Peek inside a fancy yurt at The Wilds

Here's an idea for a weekend camping getaway that doesn't require giving up your plush bed and private bathroom.

Last year, I spent my birthday in a fancy yurt at The Wilds , a safari park and conservation center the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium operates about 90 minutes east of Columbus.

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• It's home to giraffes, zebras, rhinoceroses and a rare deer and antelope species that are both extinct in the wild.

Zoom in: The booking initially seemed expensive, but I found it more than worth the price. It includes an open-air animal safari tour, a hearty breakfast and dinner, WiFi, parking and hotel-like amenities.

• You can add horseback riding, zip line, hiking and fishing excursions.
• The view across the rolling hills is breathtaking during the day and on a starry night. You can't put a price on serene silence.

If you go: May 1-Oct. 31. $475-535 nightly for two people.

The inside of a yurt at The Wilds' Nomad Ridge, near Cumberland, Ohio. Nomad Ridge yurts on the side of a hill. Some accommodations are ADA-accessible. A delicious dinner with a view is included at a restaurant that is exclusive for overnight guests. A view from inside the open-air safari tour vehicle, with animals roaming pastures on both sides. A Grevy's zebra, an endangered species.