This past week, Sandra and I finally had the chance for some relaxation, as my mom took Addie for the night and we escaped to one of these incredible geo domes for a romantic winter glamping trip.
When we bought our bell tent, my search for information about canvas tents led me to websites offering similar-style camping in and around Edmonton. It was through this search that I stumbled upon the Elk Island Retreat and their geo domes. Located just outside of the city, this campground made for the perfect quick getaway. We didn’t have to stress much about packing and we didn’t have to worry about leaving Addie for long, we could simply hop in the car and escape for 24 hours.
The geo domes (short for geodesic domes) are essentially framed dome structures, covered with a canvas or fabric of some sort, with a large vinyl window. They’re permanent structures, unlike a tent, but you’re still only separated from the elements by canvas and vinyl, with a stove inside to heat the place. The geo domes at Elk Island are heated with a gas fireplace, so we got a reprieve from trying to make a wood stove work to keep us warm (you can read about our failed bell tent experiences HERE). They have electricity, but no plumbing, though we were provided with a jug of water, a porta-potty was outside of our dome, and heated indoor bathrooms with coin showers are a 5-10 minute walk (or 1 minute drive) away.
The domes at Elk Island are open from March 1st to November 30th, and we managed to sneak in right at the end of the season on November 25th. Typically two-night reservations are required, but single-night stays are accepted when there is a single night available between other bookings, and we jumped at the chance for the quick getaway (though, we’d have loved to have stayed longer). While I have no doubt these would be an amazing summer glamping experience, we both felt that winter was the perfect time to sleep in a geo dome. The campsite was quiet, and we looked out upon a vista of untouched snowy woods, while staying cozy indoors by our fire. As soon as we arrived, we felt the relaxation we’d been craving.
We spent our afternoon playing board games, drinking coffee, and eating scones in front of the expansive window.
Our dome came with a BBQ and firepit, but we were instructed to bring anything else we would need for cooking. We decided to keep things simple and we brought a pack of hot dogs for the fire. We were blessed with unseasonably warm weather, with temperatures hovering above freezing all night, and so we sat around our little campfire until the logs had burned to ash, and then we retired into our warm dome for the night.
Check-out time came all too soon the next day, but even as we were leaving we were talking about when we could go back. I would love to go again for a night or two on my own as a little writing retreat. We both would recommend the domes as the perfect Edmonton-area staycation, or place to stay if you’re visiting the area.