Camping in cabins and yurts

Camping in Yurts and cabins is a really nice way to see the country a lot less expensively than staying in hotels.  When we went to the Grand Canyon and Bryce Canyon we stayed in cabins.

Camping in cabins and yurts is a fun way to be able to engage in nature and not have to pack as much with you.  You can travel a great distance and not have to haul a tent.  They also accommodate different sizes of families.  Usually having a larger bed for parents, and bunk beds for kids.  Sometimes they just have bunk beds, but sleeping in a bunk bed can be fun even as an adult.  When I say "cabins" I do not mean a vacation cabin, I mean a camping cabin, there are beds with no bedding, a table, maybe a porch, and electricity.  You do have to reserve these at least 3 months in advance, they tend to fill up quickly.  These types of cabins usually have electricity, but probably not much else.

Food!
We bring an electric skillet and food you can cook in the skillet such as frozen skillet meals, pancakes, sausages, burgers, really it can be anything that can be cooked on a flat surface.  Easy, convenient, and you don't have to worry about making a fire to cook your food, or packing a heavy grill or camping stove.  We have also brought a crockpot and put food in it while we were out seeing the sites.

Cleanliness
Everywhere we have stayed that has had cabins or yurts has also had bathrooms with showers somewhere near by, so you can feel clean some of the time.  I never really feel clean while I am camping, and I tend to bring white shirts with me, which always end up so dirty!  Camping in a cabin gives you a slightly more clean environment.  Sometimes the campgrounds that have cabins or yurts also have swimming pools, and my kids think they are in heaven if they get to go swimming!

I like this way of camping when you are seeing some of the America's most beautiful countryside.  Like the Grand Canyon, or Yosemite.  We have chosen this method because we wanted to go to a lot of places in a short amount of time.  We didn't want to have the hassle of setting up a tent and taking it down, which would also take away from our sightseeing time.  We also wanted to be more economical and not have to pay a hundred dollars or more a night for a hotel.  If I was going to go on a trip across America, I think this is the way I would go.  I feel like this is a more comfortable way to camp and more convenient.

When we went to the Grand Canyon and to Bryce Canyon we reserved these cabins.  The best part was getting to the campground and being able to put the kids to bed within a 1/2 an hour after getting there.  We had them put on their jammies, brush their teeth, bedtime story, and then hop into bed.  My husband and I went outside to the porch, sat on the porch swing, we stargazed, held hands, read our books that we brought until it was time we wanted to go to sleep.  In the morning I got out our electric skillet, made pancakes and sausages, and we had breakfast.  After getting dressed we rolled up our sleeping bags and we were off for the day.  It was so easy, I loved it!  It felt like we were camping, but cheating.  Can't say I minded.  

If you want to reserve a camping cabin or yurt, look at local campgrounds of the places you want to stay, many have this as an option, many more are adding them for the future.  

Tips

1. Don't forget your sleeping bags or some type of bedding!
2. Before bringing an electric skillet make sure your cabin has electricity
3. Check to see if they have lights or if you need to bring your own
4. Bring a swim suit if they indeed do have a pool
5. If there is no form of AC or heating, bring a fan or a space heater depending on the environment.
6. You can find these even in major cities, like LA, if you want to go to places like Disneyland really economically, check this as a resource.