Camping Vs Cabin/Vacation Rental: Which to Choose

For those travelers who prefer woodsy vibes, mountain views, and daybreak that come spiced by birdsong, the preferred vacation accommodations very often take the form of a campground (if not a backcountry campsite) or a rental cabin. Worlds away from a glitzed-out resort or downtown hotel, these back-to-Nature setups set the stage for serenity, adventure, and away-from-it-all coziness with your nearest and dearest.

Ah, but which best fits your style and needs—camping vs rental? Well, here's a spoiler alert to start things off: You don’t really have to choose, as many travelers love both. But no question these two stayover possibilities, while offering some overlap in terms of experience, each have their own distinct pluses and minuses.

As experts in evaluating, vetting, and spotlighting first-rate luxury cabins (and other vacation rentals) in many different geographies, we here at The 100 Collection certainly have some thoughts on the subject. Let’s dig in!

Pros & Cons of Camping

“Camping,” of course, can imply a range of possible locales and experiences: from highly developed commercial campgrounds decked out with swimming pools and concessions to the most remote wilderness sites reachable only by those willing to schlep a heavy pack on foot miles down a trail.

Camping can’t be beat when it comes to full, barrier-free immersion in the natural world. Heck, some folks skip a tent altogether and sleep right out under the stars. There’s an appealing back-to-basics roughing-it element, a no-frills simplicity, to a campsite. And, needless to say, more primitive versions of camping, from boondocking along a backroad on middle-of-nowhere public lands to wilderness backpacking, involve quite the element of adventure.

The downsides? Well, you’re certainly more exposed to the elements when camping, and not everyone treasures the experience of shivering through a cold night or holing up in a tent during a daylong downpour. Some people may feel a little exposed and unsafe at a campsite (every cracking twig, for example, summoning in mind’s eye an approaching bear), and in a busy "frontcountry" campground, a sense of privacy may be decidedly lacking.

And camping often involves packing more gear and supplies, from shelter and bedding to cookware and first-aid materials.

Pros & Cons of a Cabin Rental

Similar to camping, a vacation cabin can mean quite a few different sorts of rentals: everything from small, ultra-rustic affairs to monumental luxury lodges, from mountain-town neighborhoods close to the main drag to farflung timbered estates in the hinterlands. Here at The 100 Collection, per our standards, the local partners we work with in different destinations manage higher-end rental cabins covering a broad spectrum of size, space, and location.

A cabin rental gives you a load of creature comforts and amenities, including the sort of basic services—running water, flush toilets, electricity, etc.—which you may or may not have access to at a campsite. Of course, 100 Collection-curated cabin properties go well beyond such basic amenities to include rustic-luxe perks such as hot tubs, fireplaces, saunas, game rooms, covered decks with BBQ grills, TVs and Wi-Fi, and more.

You’ve also got a firm sense of security in a cabin rental—locked doors and windows, etc.—and much more insulation from whatever Mother Nature might happen to be serving up outside. You’ve also got a smaller packing list to deal with, given the benefits of provided bedding, well-outfitted cabin kitchens, and the like.

On the con side of things, a cabin rental will tend to be more expensive than a campsite, and it may not be rustic enough for dyed-in-the-wool camping fanatics.

Camping vs Cabin Rental—What’s Best For You?

As we noted right at the top, a lot of people who love getting out into rural or wild landscapes enjoy campsites and rental cabins alike, sometimes combining both kinds of overnights on a single trip.

And the two kinds of getaways can certainly be complementary in other ways: Staying in a vacation cabin can be a good way to ease a more skeptical member of the family or friend group into the idea of camping, for one thing, and older or physically limited travelers who no longer feel capable of dealing with the rigors of camping can enjoy many of the same benefits by transitioning to cabin-based vacations.

Examples of Outstanding Cabin Rentals in The 100 Collection-Curated Collection

You won’t find a finer selection of vacation rental cabins than those bearing the stamp of approval from The 100 Collection. Our fine-tuned evaluation program identifies first-tier hospitality providers and brands in each of the destinations we focus on, and among these fully vetted and meticulously curated partner collections are many fine options for luxury cabins.

Consider, for example, the spectacular lodgings available in the swoony Blue Ridge heights of North Georgia via Southern Comfort Cabin Rentals, or the Boone/Blowing Rock/Banner Elk, NC-area properties managed by Blue Ridge Mountain Rentals: from riverside cabins ideal for trout-fishing to lakefront vacation homes and mountaintop lodges. Greybeard Rentals manages wonderfully secluded and tranquil cabins and mountain homes that nonetheless boast convenient access to Asheville, North Carolina’s services and entertainment. Similarly, the vacation cabins maintained by Mountain Laurel Chalets in and around the Great Smoky Mountains place you within easy reach of downtown Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Or, way out West, consider the ski-in/ski-out chalets and Teton Range-backdropped custom log cabins available in the Jackson Hole vicinity via our trusted partner Outpost.

And we’re only scratching the surface here, with many other 100 Collection partners in other parts of the country providing first-rate luxury cabin rentals with stellar views and immaculate ambience. Explore all of our destinations today!