Inside: Follow along as I take you through our romantic weekend in the woods of nearby Hocking Hills. Who knew glamping in Ohio could be so much fun?
My husband and I love experiences of all kinds. We love getting out of our comfort zone and trying new things.
Case in point:
- We’ve been initiated into the crazy and sometimes weird world of international hosteling.
- We’ve taken our little one on a ghost hunt.
- We drove an hour to eat at a gas station.
- We flew 15 hours across the world to go stay with a stranger for FREE.
- We ate our way through Athens, Greece.
So when my husband suggested we spend some time out in nature, I was excited at the opportunity to try something new.
Except, I’m not exactly “outdoorsy.” I’m not completely hopeless. I do like going for hikes and walks out in nature, but I’m also the girl who prefers a paved walkway. And I’m not great with bugs.
Deep down, I wish I was the girl who could gently slide a spider on a sheet of paper and set it outside so it could go on to live a long and happy life, but I’m definitely not that girl. I’m the girl who screams for my husband to “omg deal with that, PLEASE” or, if he’s not home, I get the vacuum, set up the long attachment wand and suck it up.
I know. Awful. I’m trying to get better.
And you guys – there are all these studies showing that in our hectic, crazy, over-worked lives, the more time we spend outdoors, the healthier we become. “Foresting” or “forest bathing” is a term that refers to going out into nature and just taking it all in. Studies show this simple thing can reduce inflammation and cortisol, fight depression and anxiety, and even improve memory.
So when he suggested we go glamping in Ohio, I decided it might be fun. When he swore it was romantic, dreamy and a little big magical, I was hooked on the idea.
Glamping in Ohio – Our Romantic Weekend in the Woods
Glamping is the perfect experience for the “non-outdoorsy” people in your life.
It’s perfect for beginners. It’s perfect for people who don’t always like to plan out every detail in advance, and spend hours packing gear and checking off their lists. It’s also a great way to see how much fun spending time in nature can be without needing to invest hundreds of dollars into camping gear.
Basically, it’s perfect for people like me.
When I found the Crockett’s Run website – I was hooked. It was located in nearby Hocking Hills, had great amenities, rave reviews, and the photos looked incredibly romantic and dreamy.
As die-hard minimalist travelers, I loved that I didn’t need to pack much for the trip. We packed up a warm blanket to cuddle up with around a campfire, some food and drink, and a change of clothes.
That’s it. One small cooler + a backpack.
Everything else was already provided. And honestly, if you don’t even want to cook your dinner over a campfire, there are some really cool restaurants and diners nearby.
Our bell tent. It looks smaller on the outside than it really is. I was surprised to see how spacious it was when I unzipped and walked in. Here’s what I loved – the tent locks up tight. That means you can leave your purse, cell phone, etc inside, lock up and go frolic through the woods as carefree as forest fairies. No one is going to mess with your stuff.
Inside the tent, there was a queen size bed, extra blankets, towels (more on the outdoor shower later), a lantern + flashlight, and even a dehumidifier. There is electricity available at each tent so you can even charge your cell phone!
I was honestly surprised at how cozy the tent was. Touches like vintage furniture, plants, and artwork really added to the cool vibe. There was even extra seating provided both inside and outside of the tent, along with a large cooler and extras like bug spray.
Also, I have to talk about the sheets on the bed. They were SO DANG LUXE. I don’t know what I was expecting – maybe some rough cotton or even thick flannel sheets, but these felt straight out of a boutique hotel. I loved them so much I want to know the brand so I can put them on my bed at home.
There was a small backpacker stove, coffee pot, french press, and mugs available, along with an assortment of coffee and teas. When was the last time you woke up to the birds singing, and poured yourself a steaming mug of coffee amidst the fresh morning air? It’s the simple things, really.
They even provided a deck of playing cards. You guys – I played cards with my husband, in the middle of the woods, with zero distractions. I can’t remember when we had the time together to just hang out. It was glorious.
Other amenities included small grilling areas with grates to cook up something delicious over a campfire or charcoal. I collected ALLLL the kindling we needed to start this fire and learned all about the proper way to get a fire started from my Boy Scout husband.
There was also a large bonfire area that was shared amongst the tents. This was my favorite experience of all as we got to meet our fellow campers. We all sat around a fire, drank delicious things and got to know one another.
My least favorite part of the experience was that the bathrooms were porta-potties, but my husband assured me these were the nicest bathrooms he’s ever encountered while camping, and I must admit -they were highly maintained and not gross at all. Plus, there was running water next to them so you could wash your hands after visiting them.
There was also a cool outdoor shower set up, and they provided biodegradable soap for our use. Two things to note about the showers – being able to look up at the sky while showering outside is a pretty cool experience and they had HOT WATER available.
What To Eat While Glamping in Ohio
I may be new to the glamping scene, but food? I’m allllll about the food. I wanted to pack simple meals that we could easily cook over an open fire and that required minimal work, but still tasted fantastic.
For an appetizer, I decided to melt brie over the flames, and top with a little fig jam until it was nice and bubbly. I ripped up some baguette, toasted it on the grate, and it was incredibly delicious.
For dinner, we did a classic “hobo meal.” I sliced up some veggies (onion, bell peppers, green beans and potato) and smoked sausage, seasoned with salt, pepper, cajun seasoning and a little butter, and wrapped the whole thing up in foil.
Once we were ready for dinner, I just tossed the foil wrapped packs on the fire, cooked for about 15 minutes, flipped and cooked another 10 minutes.
It was easy and delicious. If you’re not into the whole cooking over a fire thing – please note that there are several diners, restaurants, and other food options nearby.
In the morning we poured ourselves a cup of steaming coffee, and enjoyed it with a great view.
And then I fried up some eggs, leftover sausage, and the rest of the baguette.
We enjoyed breakfast along with another cup of coffee on the covered picnic tables.
After breakfast, we explored the property at Crockett’s Run. There were hiking trails, a small pond with a paddle boat, waterfalls, and lots to see. If you want to venture off the grounds – there’s a ton to see and do in the Hocking Hills area.
I still can’t believe how much fun I had glamping in Hocking Hills. It was something I never really pictured myself doing, but I honestly can’t wait to come back…this time with a group of friends.
Have you ever been glamping in Ohio or nearby states?
pin me!