10 Reasons To Choose Glamping over Camping

I have a confession to make: I hate camping. I hate the dirt, setting up, bugs, and being crammed into a small space. Did I mention the dirt and bugs? I do like the fresh air, the peace, cooking over fires, getting in touch with nature, and giving my kids unique experiences.

My family loves to camp and since I try to be a good sport, I go along with it. I try to hide my grumpiness the best I can, but bugs and dirt bring out the worst in me. My family recently went on our first glamping trip and I am sold this is the way to get in touch with nature. And I won’t call glamping “camping,” because I see a lot of campers getting upset if you make that mistake. If you have a member in your family that isn’t crazy about sleeping on the floor in a sleeping bag, then look into glamping. It might be an answer to your family’s outdoor vacation needs.

Here are my 10 reasons to switch that camping trip into a glamping trip.

1. Setting Up: No reason to pack a tent, because the tent is already set up and in place. If you arrive in the rain, no problem. If you arrive when it’s dark out, no problem. Everything is already done for you.
2. Less dirt: Have I mentioned how much I hate dirt? Glamping won’t make your vacation a dirt-free vacation, but it cuts down. It’s much easier to sweep a tent on boards than a tent on the ground.
3. Sleeping: Most glamping sites offer beds or cots, helping to keep you out of a sleeping sauna. Sleeping bags take up a lot of space (as does the tent)  in your car and depending on your chosen location, you might not even need to pack sheets and blankets.
4. Meals: Here is the one toss-up. I love cooking over a fire and both places offer the experience. However, if it rains, you have the option of eating in a large space rather than eating in a small space where you eat. And if you’re camping with kids, you’re camping with crumbs. And nobody enjoys rolling over a pile of crumbs in the middle of the night.
5. Bugs: You’re going to run into the bug and mosquito problem no matter what you do when encountering nature. The benefit of glamping is you’re higher off the ground and it’s more difficult for the creepy crawlers to find their way inside. And since the area is bigger, it’s easier to sweep the bugs out and keep the tent cleaner.
6. Neater clothes: Usually when camping, all fashion is tossed to the wind. Clothes are wrinkled and shoved into bags until needed. And when needed, you hopefully fish out what you are looking for. Since glamping provides more space, clothes can sit in a stack or within a drawer if provided.
7. Stay dry all night: I have camped many nights in the rain and have camped in a variety of tents and there is no way a tent can be drip-free. I know a lot of camping tents say they are, but they’re not. Every time it rains when we camp, there’s a tiny puddle somewhere in the tent. Even if the glamping tent leaks, there’s a place for the water to drip.
8. More breeze: Since the glamping tent is higher and larger, there’s more breeze. Camping tents are low and usually have small windows. We were relatively cool on our recent trip because the large windows provided us with airflow during the night.
9. Room for the dog: In a camping tent, the dog is on someone’s feet and taking up space. With floor space available, a glamping tent is a perfect way for a dog to stretch out.
10. Packing up: The only good part of tearing down a campsite is knowing camping has ended. Then, after you tear everything down and pack it up, you clean everything at home and store it away. Like reason number one, there’s nothing else for you to do when glamping. The glamping tent stays up and is cleaned for the next vacationer. All you have to do is pack up your things and leave the tent behind.

There is one big reason someone would choose camping over glamping and that is the cost of the trip. Camping is a lot cheaper and is the only reason to choose camping over glamping. That and if my family wants to sleep inside a bug-infested nylon polyester oven.