Best Glamping in Texas

Son’s Island is awesome! What a great experience we had. We stayed in one of their glamping tents. It had 2 queen beds and a twin bed but the best part is it had air-conditioning and it stayed very comfortable. You get to use the cabanas for free at night from 7:30 PM - 10:00 am when you rent a tent but you must also rent a cabana for the day if you plan to stay. It is well worth the money. Each cabana comes with its own private dock, lots of comfortable seating, electricity, water, BBQ pit, picnic table and hammock. We heard lots of people rave about this place. It definitely surpassed our expectations!

This would be a 5 star if there was sewer hookup 

PROS 

No fee to make my own on-line reservations

Park security gate closed overnight hours 

Good space between sites 

Grass mowed in each site 

Extra wide campground roadway 

Quiet during our weeknight stay 

Wooden and metal picnic table on concrete slab 

Pedestal BBQ grill 

Metal firering (no cooking grate) 

Clean, climate controlled toilet/shower facility. 

Ample supply of TP, and hand soap but hand dryer didn’t work and no paper towels. Campfire wood for sale via honor system in the campground 

Regular ranger patrol through campground

Lots of dumpsters throughout the campground

.85 miles round trip from site 114 to closest toilet/shower facility 

2 bars T-MOBILE 

CONS 

No discount for a one night stay 

Aggressive raccoons 

Site 114 not level 

No lantern pole in campsite 

Site picnic table is anchored to concrete slab and not moveable 

No WiFi

It being August in Texas, we rented a limited use cabin with air conditioning. It also has a mini frig and a microwave inside. It has a queen size bed for which campers need to bring their own pillows and bed linens. The frig was super cold, and the AC worked well. There was a wood table with four chairs. The table was really sticky, so I recommend bringing something you can use as a table cloth. There are only six of these cabins, and they have a four bathroom building at the end of the cul de sac. No tents or pets are allowed at the cabin sites. Each has fire pit and water outside cabin

The park has a very small lake with canoe, kayak, paddle board, row boat, and paddle boat rentals. Life vests are provided with rental. It was fun! There is a good sized swimming area too. There are a number of trails of varying difficulty, some for hiking only, some for home and bike. Ranger programs offered.

PROS 

Senior discount saved $20 

Each site has unobstructed lake view 

Site 67 level concrete pad surrounded by sandy soil with afternoon only shade 

Climate controlled toilet/shower facility 

Clean toilet/shower facility which are cleaned every weekday morning 

2 sand lot volleyball courts 

Small pier shared by every two campsites 

Metal picnic table, pedestal BBQ grill and concrete fire ring with no cooking grate. 

Fairly quiet during daytime weekdays except for neighboring campers 3 sites away who had their INSIDE television blaring that we could hear every word. This went on for 7 hours daily. 

Local police did regular daylight drive thrus 

Hundreds of squirrels 

Could hear whippoorwills after sunset 

Had a float plane land and then take off right in front of our campsite (see video)

Park had WIFI but didn’t use due to having 4 bars TMOBILE 

CONS 

Minimal pay/stay 3 nights

$5 fee to make on line reservations 

Had to email copy of Texas Drivers License to Water District in advance of making reservation in order to get Senior discount 

No security gate closed overnight 

No camp host 

Campers let their dogs run thru campsites and poop everywhere 

Big problem with day users and boaters walking thru campsites, even after dark, picnicking and partying late into evening in campsites where there were no campers/tenters, then leaving at all hours of the night 

LOTS of middle of the night boat noise 

Street lights throughout campground which hinders dark sky viewing 

No privacy from any other campsite 

Site picnic table anchored so not moveable

Tucked away in Marfa, el cosmico is an excellent retreat from the city. With traditional bring your own tent spaces to Safari tents, yurts and old-school RVs. They have a space for what you are yearning for. Check in and guest house complete with a shop and indoor showers sit at the front over looking the campsite and hot tubs. The hot coffee in the morning was very much welcomed before we set out to see the town and surrounding are exhibits that are all close by. I would definitely recommend. We stayed in a safari tent complete with a wonderful bed, side tables, lamp fan and power.

Tin Valley Retro Rentals is a diamond in the rough! Owner Ronda has transformed Airstreams, buses, retro RV’s, and even a VW Beetle (the Cuddlebug) and Land Yacht into amazing places to stay. At Tin Valley you’ll share your stay with a donkey, some pigs, chickens, dogs and cats. It’s a pet friendly atmosphere. Along with the retro rentals and tent sites there’s amazing RV parking and new to Tin Valley, Van Lifer parking spaces. This is not your standard RV park, the RV parking spaces are spread out not packed in tightly. The sites are spread out so you’re not looking directly into your neighbor’s window but instead at the immaculate unobstructed view of the surrounding mountains. Two of the tent sites have their own artistic touch complete with A-Frame style lodging so you can leave the tent home if you’d like. The Land Yacht site is the only clothing optional site here as well, where you can feel free to feel free. Each site has it’s own fire pit and charcoal grill. There’s an outdoor shower here, or nearby showers, laundry, pool and cafe at the neighboring Terlingua Ranch. Artist Jules Muck has put her own touch on Tin Valley transforming what would normally be just a renovated RV into a work of art. Stars will shine brighter here than you’ve ever seen before without the city light pollution nearby and it’s an amazing sight. You can hike up the two mountains closest or take a walk around Tin Valley. Take time to head to Big Bend national or state parks in the Terlingua area. The center of Terlingua also has a ghost town complete with walking tour. In that area you’ll find bars and restaurants, Cottonwood, the nearest grocery store, or the closest place to fill up on gas. A visit to Terlingua and Tin Valley Retro Rentals won’t disappoint. You won’t’ find another place this original, or with this much space to rent to call your own as an RV’er, camper, or retro renter. Check out tinvalleyretrorentals.com or Tin Valley Retro Rentals on Facebook.