Today’s post is about glamping essentials and everything you should bring on your glamping trip. One of the benefits of glamping compared to camping is that you almost never need to pack. Most glamping sites provide all the basic amenities you need to keep your car from bursting at the seams with pots and pans and bedding. So if you travel by public transport, you save even more!
However, you’ll need to pack more than you would on a regular hotel trip, so we’ve compiled a list of all the glamping essentials to make sure you have everything you need!
Glamping essentials tip #1 – Check what’s provided
Before you start preparing for your glamping trip, we highly recommend asking your host if they have a list of available facilities and amenities. Many will have a list on their website or a document you can send.
The reason is that the glamping essentials provided by hosts can vary widely. Glamping can be just a step up from traditional camping, but glamping can also be more luxurious than a standard hotel!
Some rooms come with premium sheets, fluffy towels, slippers, and bathrobes, while others don’t provide any bedding, towels, kitchen towels, or linens.
In some places, a fully stocked kitchen with basic cooking ingredients and a welcome basket awaits you, while in others you may not have cooking utensils or only a frying pan or two and a few dishes.
Some have hot water bottles and trays stocked with tea and coffee, while others don’t even have a kettle.
Some people give us logs or kindling to start a fire, while others don’t even have matches.
This difference in glamping standards can make packing for a glamping trip a little difficult. Sometimes you’ll need everything, and sometimes you’ll just need clothes, so it’s a good idea to double check what you’ll need in advance.
Glamping essentials tip #2 – What’s the fridge situation?
We also recommend checking the status of your refrigerator and freezer before your arrival. You may have access to a spacious refrigerator-freezer, or you may not have a refrigerator at all. This may change what food and drinks you bring.
In my experience, many glamping sites do not have separate refrigerators and instead provide coolers. If you put ice in it, it will stay cold for several days.
Glamping essentials tip #3 – What’s the bathroom situation?
Again, bathroom situations vary greatly while glamping. I’ve taken advantage of everything from private roll-top baths and waterfall showers to a “nature shower” under a treehouse heated by an internal wood burner. Some, like campgrounds, may have shared bathroom facilities.
Knowing the toilet situation may change the way you carry your luggage. You’re going to need something warm and comfortable for those late night bathroom trips, especially if you have kids!
Whatever your bathroom situation, it’s a good idea to pack some organic shampoo for your family, especially if you use an outdoor shower and the soap suds end up soaking into the ground. Many glamping sites require you to use eco-friendly products, and some may even provide you with eco-friendly products.
What clothes to pack for a glamping trip?
We recommend packing as if you were going camping. Your accommodations will be more luxurious than camping, but you’ll still likely spend a lot of time outdoors. Glamping common areas and glamping activities are always centered around spending time outdoors, and nature is a big draw on a glamping trip, so it’s best to pack warm and practical clothing.
don’t forget:
- Walking boots (I like these Danner boots)
- Shoes that are easy to put on and take off when entering and exiting your accommodation
- Rain boots – in case you have to walk on wet grass to go to the bathroom in the morning
- A warm, waterproof coat (this Blazewear heated jacket is my favorite)
- Lightweight waterproof item perfect for warm weather glamping
- A cozy hat perfect for the evening
- A cozy blanket to wrap yourself around while sitting outside at night
- It gets cold at night, so make sure to sleep in something warm!
- Flip flops – for communal showers
- Slippers or warm socks – for cold nights
- It is essential to have something warm to wear in the evening – a dressing gown or similar thick, warm and comfortable jumper or cardigan. You may need it when it gets cold at night or when you need to go to the bathroom late at night or early in the morning.
What food to pack for a glamping trip
Most glamping kitchens are very simple, probably with a gas stove, barbecue, and some basic cooking equipment.
Here I will share some of the meals my family eats while glamping and give you some ideas about the types of food.
breakfast
- honey and banana porridge
- grain
- bacon and eggs
- sausage sandwich
lunch
We usually make small packed lunches with sandwiches, fruit, crisps and biscuits, but we also pop into bakeries and cafes for delicious baked goods.
dinner
- BBQ – Usually served with a pre-packed salad
- pasta
- curry
- stir fry
- jacket potatoes cooked over fire
- Homemade pizza (some places I visited have pizza ovens, so don’t forget to pack your pizza dough!)
Foods you should not forget on your glamping trip include:
- hot chocolate and marshmallows
- Biscuits, chocolate and marshmallows for s’mores
- Kebab sticks roasting marshmallows on fire
- Red wine – If you don’t have a place to chill your beer or white wine
- A quick dinner on the first night – especially if you arrive late or after dark. I often make chili at home, reheat it and cook rice on the stove when I get home.
Other glamping essentials you won’t want to forget
- Rechargeable USB battery – useful for charging your phone when you don’t have electricity. There are electrical outlets in the common areas, and I sometimes charge my batteries there, but I don’t feel comfortable leaving my phone charged.
- Lighter for starting a fire – logs and kindling are usually available for starting a fire or wood burner, but a lighter for starting a fire is not always available
- lighter or matches
- Cash – If your glamping site has a small shop or honesty bar, it is often cash only
- Rechargeable lantern – A must-have for glamping when you don’t have electricity. We have a dimmable rechargeable night light that the kids use at home, so we take it with us on our glamping trips. The battery lasts about 4-5 nights.
- Candles – Be careful with candles around your tent for a cozy night!
- Hot water bottles – Many glamping sites provide hot water bottles, but kids love a cozy hot water bottle while glamping, so be sure to check.
- Foldable seats – Glamping accommodation may not always have a seating area nearby
- A large water bottle – in case there’s no faucet nearby
- Insulated coffee cup – a must have when glamping in cold weather
- Bottle opener – The most luxurious glamping sites I’ve ever been to didn’t have a bottle opener. We didn’t even have a corkscrew, so it was a really long night staring into a bottle of red wine!
- Cooler box and ice pack
- a book
- pack of cards
- Outdoor games for children – light soccer or rounder sets
- Toilet if you have small children
Glamping essentials for your dog
One of the best things about glamping is that dogs are often welcome. Some glamping sites are located on farms and may have a no-dog policy, but many are dog-friendly. Here are some things to keep your dog in mind during your glamping trip.
- Long leash – Dogs often need to be kept on a leash, so get a long leash that can be anchored to the ground and give them some freedom
- biodegradable poop bags
- towel
- their bed
- blanket
What luggage should you take glamping?
I always bring a suitcase!
You don’t have to worry about carrying your backpack as glamping sites are usually equipped with wheelbarrows so you can easily transport your belongings across the fields to your accommodation. You’re also unlikely to have a wardrobe, so a suitcase is easier to store and retrieve your belongings.
The Travel Hack Pro Cabin Case is actually perfect because the main compartment of the suitcase opens fully like a chest. And I keep my toiletries in the top compartment.
If you use a shared shower or don’t have an easily accessible private bathroom, it’s a good idea to bring a toiletry bag as well.
Glamping essentials tip #4 – Where is the nearest supermarket!?
A final tip for your glamping trip is to know where your nearest supermarket is located. I always check to see if there’s a store like Tesco Extra near me (there almost always is!). Because I know I have everything I forgot. This saves you from having to pack everything or pack the kitchen sink, even though you know you’ll have most of it when it arrives.
I often think that as long as I have all the right clothes, shoes, and warm blankets, I can buy everything else once I get there!