Glamping is a great way to experience the great outdoors with the kids, and at YHA, we have lots of family-friendly options, including bell tents, tipis, and Landpods spread throughout England and Wales. With our glamping accommodation, you can get back to nature without the added hassle of setting up your own tent.
Luxury camping means there’s no need to pack the car to the rafters with everything but the kitchen sink. Our glamping pods and tents include all the bedding you’ll need plus some even come with wood burners for added cosiness during those cooler evenings.
Even better, when you book a low-cost glamping stay with YHA, you can use all of the hostel’s facilities. This means you can cook family meals in our well-equipped self-catering kitchens before relaxing over a coffee afterwards in the lounge – just no arguing over who does the washing up!
Read on to find out which of our family glamping options is perfect for your children: bell tents, tipis, or Landpods.
Why you should choose glamping for your next family holiday
There’s nothing better than a family holiday exploring the incredible countryside that the UK has to offer, and glamping is a great way to stay in the heart of it. Enjoy hours of good old-fashioned fresh air and exercise before warming up and relaxing on your glamp site.
Glamping is a real adventure for children as it’s something completely different from staying in a hotel or holiday cottage. They’ll love camping out in a bell tent or tipi and sleeping under the stars in one of our quirky Landpods. YHA hostels are friendly, safe environments which are especially popular for family holidays. Your children will enjoy meeting other families and playing together. Most of our hostels are situated in extensive grounds, so you can let them run around while you enjoy chatting to other parents or just relaxing in your own space.
If the weather isn’t quite what you’d hoped for (and, let’s face it, this is the UK, after all), then there’s no need to worry. You can relax in your cosy glamping accommodation, some of which have wood burning stoves, or you can head into the hostel if you’re getting under each other’s feet!
Lots of our hostels offer licensed bars and restaurants, so you can grab yourself a glass of something cold. Board games are available, too, or, of course, you’re welcome to bring your own. Some of our hostels even have pool tables or giant games to keep the kids occupied. There’s free Wi-Fi in our hostels, too, so teens can stay connected if they need to. And it’s only fair we mention the price. Glamping can be notoriously expensive compared with camping, but we’ve made sure to keep the cost affordable without compromising on quality so that you can enjoy quality family time without breaking the bank. You can save on meals too. If you want to prepare your own, you can use our self-catering kitchens, but if you fancy a night off the cooking, why not head to the hostel’s restaurant, where under 10s eat for just £1 with our special offer.
Ok, so now you’re sold on glamping, but which type of accommodation is right for your family?
Landpods: best for stargazing
If you’re looking for accommodation where the kids can really feel like they’re on an adventure, then look no further than our Landpods. These unusual half-glamping pod, half-tent structures are raised off the ground and provide brilliant protection from the elements.
Perhaps the most exciting thing about staying in a Landpod is that it has a canopy roof which you can open and raise up. Raising the roof will keep you cool on warm summer evenings and also allow you to stargaze on clear nights. Help the children to spot different constellations and keep your eyes peeled for shooting stars. Don’t forget to make a wish if you see one!
Just like camping, Landpods let you sleep under canvas but they come with a few added extras. You get a large, handy storage area for hiding away your luggage, games, and toys, plus there’s a comfy seating area and solar powered LED lighting. This means you can stay up reading once the kids have gone to sleep – if you’re not tired out by all the fresh air, that is!
We know you’ll probably want to keep the kids off their devices while you’re away, but we also know that’s easier said than done, so our Landpods have two USB charging points to keep phones, tablets and other essentials charged.
Landpods sleep up to four people on two small double mattresses, so they are perfect for families.
Where can you find Landpods in the UK?
Landpods can be found at rural and coastal hostels in the UK and provide an unforgettable experience of sleeping under the stars in the great outdoors. Choose from Landpods in Cornwall, Yorkshire, the Lake District, Pembrokeshire and the Peak District.
YHA Broad Haven overlooks the sea and is a fantastic location for family holidays. It is just a stone’s throw away from a beautiful Blue Flag beach so grab the kites, buckets and spades and a picnic basket, and enjoy the vast golden sands.
If you’d prefer rolling green hills to white sands, then YHA Grinton Lodge is a good option. The hostel and glamping site is set in beautiful grounds with plenty of places for children to play, with stunning views over the Yorkshire Dales.
There are gorgeous walks and mountain biking trails straight from the door, so load up the kids’ bikes for some two-wheeled adventures. When you get back to the hostel, head to the café for a budget dinner.
Hostels with Landpods: YHA New Forest, YHA Truleigh Hill, YHA Grinton Lodge, YHA Penzance, YHA Broad Haven, YHA Manorbier, YHA Castleton, YHA Hartington Hall, YHA Borrowdale, YHA Buttermere, YHA Coniston Holly How, YHA Eskdale, YHA Grasmere, YHA Helvellyn, YHA Windermere, YHA South Downs, YHA Treyarnon Bay, YHA Brecon Beacons, YHA St Davids, YHA Wye Valley
Stay cosy in a bell tent with a log burner
Upgrade your regular camping experience with a stay in one of our bell tents. If you love sleeping under canvas but are fed up of putting up your tent and taking it down again then a stay in a bell tent could be just for you.
Our spacious bell tents sleep up to five people, so there’s plenty of space for kids of all ages to spread out – plus enough room for all their gear too. There’s a wooden storage trunk where you can pack away toys and games, and this doubles up as a coffee table, so it’s perfect for playing card games. There’s no need to worry about getting chilly, either. Our bell tents feature an integrated wood burner which you can fire up when the temperature starts to drop. You’ll be provided with a free pack of wood, and you can purchase more from the hostel reception if you need to.
If you’re not ready to go inside just yet, then our bell tents also offer a fire pit outside where you can build a fire. Sit around this while you share stories, stargaze, and toast marshmallows. See who can create the perfect s’mores recipe!
Bell tents in England and Wales
You’ll find our bell tents at some of our most popular sites throughout England and Wales. From Shakespeare country in Stratford-upon-Avon to just off the beach in Penzance, no matter what sort of holiday you’re looking for, there’s a bell tent location for you.
Hostels with bell tents: YHA Stratford-upon-Avon, YHA Hawkshead, YHA Penzance, YHA New Forest, YHA Truleigh Hill, YHA Manorbier, YHA Hartington Hall, YHA Windermere, YHA Conwy, YHA Coverack, YHA South Downs, YHA Beer, YHA Treyarnon Bay, YHA Brecon Beacons Danywenallt, YHA Wye Valley, YHA Whitby
Tipis with wood burning stoves
For a quirky stay in the great outdoors, why not try one of our festival-style tipis? These spacious canvas tents wouldn’t look out of place at Glastonbury, so if your family is into stylish stays, then this is the glamping accommodation for you.
Combining outdoor camping with luxury living, our tipis give you the best of both worlds. Inside, there’s a spacious living area with a double bed, two single futons, and two waterproof bean bags, where the whole family can chill out. Each tipi sleeps up to four people, and all the bedding you’ll need is included, saving you much-needed space in the car. There’s a lockable coffee table chest where you can store your family’s valuables and eco-friendly solar lighting so you can read before bed.
Inside, these cosy tents also have a wood burner to keep you warm when the weather’s a little chilly.
YHA tipi locations
If a tipi is the accommodation for you, then you’ll be heading into the breath-taking scenery of the Lake District National Park, where you’ll find four of our hostels with glamp sites. Each location offers a fantastic base for exploring the mountains and lakes that this area is famous for.
Our Lake District hostels are in incredible locations within walking distance of some of the area’s best attractions. Plus, outdoor activities are on the doorstep, with miles of fantastic fell walking and lakes for water sports. Enjoy waking up to spectacular mountain views, pottering around picturesque villages, and taking boat rides on some of the largest lakes in the UK.
Hostels with tipis: YHA Hawkshead, YHA Coniston Holly How, YHA Windermere, YHA Grasmere Butharlyp Howe
So, there you have it – some of our best glamping accommodation for kids in England and Wales. Now all that’s left to do is pack!
