With only a few weeks left before summer begins, now is the best time to begin planning your summer weekends. And if an outdoor retreat is on your list, Glamping Hub has got you covered! After experiencing only 24 hours at The Dreamy Riverfront Cabin in the Shenandoah Valley, I’m completely hooked on scheduling time to decompress and become one with nature.
Glamping Hub is the ultimate booking site for luxury camping or “glamorous camping” as the name suggests. The site offers you the best break from the hustle and bustle and provides desirable, comfortable and secluded destinations at all price ranges. You can choose from an intimate yurt, a teepee (tipi), a treehouse, a log cabin, a multi-family cottage, a mountain resort, luxury tents and so much more.
What is glamping? According to the Glamping Hub website: “ Glamping is a one-of-a-kind experience where you’ll get to choose an extremely unique accommodation, pick an amazing backdrop and get ready for the experience of a lifetime – all without sacrificing even an ounce of comfort. Glamping is a way to connect with your surroundings without having to rough it.”
Glamping is a decade old concept that I’m totally in love with! As much as I enjoy communing with nature, I have been slightly hesitant when it comes to outdoor camping. Pitching a tent, forging for firewood, becoming acquainted with moist soil, crawling bugs, wild animals and creeping out into the darkness to find a makeshift toilet in the open woods has never been my idea of a vacation.
Spraying myself from head to toe with insect repellant right before bedtime? No, thank-you. Sleeping on a cold, damp strip of land in a nylon zippered tent, air mattresses and sleeping bags? I am a city girl. And as much as I appreciate the country—I need some modern day comforts in my life, especially at the end of the day. I discovered Glamping Hub organically, through word of mouth. Fellow parents in our neighborhood were asking me why I haven’t yet mentioned it on my blog.
After researching the site, I found several properties driving distance from where I live. I was beyond excited to book a getaway with my friend Cheryl, who is all about camping and roughing it, and who is also a very busy mom in need of a weekend of relaxation and rejuvenating. It was also her birthday month and Mother’s Day weekend—what a perfect time to plan an overnight trip away.
We chose the Dreamy Riverfront Cabin in the Shenandoah Valley. The location is perfectly situated only 90 minutes from Washington DC in the charming mountain town of Sperryville, Virginia. The Dreamy Riverfront Cabin is a five year old cottage house nestled in a beautiful wooded neighborhood with a rolling brook that you can hear from just outside the house. It sits on about 4-5 acres of beautifully manicured land with hiking trails minutes from the door.
The house has two bedrooms, a nice sized kitchen, living room, dining room and bath. It has an amazing wrap around porch and a fire pit on the side of the house. The driveway can fit an entire fleet of cars. The house is perfect for a family of four.
The home itself doesn’t have wi-fi or a cell phone signal, making it super easy to disconnect from your phone, social media and the rest of your electronic gadgets. The house has a television with only a DVD player, an older generation iPod player, a nice collection of DVDs and a decent library of travel books and other guides.
Thanks to Glamping Hub, Cheryl and I enjoyed meals at home, a quiet bonfire, a 3 1/2 hour hike through the Shenandoah Valley’s Mary’s Rock, unplugging and really decompressing from our normally busy lives. We also met new friends in the heart of Sperryville by visiting a few local businesses including the Corner Store, Thornton River Grille and Wildroots Apothecary. It was by visiting a few of the local businesses and talking to the locals that we discovered Francis, a new bar featuring locally-inspired alchemistic cocktails & classics, wine, and beer along with small bites. It was their second day of business and we were simply smitten with the place.
Here are a few tips to plan your Glamping Trip:
1. Determine who is going
When I first began planning my trip, I wanted to go with my husband and kids. However, Mother’s Day was approaching and my professional life and mommy life had left me frazzled and begging for some time off and away from it all. I decided to make it a Mommy Retreat to restore and rejuvenate.
2. Decide on a location
I didn’t want to drive very far for my first weekend getaway without my family. I set my sights on locations less than a 2 hour drive from Washington DC.
3. Set a budget
Create a budget of how much you want to spend per night on your lodgings, as well as a budget for food and entertainment. We packed all of our food to enjoy meals at home and a nice outdoor picnic. But, we also planned for a spontaneous cocktail hour and souvenir shopping.
4. Do your research and plan according to your tastes and preferences
Glamping Hub does an amazing job listing the amenities available. Most accommodations are equipped with everything you need, but pay close attention to the details in your search.
5. Manage your expectations
Prices can range from $50 a night up to $2500 a night. And for good reason. Don’t expect the same amount of luxury in a lower priced destination as a higher priced destination.
For travelers interested in exploring the great outdoors but not quite ready to give up luxuries such as private bathrooms, hot showers and a comfy bed, Glamping Hub is my favorite solution. My experience was beyond extraordinary. My family and I have already begun making plans for our summer weekends, including our annual family reunion by using Glamping Hub.
{Special Thank-you to Glamping Hub for partnering on this post. You can find the Dreamy Riverfront Cabin listing here. You can find a complete list of Virginia based Glamping Hub options here. All opinions and photography are my own.}
