Goodbye Tent Camping, Hello Glamping

MARMORA – Those who have been camping or visited an RV park recently, know the pup tent from childhood is no longer the norm. Instead, luxurious tent living, called glamping, has become the latest fad, bringing the luxuries of hotel accommodations into campgrounds, along with the experiences nature provides.
“It’s no longer the poor man’s vacation,” Joann DelVescio, executive director of the New Jersey Campground Owners Association (COA), of Marmora, said about camping and RV parks. “People today want to unplug from all the technology, still enjoy a campfire, but they want to do it with a lot of amenities while experiencing nature.
“Over the past 10-20 years, individual campers require more and more amenities, like WiFi, larger sites,” she added. “Nowadays, campgrounds are doing a lot of activities like dinners, paint and sips, exercise and dance classes. They are trying to keep up with the trends without going overboard.”
From Grounds to Parks
The shift across Cape May County, while similar with a move from camping “grounds” to camping “resorts,” is also slightly different, with seven locations no longer offering transient camping, according to Diane Wieland, director of Cape May County Department of Tourism.
While updating the county’s camping brochure, she learned several establishments sold to large corporations, and there was a move to condo camping, seasonal camping and seasonal manufactured-home establishments over the past year.
“RVs require more room because these $200,000 vehicles are built on bus chassis,” Wieland explained. “They need more space, so some of them are eliminating tent camping altogether.
“The buzzword we keep hearing more about is glamping. Tents are disappearing,” she said.
The Word is New, Not the Concept
While the word “glamping” first appeared in the United Kingdom in 2005, the concept that “glamping” suggests is not new. In the 16th century, the Scottish Earl of Atholl prepared a lavish experience in the Highlands for the visiting King James V and his mother. The duke pitched lavish tents and filled them with all the provisions of his palace.
Probably the most extravagant example of palatial tent-living in history was the Field of the Cloth of Gold, a diplomatic summit in northern France in 1520 between Henry VIII of England and Francis I of France. Some 2,800 tents and marquees were erected, and fountains ran with red wine.
In the 1920s, an African safari became “the thing to do” among wealthy British and Americans. But wealthy travelers, even those in search of adventure, were not willing to sacrifice comfort or luxury. From electric generators to folding baths and cases of champagne, travelers were afforded every domestic luxury while on an adventure.
Amenities Are Changing
While the number of campgrounds across the state hasn’t changed much over the years because of environmental regulations and the permitting process, DelVescio said campgrounds today are more often being sold to larger corporations who are re-investing in their campgrounds and updating facilities and amenities.
“Some of these changes are adding tree houses, teepees, and other amenities,” she added. “It’s all about the experience with nature.”
“We’re starting to see the second and third generation of owners,” noted Wieland, “and the grandkids don’t want to be in the business anymore, so they are selling to these larger corporations.
“But I don’t know where we will end up,” Wieland said. “What are people doing while they are here? Are they staying longer? We’ll have to look at this so we can stay ahead of the trends.”
Inspections Done Annually
In Cape May County, the number of campgrounds has stayed steady at about 45, with about 15,000-17,000 sites, according to Linda Wilde, division director of environmental health, Cape May County Department of Health.
Her staff performs an annual checkup of the campgrounds around the beginning of the season, usually by the end of May. Their unannounced walkthroughs check the general cleanliness of the grounds, ensuring leaves, weed overgrowth and poison ivy are removed, there is no standing water to become mosquito breeding grounds, bathhouses are clean and sanitary, and propane gas, sewer, and water hook-ups are properly connected and working.
The campgrounds are not inspected again unless there is a complaint during the season, according to Wilde.
Campgrounds Flourished in 1970s
According to the county’s Department of Tourism report for 2018, campgrounds were flourishing along the mainland, and tent camping was a fun alternative for the adventure-seeking vacationer during the 1970s.
Many campgrounds were built around sand pits, dug to provide fill for the Garden State Parkway. The pits filled with water and became manmade lakes that complemented the natural outdoor experience, and the beach towns were the happening place to be during the summer.
“Labor Day marked the end of summer and life returned with locals retreating to their winter habits. Most businesses closed, and the sidewalks were rolled up until the next Memorial Day Weekend,” according to the report.
Now, establishments in the county are extending events to the shoulder season, particularly the fall. “Halloween hayrides and haunted campgrounds have become big events,” Wieland said.
“We know we have an 85% return rate of visitors, so we have to get that 15% to return and get more new people coming to the county,” she added. 
Recreation is a $711-million industry in the county, according to Wieland, and camping/RVers are a part of that. “We’re number one in the state in terms of generating tourist dollars in this area,” she pointed out. “Camping is about 10% of that industry.”
Shoulder Season, Events Extended
Most of Cape May County’s campgrounds are open April-October. “A lot of them are scheduling events in the shoulder season,” DelVescio said, extending the camping season. Depending on the weather, frozen water lines and snow can impact the opening and closing dates.
Wieland noted that municipalities require them to close in November so no children are sent to school. This law was enacted because of issues with property taxes.
“Of course, in Cape May County, we have the shore as the main attraction,” she noted. The county has the largest concentration of campgrounds in the state, she said.
Wieland said one trend noticed across the county involves Canadians, who frequent the campgrounds. “We’re seeing the second and third generation coming to the county, going to their favorite spots, but the older generation is favoring the hotels more,” she said. “The younger generation favors the outdoors more, and I can appreciate that.
“But if they bring an RV, they also need to bring a car to get around in,” she pointed out. “That requires more space. Camping isn’t your mama’s tent anymore.”
“Campers today are a mix of families and retirees,” DelVescio continued. “Generational camping is still popular. The further the distance people travel, it seems the longer they stay, although we still have the weekenders.
“The old-fashioned tent camping is not as great as it was, but it’s come back with new tents or cabins, and RVs that have newer and bigger rooms, full-size refrigerators, granite countertops, air conditioning on the roof, rooms in the tent, closets. They are self-contained,” DelVescio said.
“They are houses on wheels,” she added.
To contact Karen Knight, email kknight@cmcherald.com.