Glamor Camping, or 'glamping' as it's commonly referred to, covers a variety of camping styles, and can vary based on who you talk to. The seasoned bushcrafter who ventures into the wild with little more than a knife might consider bringing a tent glamping, while the seasoned tent camper may refer to glamping as renting a cabin in the woods.
All of those are true, and it really depends on your experience and versatility to determine what might constitute 'glamping'. For the purpose of this post, we'll talk about 'glamping' in the context of cabin rentals. Many cabins have been upgraded with modern amenities in this day and age to provide a more luxurious experience, providing a unique excursion while giving you the comforts of a 5 star hotel.
Growing up in the city I always dreamed of rolling landscapes of green and watching the clouds blanket mountaintops instead of skyscrapers. When I was old enough I sought those experiences for myself - but my family, and many of my friends are about as urban as you could get. Getting a cabin nestled in the woods that can sleep multiple people is a great way entice people with little to no outdoor experience to try it for themselves. The cabin provides general luxuries that most people are accustomed to - a warm place to lay your head at night, running water, a toilet, and maybe even electricity and wifi. As I'm sure we all know someone who loves the idea of the outdoors, but has some apprehensions about making the leap to experience it.
Especially when I was a younger man than I am now, rucking it out into the wilderness with what I could carry on my pack was a testament to my own self-sustainability. I haven't packed on that many years since those days, but as we get older we find less and less times for the things we enjoy. Reducing some of the not so fun parts of an outdoors trip - such as extensive planning and packing, can help clear your mind to just go ahead and book that trip, instead of dreading the negatives leading up to the excursion. This is also true for those without experience, as the list of 'What should I bring' shrinks with your housing and amenities accounted for.
The biggest benefit of this style of camping is the ease of food storage and cooking. Some cabins might have electric or gas stoves, making it very easy to make your breakfast of bacon and eggs. For those that don't they will almost always still have a fire pit for you to cook on. Plenty of cabins I have stayed at include a refrigerator, but I also always bring a cooler if I'm staying at a cabin, just as additional storage if there is none available.
All that being said, I would personally recommend making sure you can still have some of the universal camping experiences. Having outdoor activities to do, such as hiking or swimming in local watering holes is a great way to tie a full outdoor experience while staying at a cabin. Most of these cabins will include a firepit so you can have the fire starting experience - and this is ideal if you have members in your group who don't have the knowledge of how to start a fire. Turning this into a game of who can get it going the fastest, or who builds the best frame is a great camping activity that also teaches a very important skill.
Even though you might be renting a cabin that may have everything you need for your stay, I will always suggest carrying the basic tools anytime you venture to the outdoors. This is also useful for you to practice your own skills in a safe environment, as well as teaching others. At least 2 ways to start a fire, a flashlight, and a solid bushcraft knife always come with me anytime I take a trip into the great outdoors.
If you are looking for a great way to teach fire starting skills, our FireStarter Kit includes everything you'll need to start a fire 3 different ways.