Steve and I went clamping in Vail, CO with Collective Retreats and I want to share all the details! We road tripped from Kansas City and it was our first experience with glamping, which made it even more fun! I’ve decided to break this up into two posts, so check back later this week for Glamping in Vail, Co with Collective Retreats (Part Two).
We had the most amazing time. The alone time, the scenery, the adventure, and the memories made are held tight to my heart. I’m going to try to touch on everything, but if you have additional questions, send me a note. This is what we look like on trips away from our kids! We love them, but we LOVE to travel without them! Quality alone time is pertinent to a successful relationship in my opinion. You remember all the reasons why you got together in the first place. And that spending five days/nights together with no one else around that you know is uplifting and relaxing and exciting.
Planning the Glamping Trip
Steve found this place called Collective Vail via Twitter. It’s basically high-end camping, or glamping. They have different locations throughout the US, and more opening all the time. He booked the trip without my knowledge as a surprise getaway! He’s definitely a keeper! We live in Kansas City, so the Vail location was drivable for us. Road tripping is fun, trust me! I grew up camping with my parents and love being outside. New experiences and exploring new places is what life is all about. I love aesthetics and appreciate details. Steve knew that this looked like a place that was right up my alley. He booked the trip in April and we traveled in late July.
The Road Trip
We ended up driving to Denver, CO from Kansas City and stayed overnight in Denver for one night. We got up the next morning and made a pit-stop in Frisco, CO, which is about 1 hour and 15 minutes from Denver. Oh my gosh, Frisco is the cutest little mountain town! We had breakfast outside at Butterhorn Bakery & Cafe. Mountain scenery, crisp air, and delicious food…we were in heaven!
After we walked the streets of Frisco, we headed to Vail, which is about 30 minutes from Frisco. Neither of us had ever been to Vail, so we putzed around Vail Village for a little bit. Collective Retreats is located just outside of Vail, about 20 miles away, in Wolcott, CO. It is located on a working ranch named 4 Eagle Ranch. If you have never been to Colorado, it is a true gem in the United States! And surprise, summers in Colorado are amazing! This is a view from our tent.
The Tent Accommodations
We arrived at the ranch in the late afternoon and checked into our room – a tent! The fanciest and most rustically beautiful tent you have ever seen! The coolest part is there are only 6 tents on the whole property. This is a very intimate experience. The tents are located a good distance from each other, but everything is walkable on the property. This is our tent, complete with step up front porch!
The tee-pee behind the tent is the working bathroom. Yes, you have to leave the tent, walk two feet, and walk into the tee-pee to shower and use the restroom. Inside there is a toilet, sink, shower. It’s pretty basic, but it’s so awesome having working plumbing right outside your door. You are camping, remember!
It takes a little while to get used to feeling “exposed”, even though you are not exposed at all. It’s just different. Especially in the shower! They provide robes in room which was helpful, and there is a lantern to take in the bathroom at night. It was chilly at night when we were there (late July), so we made sure to shower when it was warmer outside.
The tents are decorated, and the beds are plush and comfortable. The details were spot on. I wanted to bring everything home with me!
There is a wood burning heater inside the tent. We only had to use it one night. The fresh, cool air made for great sleeping weather!
Outdoor Accommodations
Outside our tent was a fire pit and grill that gets shared among the people staying in the three tents in our little area. Every night, a bonfire was started and homemade s’mores ingredients were delivered to our tent. You could meet the other people staying at CV. Such a cozy way to end the night!
The Ranch Property at Collective Vail
Collective Vail is located on 4 Eagle Ranch. This is a working ranch with a large pasture full of horses. They host a rodeo, adventure sports, and there is a winery on property. You have full access to the ranch while staying at Collective Vail, though CV is its own separate entity. Every morning the horses are let out to pasture, and every night they are brought back in. It’s a beautiful sight and was a pleasant surprise for us on the trip. The horses would come right up to the fence by our tent. Not a bad way to start a morning! I can’t tell you enough how gorgeous the scenery and the ranch was. We just loved it.
Our tent was the furthest one back along the dirt road. The horses go out to pasture to the right of the tents.
And I would be remiss if I didn’t post of picture of this ornery alpaca on site named Diablo.
Thanks for hanging in there with this long post about glamping in Vail, CO with Collective Retreats. I want to make sure to cover everything. I will be back later this week with part 2 of our trip, including food and adventure details! xo