It may be one of Texas’ most modern metropolises, but you don’t have to venture far outside Dallas’s urban centre to find a host of idyllic rural spots that make for great glamping.
(Photo: Glamping at the Cove / Courtesy Hipcamp.com)
Serene landscapes dotted with local lakes, abundant trees and picture-postcard vistas for miles around characterise the rural region around Dallas. Little wonder that so many chose to come here to sleep under the stars surrounded by nature. If you’d like to experience overnight adventures in the great outdoors within easy reach of Dallas, but would like to do so without giving up all of your home comforts, we’ve picked out some of the best glamping sites on offer.
Glamping at the Cove
Spread over some 40 acres on the banks of Lake Grapevine, a 25-minute drive northwest of Dallas, this site offers the ultimate in seclusion, featuring just a single yurt that can accommodate up to six guests. Ideal for large families or a group of friends, the yurt is set in a private, secluded spot and comes with a firepit, a picnic table, and a bathroom with a flushable toilet, a hot shower and a sink. For those keen to venture off-site, a 10-minute drive away is Historic Downtown Grapevine with its wineries and shopping opportunities.
Cross Timbers Glamping Company
(Photo: Cross Timbers Glamping Company / Courtesy Hipcamp.com)
Visitors can pick from a choice of three glamping pitches at this luxury campsite in Mineral Wells, about an hour’s drive west of Dallas. Among the most popular is an incredible yurt featuring a right wood-framed circular tent and nestled between live oaks up on an elevated deck overlooking a beautiful valley below. Inside, guests will find a comfortable queen bed, a dome window, a kitchenette, and a full bathroom with a hot shower. Other notable facilities include a firepit, cooking equipment, a coffee-maker and a picnic table. The site is also pet-friendly.
Shangrila
A short drive from the above glamping site is Shangrila, home to two glamping pitches including an upscale chalet and a slightly more no-frills mobile home. Guests can make use of a number of creature comforts, such as flushable toilets, showers, and kitchenettes with cooking equipment to be used on your private stovetop. There’s also a picnic table and a children’s playground for families visiting with small kids. If you’d like to get off site and explore, nearby attractions include Cross Timbers Golf Course, which is easily reachable by road, and for wine fans Dove Ridge Vineyard is just around the corner.
A Little Piece of Paradise
(Photo: A Little Piece of Paradise / Courtesy Hipcamp.com)
where the built-up area fades away and the verdant countryside comes into view, you’ll find, quite literally, A Little Piece of Paradise. Here, guests can embrace their natural surroundings and do as much or as little as they please, be it fishing, riding an ATV, spotting deer and wild pigs, or simply kicking back and enjoying the views over the river, creek and ponds. As for the accommodation, there are three glamping pitches, including a cabin, a treehouse and a static home, each equipped with plenty of home-from-home comforts including a bathroom with a toilet and hot shower, cooking utensils, a picnic table and a firepit.
Texas Safari Camp
There are few kids in the world who aren’t excited by the idea of staying in a real-life treehouse. Add to that the promise of a safari park just next door and you have a sure-fire winning combination. In close proximity to our last recommendation, a similar distance from Dallas, Texas Safari Camp invites visitors to escape the stresses of city living by ensconcing themselves in a heavily wooded 31-acre pristine wildlife habitat. By night, stay in a comfortable and well-equipped treehouse, and by day explore the adjoining park that’s home to some 900 exotic animals. Other activities available on-site include kayaking and paddleboarding on a pond.