Fall is The Perfect Time to Go Glamping (& Here’s What You’ll Need)

Trade in your sleeping bags for sheepskin carpets, your lawn chairs for bohemian poufs, your fold-up metal tables for pallets decorated with tablecloths, candlesticks, and rosé because it’s time to go glamping!

Glamping, rather than camping, is just what it sounds…glamorous camping, because why not? Sometimes it involves sleeping in a big fancy tent all decked out like a home, and other times it’s more like a boho picnic. And whether you set up shop on an official campground or in your backyard (or rooftop), the main focus here isn’t the area but how you set the scene. Ahead are inspiration photos and essentials to create your own glamorous weekend with your squad. Common elements include lanterns, mason jars, heaps of blankets and throw pillows, candlesticks, and fairy lights. Let’s explore just how to pull off your own glamping experience.

One of the main attractions of glamping isn’t just the tent, but also the lounging area that comes with the territory. In order to create your own cozy nook like the magical backyard scene above (spotted on yuriexx67‘s Instagram feed), bring patterned rugs and throws that you’ll use as your floor, along with a generous amount of throw pillows you can lounge on as you drink spiced wine and eat brie. Set up a squat table over the area so you can nibble on canapés and drink throughout the evening—and if you don’t want to go out and buy something especially for the occasion, crates and palettes work in a pinch.

If you end up using palettes, this ridiculously aspirational boho picnic from Mel Denisse is a great example of how you can dress them up: Toss on a table runner, arrange candlesticks, and even create a leafy garland to run across the length of the makeshift table.

Here’s an example from Green Wedding Shoes showing how crates work great for the glamping experience. The trick is to dress them up with candlesticks and flowers to coax out a shabby chic aesthetic.

Since there is such a strong emphasis on decor when it comes to glamping, a great (and cheap!) way to add whimsy to your surroundings is to incorporate paper lanterns, pompoms, and garlands. To start, try stringing up honeycomb lanterns and paper fans in clusters inside your tent like Pretty Little Party Shop did in the above photo. You can also make tassel bunting to inject color, DIY tissue paper tassel pom-poms to add a festive pop, or create tassel chandeliers for a playful accent.

If you want to veer your glamping weekend towards a boho direction, you’ll want to stock up on vintage, floral scarves or tapestries from the thrift store and throw them over your tent to set a rich, luxurious, and slightly kitschy mood. If you have any fur faux accents at home, like shag carpets and fur pillows, bring them along to contrast against the hodge podge of floral prints. If you want to know how to create a makeshift tent like this one, there’s a tutorial on Free People’s blog.

Now that we have an idea of the elements, let’s explore some shoppable options to get you started on your own glamping experience:

If you want to bring glamour to your campsite, swap your normal tent for something like this safari-style option from Amazon ($399). For those that don’t think they’ll glamp enough to warrant buying a new tent for it, you can DIY your own with this simple tutorial from Travel Inspired Glamping.

Bring that bohemian flair to your campsite with patchwork poufs (we’re totally digging this one from Wayfair, which is currently on sale). Fill out the rest of the scene with throw pillows for lounging.

Lanterns bring ambiance to the party, especially when they’re oversized. The downside of giant lanterns, though, is that they’re oftentimes expensive, but there’s a workaround for that! You can transform old thrift store chandeliers into huge statement making lanterns with this clever tutorial from eHow.

Layer patterned rugs (like this one from Urban Outfitters), tapestries, and cozy blankets to create a patchwork effect around your dinner table.

You can also hang tapestries (Urban Outfitters is a great source for some super boho options) over your tent or across tree branches to create a makeshift ceiling over your party.

There are plenty of options out there for fairy lights, but the bigger the bulbs are, the more expensive the price tag. Circle around that issue by popping ping pong balls over Christmas lights to achieve the same effect. See the full DIY at The Surznick Common Room.

Velvet pillows bring texture and color to your surroundings. We love these round versions from Urban Outfitters for an extra special flair.

They’re oh-so-cozy and bring a pop of contrasting texture to the party. This one is from Etsy.

The point of glamping is to get glamorous, so upgrade your sleeping bag into one with a pretty design or color, like this gingham one from Target.

Want to serve snacks and cocktails on something pretty? Don’t forget to bring along a white marble serving tray to arrange your bites on. Marble (like this brass and stone option from Target) is a nice touch.