The Latest US Glamping News

CALIFORNIA FIRM LAUNCHES TREEHOUSE GLAMPING VENTURE

This isn’t the tree fort of yesteryear. A newly relocated Petaluma company is betting that professionals yearning for respite in the outdoors but with the comforts of home will be eager to spend big on modern treehouses for themselves or as a rental business for glamorous camping — better known as glamping.

O2Treehouse has been on quite the trek since owner and designer Dustin Reiter built his first geodesic dome in a Wisconsin poplar tree in 2005.

He launched the company the following year in Minnesota, custom designing children’s playhouses. That took the business to Los Angeles, where the jobs morphed into more significant structures, and demand for detached offices and bedrooms grew. The company then relocated to Oakland in 2011, and within a few years, it started getting national media attention for its designs.

When the San Francisco East Bay design and production center lease expired, Reiter turned his focus to the north.

“The North Bay has always been on my radar because it has the giant trees, is a corridor to the north and has a lot of money and interest in these structures,” Reiter said. “Quite a bit of business has been done already in North Bay.”

Historically, the company has been making 8 to 10 custom treehouses annually. The average cost is on par with that of a high-end home — $800 to $1,400 a square foot. At the average size of 120 square feet, that works out to be $96,000 to $168,000.

COMPANY OFFERING GLAMPING IN KENTUCKY NATIONAL FOREST

Though classic-style camping is still popular throughout Kentucky’s Daniel Boone National Forest, Izaac Rains and his father Kevin are offering an alternative: stays at one of five glamping tents set in the middle of 50 acres of forest, according to the Courier-Journal.

A space to share

The Rains owned 50 acres in Daniel Boone National Forest for about 17 years before they figured out a way to give others access to the property.

“It was kind of a place that we just went to as a family and with friends and that type of thing,” Izaac told The Courier-Journal. “[But] we decided to open it up and share it with everybody. We didn’t want to hold it for ourselves anymore; it felt kind of wrong to keep it enclosed.”

Izaac and his father founded Dappled Light Adventures; and since this past April, they have been renting out 320-square-foot glamping tents. There are five tents total, each one placed about 50 to 100 feet away from the next. “We designed the layout very intentionally,” Izaac said. “There [is] enough room for privacy, but [the tents are] close enough for people to feel safe. And if [people] wanted to rent in blocks … [they’re] close enough for community… [There’s also] forest in between almost all of them, so you don’t have a view of somebody else’s tent. Each of the five tents — with the exception of The Cardinal Nest — are named after birds that are native to the Bluegrass State. The other four are The Oriole’s Nest, The Goldfinch’s Nest, The Green Heron’s Nest and The Blue Jay’s Nest. The interior décor of each one differs slightly, but they all offer a similar vibe and the same amenities, including queen beds, sitting areas, a small clothing rack, a water hydrant, an outdoor charcoal grill and a covered porch.

‘JELLYSTONE PARK’ ADDS SEVEN NEW LOCATIONS IN 2022

Jellystone Park South Jersey

Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Camp-Resorts has added seven new locations in time for the peak summer vacation season, according to a press release.

The newest Jellystone Parks include:

Jellystone Park South Jersey — Located in Monroe, the former Hospitality Creek Campground and Swim Club became a Jellystone Park earlier this month. The location boasts a 30-acre lake with rope swing, obstacle course and diving docks, along with a pool, playgrounds and sports courts. Daily activities and themed events accompany the water fun.

Wichita Falls, Texas — This award-winning family camp-resort has returned to the Jellystone Park brand. Kids can enjoy three swimming pools, an interactive splash pad, mini golf and more. Lodging options include a variety of glamping cabins and a farmhouse that sleeps up to 14. The park was previously known as Coyote Ranch.

“We are excited to welcome these new locations,” said Trent Hershenson, vice president of marketing for franchisor Camp Jellystone. “Record numbers of families have stayed at Jellystone Park the past several years, and we are very pleased that even more families will be able to enjoy the Jellystone Park experience this summer.”

Earlier this year Jellystone Park also began welcoming families at these five new locations:

• Augusta, Maine — The former Beaver Brook Campground has been transformed into a Jellystone Park with wooded sites, a tranquil brook and a half-mile of frontage on beautiful Androscoggin Lake. A heated Water Zone, 18-hole mini golf course, sports courts and playgrounds complement a full schedule of activities and character interactions. • Chincoteague Island, Va. — This campground is being expanded and updated. Planned improvements include new playground equipment, basketball and pickleball courts, new enclosures for the park’s pavilion, as well as new landscaping and road improvements.

New rental cabins, furnished glamping tents and RV rentals also are planned. • New Douglas, Ill. — Located an hour from St. Louis and Springfield, Ill., Rustic Acres Jellystone Park features two lakes for fishing, a swimming pool, jumping pillow, laser tag, gaga ball pit, hayrides, two playgrounds and themed weekends. • Petoskey, Mich. — This campground is adding 67 RV sites and 20 vacation rentals this year.

Along with Yogi Bear costumed characters, this location features a heated swimming pool, a hot tub, sand volleyball, basketball, a gaga ball pit, a children’s playground and a pet playground. • Stark County, Ohio — The award-winning Clay’s Park Resort south of Cleveland is now a Jellystone Park. The 500-acre camp resort boasts a lake, water slides, dueling ziplines and canoes and kayaks. A new pool and water play area are under construction.

Clay’s Park Resort was awarded Park of the Year in 2021 by the National Association of RV Parks & Campgrounds.

CAMPSPOT ANNOUNCES INTEGRATION WITH BOOKING.COM

Campspot is excited to announce that parks can now list lodging inventory on Booking.com, one of the largest and most popular marketplaces in the travel industry, according to a press release. “Booking.com, which ‘enables properties around the world to reach a global audience and grow their businesses,’ is a natural fit for Campspot,” stated the release. “Powering more than 1,800 private parks across the U.S. and Canada, Campspot consistently delivers features, integrations and products that help campgrounds reach more campers, manage their inventory and campground efficiently and grow revenue.”

“This is the most requested item from customers,” said CEO Michael Scheinman, “ and we’re excited to deliver a solution that gives Campspot users a new channel for driving awareness and exposure.”

By enabling campground lodging inventory on Booking.com, Campspot ensures that important campground inventory will be seen by frequent travelers who more often use sites like Booking. com, to search, discover and book their travel plans. This increases visibility for campgrounds and exposes parks to new customers, bringing new inventory to the places where consumers are already looking, explained the release.

Unique lodging sites at campgrounds will appear among the more traditional OTA listings and catch the eye of customers who might not necessarily be looking for campgrounds but may be happy to stay at one.

Technology integration between the two companies is facilitated through DerbySoft.

“This integration creates a seamless experience for both the guest and the Campground, allowing rates and availability of rooms to be reflected in real-time,” noted the release. “It provides a fluid experience for the guest, while the campgrounds can continue to manage all their inventory, no matter where the listings appear, directly on the Campspot platform.”