Upon arrival to the Ecocamp, we were given a tour of the grounds and settled right in. The Lotus Belle tent is spacious and has plenty of room for a large dog to spend a comfortable night in the tent with you! The host Alex was very accommodating and available if we had questions. He even got a fire started at the camp (bring s'mores!). Though we arrived on a hot day, the tent got surprisingly cool at night with both of the large screen tent doors open to let in the breeze. The ambiance of the campground at night is magical with the solar hanging string lights in the trees and the option to take solar lanterns into the tent. The next day we woke up and swam in the pond at the neighboring campground, then explored the Oak Openings preserve right around the corner. We were pretty stoked when we found out that Alex the host serves waffles and coffee on checkout day!

This is a great place for a peaceful getaway in the woods with the option of exploring the surrounding preserve or just relaxing and enjoying a classic glamping experience!

The Feral Skoolie is a magical place. When we pulled up to the gate, the bus was waiting for us with the AC on since the temperature was in the 90's. It was such a comfortable, fun alternative camping experience! Everything we needed was on the bus--you could literally live in it; which is exactly what our host Britt and her family did for a year prior to listing it on Hipcamp. There is a bathroom with a hot shower, stove, toaster oven, and even a kitchen sink. This bus has so much charm and character with its bright colors and vintage interior decorating style. Since the property is located within the Waterloo Recreation Area, there is so much to do outdoors within close proximity including a large number of trails, lakes for swimming, fishing, boating, horseback riding and more. We opted for swimming in a couple of the nearby lakes, all a short drive from the site. After swimming, we came back to cook dinner on the bus, play a few games we found on the shelves, and woke up the next day to cook breakfast on the bus!

Our host Britt and her family were so sweet and accommodating. Their property is in a lovely rural setting with huge trees, wildflowers, and a pasture in the back with goats. If you're looking for a truly unique and slightly offbeat camping experience, this is the place!

Tucked away in southern Ohio's Appalachian foothills sits the United Plant Savers Sanctuary. When I first pulled up to the property, I could tell there are a lot of big and exciting things happening here. Firstly, I stopped by my room in the unsuspecting green barn and settled in. It was very clean with two made up twin beds with nightstands and desk lamps, a dresser with space to put my things as well as extra blankets, reading materials, maps, and stickers from UpS! Ginger (the friendliest cat on the planet) greeted me in the barn upon my arrival. I picked up the reading materials on my nightstand and noticed a trail map with a detailed layout of the property. This place is not only great for getting away from the hustle of life, but goes the extra mile in providing a retreat like atmosphere filled with opportunities for hiking in Ohio's beautiful rolling hills, swimming (and rope swinging), bon-firing under a starry Ohio sky, exploring nature, wildlife viewing, dock lounging, paddling, an extensive amount of fascinating plant education, and more. I enjoyed hiking the large trail system of hilly Appalachian terrain and reading all about the nature on the property via the plant labeled trail blazes (written on slate--super cool!). Some of my favorite parts of the property were the Appalachian views, lounging on the dock at the heart shaped pond (seriously relaxing), observing all the cool rock formations, and seeing all the Appalachian streams trickle down the hillside into the small waterfall at the base of the property. After a day of hiking, I wandered into the small river town of Pomeroy and explored the nice bike/walking path along the scenic Ohio river, then headed over to Maple Lawn Brewery for a beer (great atmosphere, great beer). It was a chilly night, so it was nice to have the option of using the baseboard heat to warm my room up before bed. Also--the hot showers were a bonus.

I look forward to staying here again in the future as the UpS sanctuary is committed to restoring and preserving Ohio's natural beauty. I noticed some construction going on at the base of the property for a future welcome center. Also, a quick walk up the hillside will take you to a beautiful yurt open to campers to enjoy (super peaceful, take off your shoes!). I hope many others will discover this Appalacian gem and experience the serene beauty of Ohio at the United Plant Savers Sanctuary.