Have you missed out on a get together with friends this summer? Did you, for some reason, have to postpone a trip? Don't you wish there is something fun you could at least do with friends before the season switches?

Have you ever thought about glamping? Glamping is a travel trend where you and your friends get to experience that most coveted trip to nature without the usual troubles of camping. Glamping simply is "glam camping".

And don't let the "glam" part mislead you into thinking that this activity is monetarily demanding or that it entails a lot of work. You can enjoy a comfortable weekend out in nature at the cost of a little creativity.

Get your friends together. Tell them you got the next best thing to the trip you have put off. And go over the list of creativity-inducing tips listed below to plan out your first ever glamping.

Theme

Here is a tip: what about a theme that resembles what would have happened or what you guys would have done if the summer trip you planned pushed through.

Maybe you can work out a theme that revolves around a relaxing activity, like an outdoor spa day. It can also be a cookout for recipes you have meant to try. Korean barbecue, anyone? 

Once the theme has been decided, you and your friends can then divide and conquer all the things you need to do to get your theme & your trip together.

Food

Deciding on a theme will make it easy for you to decide on the food items to bring. If you have chosen a cookout theme, then deciding on food should be much easier.

If you choose not to have a sleepover, then your food can be more like snacks & hors d'oeuvres than actual meals. If you intend to spend the night, then it will be ideal to plan out your meals accordingly as well.

If you think that going out camping means giving up "real meals," check out this blog about preparing hearty meals during your outdoor trip. Because where is the fun and glam in having no choice but to eat bland meals?

One thing to keep in mind: make sure that you will have as much ease as you can have when packing, carrying & storing your food. That includes your drinks too.

This brings us to our next tip.

Drinks

If this were your usual camping trip, your goal for drinks is to secure clean drinking water in your destination. That is whether you tag along drinking water, or you obtain a water filtering system.

Since we are in the context of glamping, why don't we glam up your beverage? By tagging along your favorite vino? Just as long as you practice precaution & moderation, you'll be okay.

Pratico Outdoors’ WineCubby is perfect for times like these. You can carry your favorite wine to glam up your camping beverages without the trouble of carrying the weight of wine bottles. The WineCubby can be rolled or folded once empty. It comes with a tiny teeny funnel that prevents spillage & it has a secure carrying case too!

It doesn't become more glam than that, can it?

Accommodations

If you are to go home before nightfall, pitching a tent becomes optional. Whether you are staying for the night or not, you'll need to bring along a sturdy picnic blanket.

You may want to tag along some throw pillows or fleece blankets just for comfort's sake.

Tip: Be a retro hippie for a day. Go the camper van route for added security & ease in stowing your stuff.

Back on the topic of blankets - you can use them to provide a fun & artsy makeshift tent. Simply tie a cord around two adjacent trees. Hang and spread out your blankets on the cord allowing it to hover over your picnic blanket.

For added shade, you may layer two or three blankets. Gypsy feels, right?

Ambience

When it comes to glamping, what you may consider unnecessary during camping becomes a need. Let’s simplify the plan by sticking to these basics: lights, scents, and music.

Staying the night may require fairy lights or rustic lamps. For the scents, you can make your own by putting oranges, cinnamon sticks, lemon and your choice of essential oils into a pot of water. Let everything boil over your grill or campfire.

As for your music, it will be cool to create a unique playlist where everyone contributes songs that will fit the vibe your group wants to channel. However, if you want to stick to organic vibe and be devoid of technology, the forest has its sound. Listen closely.

Missing out on your summer vacation is not the end of the world. There will always be new & fun things that you and your friends can do. Themed glamping is a good place to start.