Roughing It, Gently: The Rise of Carolina Glamping

The tent has come a long way. In the Carolina mountains and along its rivers, a new generation of luxury camping is redefining what it means to sleep outdoors.

Wilderness, with a bed

Glamping properties across the state offer safari tents, treehouses and off-grid cabins outfitted with real beds, proper bathrooms and often a wood stove or soaking tub. The wilderness is at the door; the deprivation is not.

The appeal is broad, drawing travelers who love nature but never learned to love a sleeping bag.

Comfort as gateway

Purists may scoff, but glamping serves a purpose: it introduces the outdoors to people who would otherwise never spend a night in it.

For a state blessed with extraordinary landscapes, that is no small thing — a comfortable doorway into the wild.