers your risk of heart diseases, lower blood pressure and blood sugar levels, boosts bone density, strengthens your core and elevates your mood.

Combine all those benefits and it’s no wonder Hike and Yurt are some our favorite four-letter words. Toss in our Washington yurt accommodations and the benefits multiply as the state is home to five different locations that offer yurt lodging and all offer proximity to hiking trails that can’t be beat.

Grandy Creek RV Campground (Concrete): The Cascade Trail Head is an easily-accessible, 22.5-mile trail that runs along the Skagit River Valley with farmland and wildlife views. It is crushed stone and gravel and fairly level and there are some benches along the way for resting. A highlight is the historic Henry Thompson Bridge at trails’ end in Concrete. At the time it was completed in 1918, it was the largest single span cement bridge in the world. The bridge is now on the National Register of Historic Places.

Long Beach RV & Camping Resort, Seaview, WA

Long Beach RV Campground (Seaview): AllTrails.com lists 11 hiking trails in Cape Disappointment State Park, which is just a five-minute drive from the campground, or a 15-minute bike ride via the Discovery Trail. Most of 11 trails listed with AllTrails are rated easy to moderate so everyone can enjoy the hike. The Bells’ View Overlooks Trail (0.5 miles) is rated for all hikers and offers beautiful views of the wildflowers and the bay. The Discovery Trail itself is 14 miles roundtrip, and takes hikers over the sand dunes via the boardwalk, provides views of the ocean and even a sculpture of William Clark, for whom the trail is named, along with his travel companion, Meriwether Lewis!

Mount Vernon RV Campground (Bow): The Padilla Bay Shore Trail takes you along the bay where the Skagit River meets the Salish Sea and makes it one of the most diverse and biologically productive of the major estuaries on the Puget Sound. It is a 2.25-mile trail that can be easily trekked. Binoculars are a must!

Paradise RV Campground (Silver Creek): One of the stars here is the Skagit River Valley – an opportunity to explore the Hoh Rain Forest, one of the largest temperature rain forests in the US, via a hike along the Hoh River Trail. Mt. St. Helens National Monument is another opportunity for hiking as it offers more than 200 miles of trails that offers views of wildflowers, mountains, lakes and even the devastation caused by the 1980 eruption.

Yurt at Tall Chief RV & Camping Resort, Fall City, WA

Tall Chief RV Campground (Fall City): April to October is the best time to take a hike and view the beauty of Snoqualmie Falls, which is less than four miles from the campground.  Of course, the highlight here is the 268-foot waterfall and good to note, it’s an easy hike for everyone. Sit on the rocks near the base of the falls and take in another great show from Mother Nature.  Take a longer drive (about 40 miles) and explore a more difficult trail at the Lake Lilian Trail, an 8-mile trail that is a favorite of birders!

Book your Hike/Yurt summer adventure today – go to the petiteretreats.com/accomodations_yurts and get moving!