This summer, Americans turned their wanderlust inwards as they hit the open roads to explore more of the U.S. with their tents in tow, or even in rented or newly-purchased RVs. Whether they traveled extensive highway systems from point A to B, or journeyed down back roads to really take their time, one thing remains constant: there are plenty of camping spots from which to choose to set up for the night (or two or more) and enjoy life on the road, at their own pace.
As we near the end of summer and move into fall, we thought it would be fun to take a look at wineries, cideries, distilleries, and breweries that offer onsite camping, or camping within close proximity — and how to find and book them — just in time for fall crush and harvest.
Planning a Route
If you're traveling in an RV, one website to use when planning your route is HarvestHosts.com. The membership platform features more than 600 wineries, breweries, and distilleries that invite members to stay onsite free of charge; that number increases to more than 1,500 when farms, attractions, and golf courses are added in.
For more traditional camping, check out hipcamp.com and thedyrt.com. Each has a search option into which you can add a keyword to find the right spot for you.
Now, let's take a look at some spots across the U.S. where you can camp alongside orchards and vineyards, and even a few glamping options, too.
Camping with Cab Savs
Pianetta Winery, which makes all red wines in Paso Robles, offers camping amongst its 65 acres of vineyards year-round; the entire ranch is 95 acres in the Indian Valley. However you choose to camp, there is plenty of space to spread out and relax.
Or, if you'd rather, the winery has an Airstream in which to sleep amongst the vines — no tent pitching required! The Airstream's atop the winery's highest hills, overlooking Cabernet vines planted in 1996.
In Sonoma's popular wine country, Wildhaven offers glamping surrounded by vineyards on three sides, with wineries in every direction, including Jordan Vineyard & Winery just under two miles away, and Alexander Valley wineries and tasting rooms known for their Cabs. When you step into a glamping tent at Wildhaven, you'll find a comfy bed, a private bathroom with shower, places to sit inside and out, electricity, lights for your tent and outlets to charge phones, heating and ventilation, firewood, and ice for your cooler. On the grounds, enjoy private access to the Russian River and three semi-private beaches, tubing, bicycling, and more.
If you're traveling through western Colorado, stop in at Palisade Basecamp off of the Fruit and Wine Byway. The 14-acre campground is open year-round and has 100 campsites for RVs and tents, and even has cottages available. Choose your view when you're here: peach orchards, the Colorado River, or the vineyards of Colteris Vineyard and Winery.
A few more wineries that offer onsite camping and are part of Harvest Hosts' extensive network are Heritage Oak Winery in Acampo, California; Fenn Valley Vineyards & Wine Cellar in Fennville, Michigan; Brengman Brothers in Traverse City, Michigan; and Messina Hof Hill Country in Fredericksburg, Texas.
Camping with Ciders and Stills
Big B's Fruit Company in Hotchkiss, Colorado is more than a U-pick orchard filled with apple trees and seasonal stone fruits and vegetables, but a cidery, too, with tastings available through its cafe. Spend the night, or a few, on rustic campsites amongst the trees that can accommodate tents, pop-ups, and trucks — essentially vehicles less than 40 feet. Camping at Big B's is available through November.
Membership with Harvest Hosts will give you access to camping at a number of distilleries across the U.S., including Old Nick Williams Farm & Distillery and its whiskey in Lewisville, North Carolina, west of Winston-Salem; Casey Jones Distillery for bourbon and moonshine west of Bowling Green in Hopkinsville, Kentucky; Iron Fish Distillery which distills vodka, gin, bourbon, and whiskey south of Traverse City in Thompsonville, Michigan; and Grand Teton Distillery's vodka and whiskey in Driggs, Idaho, about 35 minutes from Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
Camping with Sours
Beer lovers have plenty of options when it comes to camping close to their favorite brews.
You can't camp much closer to a brewery than at Aquia Pines Camp Resort in Stafford, Virginia: Wild Run Brewing Company is right within the 20-acre campground. All of the beers at Wild Run are made onsite by its brewer and can be enjoyed in the tap room, or, of course, back at your campsite.
Another option in Virginia is Devils Backbone Brewing in Roseland, which is a short walk from the 71-acre, 75-site Devils Backbone Camp with full hook-up RV sites, dry RV sites, and primitive camping available. In addition to its proximity to the brewery, the campground is just five miles from the Appalachian Trail and the Blue Ridge Parkway, so there's plenty of exploration close by. The campground is open year-round.
Glamping is an option at Seneca Lake Brewing Co. in New York State's Finger Lakes Wine Country. Available through October, the two campsites at at the back of the property, and both canvas platform tents feature a queen bed, fire pit, sun shower, and more.
Camping at Whetstone in Brattleboro, Vermont is not right on the brewery's grounds, but just about five miles away at Kampfires, which offers RV and tent camping, as well as stays in an Airstream and glamping in an inn. Shuttle service is provided between Whetstone and the campground on the weekends. One fun thing about Whetstone, aside from its beer, is that you can sip your suds in two states at once ‚ the state line that divides Vermont and New Hampshire runs right through the restaurant.
Boothbay Craft Brewery in Boothbay, Maine has cabins to stay on property, and also offers RV campsites through Harvest Hosts. Another brewery with RV camping sites through Harvest Hosts is Andrews Brewing Co. at the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in Andrews, North Carolina.
For more breweries that offer onsite stays, take a look at AirbnBeers, a listing of breweries with camping, hotels and inns. on craftbeer.com; the site is published by the Brewers Association, a not-for-profit trade organization.
