What’s the Difference Between Camping and Glamping?
There’s nothing like spending a night, a week, or longer in the California High Sierra wilderness, breathing in the fresh air, taking in the spectacular views, and looking up at the unobstructed night sky. But for many people, the downsides of enjoying the beauty of a national park are outweighed by the inconveniences of traditional camping.
Tents and sleeping bags aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. Enter “glamorous camping”—or glamping. It’s a new twist on camping that puts you much closer to nature than a typical resort or hotel while maintaining many of the amenities and comforts you’d expect from your home away from home.
Glamping Has Luxurious Amenities
A traditional camping experience usually gives campers access to the barest of amenities, including a small grill, a portable, battery-powered radio, and foldable chairs to sit around a fire. Glamping, on the other hand, has more in common with a hotel room that’s connected to its natural surroundings.
Instead of a sleeping bag, you’ll sleep on an actual bed, whether it’s a twin or even a king. Instead of foldable camping chairs, you’ll have actual wood furniture to relax on. And instead of placing your possessions on the ground or in your tent, you’ll have bedside tables.
Glamping Has Delicious Food
While there’s a certain satisfaction in cooking your own food while camping, especially when you utilize your campfire, it’s easy to get sick of the often-barebones cuisine you’ll experience. The dining experience while glamping isn’t just an upgrade in selection and flavor—it’s often better than what you’ll find in many well-established restaurants!
At Sequoia High Sierra Camp, for example, you’ll have access to three meals a day at our dining pavilion, including a 5-course dinner menu that’s prepared by a renowned chef. You’ll also be able to choose from craft beer and imported wines to complement your meals.
Glamping Has High-Quality Showers and Bathrooms
Many people are a-okay with sleeping under the stars in sleeping bags and tents, and even eating campfire food for days on end, but their ultimate dealbreaker for roughing it outdoors is lack of access to restrooms and showers. Dedicated campground facilities can help alleviate this issue, but at best, they’re simply adequate and never an enjoyable experience.
Glamping solves this issue. You’ll enjoy private shower stalls and dressing areas with hot water and flushing toilets. You can start every day with a refreshing shower and the privacy you need to feel and be at your best.
Glamping Gives You a “Home Base” to Rest and Recharge
The California High Sierra wilderness requires plenty of energy and a sense of adventure to truly explore and conquer. When you’re devoting much of your time, energy, and attention to building and maintaining a campsite, you may not have much left in the tank to fully explore and appreciate your surroundings.
When glamping somewhere like Sequoia High Sierra Camp, you’ll be able to quickly and easily return to your “home base” to literally and figuratively recharge throughout your stay. Reinvigorate yourself in comfortable surroundings after a breathtaking hike and settle in for a night of reading, dining, chatting, and stargazing.
Glamping Gives You a Shared Community
It’s refreshing to get away from it all in the great outdoors, but camping can often be a lonely affair—even when you’re enjoying the fresh air with friends and family. Guests can easily meet and enjoy the company of other glampers and their families. Schedule hikes together, swap stories about your time in the wilderness, and make lasting friendships in your home under the stars.