Pitch a Tent: The Top 10 Campgrounds for Exploring the Great Outdoors Across America

Pitch a Tent: The Top 10 Campgrounds for Exploring the Great Outdoors Across America - Roughing It in Style: Luxury Camping Destinations

For those who love the great outdoors but don't necessarily want to fully rough it, luxury camping has become an increasingly popular option. Also known as "glamping" (glamorous camping), these upscale outdoor escapes allow you to experience nature without sacrificing comfort. From safari tents with four-poster beds to fully outfitted Airstream trailers, glamping destinations across America are redefining camping.
One excellent example is Under Canvas Mount Rushmore in South Dakota. Situated just minutes from the iconic presidential sculptures, this camp offers safari-style canvas tents that are weatherproof and include electricity, plush beds with linens, and private bathrooms with hot showers. Guests can enjoy on-site dining, stargazing programs, hiking, biking, horseback riding, and more. With stunning views of the Black Hills, it's camping made easy and elegant.

AutoCamp Russian River in Guerneville, California is another fantastic glamping choice. Their modern Airstream trailers and canvas tents sit on elevated decks and come equipped with WiFi, luxury bedding, fire pits, and cruiser bikes. Onsite there's a general store, restaurant, pool, and spa services. It's a luxe take on outdoor adventure in California's beautiful wine country.
In Texas Hill Country, Travaasa Austin offers glamping "tents" that feel more like cottages. With air conditioning, en-suite bathrooms, patios, and some options with full kitchens, these spacious canvas lodgings allow visitors to experience the Texas outdoors in serious style. Guests can partake in yoga, hiking, spa treatments, and more on the expansive property.
For a safari vibe close to home, check out Collective Retreats outside Vail, Colorado. The five-star tents include wood-burning stoves, full bathrooms, chandeliers, and enormous comfortable beds. Activities like fly fishing, yoga, and horseback riding enhance the glamping experience. With breathtaking mountain views, Collective Retreats proves that luxury camping doesn't have to mean sacrificing the great outdoors.

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1. Pitch a Tent: The Top 10 Campgrounds for Exploring the Great Outdoors Across America - Roughing It in Style: Luxury Camping Destinations
2. Pitch a Tent: The Top 10 Campgrounds for Exploring the Great Outdoors Across America - Sleep Under the Stars: Dark Sky Campgrounds for Stargazing

Pitch a Tent: The Top 10 Campgrounds for Exploring the Great Outdoors Across America - Sleep Under the Stars: Dark Sky Campgrounds for Stargazing

For many campers, one of the greatest joys of spending time outdoors is having the opportunity to gaze up at the expansive night sky. Far away from light pollution, campgrounds in remote locations offer some of the best stargazing opportunities around. Across America, a number of campgrounds have been specifically designated as Dark Sky Parks for their minimal light pollution and exceptional celestial views.

One such place is the Cosmic Campground at Cherry Springs State Park in Pennsylvania. The park was named one of the best places in the world for astronomy and stargazing. Situated on top of a mountain, the remote campground's darkness is rated a perfect "0" on the Bortle Dark Sky Scale. On clear nights, it's possible to see thousands of stars, the Milky Way, planets, comets, and even meteors during peak seasons. The park allows camping year-round and also has a public observing field with telescopes. For newbies, park staff lead informative astronomy programs on celestial objects that can be spotted from the campground. An avid stargazer's paradise, Cherry Springs State Park should be on any camper's bucket list.
Big Bend National Park in southwest Texas is another incredible destination for camping under the stars. The park holds the distinction of having the darkest measured skies in the lower 48 states, with more than 2,000 stars visible with the naked eye on clear nights. A stargazing interpretive program takes place nightly, allowing visitors to identify constellations through high-powered telescopes. The park's remoteness adds to its celestial appeal. For optimal stargazing, the Chisos Mountains Lodge or one of the park's primitive campgrounds are ideal for viewing the cosmos.