ANC Tiny Houses, photo from Comfortably Wild
GUEST EXPERIENCE BY HONEYTREK:
ACTIVITIES &
Facilitating Fun BY MIKE & ANNE HOWARD
Y
ou don’t need an activity director or a ropes course to offer incredible experiences. Just by being in nature, immersive activities abound (stargazing, bird watching, hiking, foraging, meditation, campfires, etc), you simply need to hone your camp’s strengths and how to best offer them up. Of the hundreds of glamping camps and resorts we’ve stayed at during our 9-year HoneyTrek, we find the most successful activity programs are those that have enough fun free things to do onsite and a menu of excursions to level up our adventures. Apply these tips below to stave off boredom and foster unforgettable experiences.
HIGHLIGHT YOUR PROPERTY’S BEST FEATURES Most people go glamping to enjoy nature, so pinpoint the most enjoyable aspects of your land and how to enhance them. Owners often focus on perfecting the common areas, but overlook the ways their entire property can be explored and adored. At Panacea at the Canyon, we were hiking their swath of the Oregon high desert and loved that hammocks unexpectedly appeared in a grove
of trees. At Schnepf Farms, we couldn’t help but bike across their hundreds of acres because we knew there was a secret library tucked deep in the pines. Where is your best viewpoint, grove, birding area, or sunset spot? Enhance those locations with inviting seating areas, games, books, binoculars, or whatever will make them a delight. A great way to help guests tap into your camp is to make a handdrawn map and check list of the must-do activities and selfie-spots to keep them exploring.
GAMES, CRAFTS & DIY ENTERTAINMENT No matter your budget or staffing constraints, every camp should have games. If you’ve got a patch of grass and $100, you can offer a lively combination of cornhole, ladder ball, bocce, horseshoes, washers, croquet, and other lawn games to lend some laughs. To give people things to do on bad weather days have diversions available in the lobby and for check out. At the Sou’wester Historic Lodge & Vintage Travel Trailer Resort, their common area was a veritable toy chest. Not only did they have dozens of board games to choose from, they had a thousand music
De Pier, photo by HoneyTrek
records and VHS tapes with their respective players for guests to take back to their Airstreams and Spartans. Without them, I may never have seen Return of the Jedi or listened to John Coltrane on vinyl. Get your glampers’ creative juices flowing with an offering of art supplies, like sketch pads, coloring books, origami paper, and string for making friendship bracelets. You never know what talent is just waiting to be tapped. And remember when it comes to old-school entertainment, retro is in! Scour your local thrift stores, you’ll save money and likely find some gems.
NIGHTTIME ACTIVITIES Evenings are an opportunity to bring your guests together and savor the day. Set the tone with a Friday night happy hour. Start a campfire 30 minutes before sunset, layout throw blankets, s’mores fixings, and a bottle opener to let guests know they have place to hang out together. Level up the experience with a guitar, telescope, guide to stargazing, and book of campfire stories. Ideally your camp host will be there to get the momentum going and be schooled in the basics (a couple songs, the main constellations, and a few tall tales)
g l a m p i n g s h o w. u s | G l a m p i n g B u s i n e s s A m e r i c a s | 4 3
