If you love the great outdoors, but don’t want to sleep on a hard dirt floor in a sleeping bag, glamping is for you. Glamping mixes the fun and adventure of camping, with the glamour of a resort or hotel – and it’s a booming business. According to a new market research study published in Yahoo Finance – Glamping is expected to grow by 10% each year and become a $6 billion global industry by 2030. That’s a lot of tents and smores. And you don’t even have to leave northern Westchester to find a company that will make all your outdoor adventures come true, without sacrificing luxury and style. The Canvas Experience offers glamping when and where you want it within at least a 25-mile radius of Croton-on-Hudson. They will set up in your backyard, or at campgrounds in Croton Point Park or Ward Pound Ridge.
The company was founded in Croton this summer by Gavino and Sarah Olvera. Sarah lived in Montana for seven years, and Gavino is from rural Indiana, so the couple “bonded over hunting, fishing, and camping when they were first dating”. Sarah says Gavino is a “great partner in life, and in the glamping business.” She adds, “the whole point is to get people to have an outdoor experience, even if it’s in their own backyard, and they don’t have to worry about anything as The Canvas Experience does all the work – from set up to takedown – and everything in between.”
And they do it all in style. The company offers two types of tents – the Bertha and the Stella. The Bertha is a 16’ by 20’ Emperor tent that can sleep 8-9 people comfortably, fitting two queen-sized beds and five twins, or two queens and a living room or a party lounge. Sarah says it’s perfect for parties, movie nights, poker games, and more. The Stella is a bell tent that can sleep 4 to 5 people comfortably, and it’s ideal for small family campouts. All the tents come fully furnished including rugs and linens and they are even temperature controlled – air conditioners in the summer and heaters in the winter. Sarah says they supply all the equipment including extension cords – the customer or campsite just needs to provide the electrical outlets.
The Canvas Experience can accommodate everything from couples and families to corporate outings and large groups. That includes sleepovers, date nights, family campouts, girls/guys weekends, corporate retreats, weddings, reunions, movie nights, and a whole lot more. Sarah says they had “lots of kids’ sleepovers right off the bat, and they’re expanding from there. And customers bring their own ideas which they are happy to accommodate creating a custom experience for each family or client. You name it, we’ll do it.”
They are also looking at something that’s bigger than themselves, or glamping. Sarah says “a lot of the problems we have in the world could be solved by our connection to nature. The more connected we are, the better our wellbeing will be, and that’s true for children and adults. When you drop your phone and you’re present – that enables something new to come in.”
That’s where the “tech boxes” come in. They look like treasure chests – and they keep electronic devices safe and sound so people can unplug. Sarah says “our technology cuts us off from our relationship with each other and nature. People are longing for real connections.” She adds, they are optional, but they really help people “shut out the outside world and be present.”
The Canvas Experience provides all the facilities and entertainment options – and they can also arrange for a private chef if you really wanted to kick things up a notch. You can learn a lot more about the company, Sarah and Gavino, the prices and services they offer, and more, by visiting www.thecanvasexperience.com.
Thank you, Larry, and The River Journal for featuring The Canvas Experience! And thank you Nanda Fox (of Absolutely Nanda) for the beautiful pictures. We can’t wait to get the River Town’s glamp on!