why glamping is the best girls’ weekend ever

Hello!  Karen June & Zandra from Little Yellow Couch here.  We want to share the best girls’ weekend ever and encourage you to plan one yourself!  We invited three other friends to join us in an outdoor living experience that was designed to please the most avid hotel go-ers.  We rented 2 yurts for 70 bucks per night.  This meant we had real beds, a wood floor and a roof.  A good start for those who would never consider sleeping on the ground in a tent.

Here’s the “Before” picture of the inside of one of the yurts.  The best part of glamping is the satisfaction you’ll get from transforming the space.  It’s like creating an instant room makeover, going from “rustic” to “glam” in about an hour.  The first thing we did was to move the plastic table and chairs outside where we wouldn’t see them!

Here’s the “After” photo, complete with Oriental rug, chest, leather poof, wall art, tables, candles, and of course, we had to also bring our signature “little yellow couch.”  Ok, so that may be a lot of stuff you have to pack and haul, but when you step into the yurt and squeal with delight at your luxury accommodations, you’ll know it’s all worth it!  And let’s not forget, this is a $70/night room!

This photo was shot from the top of the bunk beds on the other side of the yurt.  With the futon already provided by the campsite, we could fit three of us in here.  Bringing your own soft sheets really helps you sleep well in the great outdoors!  You can also see that we set up a little writing desk in one corner.  We gave each of our friends a book of blank watercolor postcards and a watercolor set to use during our siesta time.  Walking the property and doing a little watercolor of the beautiful scenery can be very relaxing.  And a great momento of the weekend.

In another area, we set up a little wash station.  If your hands get sticky or dirty, it’s nice to be able to rinse them off without having to trek all the way to the bathrooms.  (Oh, yes, did I mention that one small difference between glamping and staying at a hotel is that you have to put on flip flops to get to your bathroom?  Minor inconvenience, really).

Having a civilized place to sit for breakfast, and then cocktail hour, is particularly lovely.  Especially if it happens to rain.

Now just because your accommodations are in a campground, that doesn’t mean you have to go on a hike for something to do.  Think of your yurt as a hotel, ditch your sweatpants and sneakers, put on something cute and go antiquing!  This is a girls’ weekend after all, and shopping is a great form of entertainment.

And while you’re out, why not rest your feet at a cozy outdoor bar?  Again, remember that the purpose of this weekend is not really to have a typical camping experience.  The goal is to spend time together doing fun things in town and then returning to the luxury of your glamping experience.

For the ultimate in fine dining experiences, we suggest you dress your campsite’s picnic table as if you’re hosting a dinner party.  Which actually, you are.

Sure, you may get a few strange looks from the campers passing by your campsite on the way back to their tents. Especially from those who feel the whole point of camping is to commune with nature and leave the traps of modern conveniences behind. Just know that on the inside, they’re extremely jealous of your setup.

If you’re going to do any campfire cooking, you’re going to need to use and wash the dishes. So why not bring out the china instead of using those melamine or aluminum plates? Don’t forget, your car is parked a few feet from your yurt so it’s not like you have to trek an hour through the woods, hauling this stuff up a mountain!

What a better way to end the evening than eating under the stars in candlelight.  After moving over to the fire for s’mores (some camping traditions are worth saving), you can simply enter your yurt, fall into your freshly made bed and sleep with the fresh night air coming through your tented windows.  Bliss!

How to Plan Your Own Glamping Trip

-Find a campground that has yurts and full restroom accommodations and is near a town where you’d like to shop, go to museums, or take a tour,.

-Ask everyone to bring one major ingredient for the experience: someone to bring the dishware, someone to bring bedding, another person to take care of decor (if you’re going to get really fancy).

-Plan on eating breakfast at the campground both mornings.  After you’ve set up, go into town for dinner out, followed by a nightcap back at the yurt.  Cook dinner at the campsite on the second night when you’ll have more time to relax while you’re preparing the meal.  

-Bring warmer clothes for sleeping than you think you’ll need.  Even though the yurt is a firm structure, you’re still spending the night outside and it’ll get cold.  Most of all, GLAMP IT UP!  Going over the top with your yurt is what makes the weekend memorable! Have fun and happy glamping from Little Yellow Couch.