Let’s Go Glamping

Who doesn’t love to spend a starry evening next to the firepit? There’s nothing like that crackling sound or the smell of glowing embers. But that’s as far as many of us get to the notion of camping. Maybe you’ve toyed with the romantic idea of spending a night in the great outdoors but don’t know where to begin, or maybe it sounds good but sleeping on hard ground doesn’t hold much appeal. Enter glamping, where you can enjoy the rustic experience of camping without forgoing some of the amenities of everyday life like a mattress and bed linens.

A mashup of “glamorous” and “camping,” glamping became a thing in the early-aughts and really gained popularity during COVID-19. Consider it the Airbnb of camping. There are multiple places to go glamping right here in our own little state, including Glamp Frogmore in Coventry. Owned by married couple Justin Peters and Amy Barrett, the glampsite of two rustic retreats sits on their 35-acre property. (Frogmore is a nod to the historical name of the property.) After moving into their house 11 years ago, they brainstormed ways to best use and share the property. A schoolteacher by trade, Justin found
extra time on his hands when online teaching eliminated his 80-minute-each-way
commute. Amy, a realtor and artist, says, “He spent a lot of time outside [doing projects]. He built an 18-hole disc golf course, a stone fire pit outside the house, and an arbor made of fallen trees.” Justin referred to it as “my therapy.”

Justin came across an article about Tentrr, a website that lists the location and information on camping and glamping sites around the country. A conversation with the company followed and the rest is history. Justin began building the first site (The Pines) in the fall of 2020 and it was ready to go the following spring. “We were hopeful that we would get some bookings,” remembers Amy, “and that people would enjoy the property.” What they got was a whole lot more. The Pines was booked solid from May to November. The following June, it was featured in USA Today’s 10 Best list of glamping sites in New England. Recently, they’ve added a second site, The Ferns.