CAMPING isn't just for the boy scouts, trekking the Appalachian Trail and it also is not your grandfather's RV. In fact, camping has blossomed in popularity with variances like glamping, tiny homes, tree houses and yurts. This widening spectrum for camping is also being delivered via online platforms such as HipCamp.
What is HIPCAMP? The platform is molded much like airbnb where you can explore, read reviews and navigate to the rental campsite of your choosing.
HipCamp has been featured in many a media platform however if this is your first hearing about HipCamp well then let's have a chat and see if this is right for your next family camping adventure. HipCamp can be thought of like an Airbnb whereby private owners (host) make available land and space on their property for camping. It operates in the same fashion as well, where you can research , filter experiences, amenities and find properties to suit your comfort and liking with the final step to secure a reservation . Yes, there is a surcharge for this platform however here is the real beauty of why HipCamp is popular. You can reserve and secure your camping spot,. Why is this amazing? Because camping spots in State Parks allow you to reserve a date and time but not the specific spot, a national forest is first come first serve and some areas denote primitive camping for a reason (meaning you don't know what exactly you will get). The comfort of knowing that you have a designated spot is a great reason to consider using Hip Camp.
What is HIPCAMP? The platform is molded much like airbnb where you can explore, read reviews and navigate to the rental campsite of your choosing.
HipCamp has been featured in many a media platform however if this is your first hearing about HipCamp well then let's have a chat and see if this is right for your next family camping adventure. HipCamp can be thought of like an Airbnb whereby private owners (host) make available land and space on their property for camping. It operates in the same fashion as well, where you can research , filter experiences, amenities and find properties to suit your comfort and liking with the final step to secure a reservation . Yes, there is a surcharge for this platform however here is the real beauty of why HipCamp is popular. You can reserve and secure your camping spot,. Why is this amazing? Because camping spots in State Parks allow you to reserve a date and time but not the specific spot, a national forest is first come first serve and some areas denote primitive camping for a reason (meaning you don't know what exactly you will get). The comfort of knowing that you have a designated spot is a great reason to consider using Hip Camp.
What to know before using HipCamp
- TREAT IT LIKE RESEARCHING A HOTEL, KNOW THAT YOU ARE GOING TO SEE THE BEST PHOTOS FIRST. SO READ REVIEWS!
- IT CAN BE SOLITARY, CHERISH THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A NIGHT OR WEEKEND AWAY WITH YOUR FAMILY OR LOVED ONES AND NOT AT A SHARED CAMPGROUND.
- YOU MAY BE IN SOMEONE’S YARD. PREPARE YOURSELF FOR THAT.
- YOU CAN CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE FROM A MOUNTAIN SETTING TO A LAKE SETTING TO A BEACH SETTING AND CUSTOMIZE YOUR RESEARCH TO FIND JUST THE RIGHT SPOT FOR YOU.
- YOUR SPOT IS SECURED, RESERVED FOR YOU AND NOT FIRST COME FIRST SERVE LIKE STATE PARK CAMPGROUNDS OR NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS.
- AFFORDABLE FOR A FAMILY WEEKEND. ON AVERAGE $15-$40 PER NIGHT
Personal Experiences with HipCamp
Camp Site at MadPeper Blessing. Right before the cold set in.
Experience #1: Winter Camping, the freeze
This was March 2019 and we were researching places to camp, with only had a single night to head out (darn busy schedules) and so we came across HipCamp. The search was on! I ended up finding a lovely property in Culpepper, VA, called Mad Peper Blessing. I will preface with; we knew the nighttime temperatures would be cold…. how cold? About 20 degrees cold with heavy wind gusts. We were serious about having a camping night out and I was excited, so excited I forgot the tent. Luckily our camping spot was only about 20 minutes from a Target and a short time later we were in business.
What came with our site? The host provided a picnic table, a small grill since they did not allow open fires on the property, a personal waste basket, a small container of charcoal and a small utility container with things like a lighter, trash bags and grilling utensils. We were not provided a great deal of seclusion as normally the site has 6ft tall grass and grain areas to provide campers privacy. However, in the late fall all of that was mowed and made way for next year’s crop and made way for no privacy.
The setting was? Beautiful! as we were treated to a sunset over the mountain range that transitioned into an endless starry night sky with shooting stars and galaxies seen by the naked eye. What we were not afforded was weather luck, the wind picked up and made starting the grill near impossible, it took us roughly 30 minutes for one to catch and by that time we ate chicken breast in the dark. Still the setting saved the experience.
And the overall camping experience was..? The overall experience makes for a good story (years later), because for $20 bucks we found a last-minute overnight camping spot in late winter. The spot turned out to be perfectly situated for star gazing and forgetting a tent. the amenities provided did not craft well into our plans since the wind kicked up and I would have loved fuel soaked charcoal and more privacy but even years later my fiance and I still speak of that night as something to remember.
COST: $20.00
Experience #2: Hello to Fall
Fall in Charlottesville, Virginia is postcard perfect . The area leaves began to change, the warm days and cool nights coupled with the smell of fall in the air. I found A farm based Camp just a few minutes from downtown on a sprawling 55-acre farm. one caveat, this time a bathroom (attached to the farm house), made this feel more glamping.
What came with our site? a small fire pit and a few chairs, however any firewood was available by roaming the land to look for sticks and small branches. In hindsight we should have brought our own bundle of wood but none the less we made do. The area was perfect as the pond had a kayak, a zip line (yes a zip line) and a small dock to dive into the pond.
The setting was? Unbelievable peaceful. This location held multiple camp sites, all surrounding the pond area. We took the cap site closest to the pond and closest to the farm road. Our site would not be a solo event as another party had reserved the camp site across the pond however due to the topography, they were tucked away behind a small hill which was perfect for us. . We were treated to horses galloping in the distance, lightning bugs dancing in the dark and the serenade of tree frogs under a starlit sky. Our camp site was large enough to hold our tent and accessories and for me to park my Jeep next to it. I see why glamping has a fan base as it was of great comfort to be able have everything within arm’s length and made for an easy set up and take down.
And the overall camping experience was..? Superb! to be able to enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of nature and best of all gave us a refreshing night away and a great start to our hike the next day at Crabtree Falls.
Cost: $40.00
EXPERIENCE #3: THE CASE OF THE VANISHING FIRE PIT
A WEEKEND GETAWAY TO SOUTHERN VIRGINIA. THE LURE OF GETTING TIME AWAY FROM THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE AND WE FOUND IT IN SLEEPY BUT BEAUTIFUL SCOTTSVILLE, VIRGINIA. WE WERE SOLD ON THE OPPORTUNITY TO SLEEP UNDER THE STARS AT A WORKING FARM ALONG THE JAMES RIVER. THE SITE LOOKED PERFECT AS IT was SOLD AS A PRIVATE SECLUDED PRIMITIVE CAMPING AREA WITH FIRE (PERMITTED).
WHAT CAME WITH OUR SITE? THIS LOCATION HELD MULTIPLE CAMP SITES, OVER 10 IN ALL. THE SERENITY OF BEING ALONE WAS NOT TO BE HAD. INSTEAD WE HAD A CAMP SPOT RESERVED FOR US ALONG THE GRAVEL DRIVEWAY in a sea of rv's. THE CAMPSITE WAS JUST A SMALL PARCEL OF LAND, NOTHING MORE OR LESS. THERE WAS NO BATHROOM, NO PRIVACY HOWEVER THERE WAS A BEAUTIFUL WORKING FARM, END TO END STARRY SKIES AND AMPLE ANIMALS WALKING THE PROPERTY. FINALLY ABOUT THAT FIRE, WHILE THE HIPCAMP FEATURE NOTED FIREPITS, IT WAS MORE THAT THEY WERE PERMITTED NOT PROVIDED. LUCKILY WE HAD BROUGHT A PORTABLE GRILL AND COULD MAKE FOOD BUT THE AMBIENCE OF A FIRE WAS NOT TO BE HAD.
THE SETTING WAS? UNSETTLED, AS OUR CAMP SPOT WAS NOT SECLUDED OR PROTECTED FROM TREES (it made using the bushes bathroom spy like). THE BIG WIN WAS THE STARRY NIGHT, A FILLED blanket OF STARS AND SHOOTING STARS MADE FOR A PEACEFUL EVENING.
AND THE OVERALL CAMPING EXPERIENCE WAS..? It missed the opportunity to be amazing. The overall site had potentialT MISSED THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE AMAZING. THE OVERALL SITE HAD POTENTIAL, THE OWNERS ADMITTED TO BEING NEW TO THE HIPCAMP GAME AND WERE EXCEPTIONALLY SWEET AND FRIENDLY BUT LACKED IN FACILITY MANAGEMENT.
COST: $35.00
This was March 2019 and we were researching places to camp, with only had a single night to head out (darn busy schedules) and so we came across HipCamp. The search was on! I ended up finding a lovely property in Culpepper, VA, called Mad Peper Blessing. I will preface with; we knew the nighttime temperatures would be cold…. how cold? About 20 degrees cold with heavy wind gusts. We were serious about having a camping night out and I was excited, so excited I forgot the tent. Luckily our camping spot was only about 20 minutes from a Target and a short time later we were in business.
What came with our site? The host provided a picnic table, a small grill since they did not allow open fires on the property, a personal waste basket, a small container of charcoal and a small utility container with things like a lighter, trash bags and grilling utensils. We were not provided a great deal of seclusion as normally the site has 6ft tall grass and grain areas to provide campers privacy. However, in the late fall all of that was mowed and made way for next year’s crop and made way for no privacy.
The setting was? Beautiful! as we were treated to a sunset over the mountain range that transitioned into an endless starry night sky with shooting stars and galaxies seen by the naked eye. What we were not afforded was weather luck, the wind picked up and made starting the grill near impossible, it took us roughly 30 minutes for one to catch and by that time we ate chicken breast in the dark. Still the setting saved the experience.
And the overall camping experience was..? The overall experience makes for a good story (years later), because for $20 bucks we found a last-minute overnight camping spot in late winter. The spot turned out to be perfectly situated for star gazing and forgetting a tent. the amenities provided did not craft well into our plans since the wind kicked up and I would have loved fuel soaked charcoal and more privacy but even years later my fiance and I still speak of that night as something to remember.
COST: $20.00
Experience #2: Hello to Fall
Fall in Charlottesville, Virginia is postcard perfect . The area leaves began to change, the warm days and cool nights coupled with the smell of fall in the air. I found A farm based Camp just a few minutes from downtown on a sprawling 55-acre farm. one caveat, this time a bathroom (attached to the farm house), made this feel more glamping.
What came with our site? a small fire pit and a few chairs, however any firewood was available by roaming the land to look for sticks and small branches. In hindsight we should have brought our own bundle of wood but none the less we made do. The area was perfect as the pond had a kayak, a zip line (yes a zip line) and a small dock to dive into the pond.
The setting was? Unbelievable peaceful. This location held multiple camp sites, all surrounding the pond area. We took the cap site closest to the pond and closest to the farm road. Our site would not be a solo event as another party had reserved the camp site across the pond however due to the topography, they were tucked away behind a small hill which was perfect for us. . We were treated to horses galloping in the distance, lightning bugs dancing in the dark and the serenade of tree frogs under a starlit sky. Our camp site was large enough to hold our tent and accessories and for me to park my Jeep next to it. I see why glamping has a fan base as it was of great comfort to be able have everything within arm’s length and made for an easy set up and take down.
And the overall camping experience was..? Superb! to be able to enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of nature and best of all gave us a refreshing night away and a great start to our hike the next day at Crabtree Falls.
Cost: $40.00
EXPERIENCE #3: THE CASE OF THE VANISHING FIRE PIT
A WEEKEND GETAWAY TO SOUTHERN VIRGINIA. THE LURE OF GETTING TIME AWAY FROM THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE AND WE FOUND IT IN SLEEPY BUT BEAUTIFUL SCOTTSVILLE, VIRGINIA. WE WERE SOLD ON THE OPPORTUNITY TO SLEEP UNDER THE STARS AT A WORKING FARM ALONG THE JAMES RIVER. THE SITE LOOKED PERFECT AS IT was SOLD AS A PRIVATE SECLUDED PRIMITIVE CAMPING AREA WITH FIRE (PERMITTED).
WHAT CAME WITH OUR SITE? THIS LOCATION HELD MULTIPLE CAMP SITES, OVER 10 IN ALL. THE SERENITY OF BEING ALONE WAS NOT TO BE HAD. INSTEAD WE HAD A CAMP SPOT RESERVED FOR US ALONG THE GRAVEL DRIVEWAY in a sea of rv's. THE CAMPSITE WAS JUST A SMALL PARCEL OF LAND, NOTHING MORE OR LESS. THERE WAS NO BATHROOM, NO PRIVACY HOWEVER THERE WAS A BEAUTIFUL WORKING FARM, END TO END STARRY SKIES AND AMPLE ANIMALS WALKING THE PROPERTY. FINALLY ABOUT THAT FIRE, WHILE THE HIPCAMP FEATURE NOTED FIREPITS, IT WAS MORE THAT THEY WERE PERMITTED NOT PROVIDED. LUCKILY WE HAD BROUGHT A PORTABLE GRILL AND COULD MAKE FOOD BUT THE AMBIENCE OF A FIRE WAS NOT TO BE HAD.
THE SETTING WAS? UNSETTLED, AS OUR CAMP SPOT WAS NOT SECLUDED OR PROTECTED FROM TREES (it made using the bushes bathroom spy like). THE BIG WIN WAS THE STARRY NIGHT, A FILLED blanket OF STARS AND SHOOTING STARS MADE FOR A PEACEFUL EVENING.
AND THE OVERALL CAMPING EXPERIENCE WAS..? It missed the opportunity to be amazing. The overall site had potentialT MISSED THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE AMAZING. THE OVERALL SITE HAD POTENTIAL, THE OWNERS ADMITTED TO BEING NEW TO THE HIPCAMP GAME AND WERE EXCEPTIONALLY SWEET AND FRIENDLY BUT LACKED IN FACILITY MANAGEMENT.
COST: $35.00
SUMMARY
Yes, two years later we are still using hipcamp! Yes, we are wiser and know exactly what to look for. We have used it to camp next to bed and breakfasts, we have used it to camp near national parks , find places on the way home from adventures. We continue to find amazing properties and owners who are willing to share their land for camping use. For a family of five, the ability to reserve our camp spot, focus on our goals for the weekend (be lakeside, trailside or just be away) all under the umbrella of affordability is perfect for us.
