Providing Power For Our Camp Visitors
Providing Power For Our Camping Visitors, While Still Completely Immersed in the Wild
“My husband and I own a small destination-camping spot on the far end of our property, nestled next to the mountains and a creek that is fed by a natural hot spring. Visitors come stay for a week at a time to “reconnect” with nature. For years, we never offered them the ability to “connect” any electronics. Until now.”
The year we installed a solar panel setup that stored power in a series of batteries and gave visitors the ability to “plug in” via a power inverter was a big turning point in our business. We noticed the feedback that we were getting started having sentiments like “the level of comfort is unmatched” and “the perfect destination to get away, while still being able to enjoy a few modern comforts like my hair dryer, coffee pot and heater for brisk nights.” We were thrilled with the responses, as we had contemplated the pros and cons of offering electricity for sometime before making our decision. We were afraid that the “real” outdoor enthusiasts would complain they didn’t even want to urge to plug in their computers, charge their cell phones or hear from the outside world. The responses were quite the opposite, though. We were able to maintain the “green-ness” of our camping destination by deciding to go solar. In Utah, we get an incredibly high number of sunny days and being able to harness that power to allow visitors to enjoy a few luxuries during their stay is a nice compromise.
By installing the power inverter setup, we were able to list on our website different suggested devices visitors might want to bring with them for their stay. Doing this helped answer some common questions and put potential visitors at ease by giving them the peace of mind they can connect some of the devices they rely on daily. We used to have a number of inquires from people who were on the fence about going without power for a full week. Now, we have convinced those types of visitors that the power is there if they choose to use it, or they can ignore the option and live without using anything electronic for their stay; it’s completely up to them.
During the first season of offering power, we asked visitors what they chose to plug in during their stay and found the comments were all pretty similar: cell phone charger, lights, space heater, coffee pot, hair-grooming devices and a hot plate. Then, from that information, we were able to make smart decisions concerning what we provided and what we didn’t. Now, visitors can bring nothing more than their hiking shoes and a few changes of clothes to be completely set in our semi-permanent tent-cabins. We offer the simple electronic devices and people really seem to appreciate the small blips of modernity we provide, all while allowing them to be immersed in the wild (without the noise and smell of a gas-powered generator).
Because the setup is so easy to use, we post some simple instructions for visitors who have never used a power inverter and we haven’t had the slightest of problems. Our number of repeat visitors has skyrocketed. Thanks to our investment, we now offer a bit more comfort while visitors stay in our home away from home. Plus, I have to say, my husband and I book a few weeks each summer to enjoy it for ourselves … now that I can make hot coffee and warm my feet on cool Utah mornings.
