Western NC glamping spot voted No. 1 in the US for 2024: Here's why it's the best

Sky Ridge Yurts, located in Bryson City, North Carolina, topped the 10Best Readers' Choice list for glamping this year in voting by USA TODAY readers.

The glamping location has eight distinct structures available for guests to book. 10Best praised its three-person Santeelah and six-person Fontana yurt options, each equipped with cooking areas, full baths, heating and air conditioning. The company also offers massage, photoshoots, local wine baskets and more.

These amenities place Sky Ridge Yurts in a different category than a regular camping experience; But what exactly qualifies a lodging option as "glamping"? Here's what to know about glamping, the 10Best choices and some options in the WNC area to check out this summer season.

Why is it called glamping?

The idea behind the funny name is a combination of "glamour" and "camping," a one-word explanation of the entire practice.

What does it mean to go glamping?

Glamping.com, a website devoted to the practice, says glamping is where "stunning nature meets modern luxury." Essentially, glamping is intended to combine authentic experiences of the natural world without giving up as many "creature comforts" as you might on a traditional camping trip.

The website categorizes its locations with the following list of options:

• Airstreams and trailers
• Barns and farmhouses
• Cabins
• Cubes and pods
• Domes
• Huts and cottages
• Lodges
• Luxury lodges
• Tents (generally with some enhancements)
• Teepees
• Treehouses
• Wagons and shepherd huts
• Yurts

Glamping in NC; Western NC glamping locations

It's no surprise that Sky Ridge Yurts made it to the top of this year's list. In fact, WNC is something of a glamping hotspot. From quirky boutique hotels to the riverside Airstream trailers that made a separate 10Best list, there's no shortage of options in the area.

Here are a few:

• Pisgah Glamping at Lake Powhatan - Asheville: Glamping tents
• Bel Air hotel - Asheville: Luxury domes and pods
• Asheville Glamping - Asheville: Domes, treehouse and bell tent
• Wrong Way River Lodge & Cabins - Asheville: Tiny A-frame cabins, riverside lodge
• The Glamping Collective - Clyde: Domes and glass cabins
• Hot Springs Treehouse Cabins - Hot Springs: Treehouse cabins
• Broad River Campground - Mooresboro: Cabins and domes
• Pilot Cove - Pisgah Forest: Cabins
• Asheville River Cabins - Arden: Cabins and Airstream trailers
• River's Edge Treehouse Resort - Robbinsville: Treehouses
• Emberglow Outdoor Resort - Mill Spring: Glamping tents, yurts, campers and treehouses
• Gorgeous Stays - Bryson City: Campers, renovated buses, yurts, tiny houses, shipping container cabin and glamping tents

10Best Readers' Choice 10 best glamping spots 2024

Beyond WNC, here are the 10Best Reader's Choice winners countrywide:

1. Sky Ridge Yurts - Bryson City, North Carolina
2. Beaver Island Retreat - Beaver Island, Michigan
3. Piney River Ranch - Vail, Colorado
4. Treebones Resort - Big Sur, California
5. Westgate River Ranch Resort & Rodeo - River Ranch, Florida
6. Nomad Ridge at The Wilds - Cumberland, Ohio
7. Little Arrow Outdoor Resort - Townsend, Tennessee
8. The Destination - Dadeville, Alabama
9. The Resort at Paws Up - Greenough, Montana
10. Borealis Basecamp - Fairbanks, Alaska

Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at iseaton@citizentimes.com.