Summer Vacation? Try 'Glamping'

Wondering where we’ve been? I am usually a more prolific-poster but I took the week off with the family for a late summer vacation. For the past few Augusts, we have taken a camping trip. These started as ‘mini’ trips, a weekend away where we could get in the car and go, cook over an open fire and sleep under the stars (in a tent). Ainsley says our version of ‘camping’ isn’t really camping; it’s ‘sissy camping’. Camping for Ainsley means hiking in and really sleeping under the stars. That version of camping is not for me.  Clearly.

I prefer what has become a modern phenomenon of ‘glamping’ which means glamour camping. The New York Times first covered ‘glamping’ in 2008, when the term started to enter the collective consciousness. There is even a glamping blog, The Glamping Hub, covering all things related to this adventure.

From my perspective, there is really nothing glamorous about camping, even glamping. Roughing it for me is living without a blow-dryer and fresh towels. But I am game if nothing else and for the past few years have come to actually enjoy these outings where I don’t shower for days and come home with the kids looking like orphans. What excites me about camping is the cooking. On our first trip I told Brett that I would go on one condition: I was the cook. I would choose the menu and be in charge of all the planning and supplying. I am weird I know, but I get excited about these kind of challenges. Most of the time, I do pretty well. I have earned my role as camp cook over time.

This camping trip was inspired by a recent cover of Sunset Magazine May 2011. I liked the look of that canvas tent. I could do that. The cottage on the front is at Lakedale Resort on San Juan Island. I had never been to the San Juans (I know! I know!) and thought this would be a fun new experience. However, that lovely cottage tent started at $275/night for the Standard (not even sure what the ultra-deluxe cabin with the bathroom in the sky…cue Jefferson’s theme song…would cost) and you still had to bring all your cooking equipment and food.  They do supply linens though, which is a plus. They also had lakeside camping sites for $40/night and it really wasn’t much more effort to bring tents and linens, so that’s what we did. We loaded up the family truckster with all our gear and four kids and headed off to Wally World the San Juans.

(For the rest of our glamping adventure, head to our blog at www.midcenturymodernlove.com.)