Confession: I’m not a camper. I love the outdoors, but don’t love to rough it—or buy it, pack it, haul it, set it up or take it down. My idea of going on vacation is doing less work, not more. Sure, I see the romance in building a fire, roasting s’mores, breathing in natural beauty, but all those steps to get there—Oy vey! Thankfully, you can have your camping and luxury too with Under Canvas, a camping-without-the-inconvenience outfitter that offers seasonal locations in spectacular settings like Moab, Yellowstone, Glacier, Zion, and their first winter escape, Under Canvas Tucson at Tanque Verde Ranch. All of the above combine the best of both worlds: You wake up with a perfect view of nature and fall asleep on a plush bed. Sign me up!
A tent with a view… and USB ports My "Oy vey" quickly turned to "Ahhh" as I rolled into Under Canvas Tucson. Set on Tanque Verde, a 60,000-acre ranch tucked into Tucson’s Rincon Mountains and adjacent to Saguaro National Park, the 26 safari-style tents are the stuff of Instagram dreams. There’d be no roughing it here. As a devoted fan of don’t-lift-a-finger-hotels, I was struck—even star struck—at how my sleeping quarters matched the majestic surroundings. I’m not so much talking about the actual tent, an impossibly roomy structure as big as a hotel room and sturdy enough to stand up to wind and rain, but what the canvassed beauty stood for. Like a diamond in the rough (and by rough I mean a desert deluge of panoramic views dotted with statuesque saguaro cactus), the decked out tent had all the creature comforts: Cloud-like king beds layered with luxe linens, bedside charging stations, butterfly leather chairs and an option for in-tent bathroom and shower. Regardless of whether you pick the standard tent or the deluxe, or even add on a “hive” tent for the kiddos, all options come with daily housekeeping (yippee!), nighttime s'mores and a private deck for drinking in the day views, savoring the sunset and stargazing the night sky.
Camping, elevated! There truly was something magical about falling asleep and waking up surrounded by uninterrupted natural beauty. There was also something magical about having Tanque Verde’s amenities just a chauffeured golf cart ride away. I’m talking hot tub, horseback riding, guided hikes, Jeep tours, yoga, tennis, pool, spa treatments, full-service dining and, my personal favorite, Wi-Fi. Heck, the Under Canvas staff will even butler morning coffee service to your tent. Without having to worry about… anything really, my inner camper came out. I slept like a baby, I barely glanced at my phone, I soaked in the hot tub, I hiked to a waterfall and any remnants of stress simply washed away. The best, though, was making a fire in the tent’s wood burning stove, from tepeeing the kindling to stacking the logs just so, a satisfaction for greater than cranking up the Nest dial at home. Yes, I could totally get used to this camping thing.
Rates start at $149 a night through April 21 when the campsite closes for the season.
For more information, visit undercanvas.com.
