How to Host the Ultimate Glamping Party

Whether you’re planning a backyard glamping party or hosting a luxury camping birthday, this post covers everything you need to know! From picking your glamping location to choosing engaging activities, your guests are sure to have an unforgettable experience.

If you’re lucky enough to have your birthday in one of the warmer months, then a glamping party is a great way to celebrate with your favorite people!

In this post, we will cover choosing the best glamping location, glamping must haves, food for glamping and glamping activities.

By the end of the post, you will be equipped with some great ideas and inspiration to host your own glamping birthday party.

This post is all about how to host an unforgettable glamping party.

How to Host the Ultimate Glamping Party

Choosing Your Glamping Location

There are many different options when it comes to choosing your ideal location for glamping. However, because glamping is the “posh sister” of camping, your spot should be somewhere beautiful and not too rough.

It is also ideal to have a semi-private location. The environment of a typical camping ground isn’t quite what we’re going for.

If you live on a farm, or know someone who does, then that could be a perfect option! Or you could do like I did and use a website designed to connect travellers with private landowners who are willing to allow you to camp on their property!

Below is a list of USA, and Canadian sites created for the purpose of connecting campers with landowners willing to share their beautiful spaces.

Hipcamp

This site offers a wide range of glamping options on private land, and unique outdoor accommodations across the USA and Canada.

Campspace

Campspace connects campers with private landowners offering unique spots to camp in. These include backyards, orchards, and farms. This site is primarily for Europe, but is expanding into North America.

Tentrr

Tentrr offers their users fully equipped campsites on private land and State parks. They provide a great balance of comfort and nature, perfect for glamping! This site is primarily for the USA.

If you happen be planning your glamping adventure in New Zealand (as I did) then I’d recommend Campable. This site connected me with the most amazing private campsite and awesome hosts at Elemental Gardens in Christchurch, NZ.

Glamping Must Haves

Glamping is a step up from camping. But throwing a glamping party is a whole new level!

It’s a fine line to walk between being what is practical, and what is pretty. I confess… I usual fall too much into the pretty.

Our glamping itinerary included 2 nights of camping and one fancy dinner banquet as the main event. The theme I chose for this event was citrus. Being summer it reflected the season well, the decorations were inexpensive, and because it was mainly fruit, we could snack on it over the following days.

I will be sharing more about how I put this table together in a following post, so keep an eye out!

There are a few “must-haves” when it comes to throwing a glamping party.

Tents

You will obviously need at least one tent as your accommodation. Depending on what you have available, it can be a great idea to also bring a small tent for extra storage.

This will give you a place to put any decorations, your food supply, luggage or anything else you want dry and out of sight.

For your main tent (as glamping is all about glamour) I would recommend using a yurt. They are so classically beautiful and will look great in photos!

Seating

While the old camping chairs are practical, they aren’t exactly aesthetic. Alternatively picnic blankets and cushions are a great option as they are beautiful and easy to pack.

Or (if your husband is as used to your grand plans as mine is) you could bring a whole sofa! I have to say doing this is hardly practical… but an outdoor lounge setup is so stinking cute!

Tables

Fold down trestle tables are a camper’s best friend. And they can be aesthetic! With just the addition of a cute tablecloth you’ll be all set.

It’s also a great idea to bring a short or coffee table. This is not a “must-have”, but it is helpful to have extra space when preparing meals and looks cute with your picnic or lounge set-up.

Bedding

This one is obvious I know. But it cannot be forgotten about! If you’re going for the full glamping experience, then you’ll at least want the luxury of a foam mattress. Bringing your bedding and duvet, as opposed to sleeping bags, is an extra touch that will make you feel like you’re not even camping.

Cookware

The more meal prep you can do ahead of time the less you’ll have to bring. But there are some key utensils you are very likely to need. These include:

Firepit

One “must” for me when looking for a campsite, was the option to bring or use a firepit. Because of course, we want smores and the campfire experience!

And don’t forget your matches or lighter!

Lighting

A beautiful way to make your campsite sparkle even in the evening is by bringing solar or battery-operated lighting. I love my battery fairy lights, but another great-looking idea would be using bistro lights.

Speaker

Music is a great way to set the vibe or create a relaxed atmosphere for your glamping party. Be sure your portable speaker is charged and ready to go!

Or if a guest can play the guitar, convince them to bring it! This is another super fun way to get your group singing the campfire classics.

Bathroom

Hopefully there is a bathroom available to you, as self-dug long drops aren’t the vibe we are going for.

However, if your campsite doesn’t have an available toilet, you may want to consider bringing an extra tent for your bathroom as well as a compostable or chemical toilet.

Yummy Food for Glamping

Meal prepping is so helpful for camping, especially when dishes are limited. For this reason, you want to select easy meals that can be made and stored ahead of time. Ideally all you want to have to do is chuck it on your pan or BBQ, cook and serve.

Below are some easy meal ideas which are a little fancier than a normal camping menu, but still very doable.

Keep in mind if you are bringing uncooked meats, you will either want a really good cooler or a portable fridge.

Breakfast

My favorite glamping breakfast is using the pre-made pancake bottles and adding things like bacon or fresh berries and cream. This is a crowd favorite and super-fast to whip up.

Other cooked options include a skillet breakfast with fried eggs, bacon and cooked potatoes or French toast with cooked bananas and syrup! All these options can be done with a pan and a camping cooker.

Lunch

Rolls with filling are great as everyone can make their own roll and enjoy. For this consider either pre-cooking the meats or just offering cooked ham and then cheese and veggies.

Gourmet hot-dogs and artisan bread are a bit of a posher name for sausages and bread, but same idea and a true camping favorite.

Or perhaps serving a pre-made Mediterranean salad would suit your guests well.

Dinner

Who doesn’t love a kabab stick with yummy meat and vegetables? If you have an open fire you could cook them over this, use a skillet or a BBQ if you have one. Another fun addition to this is making damper on a stick!

For our banquet dinner we enjoyed lamb ribs cooked on a BBQ with cooked veggies and naan bread. This was super delicious, and something a bit extra special for our birthday girl.

Snacks

Snacks depend on what you like. Remember this is a party, you’re allowed a treat! Some ideas include:

And if your glamping party is a birthday, then you may want to organise a birthday cake!

Drinks

No matter what the occasion, coffee is a must in my opinion. Having a camping kettle therefore is important, or at least a pot for water. That way, whether it’s for breakfast or bedtime comfort, you can offer coffee, tea or hot chocolate.

Juice is a great option for a refreshing drink to serve with lunches or dinners. I served an absolutely delicious punch which I would highly recommend. Click this link for the full party punch recipe.

And last but not least, do not forget to bring large water containers if there is not a clean source available.

Super Fun Glamping Activities

Hiking or Adventure Walks

Finding a nearby scenic walk is a great way to enjoy time together and take in new sights. Consider planning an adventure with a goal at the end, such as a special swimming hole or mountain peak view!

Local Markets or Cafes

It’s so fun exploring the local farmers’ markets or cafe for a tasty excursion from the campsite. It’s also a great option to cover a meal during your stay.

Party Games

Whether it’s a scavenger hunt or “who knows them best” quiz, I don’t think you’re ever too old for party games! Planning a few activities that are specifically centered around the birthday person is a special way to make the trip all about them.

Fishing

Perhaps a casual afternoon fishing and kayaking is your cup of tea? Take your crew to a nearby lake and enjoy a picnic while you wait for the fish to bite.

Lawn Games

You can truly spend hours playing lawn games such as frisbee, volleyball, cornhole, or ladder toss.

Card Games & Board Games

These are a great backup incase rain decides to plague your stay. With even just a pack of cards, you have so many different games at your disposal.

Star Gazing

Grab your picnic blankets, warm jackets and find a comfy spot to enjoy the beauty of a clear night. Truly no view can beat the awesomeness of a star filled sky.

Campfire Singalong & Charades

These are two great activities that can be enjoyed late into the night around the campfire as you make memories that will last forever.

Conclusion

And that’s it for my best glamping party tips and ideas. I can pretty much guarantee that with the right people, weather and camping spot, your glamping party is going to be a huge success!

This post was all about how to host the ultimate glamping party.