In 2021, Shannon Connolly and her husband decided to take their kids on a month-long road trip through Utah and Colorado’s national parks in their family camper, they were disappointed with the camping options along the way, according to Travel + Leisure.
“We love camping and traveling in our camper, but we also really love staying in cool boutique hotels,” Shannon Connolly told Travel + Leisure. “We wanted to bridge that gap between the traditional campground as it has always existed and the boutique hotel experience.”
So after a long search for the perfect location, Connolly, who grew up in the Great Smoky National Park area, and her husband founded Roamstead, a company specializing in “modernized campgrounds.” Their first outpost welcomed travelers on July 25.
Located in Cosby, Tennessee, in a lush, wooded area on the northeastern border of America’s most visited national park, Roamstead Smoky Mountains offers a collection of accommodations that run the gamut, from cabins in five different layouts to yurts and lodge rooms. All have waterfront and forest views, immersing guests in nature without sacrificing luxe comforts like an outdoor heated swimming pool, a coffee shop and bar, and a dining spot offering breakfast pastries, pizzas, and craft brews, with a curated menu of craft cocktails also in the works.
