Memorial Day Weekend Glamping: A Setup Guide

Before the Weekend Starts

Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of summer. It's the first long weekend where the weather cooperates, the days stretch late, and people are ready to get outside after months of waiting. For a lot of families, it's the first camping trip of the year. For glamping operators, it's the opening weekend of peak season.

But before the tents go up and the fire pits get lit, it's worth pausing on what the day actually means.

Memorial Day exists to honor the men and women who died serving in the United States military. It's not Veterans Day, which honors all who served. It's not Armed Forces Day, which honors those currently serving. Memorial Day is specifically for those who gave everything. Every cookout, every camping trip, every long weekend spent with the people you love happens in a space that was made possible by people who aren't here to enjoy it.

We say this not to dampen the weekend but because it matters. Wilderness Resource is a Service-Disabled, Veteran-Owned Small Business. This day is personal to us. Enjoy the weekend fully. Get outside, gather with the people you care about, sleep under the stars. That's a good way to spend it. Just take a moment to remember why you have the freedom to do so.

The Short-Notice Setup

It's the week before Memorial Day and you've decided you want to get outside for the long weekend. Maybe you've been thinking about it for a while, maybe it just hit you this morning. Either way, you don't have months of planning behind you. You need a setup that comes together fast and works well on the first try.

Here's how to pull it off, whether you already own a tent or you're buying one this week.

If You're Buying a Tent This Week

You need something that ships fast and sets up without a learning curve.

The Jellyfish ($1,249.98) is the fastest tent to set up in our lineup. Inflate, cap, stake. About five minutes. If you've never set up a glamping tent before and the idea of your first attempt being on a Friday afternoon in a campground makes you nervous, the Jellyfish removes that anxiety entirely. There are no poles to figure out, no frame sections to connect, no ambiguous instructions to interpret. It's about as close to foolproof as a tent gets.

The Astral 13-foot (starting at $949.98) is our most affordable option and sets up in 20-30 minutes with two people. The 13-foot size is manageable for a first-time setup, light enough to transport easily, and provides roughly 130 square feet of interior space. That's plenty for a couple or a small family with the right layout. The stargazer skylight is a bonus that'll make the first night feel special.

The Eclipse (starting at $1,049.98 in 16-foot) gives you two doors and four windows, which is nice for a warm weekend because the extra openings create better airflow. If you're choosing between the Astral and Eclipse for summer use, the Eclipse's additional ventilation is worth considering.

Our beginner's tent guide covers each model in detail if you want a deeper comparison before ordering.

If You Already Have a Tent

Set it up in the yard before the trip. Friday afternoon at the campsite is not the time to discover that you've forgotten how the guy lines attach, that a zipper is stuck, or that mice got into the storage bag over the winter. A 20-minute test run at home catches problems while you can still fix them.

Check the basics: fabric for any tears or mildew spots, zippers for smooth operation, mesh screens for holes, guy lines and stakes for wear. Our maintenance guide has the full seasonal checklist if your tent has been in storage since last fall.

The Packing List

Glamping is not minimalist backpacking. The whole point is comfort. But you don't need to overthink it either. Here's what actually matters for a Memorial Day weekend trip:

Sleep

A real mattress or thick sleeping pad. Not a $20 air mattress from a gas station. Sleep quality makes or breaks the entire trip, and this is the one area where spending more pays off immediately. If you already have a good camping cot or a self-inflating pad that you sleep well on, bring that. Quality sheets and a pillow from home. A lightweight blanket or sleeping bag rated for the overnight temps at your destination (most of the U.S. drops to the 50s or 60s overnight in late May, cooler at elevation).

Comfort

Camp chairs (two minimum, more if you're bringing people). A small folding table for drinks and food prep. String lights or a lantern for evening atmosphere. A rug or mat for the tent interior, especially if you're not on a platform. It keeps dirt out of the bedding and makes the space feel finished.

Kitchen

A cooler with ice for food and drinks. A camp stove or portable grill. Basic cookware (a skillet and a pot handle most meals). Plates, utensils, cups. Coffee setup (French press, pour-over, or percolator). Don't forget a way to wash dishes: a small basin, biodegradable soap, and a towel.

Fire

Firewood (buy local to avoid transporting invasive species). Fire starters or kindling. A lighter. Marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers if you're doing it right. A fire extinguisher or bucket of water nearby.

Bug and Sun Protection

Insect repellent. Sunscreen. A hat. Late May mosquitoes are starting to show up in most of the country, and the sun is strong enough to burn, especially at elevation or near water. Your tent's mesh screens handle the sleeping hours. These items handle the rest.

Picking a Site Last-Minute

Memorial Day weekend is the most heavily booked camping weekend of the year. State and national park campgrounds fill up months in advance. But options exist if you know where to look.

Hipcamp and Glamping Hub list private land sites that don't show up on the big reservation platforms. Farmers, ranchers, and rural landowners who rent tent sites on their property often have availability when public campgrounds are sold out. Search by your target area and filter for tent camping or glamping.

Dispersed camping on public land (national forests, BLM land) is generally free and first-come, first-served. No reservation needed. The tradeoff is no amenities: no water, no restrooms, no fire rings. You bring everything. If you're comfortable with that, it's the most reliable way to find a last-minute site in a beautiful location.

Your own property. If you have a yard, a field, or access to rural land, the simplest option is to set up right there. No reservation, no drive, no campground neighbors. A glamping tent in a good spot on your own land is a surprisingly effective weekend reset, and it's a low-pressure way to test your setup before taking it on the road.

Making the Most of Three Days

A long weekend is enough time to actually settle into a trip instead of rushing through it. The difference between a two-day and a three-day camping trip is significant. You get an arrival day, a full day, and a departure day instead of cramming everything into 36 hours.

Friday Evening

Arrive, set up, keep it simple. The goal for night one is getting the tent up, the bed made, and a fire going. Dinner should be easy: something you prepped at home, sandwiches, or takeout from a stop on the way. Don't try to cook an elaborate meal after a drive and a tent setup. Save that for Saturday.

Saturday

This is your full day. Hike, swim, fish, explore, or just sit in a camp chair and read. Cook a real breakfast. Make lunch at camp. Grill dinner over the fire pit. This is the day where the trip actually happens, and the whole reason you brought a comfortable tent is so you feel rested and relaxed enough to enjoy it.

Sunday

Sleep in. Slow morning with coffee. Take your time breaking camp. One of the underrated benefits of a glamping setup versus ultralight camping is that you're not racing to pack everything into a compression sack. You're folding a tent, loading chairs, and putting a cooler in the car. It's a relaxed process that doesn't wreck the mood of the trip.

Monday is your buffer day at home. Unpack, do laundry, decompress before the week starts. This is the structure that makes long-weekend camping actually restful instead of exhausting.

For Operators: Opening Weekend

If you're running a glamping site, Memorial Day weekend is your opening night. First impressions set the tone for the entire season. Here's the short checklist:

• Walk every tent site and run the full seasonal inspection (our summer prep guide covers this in detail)
• Fresh bedding in every tent, laundered and pressed
• Restock all consumables: firewood, fire starters, welcome basket items, bathroom supplies
• Test AC units and electrical setups if applicable
• Mow paths, clean fire pits, clear debris from the winter
• Update your listing photos if anything looks different from last season
• Send a pre-arrival message to every booked guest with directions, check-in details, and weather forecast

Your Memorial Day guests are the ones who set the review tone for the season. A five-star opening weekend builds momentum that carries through the summer. Our Airbnb hosting guide and site setup guide cover the operational details.

Get Started

If you're ordering a tent for this weekend, browse the full tent collection and check shipping timelines on the product pages. The Jellyfish is the fastest to set up on arrival. The Astral 13-foot is the most affordable. Both work for a first-time glamping trip with no prior experience.

Questions about which tent fits your trip? Reach out to our team. We're happy to help, and we actually answer quickly.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the easiest glamping tent to set up for a first timer?

The Jellyfish. It inflates in about five minutes with no poles to assemble. Stake the base, pump, cap, attach guy lines. It's nearly impossible to get wrong on the first try. The Astral takes 20-30 minutes and is also straightforward, just involves more steps.

Can I set up a glamping tent in my backyard for Memorial Day?

Absolutely. A glamping tent in your yard is one of the best ways to test your setup before a longer trip, and it's a surprisingly great weekend experience on its own. All you need is a flat area of grass big enough for the tent footprint, plus space for guy lines. No reservation, no drive, no campground crowds.

What do I need besides the tent for a Memorial Day glamping trip?

A real mattress or quality sleeping pad, bedding, camp chairs, a small table, string lights or a lantern, a cooler with food and drinks, a camp stove or grill, basic cookware, bug spray, sunscreen, and firewood. The packing list section above covers everything in detail.

Is Memorial Day weekend too late to book a campsite?

Most public campgrounds in popular areas are booked out by now. Check Hipcamp and Glamping Hub for private land sites, look into dispersed camping on national forest or BLM land (free, no reservation needed), or set up on your own property. Last-minute options exist if you know where to look.

How cold does it get on Memorial Day weekend?

In most of the U.S., overnight lows in late May range from the low 50s to mid 60s. Mountain and northern areas can drop into the 40s. Bring a warm blanket or sleeping bag rated for the temps at your destination. If you're in a colder area, all of our tents have built-in stove jacks for wood stove heating, though most Memorial Day weekends are comfortable with just a good blanket.

What's the most affordable glamping tent for getting started?

The Astral 13-foot starts at $849.98. It's the lowest-cost entry point in our lineup and provides 130 square feet of interior space with a stargazer skylight, mesh-screened windows, stove jack, and the same 900D waterproof Oxford fabric as our larger models. For a couple's first glamping tent, it's the sweet spot of price, quality, and size.