Escape the city at the Red Tower

The Red Tower is an outdoor glamping oasis, tucked away in the rural lands of Castleton, Ontario. With the coronavirus lingering, catching flights to anywhere initiates fear, so opt for a staycation! If you’re looking to escape city life and experience the outdoors in your own private space – look no further.

We had the opportunity to take a well-needed break from everyday life and enjoy the outdoors. Unfortunately, enjoying the outdoors comes with all of the bugs – so if you’re not ready for that life, you’re better off camping in your backyard. In preparation for our first glamp-cation, we bathed in mosquito repellent and stocked up on mosquito coils, but alas, that didn’t stop them from leaving me with 17 battle scars.

If you’re like us and would love to get away from a few days for $150 CAD a night at a unique place with your personal space, then you’ll love the red tower. To help you decide on this glamp-cation, we’ve compiled a list of pros and cons for newbie glampers, like us.

Pros

• For $150 CAD a night, this place is a great find
• The host is a friendly and accommodating woman
• The location is relatively close to Toronto (1.5-hour drive)
• When the night falls, the magical fireflies come out of hiding
• There is a trail mapped out in the woods, which you’re welcome to hike
• You’ll actually want to wash your dishes in the outdoor sink overlooking the forest
• The host lives on the property, but there is enough tree coverage that you still get privacy
• You can start your own campfire and keep it running all night long (firewood provided)
• All the necessities are provided (utensils, grill, fridge, stovetop, kettle, etc.)
• You get to be one with the outdoors, and there is plenty of space to do this
• The glass shower is on an outdoor plank, facing beautiful majestic trees and plants
• The outhouse toilet is so clean that you could throw a pillow in there and use it as a spare room

Cons

• Bugs, bugs, and bugs
• The red tower was very hot – no AC
• The toilet is a bit of walk in a wooded area – so at nighttime not ideal
• The walk to the tower is a journey if you have plenty of items to carry
• There was nowhere to move upstairs, so found it to be a tight squeeze with the bed

Clearly, the pros outweigh the cons, and if we’re honest – it’s meant to be a glorified version of camping, and it certainly delivers. To knock off a few of the cons, we’d suggest you go glamping in September or early October, with the added bonus of watching the fall season in action. Happy glamping!

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However you decide to spend your time outdoors – let us know in the comments below!