These Glamping Sites Offer a Design-Forward Alternative in Sought-After Destinations

For the past few years, spending time in the great outdoors has become more popular, with people partaking more frequently in activities such as hiking or camping. According to a report by the Outdoor Industry Association and Outdoor Foundation, the number of outdoor recreation participants increased by 2.3% in 2022 to a record 168 million participants, or 55% of the U.S population.

But for travelers who don’t like the hassle associated with camping and love the refinement and design of boutique hotels, glamping offers a chic and comfortable alternative. This is what AutoCamp — a company active since 2013 offering lodging in luxurious tents, cabins and modern Airstream suites — is striving to offer.

“The AutoCamp founders [Neil Dipaola and Matt Berman] enjoy nature and camping, but wanted to make camping more approachable to people who perhaps didn’t have a lot of experience or lacked the supplies,” wrote Taylor Davis, vice president of brand marketing at AutoCamp, in an email.

The company has six sites that are open year-round in popular American locales, such as Cape Cod, the Catskills and Russian River, with more to come. The sites offer a few different types of accommodations That all come with outdoor fire pits. They also include on-site activities like yoga and amenities such as a main pavilion, dubbed the “Clubhouse.” Swimming pools are available at their locations in Yosemite, Joshua Tree and Zion.

AutoCamp’s business model offers a compelling concept for owners of rural land. The land that each AutoCamp site was built on was acquired specifically with glamping and camping in mind, uses that typically require zoning approvals since they are commercial activities. “AutoCamp has guidelines in mind when we consider new properties — proximity to outdoor activities and major metropolitan areas, low impact on the land and the community, and how well the property will work for a location,” Davis wrote.

One of the key pillars of AutoCamp is to ensure that they have a minimal impact on the land where their sites reside. Because their locations are rural in nature, Davis noted that “often, the biggest challenges are related to project permitting, including coordinating all the necessary approvals to obtain water, wastewater, access and land use permits.”

The AutoCamp sites are strategically located within a half-day’s drive of a major city with a major airport. “It’s important for us to look for like-minded communities that provide local charm, outdoor experiences and a common goal to bring more travelers to the area,” Davis wrote.

When developing a new site, AutoCamp looks for locations that offer an abundance of outdoor activities and proximity to public land such as national or state parks. The Zion AutoCamp, for instance, offers easy access to the Zion National Park through the Kolob Terrace Road entrance, so visitors don’t have to go through the main entrance, according to Travel + Leisure.

AutoCamp works with staff designers and architecture firms “to masterplan the site to include our signature Clubhouse and the different types of accommodations including Airstreams, cabins, accessible suites and luxury tents,” Davis wrote.

AutoCamp sites are heavily influenced by mid-century modern design, according to Davis. However, each site is distinctive and unique, as evidenced through the main building of each location — the Clubhouse — “which is designed to reflect the local aesthetic and region,” she wrote. “For example, the Clubhouse in Joshua Tree mimics the Quonset hut shape initially used by Native Americans in the area, and the Catskills location was designed to resemble farmhouses common to that region of New York.”

The Clubhouse acts as the reception area and as a gathering place, with amenities such as The Kitchen, a restaurant open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and The General Store, a convenience store where campers can buy food, souvenirs, BBQ kits and local goods.

The Airstream trailers were custom designed for AutoCamp, and the company is an exclusive hospitality partner of Airstream’s, noted Davis. A few different types of Airstream suites are available: classic, premium, which are in more private areas of the property, as well as a premium mini suite, which includes an Airstream and a custom kid’s tent.

The Airstreams accommodate up to four guests and include heating and air conditioning, a fully functional kitchenette, a queen bed with high-thread-count linens, a television and a bathroom. Each site also features premium cabins, which are a bit larger than the Airstream option and include a private bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and living area.

Lastly, there are luxury tents, measuring 12 by 20 feet, complete with lights, electrical outlets and a mini refrigerator but lacking bathrooms, since guests can use the bathrooms in the Clubhouse. They feature a king bed and a sofa converting into a second bed. Accessible cabins and luxury tents are also available.

As AutoCamp is growing, so is their footprint. The company is set to open new properties next year in Asheville, North Carolina, in Texas Hill Country and near Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon National Park in California.

AutoCamp has also launched a sister brand, Field Station, which recently opened its first location in Moab, Utah. Field Station offers simple, rustic rooms and spaces to accommodate RVs and vans and charges lower rates than AutoCamp.

According to Davis, Field Station was just launched this year, but it is already popular with a younger audience seeking more adventure than the groups that frequent AutoCamp locations. She added that the second Field Station will open next year near Joshua Tree National Park.