How ‘glamping’ could come to Livingston County soon

LIVINGSTON COUNTY — Would you rather spend the night in a geodesic dome, a covered wagon, a safari tent, a pole tent or a tipi?

Melissa and Mike Crowe say they’re eyeing land near Howell for a “glamping” site that would feature all of those.

The glamping industry has gained steam across the U.S. over the past decade, with luxury, campground-like experiences but hotel-style amenities, including heat, air conditioning, running water, and comfortable beds, targeted toward people who enjoy the outdoors but want accommodations less rustic than tents or cabins.

“We picture it being a way to get out and experience nature in a rural, undeveloped, rustic setting, except for the actual accommodations that you stay in,” Mike said. “Those will be where you actually have more luxury, more amenities, real baths, kitchenettes, real beds, heat, air conditioning, electricity. It’s like a hotel room, but it’s plucked down in the middle of the forest.”

The Crowes, who currently live in Grand Blanc, recently founded Mitten Getaways Glamping Co. and found what they say is the perfect plot of land for their first glamping site. They won’t announce the address just yet, but say it’s about 100 acres with lake access north of Howell.

They have a purchase agreement in place, they said, and are pursuing investor financing, corporate sponsorships, and pre-selling “5 Finger Discount Club” loyalty program memberships for discounted stays once the business opens. The loyalty club will help fund construction. Contributors will be refunded if the plan fails to come to fruition.

The duo plans to apply for a special use permit in the near future. They also plan to live next to the site and operate it year-round, seven days a week, with some winter holidays off.

“Peace and tranquility is one of the big things I’m excited for,” Melissa said.

“Seclusion and privacy are separate to us, because you can have seclusion and not be private, and you can have privacy but not be secluded,” Mike said. “For this, the seclusion means the whole land, where it’s at and feeling secluded, and then privacy is putting space between the individual sites so that you’re not right on top of each other with every other guest.”

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They’re currently envisioning 12 glamping sites, ranging in size from approximately 300 square feet, for the covered wagons, to 450-600 square feet for the other styles.

It would also feature a welcome center and activities, including cornhole, axe throwing, and a playground, and access to outdoor activities on trails and the lake, like hiking, fishing, cross-country skiing, and disc golf.

They intend to keep it family-friendly, with rules of conduct for guests, including quiet hours.

The dream started when the couple was shopping for a new home. They found a piece of land and imagined they’d build an event barn with geodesic domes for overnight stays and live in a dome house themselves.

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But the dream evolved into glamping. They traveled to Colorado in October 2022 to attend The Glamping Show Americas expo, learning about the industry and connecting with manufacturers.

Mike is a pharmacist and Melissa is a homesteader. They have 4-, and 2-year-old girls and a baby on the way.

“Our vision is to be a destination and a pillar of the community,” Mike said. “We want to send people out to explore local businesses and also employ the services and products of local businesses.”

They plan to reserve sites for a minimum of two nights.

— Contact reporter Jennifer Eberbach at jeberbach@livingstondaily.com. 

This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Domes, wagons, tents and tipis: ‘Glamping’ could come to Livingston soon