5 unique places to glamp in southern Indiana

Want to explore southern Indiana’s natural beauty, but not so into sleeping on the ground? Love the outdoors, but worried about the high number of ticks this season? If you’ve been looking to spend a night in the woods but want some of the comforts of home, southern Indiana has more than just full-on outdoor camping or booking a night at the inn.

“Glamping,” also known as “luxury camping” or “yurting” combines the quiet and serenity of outdoor camping with the comfort of basic indoor amenities like an elevated bed, a solid floor, and a well-lit space. Plus, you don’t have to pitch your own tent.

Glamping can vary from more bare-bones canvas tents to “tiny cabins” accommodating a wide range of needs and experiences.

Connect with nature: Here are the best campgrounds (and parks) in south central Indiana

What is glamping?

“Glamping,” a portmanteau of “glamorous” and “camping,” is living and sleeping in a secluded, natural area (often a tent or dome) that combines the natural elements of camping with the basic comforts of home living. Among the most popular “glamping” sites are yurts, which are round, portable tents originating from nomads in Inner Asia.

Glamping has grown as a recreational activity in recent decades, first in popular safari sites in Africa and Thailand, and then in the U.S. in the 2000s and 2010s as the appetite for high-comfort camping grew.

If you’re looking to try it out for yourself, here are a five glamping experiences in southern Indiana.

Yurt in Madison with lots of room

Accommodates: Seven

Key amenities: Bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom with shower, heating and electricity

Average cost per night: $180

This two-storied canopy yurt (with a sunroof!) in Switzerland County sleeps up to seven and comes equipped with three beds (two queens), two adaptable couches (a futon and a double sofa bed), a kitchen, a bathroom with a shower, and a hot tub. The isolated yurt is also just 30 minutes from both Clifty Falls State Park and the Belterra Casino Resort.

Plus, the property has two goats, Blaze and Taffy.

Check out the listing on Vrbo.

‘Getaway’ Tiny Cabin in Brown County

Accommodates: Four

Key amenities: Bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom with shower, heating and electricity, basic toiletries

Average cost per night: $115-145 (25% off through August with code “SUMMER2024”)

“Getaways,” modular cabins built in the style of the viral “tiny homes,” have cropped across the U.S., strategically placed within an hour of major metros with the goal of helping people escape from the hustle of daily life. Equipped with “everything you need and nothing you don’t,” the tiny cabins come fully stocked with kitchenware, oils and seasonings, shampoo and conditioner, picnic tables and patio chairs, books and playing cards, a mini fridge, and of course, firewood and s’mores supplies. Plus, to encourage visitors to disconnect, each tiny cabin comes with a cell phone lock box.

The “Getaway” campground is about 10 minutes east of the Brown County State Park entrance off 135 South.

Check out getaway.house/brown-county/.

Sleeping Bear Tipis and Wagons in French Lick

Accommodates: Four

Key amenities: Cots, fire grate, picnic table, nearby bathrooms and showers

Average cost per night: $55-65

A more bare-bones (or bear bones?) stay, the tipis at Sleeping Bear Retreat in French Lick offer basic amenities like an elevated bed and clean bathroom facilities, while not straying too far from the original ideals of camping.

For those who need a little more comfort, Sleeping Bear also offers covered wagons — yes, like pioneer wagons — with electricity, air conditioning and heating.

Sleeping Bear’s campgrounds feature a shelter house, a giant chess board, catch and release fishing, a volleyball court and other outdoor activities. Sleeping Bear also hosts paintball games and manhunt games at nearby grounds. It’s also just west of the Hoosier National Forest, close to the Springs Valley State Fish and Wildlife Area and the Tucker Lake Dam.

Check out sleepingbearretreat.com.

Hilltop Dome in Vevay

Accommodates: Six

Key amenities: Bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom with shower, heating and electricity, washer/dryer, TV, wifi, kitchen appliances, hot tub

Average cost per night: $175 (plus Airbnb fees)

This mostly glass “geodome” on a 42-acre private property is about as premium as glamping gets, with a canopy bedroom, an outdoor patio, a hot tub, a full kitchen, pre-stocked books and board games, a living room with a TV, and more. The dome sits on top of a hill, offering stunning views of the surrounding varied terrain.

The dome is within 15 minutes of Clifty Falls State Park, Madison and the Belterra Casino Resort.

Check out booking availability on Airbnb.

Camper RV in Poland

Accommodates: Two

Key amenities: Bedrooms, outdoor kitchen with grill, bathroom, outdoor shower, heating and electricity, TV, wifi

Average cost per night: $72 (plus Airbnb fees)

For those who have always wanted to spend family time in an RV but haven’t gotten the opportunity, this Coleman Lantern LT camper in Poland offers a classic camper experience, plus some extra elbow room with a spacious outdoor patio. The camper features a queen bed, bathroom and living room area, while the outdoor space adds patio seating, a grill, an outdoor shower, a drip coffee maker and a minifridge.

The Poland camper is only about 4 miles east of Cagles Mill Lake, built in 1952 as Indiana’s first flood control reservoir. The lake is abutted by two state recreation areas (SRAs), Lieber and Cataract Falls, which combined offer opportunities for hiking, boating, fishing, swimming pools, waterslides, and scenic views of the falls.

Check out booking availability on Airbnb.

Reach Brian Rosenzweig at brian@heraldt.com. Follow him on Twitter/X at @brianwritesnews.