CLAY COUNTY — Luxury and camping. These two words don’t seemingly go together, yet they do in the best way — thanks to one local business.

Under the Stars Glamping Adventures has been putting the “glamorous” in camping all over Northeast Florida since 2022.

Known as the Fairy Godmother of Glamping, Candice Stevens, her husband John, and their family travel from place to place with the hope of helping others make lasting memories.

With their truck and supplies in hand, the unique but small, mobile family business travels frequently, leaving lavish setups in the backyards of many. From 13-foot to 23-foot bell tents, indoor sleepovers, lounges, and picnics to a projector and vintage Shasta camper, glamping has never been so easy.

Stevens said the business idea came to mind following her and her family’s frequent appeal to camping. She said they wanted to give other families that same experience.

“We just have a good time and wanted to get people to enjoy camping and take their kids camping and make memories,” Stevens said.

Stevens and her husband initially wanted to purchase their own campground. However, Stevens said they decided to hit the road and go mobile instead, using others' property.

Stevens said she first pitched the idea on Facebook. After getting positive responses, she and her husband decided to follow through with the idea. What she thought was just going to be a little fun money on the side turned into something much bigger.

“It turned into ‘Hey, can we have our birthday party in the tent?’, ‘Can we have a picnic in the tent?’. And, so, as people requested things, then I would buy them, or I would make them. And, so I worked full time for that first year and we just were growing the business and outgrowing our home,” Stevens said.

Soon, what was once a small area in their home ended up being two storage buildings' worth of supplies.

“We’ve just kind of grown by meeting the needs of what people want,” Stevens said.

Stevens said the “glamorous” aspect of the camp setup was a way to ensure customers got the best experience possible. She said she didn’t initially know that mobile glamping existed.

“I knew that glamping was a thing,” Stevens said. “ I didn’t know that mobile glamping was a thing until I started the business.”

The cozy but large setup, which includes one to 12 glamper tents and full-on lounge rooms, makes for an intimate experience.

Stevens said customers regularly book for milestone birthdays, graduation parties, retirement parties, bachelorette parties and even bridal showers.

Additionally, Stevens said the business does yoga and sound bath setups.

Stevens said she crafts her own pillows, robes, and sleep masks with names and the theme of the event for personalization.

“For example, a mom wouldn’t have to have anything. Like, she doesn’t need to go outside of me to have something for those kids to leave that birthday party and remember that event,” Stevens said. “Because we always want to make it an unforgettable adventure for you.”

Stevens said the set-up process begins with the customer booking an adventure on their website. She then contacts the customer to get more information. Stevens said the process can vary depending on what the customer is looking for.

“If you’re wanting to go to a campsite and go camping at like a state park or a local campground, I’d ask you like ‘what are some of the things that you’re wanting?', ‘what kind of amenities are you looking for,’” Stevens said. “To make sure I fit you with the right campground and something that has availability.”

From there, the customer booked the site, and Stevens said she set up everything they needed.

“You show up, you glamp, you leave. We come back in and take everything away, and you don’t have to worry about anything,” Stevens said.

The business provides the camping chairs, chuck box, and all the camping items needed during the adventure. Stevens added that the same goes for a backyard setup.

Stevens added that customers can camp for one night up to a full week.

Stevens said the community’s response to the business has been overwhelmingly positive.

“It’s a lot of work what we do. And, when we leave a site set up, and the text messages that we get or if they come out while we’re there and to see their faces light up and, they’re like so grateful for what we’ve done it just really makes us feel so good inside,” Stevens said.

SweetCaroline Spencer said she booked an adventure to celebrate her daughter’s graduation, and the experience was lovely.

“It was simple, cute, and chic, and I loved it,” Spencer said.

Spencer said before the experience she had never heard of glamping before.

“For me, glamping was staying in an RV or something like that. With all the amenities. Or, just staying in a hotel and pretending you were camping,” Spencer said.

Tammy and Jay Weber also booked the experience for their daughter’s graduation party and were impressed with how it came together.

“It was amazing. They really work hard at what they do and do their best to ensure everything is just perfect,” Tammy Weber said.

Wendi Keeney said knowing that her daughter wanted to go camping for her 21st birthday, she was a little leery of letting her go on her own.

“She’s never, ever camped on her own. So, I couldn’t be there because I was working, and I was a little worried about her biting off more than she could chew,” Keeney said.

Keeney said she googled ‘glamping’ and found Stevens and her husband. From there, she said she appreciated their hands-on approach.

And, with Stevens and her family not too far from her daughter on the same campground, Keeney said they were there to help.

“She went above and beyond to make that day special for my daughter,” Keeney said.

Stevens said that she and her family hope to continue to share these special experiences with others in the future.

“We are determined to make sure that people have an unforgettable time. And, we go above and beyond to ensure you feel the value in your experience,” Stevens said. “And you have an adventure you’ll never forget.”