Category: Glamping North America

Don’t leave the kids at home on your next vacation. Traveling with your child can be very educational and you’ll make valuable memories worth reminiscing about as they grow older. Expose them to the great outdoors, there is so much learn through real life interactions and experiences that cannot be taught in a classroom (this is why schools offer field trips). There are plenty of activities out there that both children and parents can enjoy. Now, with the following kid friendly properties located in the beautiful state of California, there is no need to plan for a sitter.

You may be asking yourself, Why California? California is one of the most popular states to visit for several reasons; national parks, lakes, rivers, beaches, shopping, nightlife, surfing, and theme parks among others. The entire family can enjoy a relaxing stay in a luxuriously designed cabin in the forest or a more unusual stay such as a yurt with views of the beach that is just steps away from your accommodation. Rather than staying in the casual motel or hotel room, which can get expensive, treat your family to a glamping vacation. Take it from someone who travels to California as often as possible, though the scenic drive may be long, all that the state has to offer is well worth it. I always come back home feeling refreshed and ready to go back to my regular life in the city, you can too!

Glen Oaks Big Sur
Big Sur, California (1.3 miles from Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park)
Rates Starting at $225/night, per unit
Highlighted Activities: Hiking, nature walks, stargazing.

Sequoia High Sierra Camp
Giant Sequoia National Monument, CA (Within Sequoia National Park)
Rates Starting at $250/night per adult, $150/night per child (ages 3 to 11) sharing a tent cabin with adults.
Highlighted Activities: Scenic day hikes, fly fishing, horseback riding, photography.

Safari West
Santa Rosa, CA (Within a 400-acre private wildlife preserve)
Rates Starting at $275/night, per unit (2016 Moonlight Madness Special: $200/night includes breakfast, inquire for details)
Highlighted Activities: Safari tour and drives, animal rides & treks, spa services in unit.

Image Credit: Ray Mabry

El Capitan Canyon
Santa Barbara, CA (Across the street from El Capitan State Beach)
Rates Starting at $145/night
Highlighted Activities: Swimming, water sports, Jeep tours, Canyon Concert Series, complimentary adult-size beach cruiser.


Image Credit: El Capitan Canyon

Marble Mountain Ranch
Somes Bar, CA (Across the Klamath River)
Rates Starting at $145/night, per person (Offering All-Inclusive Dude Ranch Vacations)
Highlighted Activities: Youth buckaroo program, barrel racing, arena games, horseback riding, archery, rafting & kayaking, campfire activities, fly fishing.

Sorensen’s Resort
Hope Valley, CA (In an alpine setting near West Fork Carson River)
Rates Starting at $125/night, per unit
Highlighted Activities: Fishing, hiking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, biking.

Mey Martinez

Meyling “Mey” Martinez is a travel and outdoor enthusiast born in the tropical island of Cuba and raised in Las Vegas, NV. Consumed by wanderlust and inspired by nature and the fascinating world outside of her doors, she has set sail to visit new destinations. Mey enjoys hiking new trails and visiting national and state parks along with other wonders of the world. Forever an explorer at heart with an adventurous soul, she enjoys sharing her experiences and the latest on travel and glamping through blogging.

Most people picture themselves on their ideal vacation either lounging on beach or something more adventurous like zip-lining through a tropical rainforest. This year, I opted for something a little bit out of the ordinary for my family vacation and invited myself on my parent’s yearly hunting trip near Wells, Nevada. This city girl had to put away the heels to make room for my boots, forget about wi-fi and cellphone service, and choose some entertaining reading material in preparation for my journey. The plan was to get in touch with nature and get away from everyday technology.

Although the ride felt like a never-ending desert slowly consuming my energy and interest for the last three hours, my daughter was excited to see some cows and horses on the way as she peeked through the window. We passed by a small mansion on top of a hill, many working farms, and a large lake in the middle of the desert that offers free camping areas with tables and a great view, this was sometime after passing a sign for a hot spring nearby. As much as I yearned to experience a therapeutic soak in a hot spring, I’ll have to squeeze that into another adventure because we didn’t want to arrive at night.

It rained and poured on and off for the first two days which was surprisingly relaxing. I entertained myself with Mindy Kaling’s new book “Why not me?” which had me laughing out loud as I snuggled under a blanket and often looked out the window in hopes of seeing a wild animal pass by. Still, I took a stroll in the rain to get a better view of our surroundings and kicked the ball a few times before it began to rain again.

The campsite we picked out was obviously a favorite among hunters and campers, near a small river that ran through the mountains and next to a beautiful landscape, and within a mine field of what we believe was cow or deer poop. The outdoor toilet facility was one of a kind and had an exclusive view like no other I’ve ever personally seen. We used the bathroom in our trailer, but had a good laugh at the creativity of the creator.

Once our large group of family and friends returned from hunting in the afternoon, I quickly jumped on the 4-wheeler to have some fun exploring the surrounding area. It was an adrenaline rush. When I saw our neighbor had set up a large glamping tent with a wood fire burner, I knew I had to share it with everyone. I’m sure they prepared all of this themselves, but I know there are companies out there who take the hassle out of your hands and provide a full glamping set-up anywhere in the United States like Shelter Co.

The fourth day was filled with excitement! We sighted a big herd of deer a few yards away over the mountain just behind our camp. With one clean shot, the male mule deer came tumbling down the steep hill. I had never experienced anything like it, the feeling of sadness overcame the excitement at the sight. This sport is not for the faint of heart, it is legally done with a permit to prevent over-population. Never shoot unless you have a perfect shot and it is lethal, anything less would be cruel. The meat can be sold or stored and cooked and the fur can be used as well. It took them a while to find it as the sun had just set and the night was getting pitch black. The deer was huge, meaning mature in age, with nine tips on its horns and weighing about 250lbs. He was a majestic creature. I wish I could have seen him alive and close up!

The sun was out so this made it the perfect day for 4-wheeling and target shooting. It was fun learning to shoot a shotgun, but the 22 rifle was much easier for my petite figure to handle. We drove through the mountains for fun in search of wildlife and new paths, which we found. We saw squirrels, hawks, crows, cows, and golden eagles. The elk and deer were harder to spot because they blend and hide easily in the hills. I am still in awe of the beautiful scenery and challenge all of you to go outdoors and have an escapade of your own.

Mey Martinez

Meyling “Mey” Martinez is a travel and outdoor enthusiast born in the tropical island of Cuba and raised in Las Vegas, NV. Consumed by wanderlust and inspired by nature and the fascinating world outside of her doors, she has set sail to visit new destinations. Mey enjoys hiking new trails and visiting national and state parks along with other wonders of the world. Forever an explorer at heart with an adventurous soul, she enjoys sharing her experiences and the latest on travel and glamping through blogging.