Hipcamp is the AirBnb of the great outdoors.
Founder and CEO of Hipcamp.com, Alyssa Ravasio, just wanted to watch the first sunrise of 2013 at a beachfront campsite. That simple wish became a business, and now she’s making outdoor dreams possible for everyone.
Ravasio couldn’t seem to find a campsite on the beach in California to save her life, and when she finally found one and arrived, she hadn’t known it had amazing waves. As a surfer who didn’t bring her board, of course she wished she had known. So she set out to make the outdoors more accessible for people like her, who want to explore and get as much information about these locations as possible.
According to the site itself, Hipcamp is “a web platform for listing, searching, discovering and booking private ranches, farms, vineyards, nature preserves as well as a comprehensive guide to public sites for camping across the U.S.” Hipcamp provides access to more interesting, unexplored locations outside the usual KOA campgrounds and state parks. Campsites that previously would have been inaccessible or impossible to know about are now just clicks away.
Hipcamp has a similar format to AirBnb, so it’s easy to acclimate to if you’re familiar with that platform. A search for a campsite begins with entering a location, and check in and check out dates. Hipcamp prevents the search for the perfect site from becoming time-consuming or confusing with more specific criteria, too. Campers can specify a price range, group size or nearby activities like horseback riding or hiking.
Sites can even be searched by the type of terrain they’re in, like cave or desert locations, and the amenities they feature, like showers or pet-friendly environments, to ensure each camper has the experience they want from their trip. RV hookups are available at many campsites, but some truly are for roughing it and don’t have toilets or potable water (but probably some of the best scenery).
The prices on Hipcamp are comparable to public campsites, with many below $25 and closer to the $10 to $15 range. Also like AirBnb, site hosts can be reached ahead of time to answer any questions and throughout the camping trip to address any concerns. Campers are expected to read and adhere to the site rules, but otherwise are allowed to come and go and have all the fun they can muster.
Find out more › For more information or to start searching for your dream campsite, visit hipcamp.com.
