Glamping takes root in New York City beginning August 11 with the launch of Terra Glamping: Fort Tilden, a luxury camp pop-up in Fort Tilden, part of the Jamaica Bay Unit of Gateway National Recreation Area on the Rockaway Peninsula. The first of its kind, Terra Glamping: Fort Tilden is home to fully furnished, safari-style tents for overnight guests to enjoy through late September, providing a fresh new way to have an outdoor, overnight adventure in one of the city’s most scenic parks — all with the comfort and style of a hotel.
Camp in Style
Terra Glamping features five fully furnished safari-style tents, as comfortable as hotel rooms. Fall asleep to the sounds of the ocean in 12×14 tents that accommodate 2 and boast a queen memory-foam mattress dressed with linens, comforters, fluffy blankets and memory-foam pillows. Additional tent amenities include side tables, decorative rugs, mirrors, seating and camp necessities such as a lantern. Bathroom and shower facilities are on site, along with a camp store selling everything from beach towels to beverages.
The site is also home to an outdoor lounge complete with seating and hammocks. Guests can have an outdoor barbecue with the on-site grill, along with a nightly campfire for roasting marshmallows and making s’mores.
Fort Tilden Fun
Terra Glamping gives guests easy access to a vibrant natural setting, including some of the most beautiful beaches (un-lifeguarded) in New York that are perfect for walking, hiking, biking and fishing. Tours and other ranger-led programs highlight spots to see wildlife in the maritime forest, along the Atlantic shore, and near the fort’s freshwater pond. The observatory deck on top of Battery Harris East, a historic gun site, offers dramatic 360-degree panoramic views of Jamaica Bay and New York Harbor, and is a great vantage point from which to spot migrating birds. Terra Glamping: Fort Tilden is also a stone’s throw from the popular swimming beach, Jacob Riis.
Rockaway is packed with edible treats so come ready to explore the culinary landscape.
Fort Tilden, a former military fort rich in history, is now home to two local non-profit organizations, which have transformed abandoned military buildings into a haven for the arts. The Rockaway Artists Alliance offers exhibitions in their gallery space and the Rockaway Theatre Company hosts live productions at the historic Post Theater.
Getting to the Glamping
Terra Glamping: Fort Tilden (just 13 miles southeast of Downtown Brooklyn) is easily accessible by public transportation: buses from the Flatbush Avenue 2/5 subway (Q22) and the Rockaway Park-Beach 116 St A/S subway (Q35); the NYC Beach Bus from Williamsburg/Bushwick; the American Princess Rockaway Ferry to Riis Landing; and the recently-launched NYC Ferry Rockaway route, stopping in Rockaway Park.
Book with Terra Glamping: Fort Tilden online here. Stays are $200 per tent Sundays – Thursdays; $225 per tent on Fridays; and $250 on Saturdays (two-night minimum on weekends). Camping runs until late September.
Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributes travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She is fluent in Italian and Spanish and laughably adequate in French. Her background as an Early Childhood Educator gives her an added understanding of what it takes to travel with kids in tow. She firmly believes that the most important part of education takes place outside of the classroom, on the road, around the world. She never misses a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. Follow Allison at @gourmetrav.
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram