The Outdoor Guide to Not Roughing It
Treat yourself with our wicked easy glamping tips.
2 Min. Read | Camping
These days, camping is easier than ever – and while epic backcountry hikes and long stints in the woods continue to draw people in, “glamping” (short for “glamorous camping”) is on the rise. Don’t feel guilty about pampering yourself outdoors! Here’s how to pack up your car for an extra-comfortable camping trip with your family.
Your Roomy Home Away From Home
Backpacking tents often sacrifice space in order to save weight, resulting in small spaces that are great for sleeping but not much else. If you’re car camping and weight isn’t a concern, invest in a cabin tent.
Unlike a backpacking or dome tent, a cabin tent has nearly vertical walls, maximizing space and standing room. Depending on the size of the tent, it may also feature hanging loft spaces for gear and even internal walls to separate kids’ and parents’ “rooms,” or create a sleeping area and a lounging area.
Getting a Good Night’s Sleep
Sleeping on the ground can be one of the great pleasures and great pains of camping. Feeling connected to the earth is soothing and reassuring for some, but a thin pad, leaky mattress or rocky spot can be tough on your sleep cycle (not to mention your back).
If you’ve got the space of a cabin tent, a cot or air mattress can do wonders for your comfort. While heavier than a sleeping pad, most modern cots and mattresses still pack down quite small, easily fitting in your car with the rest of your gear.
Self-inflating sleeping pads have also come a long way, and come in a wide variety of shapes and styles. A thin foam mat is great for trekking into the backcountry, but for your glamping trip, you can find an inflatable pad that is many inches deep and wide enough to stretch out on.
Finally, wrap yourself in comfort with a soft lined sleeping bag for cold weather, or a simple silky sleeping bag liner for warm summer nights.
Campsite Comforts
On the other side of the tent flap, some comfortable camp seating will make your site a dreamy place to stretch out and relax. Beyond your basic camp chairs, you can find camp recliners for kicking back, camp rockers for unwinding and even camp loveseats for cuddling up.
And, of course, nothing says “relaxation” like a lazy day in a hammock strung up between two trees.
Lastly, if you’re worried about bugs ruining your day, put those thoughts to rest with a bug shelter: easy to set up, built to fit around your chairs or dining area, and totally bug-proof.
Fine Camp Dining
Why limit yourself to the whims of a campfire or a teensy backbacking stove? With a multi-burner camp stove, you can get pretty close to matching the stovetop that you have in your kitchen at home, with plenty of space and fine temperature control for preparing a number of dishes at once.
Just don’t forget to keep the campfire burning for s’mores – because while you can toast marshmallows over a stove, there’s nothing quite like making them around the fire.
Wicked Easy Camping™
If you really want to pamper yourself, there’s one option where you can even skip over the campsite setup: Wicked Easy Camping by L.L.Bean.
Visit us in beautiful Freeport, Maine, where our experts will fully set up and outfit a campsite for you – we provide the gear and equipment so you can just bring the marshmallows and focus on the fun. We’ll even give you some camping tips and suggestions for local outings and activities.
