Glamping in the City: Just Bring Yourselves

Vivienne Tseng-Rush | Jun 13, 2023 11:25 am | Add a comment | 269 reads

I found it. Paradise. Right here in Beijing, within the 5th Ring Road.

Of course, my idea of paradise may differ just a little from yours. But if yours has anything to do with kids having fun in a safe outdoor space while you sip *insert beverage of choice* and eat barbecue fresh off the grill before retiring to a warm bed in the middle of the woods, then we’re in business. The WOOTA glamping business, to be precise!

WOOTA, which loosely translates to ”tall house,” is the site of Beijing’s premier glamping grounds. Situated just ten kilometers (or an under-45 minute drive) from the city center in a private park, WOOTA has everything you could need for spending a night in the outdoors, all set up and ready for your enjoyment. The glamping grounds feature twenty roomy, waterproof canvas tents furnished in rustic natural decor that comfortably sleep up to four, maybe five, people. Facilities include clean toilets, warm showers, a playground with sand, a giant outdoor trampoline, a sheltered stage, and a movie projector plus screen. There are a number of activities to keep the kids occupied, including: Ride-an-ATV, archery (for older kids), wood-chopping, a campfire, an outdoor foam party, movie screenings… The list goes on and on! Though, honestly, my kid spent 90% of his time just bouncing on the giant outdoor trampoline, which is well worth its weight in gold.

As for activities to keep parents occupied? Well, so long as our kids have something to do, we are likely content to just sit, chat, and enjoy the fresh air in a natural setting. During our visit, the parents around me seemed completely worry-free as their kids roamed and played freely. Alright, perhaps the near-endless supply of alcoholic beverages helped a bit, but one cannot deny that the magic of simply being outdoors was a huge factor in taking the edge off. But as laissez-faire as we were, parents always have the option to take part in activities with their offspring. Many of us rode ATVs with our younger children, while the bigger kids had the option to ride a smaller ATV on their own.