This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
I always thought I was “glamping” when I brought my hair straightener to camp and plugged it into my parents generator (because I wasn’t about to look like a cavewoman if I didn’t have to), or that we bring our posturepedic pad and throw it over our inflatable mattresses so I don’t roll onto my husband’s side because he’s the heavier half #campstruggles. I’ve always called that glamping. Nope! I’ve come to find out glamping is a real thing!
Last weekend we were invited by Camp Chef to go glamping in Utah with a small group of food bloggers (all expenses paid). I hesitated because I had just barely finished washing everyones clothes and shoes from our previous camping trip and I wasn’t sure I was ready to pack the farm again (you know how camping is – major planning/ packing followed by a mountain of laundry because everything smells like campfire), but then I learned that I had it all wrong. We weren’t invited to go camping – it was glamping!! I’m sharing our experience in photos and DON’T MISS the awesome giveaway from Camp Chef at the end of this post!!!
What is Glamping?
Glamping is a form of glamorous camping where you enjoy all of the niceties of the outdoors but you pack like you would for a hotel. I’m talkin’ real beds, wood floors, a full bathroom with shower (what, say what?!) and there was even a restaurant on site so no need to pack food! Camp Chef hosted and sponsored the trip so the eating was really really good. See more on that below.
This was our “Tent:”
Glamping at Conestoga Ranch in Utah is a fun vacation idea with children. Also the wagons and teepees seemed pretty romantic and sweet for couples. Although the smaller tents and wagons didn’t have running water, there were plenty of nice restrooms/showers a short walk away in the main lodge. Here’s a perk just for our readers: get 25% off a midweek stay (Sun-Thurs, excluding labor day) with this code “Latesummerdeal.”
The glamping resort is situated next to Bear lake which is truly beautiful. The water was clean, warm and teal blue in the sunshine. This was a lookout point over the lake – doesn’t the water almost look tropical?
My wonderful husband kept the kids entertained while I helped (wo)man the grill ;).
Her expression ?
And for that, I made him a big juicy Philly Cheesesteak sandwich on one of Camp Chef’s flat top griddles. Did I mention how completely obsessed I am with those flat tops? They’re so exciting to cook on and no pans to clean afterwards!
Pizza at the Lake:
The Camp Chef team took us to the North side of Bear Lake where they set up their pizza ovens and we enjoyed endless pizza on the beach while the kids played. It was so nice getting to know the other bloggers: Mel’s Kitchen Cafe, Favorite Family Recipes, Dessert Now Dinner Later and of course, our hosts from Camp Chef.
I loved that my son had a chance to make the cheesiest pizza I’ve ever seen in my life. The pizza chef from Conestoga Ranch gave us some pointers and my son was so proud of his pizza 🙂
Camp Chef really rolled out the red carpet for us and the food was crazy good. They cooked pretty much everything on their awesome cooktops, ovens and grills using their impressive line of outdoor cookware and tools. P.S. One of their best cooktops (the same one we have) can be all yours! Enter the giveaway below :).
Dining alfresco for every meal was amazing. Food somehow tastes better when it’s enjoyed outdoors!
I love picking up great tips like this one:
Q: How do I slice cinnamon rolls without squishing them
A: With (unflavored) dental floss! Maybe it’s ok if it’s cinnamon flavored – ha!
Here is the banana chocolate chip pancake how-to that I shared on Instagram. I asked the chef for the recipe following a whole bunch of requests from you all and he spilled the beans that it was this pre-made mix. P.S. the texture and flavor were similar to our favorite easy buttermilk pancakes if you want homemade 😉
Exploring Idaho/Utah:
It was so nice of our hosts to plan this cave hike adventure on the Idaho/Utah border just for us to enjoy. It was a memorable experience and there were 888 steps total (to and fro) and I will always remember those steps because baby D didn’t like the cave at all and wanted to be in my arms for most of those 888 steps :-O.
The day we left, the Camp Chef crew took us up to a fabulous private gated location – the vacation yurt (a large and beautiful, teepee-like cabin up in the woods on a mountainside), owned by the founder of CampChef. The views were breathtaking and it was the perfect way to finish up our trip. I’m still working on getting the recipe for that stir-fry because it was A-MAZING!!
So now you know what glamping is and if you don’t have a Camp Chef grill yet, you should put it on your wish list and then enter the giveaway below. Ooooh and I got a discount code just for you!! Use “NK20” to get 20% off through the end of the year when you shop on their website.
We love our Camp Chef Expedition 3X Stove. Here’s why:
- Self-igniting button. No need for matches or lighters
- Strong, stable on it’s feet and really well made
- The large flat griddle is awesome when you’re cooking for a crowd; make all of your bacon in one batch without being confined to a skillet.
- Even heat distribution.
- Griddle is removable with 3 gas burners below; useful at home as a second outdoor cooktop.
- The towel dispenser on one side and utensil hooks on the other to keep things tidy.
Enter the Giveaway using this rafflecopter widget. If it doesn’t load, please refresh the screen. I wish I had for each of you! These Camp Chef stoves are truly awesome!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
POLL!! So what about you? Are you more of a camper or a glamper? 😉