How to Plan a Luxury Camping Trip Without Sacrificing Comfort
There’s something restorative about sleeping close to nature – waking beneath canvas as sunlight touches the landscape, breathing in fresh morning air, and watching the stars from your personal hideaway. Luxury tent camping, or glamping, pairs the best of outdoor living with resort-style comforts, including safari-inspired tents, real beds, private bathrooms, nourishing meals, and easy access to adventure. Whether you’re planning a romantic escape, wellness retreat, or active getaway with friends, here’s your guide to a luxury camping getaway that leaves you feeling restored, not exhausted.
Choose the Right Destination and Season
The best luxury camping trips begin with a little preparation. Start by choosing a destination and season that match your travel style. For example, in Moab, Utah, spring brings mild days and desert wildflowers, summer offers long, sunny days and lively trails, and fall welcomes crisp mornings, golden light, and fewer visitors.
Next, consider how you want to spend your time. Do you picture an early guided hike through the national parks, a relaxed afternoon by the pool, or a balance of adventure and wellness? Thinking about your perfect pace will help you choose the right accommodations, length of stay, and activities.
Book Accommodations That Balance Nature and Comfort
Your accommodations shape how rested and connected to nature you feel throughout the trip. Look beyond the tent and consider the amenities, privacy, and surrounding setting.
Look for Upscale Amenities
Luxury tent camping lets you experience nature without giving up the comforts of a refined hotel stay. After a full day of exploring, few things feel better than a plush bed and private ensuite with a sink, flushing toilet, and hot shower – no shared facilities or late-night walks required.
At ULUM Moab, each Suite Tent features a king-size bed with Parachute linens, a heated mattress pad, a wood-burning stove, evaporative cooling, and a bathroom with a rain shower and Aesop bath products. Electricity, comfortable furnishings, in-tent coffee and tea, soft lighting, bathrobes, and a hairdryer bring even more ease to each stay, helping you feel rested and refreshed while remaining immersed in the landscape.
Balance Privacy and Gathering Spaces
One of the greatest luxuries outdoors is space. Unlike a busy campground, a thoughtfully designed outdoor resort gives you room to experience the landscape on your own terms. Look for accommodations set within spacious natural surroundings. A private deck offers a peaceful place to greet the morning, read in the afternoon, or stargaze.
Well-designed gathering spaces should also let you connect when you choose. Spend the evening around a fire with s’mores, settle into a comfortable lounge, or take in the view from a terrace, making memories with the ones you’re with. The best luxury camping experiences make both connection and solitude feel effortless.
Prioritize On-Site Dining
Traditional camping often means planning every meal, packing coolers, and cooking over a camp stove or fire, then cleaning up. At an elevated outdoor resort, dining should be part of the experience, not another item on your to-do list.
On-site options let you move through the day at your own pace. Start with coffee and a nourishing breakfast before an adventure, grab a snack between activities, and return for dinner without leaving the property. Indoor and outdoor seating also lets you dine comfortably while staying connected to the landscape.
The culinary experience at ULUM Moab centers on fresh ingredients and Southwest-inspired flavors. Guests can enjoy breakfast and dinner paired with drinks at the full-service restaurant, along with grab-and-go options, specialty espresso, made-to-order smoothies, cocktails, and other refreshments. On the terraced patio, dinner comes with views of Looking Glass Arch and the desert’s changing colors.
Make Time for Wellness
A luxury camping trip should create space not only for adventure, but also for wellbeing. Wellness amenities can help you slow down, reconnect with your body, and return home feeling renewed.
At ULUM Moab, wellbeing experiences draw inspiration from the surrounding desert. Begin the day with guided yoga, settle into a crystal sound bath meditation, or stretch using mats and weights. Three outdoor dipping pools offer a range of temperatures for an invigorating plunge or soothing soak after a day outside.
For deeper restoration, the resort’s massage cave offers treatments within a naturally carved stone chamber. Quiet and elemental, it provides a memorable setting for letting go of tension after hiking, climbing, or traveling.
For more inspiration, check out our 11 wellness trip must-dos.
Explore Guest Programming
The most memorable outdoor stays make it easy to connect with a destination without filling every hour of your itinerary. Guest programming offers meaningful ways to experience the landscape and atmosphere of a place, often without leaving the resort.
Look for activities that balance movement, learning, creativity, and relaxation. Depending on the schedule, these might include yoga, guided nature walks, live music, stargazing, painting, or photography.
At ULUM Moab, activities invite guests to connect with both the landscape and one another. Follow a guide on a nature walk around the property and Looking Glass Arch, listen to acoustic music as evening settles over the desert, or join a guided stargazing experience. These activities bring a natural rhythm to each day while leaving plenty of time for rest and independent exploration.
Reserve Bucket-List Adventures in Advance
Part of the appeal of luxury tent camping is having extraordinary landscapes just beyond your door. A perfectly situated outdoor resort reduces time spent navigating and makes adventure feel more accessible.
Choose a property near the places you most want to explore, then ask whether its team can arrange guided outings suited to your interests and comfort level. Local guides offer more than convenience: They can provide equipment, route knowledge, safety support, and a deeper understanding of the landscape.
In Moab, adventures range from scenic drives and gentle hikes to rafting, climbing, canyoneering, and off-road exploration. ULUM Moab offers access to curated outdoor adventures, including experiences on the resort grounds and across Utah’s Canyon Country. Booking popular outings in advance gives you a clear plan while leaving room for spontaneous moments and relaxation.
Pack for the Landscape
Luxury camping requires way less gear than a traditional camping trip, but a few essentials will keep you comfortable outdoors. Before your trip, review your resort’s packing recommendations, weather forecast, transportation details, and available services.
For desert Southwest destinations, temperatures can shift considerably between day and night, so pack versatile layers, comfortable footwear, sun protection, and a reusable water bottle. With the essentials covered, you can spend less time managing gear and more time enjoying the landscape.
Stay at a MICHELIN Key Outdoor Resort
Surrounded by breathtaking red-rock landscapes and located just steps from Looking Glass Arch, ULUM Moab offers an upscale outdoor retreat in an expansive, secluded setting south of Moab. Safari-inspired Suite Tents, thoughtful amenities, wellness experiences, full-service dining, and sweeping views toward Canyonlands bring nature and comfort together with ease. Wake beneath canvas, explore Utah’s Canyon Country, and return for a soothing soak, al fresco dining, and campfire evenings under the stars.
