Your Guide to How and Where to Camp (or Glamp) This Summer

When the weather warms, a Portlander’s heart turns to sleeping under the stars.

It’s not technically summer yet, but tell that to the thermometer. We’re a few days away from kicking off the season of getaways. New Yorkers flee to the Hamptons in the dog days of August, Europeans begin to dot the less crowded Mediterranean beaches by July. Here in Portland, the city’s empty on weekends by the time that first high heat arrives (as in this past weekend). Where has everyone gone? To the mountain or to the coast.

And that means camping.

Portland feels like it’s packed with expert campers: hikers with the latest, most lightweight gear strapped to sleek backpacks to carry into the wilderness, or the ultra-on-top-of-it campers who have their favorite summer sites reserved by mid-January.

But what about the rest of us? This guide’s for you, friends.

Not a planner? The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department has a few tips on where you can find last-minute campsites, or even cancellations on some of those coveted, perfect-view spots. Don’t have great gear? Don’t sweat it, for about $20 you can get most of your reliable staples from Dollar Tree (we’ve got a list on here). And don’t worry about a tent, Oregon-based brand Luno makes specialty fitted mattresses to turn car camping into a more pleasant sleep experience. Looking to sleep in the wilderness without the actual “camp” component? Glamping was made for you, and it’s on the rise in the region—we’ve got recommendations on where to stay.

The first heat wave might be receding, but there are more to follow. Don’t white-knuckle it—not when we live next door to paradise. Get into the woods, however you see fit. —Robin Bacior, Arts & Culture Editor.