What is Glamping?
Most of us have heard of camping, but what exactly is this new trend called “glamping”? The main difference between traditional camping and glamping is having the comfort of luxurious amenities at your convenience. As a person who has never officially been camping before, when I heard that there was a new trend called glamping I was excited because I love anything that starts with glam! Glamping makes your stay and experience with nature more comfortable than traditional camping and will take your outdoor retreat to the next level.
Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and even though this year looks a little different (again), there are still many reasons to celebrate. If you’re looking to switch things up, keep reading to learn why glamping would be the perfect weekend retreat for you to try this year.
Wildhaven Sonoma is located in the heart of Sonoma wine country, Healdsburg, California, and provides an elevated outdoor lodging experience for nature seekers. This resort was designed to provide comfort, warmth, and cleanliness, while still maintaining a close connection to Sonoma County’s famous vineyards and natural beauty.
Lodging Details
Wildhaven offers extra-large, safari-style tent cabins that feature comfortable beds with linens, heaters, and all the furnishings you need for a memorable night outdoors. Like I mentioned before, I’m not your traditional type of “camper”.
Once I heard that glamping takes away the hassle of spending a night outdoors while keeping everything you love about nature, I was eager to see how staying in the tent overnight would work. Wildhaven’s staff is trained on COVID-19 safety protocols and follows all safety measures to ensure that your stay is as safe as possible.
Glamping Packing list
Like packing for any trip, a great starting point is to check the local weather report for your destination, but a golden rule for a typical glamping trip is to pack layers. Regardless of the climate, you’ll be visiting temperatures can always change from hot days to cool nights since you’re in mother nature.
Amenities
Tents- I had the pleasure of staying in the riverside double queen which can accommodate between 4-6 adults and has a Private River Access to the Russian River with no other public access. This particular premium tent came with a large front porch and fire-pit with access to the swimming hole. Here’s a 360 tour of what to expect if you’re looking to book a premium tent. Check-ins are between 3 pm and 7 pm, and check-outs are at 11 am.
Each tent has rain protection, a bed with full linens, towels, places to sit and store your clothes, lights for your tent, outlets to charge phones, heating and ventilation, firewood, and other items to make your life easy. Now that I’ve gone over the main attraction which is the tent, let’s talk about the rest of the amenities that this glamping site has to offer.
Cooking/ Dining- Guests have access to a communal outdoor kitchen area, which includes gas BBQs, BBQing tools, and side burners for boiling or cooking with pots/pans. You’ll need to bring your own cooking gear and clean the area when done to prevent wildlife from entering the property. Premium riverside tents can cook on the adjustable-height grill attached to their fire pits or can bring their own stoves to use at their picnic tables.
Restrooms/ Showers– Guests have access to the central restroom building, which has flush toilets, mirrors, and new touch-less faucets and hand driers for extra COVID-19 safety. Restrooms are just a minute to two-minute walks from the tents and it’s best to bring flashlights (or use your iPhone) to help guide the way. There’s a light that will come on once you get close and open the door.
Hot showers are located in the cabin-style shower building, with extra room for changing. The building is next to the restrooms, make sure to use your towels that are provided in your tent. Bring your own towels to use at the beach, and toiletries (some common items have been removed due to COVID-19). There are two open outdoor showers located in the grassy area above the river.
Store- Wildhaven’s on-site store is stocked with local and flavorful foods and drinks and is designed to make it easy to create a wine country picnic without leaving the property.
Guest can purchase:
- Local wine, champagne, beer & canned cocktails
- Water, teas, and juices
- Chips, popcorn, crackers, chocolate, olives, and other picnic snacks
- Local cheeses, salami and prosciutto
- Firewood bundles and ice (7lb and 20 lb)
- DIY s’mores kit to make 8 treats. Contains marshmallows, graham crackers, chocolate bars, and roasting sticks.
WiFi- Wildhaven provides complimentary service to all guests, even though you’ll be there to relax. It’s not strong enough for streaming or Zoom calls, but enough to check in with loved ones or share a pic online. It is the strongest closest to our reception building.
Pets- Furry friends need fresh air too. Dogs are allowed at a rate of $25 (per pet, per night).
What’s outside?
During my stay, I never once felt unsafe and enjoyed roaming the property. I ended up finding an alternate entrance to the river which was really beautiful especially during the morning as the sun came up. There’s also a ton of hiking spots near by including the following:
Armstrong Redwoods State Park- Valley floor nature trail (short but sweet)
Sonoma Coast SP- Kortum Trail along the cliffs; Mostly flat with magnificent views
Robert Louis Stevenson SP- Highest peak in CA wine country (harder hike)
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