It seems another Minnesota summer has come and gone, and I have again missed my chance for camping. I suppose there is still a possible Fall getaway in the weeks to come. But every year we vow to pack up the tent and head to a State Park for a night or two under the stars. We have gotten to the parks, seen the Lakes, hit the breweries. I even got the kayak out on the Lake last weekend for some quiet time bobbing on the waves. But the camping experience seems to be aloof.
In all honesty, I am not a true camper. I would say "rustic" fits me better. We did spend our Labor Day weekend out in Waconia in a dandy old cabin. It is actually an old farmhouse on my friend Stephanie & Scott's property. There are gracious fields, lightning bugs and giant porch swings. But there is also running water with a shower, an AC unit in the window and even an old pinball machine. So this does not constitute roughing it by any means.
Which brings me to the concept of #Glamping which is a distant cousin of camping in the wild. Something cozy in the middle of the woods so you get that experience of being one with nature. But plenty of comfort so your idea of relaxing is simply lighting a bonfire with S'mores. No pitching tents or inflating air mattresses. We have had these sort of outings in Duluth, Battle Lake and Lanesboro. The particular destination I am featuring is in Nevis MN.
The tiny residence is a refurbished Train car and can be rented via an app called HipCamp. Think of it as a kitschy version of AirBnB or Vrbo. Some other choices are a Yurt on a Blueberry farm in the Catskills. Or a canvas pod treehouse above the forest with access from two suspended walking bridges in North Carolina.
This campsite is called Goldie the Caboose, nestled on 2 acres. Goldie herself is a 1905 railroad car that worked the Iron Range in Ely. She was in use for over 50 years until she was retired in 1968. The current owners bought the caboose in 2019 where they had it transported (how does one do that?) and spent time renovating & converting it. It has showers and a small kitchen nook. It also needs a 2 night minimum as most campgrounds expect. It is small but that is part of the experience. Unfortunately for us, it is not pet friendly which is a deal breaker for our travels. It also does not come cheap at $160/ night with service charges in addition. So if you are thinking of budget camping, this may not be the fit for you.
Still the idea of a cozy getaway remains appealing. Call it glamping, whatever.
other rustic adventures via the Dyrt
