Exploring Kentucky: Glamping in Derby City – Lane Report

By Katherine Tandy Brown

Been wondering what all the buzz about glamping is about and want to see for yourself? Ever stayed in a classic Airstream? Well, thanks to two Louisville families who shared a dream and made a vision come true, you can now experience both in Kentucky’s largest city, Louisville/Jefferson County.  

FYI, the word glamping is a portmanteau (a word blending the sounds and combining the meanings of two others—in this case, glamorous + camping). It’s the idea of the adventure recreation of camping combined with some of the comforts and luxuries of home, often with resort-style services such as Wi-Fi. Accommodations can include cabins, yurts, treehouses, tents, and in the case of Louisville’s Progress Park, iconic aluminum Airstream trailers. Though not a new concept, glamping experienced a resurgence in 2020 during the COVID-19 outbreak because it allows for social distancing and outdoor recreation. And it caught right on. 

 Located on a 12-acre tract hidden in the heart of town, Progress Park is an all-inclusive glamping resort owned and run by longtime friends Mike and Val Pifer and Nick and Karey McDowell, who purchased the property in 2016. After two years of getting the land into shape and rezoned, the two families—including their kiddos – put their shared passions for camping, the outdoors, and building and design to good use and opened the park as a glamping destination in 2018. Going full throttle now, the property offers accommodations for Louisville tourists and locals alike in seven Airstreams and three houses: the 502 House, the Lake House, and Mugsy’s Bunkhouse. The 502 House sleeps eight to 10, with a covered patio and downstairs game room; the Lake House can accommodate eight; and the Bunkhouse sleeps seven. Plans are to add one more Airstream. The property’s 10 lodging options can accommodate up to 65 people on site. During wintertime, only the houses are open.       

Offering guests a place to unplug and connect with Mother Nature while city conveniences are available at their fingertips, the park features a two-acre aerated pond for water activities—kayaking, canoeing, paddleboarding, swimming, fishing (BYO gear and bait), and lifejackets—five sandy beaches, a mulched nature trail, a covered pavilion, a kids’ playground, and loads of native trees, plants and flowers. 

Last November, ground was broken for a state-of-the-art, 10,000-square-foot event center with a custom catering area, multi-use space for meetings or wedding party suites, a custom recessed stage and bar area, five glass garage doors for open air capacity, and a covered, wraparound porch with beautiful water and nature views. The facility opened earlier this year and can host events such as corporate outings and large, indoor weddings year-round. 

Companies can plan a half-day or full day outing here, with plenty of opportunities for teambuilding. Keep reading for those choices. With advance notice, attendees can stay longer with an entire property buyout. 

Each currently available Airstream has a fridge, microwave, cooktop, coffee maker and all kitchen must-haves, plus TVs with Netflix and Hulu for streaming. Every unit sports a covered patio, firepit with firewood and grill with charcoal, Adirondack chairs, a hammock, and a picnic table. Can’t you just smell those steaks a-sizzlin’?! Outdoor playtime options include boating, volleyball, shuffleboard, corn hole, pickleball, Octo-ball (a variation of dodge ball), tetherball, basketball, ladder golf, life-sized chess, and connect-4, plus catch-and-release fishing. All these amenities are included in the cost of the rental.  

Progress Park also provides a commercial ice machine, additional community bathrooms, and of course, a store with merch. 

Many of the units are furnished with GE appliances, as the park has a partnership with GE to promote the company’s new Recreational Living line of appliances and serves as a test market for its offerings. 

For those wanting to explore the area, this glamping destination is close to scads of Louisville’s “hot spots”: Churchill Downs, the Kentucky Expo Center, the Kentucky International Convention Center, the Louisville Zoo, Slugger Museum, Slugger Field (home to the professional Louisville Bats, an AAA-affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds), underground Mega Caverns, the Evan Williams Experience and the Urban Bourbon Trail. Mileage to all is on the website. 

Coffee, breakfast, lunch and dinner spots as well as nightlife, breweries, distilleries and bourbon bars are also close by.  

In the future, the owners have their sights set on offering an Airstream from each decade they were made.  

“Progress Park is unlike anything in Louisville,” says Val Pifer, one of the owners. “Where else can you host meetings, weddings and private events and go glamping, all in the same location? Our all-inclusive approach allows guests to take the stress out of event planning and focus on the fun!” 

You can’t beat that. Meeting and event planners, wedding vendors, and folks hosting a reunion, fundraiser, retreat, corporate meeting, or girls’ or guys’ getaway can inquire on the website or shoot an email to [email protected] to schedule a tour of the park and new event center. (Just to clarify, the property is private, can be visited by reservation only, and there are no RV hookups.) 

Learn more about this remarkable destination and book your event—and perhaps your first overnight glamping experience—at progressparkky.com. Even if you happen to reside in Derby City, you might want to take the opportunity to pretend you’re a visitor, book an Airstream, and explore parts of Louisville you’ve meant to see all these years!