Glamping in wine country: luxury camping in sonoma

ARMSTRONG WOODS STATE NATURAL RESERVE Break a sweat, or enjoy a stroll: There’s a trail for everyone at Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve. You can drive into the park, but there’s

something special about walking into this majestic grove of ancient coast redwoods. Estimated at more than 1,400 years old, the Colonel Armstrong Tree is the oldest tree in the grove, named

after the lumberman who preserved a portion of the park in the 19th century. The Parson Jones Tree is the tallest tree, topping more than 310 feet in height. Both trees are an easy walk from

the park entrance. Armstrong Woods is open from 8 a.m. to one hour after sunset, seven days a week. JOHNSON’S BEACH Visiting this pebbly beach in Guerneville is a tradition for many

families. Sit in the sun and stare at the redwoods, then splash in the river when you need to cool off. An assortment of water toys, chairs and umbrellas is available for rent and, in true

wine country fashion, the snack bar serves chilled wine and beer, in addition to hot dogs and burgers. Weather permitting, the beach is open on weekends mid-May through mid-June, and daily

mid-June until early September, when weekend hours go back into effect. JENNER  Jenner is at the mouth of the Russian River on the Pacific Ocean, and harbor seal pups are the star attraction

here from March through June. Pullouts along Highway 1 make it easy to view the rookery from above. If you want to stretch your legs, take a walk along Goat Rock Beach, but stay at least

300 feet from seals. (Wear layers. This is not a swimming beach.) Seal Watch volunteers are typically on duty at Goat Rock Beach during weekends from March through Labor Day. The Sonoma

Coast Visitor Center in Jenner is operated by state park docents and open most days, year-round.  For many travelers, a trip to Northern California wine country is about indulgence. Days are

spent sipping world-class wines and eating at Michelin-star restaurants, before calling it a night at one of the area's many expensive boutique hotels with luxury spas. But

there's a more affordable way to get the feel of luxury in Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley, a stretch of wine country about 90 minutes north of San Francisco. It’s called glamping.

While curling up in the great outdoors sounds appealing in theory, the truth is it takes a lot of work. Camping requires hours of preparation, usually involves middle-of-the-night walks to

the bathroom and ends with dirt in clothes, equipment and more.   Glamping, however, involves none of the above.  You don’t need sleeping bags or any other camping equipment. You simply

arrive at AutoCamp Russian River, one of a number of glamping spots all around the Golden State. AutoCamp offers nearly two dozen custom Airstreams, permanently parked in a sleepy grove of

redwood trees (at rates that range from $225 to $450 a night depending on the time of year and day of the week). Every silver trailer has a queen bed, heat, air conditioning and bathrooms

that boast walk-in showers, toilet and sink. Airstream glampers get a well-stocked kitchen, including a refrigerator and convection microwave oven, which makes cooking less than rustic and

especially easy. And outside every Airstream there’s a private patio, a fire pit with grill top, and a table and chairs. It’s enough to almost make one feel guilty about opting for a

restaurant dinner in downtown Guerneville, a three-minute drive away. Almost. Guerneville’s main street is short and sweet. Tucked in between Dick Blomster’s, a retro Korean diner known for

fried chicken, and a handful of other tasty eateries are shops, art galleries, the Guerneville 5 & 10, and a convenience store where one can find staples such as a bottle of wine.

Evening activities are available in the Clubhouse, AutoCamp’s take on a hotel lobby. The indoor fire pit glows, giving the open-air space a cozy feel. A small crowd of glampers may be

chatting, checking email and generally relaxing in the cushy chairs scattered about, or playing board games like Scrabble.  At 10 p.m. the roaring outdoor communal campfire goes dark, but

personal campfire pits outside the trailers — with complimentary roasting logs provided (AutoCamp is not allowed to burn wood) — are perfect for making s’mores.