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I like camping but have long made peace with the fact that camping doesn’t like me.
The idea of spending a weekend pitching a tent by the water or in the middle of a forest loses appeal when there are mosquitoes and biting insects, deer flies and horse flies that find you more appealing.
Perhaps that’s why there was a sense of intrigue and an even greater skepticism when an invite for an overnight stay at Glen Oro farm landed in my inbox. The campsite, less than two hours drive north of Toronto, was the venue for a mosquito-free night hosted by Thermacell, a mosquito repellent company headquartered in Boston.
The advertised luxury camping experience — described as a “stress relief getaway” by one of the 457 Google reviewers that gave the establishment an overall rating of 4.9 out of 5 — is not necessarily easy on the wallet. But if the great Canadian outdoors is on your list to explore, here’s what one could expect at this weekend getaway.
Home is where the dome is
We left on a Thursday afternoon and with barely any traffic made it to the farm in less than two hours.
Glen Oro is a horse farm located in Oro-Medonte, a township in Ontario notable for recreational outdoor activities from skiing to golfing.
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The farm was established in 1841 and then transformed into an equestrian facility when the Saila family purchased it in 1967. It opened its doors as an events-based location — weddings, glamping and trail rides — three years ago.
Nestled among the wilderness, the domes are the farm’s major attraction and there are three options to choose from — Galaxygazer, Stargazer, and Explorer’s Tent.
Galaxygazer Dome ($600 per night): Galaxygazer Dome comes stocked with a full kitchen, fridge, oven, and an ensuite bathroom. Compared to my humble apartment in Toronto, I felt I could fit a family of four in this dome I had for the night. The bed is located on the second level under a huge skylight, allowing one a clear view of the sun, and the stars as you fall asleep.
Stargazer Dome ($400 per night): Not quite as spacious as the Galaxygazer but still a lot bigger than my apartment. Overall, the dome comes packed with a kitchenette, ensuite bathroom, and stargazing view quite parallel to the Galaxygazer.
Explorer’s Tent ($350 per night): The accommodation doesn’t come with an enviable view of the sky but does have a stargazing machine that projects onto the tent a starry night sky.
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The cost of booking ranges based on the season but there is a standard rate for the domes. Price includes the use of additional facilities such as the sauna and the cold-plunge pool. However, trail rides and dining cost extra. The two-hour horse ride comes up to $110 on a weekday and $130 on the weekends.
Although the price to book a three-course meal with Glen Oro’s private chef comes up to $180 per person, campers do have the option to bring snacks and cook their meals at the domes or over the campfire.
If you don’t want to stay on the farm all day, there’s also the option to explore Bass Lake Provincial Park, 10 minutes drive away from the farm.
Can camping ever be mosquito-free?
At the end of the overnight adventure, I came home with three mosquito bites, one during a trail ride in the countryside as my horse JoJo — who had been ‘Employee of the Month’ two months in a row — battled a swarm of his own.
I didn’t pitch a tent, but most of my time was spent outdoors exploring the countryside, or taking in the guided stargazing experience without any bug spray at hand. Perhaps the camping wasn’t entirely mosquito-free, but the three bites felt like a win compared to my previous experiences of being covered with them from head to toe.
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I am not entirely certain of the role Thermacell played. I had never heard of the company before but for my next camping trip, along with my heavy-duty bug spray, I’d like to take the repellent with me to test it out.
Although it might not be at Glen Oro farm. As much as I loved my stay, and the surreal experience of falling asleep under the stars, the price is a bit too high for me to pay. Additionally, even though I stayed for a night, guests making a weekend reservation need to do so for a two-night minimum.
The success of the stay is also weather-dependent. A cloudy sky will certainly get in the way of stargazing and so will your contact lenses or prescription glasses, for falling asleep with them on is not comfortable at all, going by my personal experience.
Perhaps Glen Oro farm can be my go-to for an extra special occasion, a glamping pitstop when I want to splurge a little. Until then, I’ll be on the lookout for other affordable camping getaways in Canada.
The author was the guest of Thermacell and Glen Oro farm, neither of which reviewed or approved this article before publication.
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