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GMC Uses Glamping in Marketing Campaign for the 2014 GMC Sierra

In a marketing campaign for the 2014 Sierra Truck, GMC invited lifestyle and automotive writers and editors to experience glamping. Their mission was to have the editors of national magazines experience the lifestyle of owning a GMC Sierra. It was reported that, editors from the Los Angeles Times, Vanity Fair, Huffington Post and Car and Driver were in attendance.

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GMC’s special guests were greeted with the new Sierra trucks and then attended GMC Trailering Academy to learn how to safely tow their weekend accommodations, vintage Airstream trailers. After the safety course, guests drove the Sierra trucks with Airstreams in tow to the GMC Base Camp at El Capitan Beach – an already popular spot for glamping (See El Capitan Canyon).

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Once there, guests experience luxury camping in a rugged setting. The area at El Capitan Beach was transformed into a luxurious lounge in true glamping style. Guests enjoyed a gourmet dinner, mixed cocktails, hammocks and rocking chairs, games, and roasted marshmallows. Guests drove the trucks to explore nearby Solvang, Fess Parker Winery, and downtown Santa Barbara.

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It’s worth mentioning, if you’re looking for the same type of experience, the Santa Barbara Auto Camp there are also plenty of options other places for Airstream glamping.

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Last Night & Morning at the Santa Barbara Auto Camp

I think it’s worth mentioning that the Airstreams are comfortable, but not particularly spacious– not surprising considering they are mobile homes.  They are best if used as a fun home base to explore the area, and the Auto Camp’s location makes that easy to do. After feeding Scarlet, we drove down to Sterns Wharf to watch the sunset. It’s a quick drive and with State Street so close, it’s easy to to get the lay of the land here in Santa Barbara.

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Then I headed to The Lark, a restaurant I had been hearing about, to meet a friend for dinner. The Valet parked the car in the lot so that he could keep an eye on Scarlet for me. After catching up with my friend over dinner, Scarlet and I headed back to the Camp. Between the day’s beach exploration and the groomer’s Scarlet was exhausted and made it clear she was ready for bed. I had wanted to check out the Uptown Lounge on State Street, which has an open mic night on Tuesdays, but I couldn’t bear to leave Scarlet. We sleep soundly.

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I woke up to beautiful pink skies the next morning, and even saw a rainbow over the Auto Camp. I ate the vegan Santa Barbara protein bar out of the goodie box for breakfast. With a big rain storm expected, I decided to pack up the car so Scarlet and I hit the road early to head back to L.A.. We had a great time at the Auto Camp and very much enjoyed our Southern California glamping adventure.

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I was impressed with how well everything worked at the Santa Barbara Auto Camp and the value for money. It’s a fun and funky change of pace and worth checking out for a a couple of days.

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Day 2 at Santa Barbara Auto Camp

Scarlet and I woke up after a good night’s sleep and headed to Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf up the street for coffee. Then we drove to nearby Burro Beach, which is one of the many pet friendly beaches in Santa Barbara for a stroll. Next, we headed to a restaurant called Scarlett Begonia for breakfast, which is just off State Street downtown and has a patio where Scarlet and I could chill and enjoy breakfast.

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While getting the lay of the land, I had noticed several pet groomers in the area and popped in to For Paws salon see if they could fit in a bath for Scarlet. I dropped her off for a doggy spa day and returned to the Auto Camp to give try out the claw foot tub in my Airstream.

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A 30 gallon water heater ensured there was ample hot water to fill the deep tub. I took a bath and got ready to explore Santa Barbara. The old Santa Barbara Mission is only about a mile away and was fun to wander around. Then I headed to the Terrace at El Encanto for some lunch before picking up Scarlet.

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Once back at camp, I noticed a couple of bunnies hopping around the property. Scarlet, a lab, has a very strong game drive and chased after them and that caused a bit of excitement! I put her on a leash after that.

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After the housekeeper came to clean the Airstreams, I got a chance to peak inside of a few units. Suite 3 is a 1962 26′ Airstream Overlander and features a great striped awning and outdoor area. It also had single beds and a redone shower with glass tiles and modern styling. This unit is a great choice for friends who don’t want to share a bed. Technically, you can sleep 4 in all the units (as the sofa converts into a bed) but that in my opinion that would be a bit too cozy assuming all four are adults.

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Suite 5 is a 31′ 1964 Airstream Sovereign and is the prototype for future units (There are plans for future Autocamps in San Francisco, Ventura Beach, and Los Angeles). Of all the units I saw, this was my favorite. The modern interior was streamlined and even had fun air. This is the Airstream I’d like to stay in most if I weren’t with my dog.  Plus, it’s a few spaces in from the street so it’s quieter than the first two suites.