A chain of luxury campgrounds that uses Airstream trailers as hotel rooms is nearly doubling its locations in 2023 — see what it's like to visit

Brittany ChangJul 29, 2022, 23:21 IST

Brittany Chang/Insider

A luxury campground chain using Airstream trailers as hotel rooms is doubling its properties in 2023.
Autocamp will open four sites in North Carolina, Texas, California, and Utah to round out 2023 with nine open properties.

Out with the conventional hotel, in with the unique accommodations.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Luxury campground chain Autocamp has boomed in popularity as travelers have continued flocking to the brand's unique Airstream trailer-based hotel rooms.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And now, it's riding this wave of popularity with plans to open four additional locations in 2023, which will nearly double the number of its properties.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Autocamp currently operates five locations in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Catskills, New York, and California's Joshua Tree, Russian River, and Yosemite.

Autocamp Yosemite's Airstream suites.Brittany Chang/Insider

But by the end of next year, this portfolio will grow to include four additional properties in Asheville, North Carolina; Hill Country, Texas …

Walter Bibikow/Getty Images

… Zion National Park in Utah; and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park in California.

Zion National Park has some incredible views.Asif Islam/Shutterstock

Autocamp's decision to open a property near Utah and California's famous national parks should come as no surprise.

scottiebumich/Getty Images

Its two properties near Yosemite and Joshua Tree have seen plenty of booking success since their openings.

Brittany Chang/Insider

The Yosemite location "exceeded expectations" in the summer of 2021 as the property found itself trying to keep up with demand, Jason Brannan, a general manager at AutoCamp, told Insider in 2021.

Autocamp Yosemite's clubhouse.Brittany Chang/Insider

The Yosemite location "exceeded expectations" in the summer of 2021 as the property found itself trying to keep up with demand, Jason Brannan, a general manager at AutoCamp, told Insider in 2021.

And Autocamp Joshua Tree — which opened this year — has already seen weekends with full occupancy and weekdays with "really great occupancy" despite being one of the brand's newest locations, Taylor Davis, Autocamp's vice president of brand marketing, told Insider in May.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And Autocamp Joshua Tree — which opened this year — has already seen weekends with full occupancy and weekdays with "really great occupancy" despite being one of the brand's newest locations, Taylor Davis, Autocamp's vice president of brand marketing, told Insider in May.

Doubling a real estate portfolio in one year may seem like a hefty feat, but travelers can't get enough of Autocamp.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Conventional hotel accommodations are out of style now: Since the beginning of COVID-19, people have been flocking to untraditional accommodations for their vacations, whether it be tiny homes or "glamping" campgrounds like Autocamp.

A Moliving unit.David Mitchell

Conventional hotel accommodations are out of style now: Since the beginning of COVID-19, people have been flocking to untraditional accommodations for their vacations, whether it be tiny homes or "glamping" campgrounds like Autocamp.

As a result, this year, Autocamp has been experiencing a "huge influx" of bookings into the fall, Julie Saunders, Autocamp's CMO, told Insider in an email statement.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Autocamp previously hinted at expansion plans following its strong performance. And now, it'll be venturing into new markets and states, including its first in the South.

Autocamp Yosemite's Airstream suites.Brittany Chang/Insider

Autocamp previously hinted at expansion plans following its strong performance. And now, it'll be venturing into new markets and states, including its first in the South.

Autocamp will stagger its upcoming openings throughout 2023.

Brittany Chang/Insider

The first 16-acre Autocamp Zion property will begin welcoming guests in spring 2023.

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After, Autocamp Asheville — the smallest of the four upcoming locations — will launch midway through the year …

Brittany Chang/Insider

… followed by AutoCamp Hill Country and Autocamp Sequoia.

Autocamp Yosemite's Airstream suites.Brittany Chang/Insider

Hill Country will be Autocamp's first venture into the South and its largest property, with 120 accommodations, almost twice as many as the upcoming location in Asheville.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Hill Country will be Autocamp's first venture into the South and its largest property, with 120 accommodations, almost twice as many as the upcoming location in Asheville.

And it wouldn't be Autocamp without its most Instagrammable accommodations: Airstream trailers that have been converted into luxurious hotel rooms on wheels.

Autocamp Yosemite's Airstream suites.Brittany Chang/Insider

These Airstreams are Autocamp's most popular "hotel rooms" and evoke a feeling of nostalgia for travelers who grew up going on Airstream road trips …

Brittany Chang/Insider

… although Autocamp's trailers probably look nothing like your grandparents' trailers.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Instead of refurbishing old models, Autocamp worked with its investor Airstream to create a custom "silver bullet" model for the glamping company.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Unlike Airstream's typical products, these Autocamp trailers were designed to be stationary to accommodate heavier accessories like a large water heater.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Like I said in my review of Autocamp Joshua Tree in May and Autocamp Yosemite in the summer of 2021, these Airstream trailers felt more luxurious than any hotel room I've been in.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Like I said in my review of Autocamp Joshua Tree in May and Autocamp Yosemite in the summer of 2021, these Airstream trailers felt more luxurious than any hotel room I've been in.

And it's much more fun opening the front door of my "hotel room" to views of nature instead of a dingy hotel hallway.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Inside, there's a window-lined bedroom with a plush bed and TV …

Brittany Chang/Insider

… a joint living room and kitchen with all the amenities needed to prepare dinner using the adjacent outdoor fire pit …

Brittany Chang/Insider

… and a bathroom with tiled walls and showers …

Brittany Chang/Insider

… creating a trailer that felt more like a plush extended-stay hotel than a conventional trailer.

Autocamp Yosemite's Airstream suites.Brittany Chang/Insider

These Airstreams are the cornerstone of Autocamp's branding and a big reason travelers have been flocking to the glamping sites.

Brittany Chang/Insider

"Airstream is what the brand is about," Brannan previously said.

Brittany Chang/Insider

But if large trailers aren't your thing, the four upcoming locations will also have accommodations like tiny homes, smaller Airstream trailers, and canvas tents.

Autocamp Yosemite's tents.Brittany Chang/Insider

Besides a place to sleep at night, the properties will also have plenty of on-site activities and community spaces.

Autocamp Yosemite's clubhouse.Brittany Chang/Insider

No Autocamp would be complete without a pool and "Clubhouse," which has the check-in counter, general store, and indoor lounge.

Autocamp Yosemite's clubhouse.Brittany Chang/Insider

And depending on the location, some of the upcoming properties will also have a bar, communal fire pit, event space, and direct access to nearby rivers.

Autocamp Yosemite's pool and clubhouse.Brittany Chang/Insider

These communal spaces, specifically the pool and Clubhouse, kept me at the Yosemite and Joshua Tree property longer than I would've lingered around a traditional hotel.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Together, the Airstream nostalgia and the nooks of communal spaces make Autocamp feel more like a destination and a fun summer camp than a hotel property.

Autocamp Yosemite's hammock.Brittany Chang/Insider

And this chance to experience a piece of childhood at a luxurious property has really resonated with people in search of unconventional accommodations, allowing Autocamp to nearly double its footprint across the US.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And this chance to experience a piece of childhood at a luxurious property has really resonated with people in search of unconventional accommodations, allowing Autocamp to nearly double its footprint across the US.

“It’s clear travelers are eager to spend time outdoors and find a unique alternative to traditional camping now more than ever,” Saunders said.

Brittany Chang/Insider

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A chain of luxury campgrounds that uses Airstream trailers as hotel rooms is nearly doubling its locations in 2023 &mdash; see what it's like to visit

Out with the conventional hotel, in with the unique accommodations.

Luxury campground chain Autocamp has boomed in popularity as travelers have continued flocking to the brand's unique Airstream trailer-based hotel rooms.

And now, it's riding this wave of popularity with plans to open four additional locations in 2023, which will nearly double the number of its properties.

Autocamp currently operates five locations in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Catskills, New York, and California's Joshua Tree, Russian River, and Yosemite.

But by the end of next year, this portfolio will grow to include four additional properties in Asheville, North Carolina; Hill Country, Texas …

… Zion National Park in Utah; and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park in California.

Autocamp's decision to open a property near Utah and California's famous national parks should come as no surprise.

Its two properties near Yosemite and Joshua Tree have seen plenty of booking success since their openings.

The Yosemite location "exceeded expectations" in the summer of 2021 as the property found itself trying to keep up with demand, Jason Brannan, a general manager at AutoCamp, told Insider in 2021.

And Autocamp Joshua Tree — which opened this year — has already seen weekends with full occupancy and weekdays with "really great occupancy" despite being one of the brand's newest locations, Taylor Davis, Autocamp's vice president of brand marketing, told Insider in May.

Doubling a real estate portfolio in one year may seem like a hefty feat, but travelers can't get enough of Autocamp.

Conventional hotel accommodations are out of style now: Since the beginning of COVID-19, people have been flocking to untraditional accommodations for their vacations, whether it be tiny homes or "glamping" campgrounds like Autocamp.

As a result, this year, Autocamp has been experiencing a "huge influx" of bookings into the fall, Julie Saunders, Autocamp's CMO, told Insider in an email statement.

Autocamp previously hinted at expansion plans following its strong performance. And now, it'll be venturing into new markets and states, including its first in the South.

Autocamp will stagger its upcoming openings throughout 2023.

The first 16-acre Autocamp Zion property will begin welcoming guests in spring 2023.

After, Autocamp Asheville — the smallest of the four upcoming locations — will launch midway through the year …

… followed by AutoCamp Hill Country and Autocamp Sequoia.

Hill Country will be Autocamp's first venture into the South and its largest property, with 120 accommodations, almost twice as many as the upcoming location in Asheville.

And it wouldn't be Autocamp without its most Instagrammable accommodations: Airstream trailers that have been converted into luxurious hotel rooms on wheels.

These Airstreams are Autocamp's most popular "hotel rooms" and evoke a feeling of nostalgia for travelers who grew up going on Airstream road trips …

… although Autocamp's trailers probably look nothing like your grandparents' trailers.

Instead of refurbishing old models, Autocamp worked with its investor Airstream to create a custom "silver bullet" model for the glamping company.

Unlike Airstream's typical products, these Autocamp trailers were designed to be stationary to accommodate heavier accessories like a large water heater.

Like I said in my review of Autocamp Joshua Tree in May and Autocamp Yosemite in the summer of 2021, these Airstream trailers felt more luxurious than any hotel room I've been in.

And it's much more fun opening the front door of my "hotel room" to views of nature instead of a dingy hotel hallway.

Inside, there's a window-lined bedroom with a plush bed and TV …

… a joint living room and kitchen with all the amenities needed to prepare dinner using the adjacent outdoor fire pit …

… and a bathroom with tiled walls and showers …

… creating a trailer that felt more like a plush extended-stay hotel than a conventional trailer.

These Airstreams are the cornerstone of Autocamp's branding and a big reason travelers have been flocking to the glamping sites.

"Airstream is what the brand is about," Brannan previously said.

But if large trailers aren't your thing, the four upcoming locations will also have accommodations like tiny homes, smaller Airstream trailers, and canvas tents.

Besides a place to sleep at night, the properties will also have plenty of on-site activities and community spaces.

No Autocamp would be complete without a pool and "Clubhouse," which has the check-in counter, general store, and indoor lounge.

And depending on the location, some of the upcoming properties will also have a bar, communal fire pit, event space, and direct access to nearby rivers.

These communal spaces, specifically the pool and Clubhouse, kept me at the Yosemite and Joshua Tree property longer than I would've lingered around a traditional hotel.

Together, the Airstream nostalgia and the nooks of communal spaces make Autocamp feel more like a destination and a fun summer camp than a hotel property.

And this chance to experience a piece of childhood at a luxurious property has really resonated with people in search of unconventional accommodations, allowing Autocamp to nearly double its footprint across the US.

“It’s clear travelers are eager to spend time outdoors and find a unique alternative to traditional camping now more than ever,” Saunders said.

A chain of luxury campgrounds that uses Airstream trailers as hotel rooms is nearly doubling its locations in 2023 — see what it's like to visit