The Airydale Retreat is a campground located in Millcreek, Pennsylvania. It was opened in 2019 by Matt Zook and is currently in its third season of operation. The campgrounds lay in a wooded area next to a mountain and are about 20 minutes away from Raystown Lake. There are also a number of state parks and state forests in the surrounding area. The Airydale Retreat is geared towards being a "glamping" site. Consequently, each site already has a tent with amenities set up for a guest's arrival. The owner's vision is that visitors will show up and have everything they need to have a comfortable vacation.
The Airydale Retreat is a campground that was opened in 2019 and is owned by Matt Zook. It is a 7-acre glamping site which is located in Millcreek, Pennsylvania. The property offers 6 sites. Four of these are of a wall-tent style that can provide the feel of a small cabin. Two of them are wall-tent sites—the Cardinal 1 and Cardinal 2—which are elevated on a platform and have slides coming down from them. The Cardinal sites are also located closer to each other so that groups who need to book multiple sites aren't as far apart. Another site, called the Phoebe Site, is a circle bell tent. The last site, which is called the Dome, is a geodesic dome. While most of the sites are only open from the start of April through the end of November, the Dome is available to guests year-round.
Each campsite, though different in styling, offers the same basic amenities. The owner tries to provide everything guests need for cooking, with the exception of the food itself. There are many things this includes, such as an iron skillet. The sites all have a campfire with a grate that can be used for cooking. A propane gas stove is also offered for the use of cooking. In addition, each site has a private outdoor shower that is available for the hygiene of its occupants. Each unit is also furnished with other objects such as chairs, bedding, and other similar items.
Located at the base of a mountain, The Airydale Retreat sits in the midst of a wooded area. There lies some space between each of the 6 camping sites to provide a more private place for visitors. Though The Airydale Retreat is in the woods, there are spaces that are kept clear so that guests can play cornhole or other yard games. The property is about 20 minutes away from Raystown Lake.
The owner, Matt Zook, wants the outdoors to be an experience that is available to everyone. He wants to help guests who are unsure about camping be able to come and have a good experience. However, camping can require a fair amount of equipment, which can be intimidating to someone unfamiliar with it. That is why Matt tries to provide everything that a visitor would need at each of the campsites. The goal is that guests don't have to worry about all of the different gear they need to bring and set up once they get to the property; they can simply arrive and be on vacation.
A guest said about The Airydale Retreat, "Beautiful valley and relaxing campground. The glampsites came with all kinds of extras like coffee, tissues, drinking water and even a cooler we could use. We stayed in the family camp with the slide. A hot shower outside under the trees was a nice touch and brought more glamour into the glamping."
The owner aims to create an environment that reduces the campers' stress and helps them feel provided for. Before they arrive, guests receive an email welcoming them and giving them directions to their campsite. Upon arriving, they can go straight to their individual campsite or sites and should find everything set up and waiting for them. Around 7 PM on the night of arrival, the owner likes to drop by and see how everyone is settling in. Matt usually brings little gifts such as a treat from the local baker to help them get accommodated and can answer any questions that guests have. While he doesn't live on the property, Matt can often be found working on the property and is available if needed via a text or phone call.
The demographic that visits The Airydale Retreat is generally younger couples, ages 25-35, and families. However, the land is available to all who want to rent out a campsite.
While everything needed to cook is provided, there are also dining options and attractions in the area. The Taste of the Valley is an option for people who want to eat at a café. The Standing Stone's Café is another suggestion of the owner. One more option is the Juniata Brewing Company, which not only serves alcohol but food as well. The Raystown Lake, which is the largest lake contained entirely within Pennsylvania, is also within about 20 minutes drive of the campground. People who go there can find many activities, such as boating, fishing, kayaking, and swimming. Between the lake, the state parks, and the state forests, there is plenty of hiking to be had in the area as well. There lies in the surrounding area a few caves and caverns that can be explored as well.
The Airydale Retreat has only been in operation since 2019. Before this time, it was farmland and forestland which belonged to the grandparents of the current owner, whose name is Matt Zook. The property has been kept in the family for a long time. The owner's grandparents used to own 80 acres, but they sold the majority of the land. When they sold it, Matt decided to keep 7 acres of it. Even before the current owner established The Airydale Retreat, the grandparents used to own a brick farmhouse that they would rent out for guests to stay in. Providing a place for others to stay has become a tradition in the family, which the current owner wants to continue.
Matt wasn't entirely sure what he wanted to do with the property when he bought it. He had the idea that he wanted to do something to keep people on the property but wasn't sure exactly how he wanted to implement that. Eventually, he came across the idea of glamping sites. He decided to try the idea out, making The Airydale Retreat what it is today.
The Airydale Retreat has only been open for three seasons. It has been expanding and has future plans to grow more. In its first, it only had one site available to rent. In its second year, it expanded to three open sites. This season, The Airydale Retreat offers 6 sites available for guests to rent. The owner has plans to continue expansion. Such plans include providing food to guests, installing septic systems and bathhouses, adding common areas as well as a check-in area, implementing more on-site activities for the guests, creating a greenhouse area, and more.
10272 Big Valley Pike
Mill Creek, Pennsylvania 17060
United States
Campground
Matt Zook
