Fancy safari tents, dreamy treehouses, luxury yurts… all this and more awaits in the wilderness of NorCal. Check out this guide to the best glamping in Northern California.
Writer Anne Lamott said: “Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes – including you.” And what better way to unplug than spending some time reconnecting with nature, away from the hustle and bustle of city life.
But if you’re one of those who likes the idea of spending time in nature, but hates roughing it out dealing with thin mattresses, mosquitoes, and the general lack of comfort that comes with traditional camping, you’re not alone!
Lucky for you, bringing the best of both worlds, there’s glamping, or glamorous camping. Glamping is all about sleeping under the stars, but on a queen-size bed with heated blankets instead of the floor.
On top of the comfort, many glamping spots are also environmentally conscious, which makes them a perfect destination for nature-minded travelers who want to get a good night’s sleep and take a break in nature while taking care of it.
I’ve previously written about glamping in Southern California and the best glamping destinations in the US, but today it’s time to talk about the best glamping Northern California spots.
Thanks to its unparalleled beauty, wild coastline, rugged hills, expansive prairies, and forests of redwoods, glamping in NorCal becomes a dreamy and cozy adventure.
From vintage trailers to Mongolian yurts and safari tents, here’s a guide with the best Northern California glamping sites to add to your San Francisco to Los Angeles road trip perhaps, or to just book for a quick weekend getaway.
BEST NORTHERN CALIFORNIA GLAMPING SPOTS
Wildhaven Sonoma Glamping | Sonoma
Welcome to the best glamping in the Bay Area! This top-rated, 10-acre riverfront property is only 1 hour from San Francisco, located among vineyards in beautiful Sonoma wine country, in a lush natural environment with private access to the river and beaches.
Wildhaven Sonoma Glamping offers elevated extra-large, safari-style tent cabins with heated mattresses, and every room comes with a patio. To give you the camping feeling, you’ll have BBQ’s, a communal kitchen, and outdoor showers with river views for the summer!
We like it because it’s a great getaway from San Francisco, and they offer many activities like yoga and guided nature therapy walks that will help you recharge mind and body, and reconnect with nature.
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Mendocino Grove | Mendocino
Fall asleep to the sound of the waves in the coastal woods of this gorgeous Mendocino glamping spot. Mendocino Grove offers deluxe tents and amenities surrounded by breathtaking natural beauty.
The beds are super cozy and equipped with electric blankets for those chilly nights, while the bathrooms are sparkling clean with outdoor spaces for you to stargaze while you take a shower.
There’s also tons of activities on-site, like Yoga, bocce ball, canoeing, and hiking, plus hammocks here and there for full relaxation. It’s also a great option if you’re looking for dog-friendly glamping in Northern California!
We like it because the tents are hidden under the trees to make you feel like you’re deep in the forest, but the site is right off the coast. Nothing beats the peaceful lullaby of the waves while you fall asleep.
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Ventana Big Sur | Big Sur
Ventana Big Sur puts the glam in glamping. Located in one of the most coveted destinations in the U.S., Ventana offers a “refined way to connect with nature” in a very secluded and private location.
Glamping at Big Sur is pretty popular and you can find multiple glamping spots here, but this one is a pretty special one.
Their 15 safari-style canvas tents make for very dreamy glamping in Big Sur’s redwood forests, and are equipped with ultra-comfortable plush beds and resort-quality linen. A fire pit awaits outside each tent to cozy up around at night while sipping a cup of tea or a glass of wine.
The 20-acre campground also has two heated swimming pools, Japanese baths, and tons of experiences at your doorstep.
We like it because they implement a great deal of green initiatives and daily practices, including property-wide recycling and reuse of resources, low-flow faucets, use of native landscaping elements, locally sourced food, and a lot more.
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Boon Glamping | Guerneville
Ready to get pampered? Good! You will feel like new after a couple of days relaxing in the spa, doing yoga, and getting one of the many massage options offered at Boon Hotel+Spa, a hidden gem offering glamping in the redwoods of the Russian River Valley.
This modern, adult-focused, boutique hotel in Guerneville offers regular rooms but also chic tents under the concept of affordable luxury. The tents include platform queen beds, organic linens, bath products, lanterns, and breakfast.
Feel like royalty with their on-site spa services, their year-round hot tub and the saline pool, which has cool water when it’s hot, and warm water for the colder days, so you’re covered all year round!
We like it because it’s right in town, so very easy to access, but it still feels like a nature retreat!
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Autocamp Yosemite | Midpines
Fancy doing some luxury camping in Northern California’s most astounding natural destination?
Autocamp Yosemite provides luxury tents for the ultimate glamping experience a mere 45 minutes from the majestic Yosemite National Park.
The spacious, custom-made canvas tents have memory foam king beds, heater, fan, heated blankets, electrical outlets, a mini-refrigerator, luxe bath amenities, and luxe bowels and robes.
Each tent sleeps one to three adults and has its own private outside dining area, fire pit, and grill to maximize the outdoor experience.
We like it because it has tons of extra perks, such as a freshwater pond, a seasonally heated pool with a sun deck, complimentary mountain bikes to use on the property, community fire pits and lounge areas, a daily shuttle that takes you to Yosemite, a hammock grove, complimentary WiFi, coffee, and tea, and a lot more.
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Belcampo Farms | Gazelle
Meat lovers with an environmentalist streak will be hard-put to find a better glamping spot than this. Belcampo Farms is a “climate-positive and carbon-negative” farm that practices agriculture and raises cattle in a hyper-sustainable way.
Now, they’re offering deluxe camping experiences at the farm in one of the tents set up in their organic orchard. The tents are equipped with queen-size beds, high-quality wool blankets, and sheepskin rugs.
The farm is located in Gazelle, CA, at the base of Mt. Shasta. Leave the tent and you’ll be blessed with fantastic views of the mountains and the milky way as you’ve never seen it before.
We like it because it’s a fantastic opportunity to take a behind-the-scenes-look at regenerative farming practices and eat farm-to-table organic food, including veggies from the garden, fruit from the orchard trees, and fresh meat from the farm.
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Sonoma Treehouse Adventure at Occidental | Sonoma
Glamping in Sonoma will make your inner child’s dreams come true if you stay at one of these amazing treehouses in the middle of the redwood forests of NorCal! Sonoma Treehouse Adventure combines chic elevated accommodation with a thrilling, adrenaline-pumping zipline course.
These northern California treehouses are deceivingly spacious, each with a queen-size bed, bunk beds, a table with chairs, a compost toilet, and a kitchenette area, making it perfect for a couple, a small group of friends, or a family with kids. There’s also a small deck around each treehouse, connected to suspension bridges.
We like it because the treehouses are connected directly to the zipline, so after spending a night above ground among the trees, you’ll get to start your ziplining adventure right out of your front door. And, I mean, it’s a treehouse! It’s one of the best treehouse rentals in California.
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Murphys Glamping | Murphys
“Hotels are out, glamping is in!” reads the motto at Murphys Glamping, a 40-acre campsite that also offers a more glam experience thanks to their Rough Diamond Dome.
This geodesic dome is perched on a prairie at the top of a mountain surrounded by majestic oak trees with expansive mountain and vineyard views that will make this a truly memorable stay.
The dome can accommodate up to 4 adults and it’s furnished with comfort in mind, with a queen-size bed and cozy chairs and furniture. Its see-through walls make it feel like an extension of the wide-open landscape and heighten the feeling of communion with nature. Depending on the time of year, you could even watch the moon traverse the night sky right from your bed.
We like it because this is a pack in and pack out experience, so emphasis is put on leaving no trace, bringing bags to pick up rubbish, making fire only when safe, and other nature-friendly practices.
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Wellspring Ranch | Cayucos
Wellspring Ranch brings in the romance to the experience of glamping in the Northern California coast. This couples-only ranch is located in a pristine 160-acre property near the town of Cayucos, only 20 minutes from the Pacific Coast Highway, but it will feel like you’re hours away from the noise.
Under the common vision of living harmoniously and productively with nature, they offer chic yurt camping under Northern California’s ancient oaks with maximum comfort and luxury: king beds, memory foam mattresses, luxury linens, fireplaces, and private bathrooms.
Amenities and activities include a 20,000 gallon spring water pond, restorative yoga, savory dining, massages, stargazing by a fire, bird watching, hammocks, and a 5-mile network of interior trails leading to many viewpoints perfect for a secluded picnic.
And when you’re ready to go out and explore, you’ll have great restaurants in Cayucos to eat at, and plenty of things to do in Cayucos.
We like it because it’s the perfect romantic escapade: a private retreat and sanctuary exclusively for couples – children and pets not allowed.
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Treebones Resort | Big Sur
Located on California’s breathtaking Big Sur Coast, Treebones Resort’s “yurt village” overlooks the Pacific Ocean with panoramic views in all directions.
Come prepared to unplug and unwind – there is no cell phone reception at Treebones! The site is off-grid and they produce their own limited power. This is a place to disconnect from the daily grind and connect fully with nature.
These yurts in Northern California have plush, comfortable beds, a table, chairs, and other furniture. There is also hot & cold running water in each yurt, and outside you’ll find generous decks with comfy chairs to enjoy the stunning views.
They also offer massage therapy, yoga classes, and eco-adventures in the surroundings. For a special dining experience, check out their Wild Coast Restaurant & Sushi Bar.
We like it because they put serious emphasis on fostering a restful and peaceful ambiance for their guests, respecting each individual’s experience and protecting the land around them.
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Forest Camping Hut at Elk | Elk
Be prepared to take a sublime forest bath in this charming cabin in the forests of Elk, California. A short coastal drive from Mendocino, this camping retreat provides guests with a rustic chic experience.
The Forest Camping Hut has a dedicated outdoor area that is for your private use. There is a plush queen-size bed with soft beddings and a propane heater to keep things nice and warm.
Enjoy a unique bathing experience in the private outdoor bathtub with shower or relax on the patio. To keep things natural, there is a modern compost toilet (no flushing toilet), and no cooking amenities, as cooking would attract forest animals and insects.
We like it because, with no wifi or cell service, it makes you feel like a modern-day Thoreau, except with all the comforts of modern life. Perfect to disconnect and refill.
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Wylder Hope Valley | Hope Valley
Top-notch service and amenities await in Wylder Hope Valley, an iconic 165-acre resort immersed in the stunning beauty of South Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada of Northern California.
Yurts of unusual size and comfort await to satisfy your spirit of adventure but still get a luxurious night’s sleep. Each yurt is perched in a secluded spot with incredible views of the valley, and easy access to the resort’s swimming hole and fishing hole.
The Scandinavian-inspired design is a perfect blend of rustic and comfort, and each yurt comes furnished with a fireplace, a king-size bed, oak floor, and even a soaking tub to rest your legs after a day of hiking, sledding, fly fishing, kayaking, or hitting the slopes of Sierra Nevada.
We like it because the focus really is on nature and on reconnecting with the land. There is a serene ambiance and a slower pace that seems to come from times past. CEO John Flannigan said: “We tried to tap into that magical, nostalgic history that was already here.” And they succeeded.
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The Trailer Pond at Alta Colina | Paso Robles
This quirky happy place lies on a 130-acre organic vineyard in Paso Robles, and it offers accommodation on 5 boutique vintage trailers spread around a pond (hence the name).
The campers at The Trailer Pond are fitted with double beds, small kitchens equipped with coffee makers, and a small but cozy dining corner. There is also a private terrace right in front of each trailer extending your space outdoors.
Slow down and enjoy the tranquil evenings relaxing by the pond while watching the sunset and chit-chatting with your new neighbors with a glass of award-winning wine from the estate, or go for a wine tour in Paso Robles.
We like it because… in an area known for its sweeping hills and tasty wines, camping out inside a vineyard sounds like the dream!
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Emerald Triangle Farm Stay – Willow Creek
Definitely a unique proposition among the glamping sites in Northern California, this farm stay allows you to experience life on a licensed cannabis farm in the Emerald Triangle of Northern California.
The Emerald Triangle Farm Stay offers 6 private bell tents set up within a central “glampground” surrounded by the cannabis farm, and vegetable and livestock areas. Each tent is fitted with a plush king-size bed, and has its own private bathroom with a shower and a composting toilet. Fluffy towels and bedding are provided.
During the day, you can relax at the always-active farm, chill in a hammock, or go on some of the many adventures around. The area is home to world-class river rafting, swimming holes, biking trails, fishing spots, and a lot more.
We like it because the experience was designed to share the owners’ love of regenerative farming with others. Guests will enjoy a tour of the farm and your stay includes organic farm-to-table meals.
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