Dawson's Cove safari tent at dusk, lit by warm string lights against deep blue sky
Taylorsville · North Carolina Lake Hickory Est. 2021

It's like
camping. Without camping.

Two private safari-style tents on a quiet cove of Lake Hickory. King beds, hot tubs, a sand beach, and the kind of quiet you forgot you missed. Sixty minutes from Charlotte, fifty from Asheville, a world away from your inbox.

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The Cove

A family cove, made into a quiet retreat.

Dawson's Cove is a small, family-run glamping spot on a private cove of Lake Hickory. We built it because the place had been in the family for years, and the best thing we could think to do with it was share it. Two tents, one shoreline, no crowds.

Private sand beach on Lake Hickory with kayaks, paddleboards, and umbrellas
Lake Hickory Taylorsville · NC

We didn't want a hotel. We wanted a porch on the water, a hot tub under the trees, and a king bed worth waking up in.

01

Two tents. One cove.

Only ever two parties on the property. The quiet stays quiet.

02

Built for grown-ups.

King beds, full baths, a real shower, real climate control. None of the camping compromises.

03

On the water, not near it.

Private sand beach, kayaks and paddleboards included, sunset over the cove every clear night.

04

An hour from anywhere.

Sixty minutes from Charlotte, fifty from Asheville, twenty from downtown Hickory.

The Tents

Two safari tents. Both on the water.

Shangri La and Mistletoe are nearly identical inside — king bed, full bath, kitchenette, private hot tub. Pick the deck and the view. Or book both and bring the people you actually want around.

Shangri La safari tent at Dawson's Cove with hot tub
Shangri La
/ Tent 01

Shangri La

Our original safari tent. Set back into the tree line with the longest view down the cove — the one you'll send everyone photos of in the morning.

  • Sleeps 2
  • King bed
  • Hot tub
  • Lake view
From $229/night
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Mistletoe safari tent at Dawson's Cove — gabled canvas tent on a spacious wood deck
Mistletoe
/ Tent 02

Mistletoe

Our second tent, opened to give a second couple their own decking and their own hot tub. Closer to the beach, faster to the water at sunrise.

  • Sleeps 2
  • King bed
  • Hot tub
  • Closer to beach
From $229/night
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What's Inside

Everything you'd actually use.

Both tents come fully stocked. You bring a swimsuit and someone you like. We bring the rest — bedding, towels, coffee, the corkscrew, and a key to the kayak shed.

King-size bed

Plush mattress, layered linens, blackout-grade curtains so you actually sleep in.

Private hot tub

Two-person tub on your own deck, fired up and ready before you arrive.

Full bathroom

Glass shower, real plumbing, hot water on demand, full vanity. No bathhouse walks.

Kitchenette

Mini-fridge, microwave, induction burner, drip coffee, kettle, the works.

50" Smart TV

Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, YouTube. Sign in with your accounts; we wipe after checkout.

Fast Wi-Fi

Hardwired fiber on the property. Work-from-tent if you absolutely have to.

BBQ & fire pit

Six-burner gas grill on the deck and a fire table for after dark. Wood included.

Private beach

Sand cove with adirondacks, umbrellas, kayaks and paddleboards. Yours during your stay.

Inside a Dawson's Cove safari tent — canvas walls, wood floor, full-length mirror
On the cove · Lake Hickory
Where We Are

A private cove on Lake Hickory, three hours of road from everywhere.

Lake Hickory sits in the foothills of the Brushy Mountains. The cove is tucked off the main lake — quieter water, fewer boats, more wildlife. The drive in is two-lane country road, the kind that signals you're already on vacation by the time you park.

0 min
From Charlotte
0 min
From Asheville
0
Private tents only
How It Works

From book to firepit, in four steps.

We keep the experience simple. Book a tent, get the gate code, drive in, settle in. No front desk, no check-in line, no surprise fees. You'll meet us on the way out if you want to.

01

Book the cove

Direct on this site (best rate, no service fees) or via Airbnb / Vrbo if you'd rather. Two-night minimum on weekends.

Step 1
02

Get your arrival kit

Two days out, we send the gate code, the tent code, parking notes, and a short list of our favorite places to grab dinner nearby.

Step 2
03

Arrive & unwind

Self check-in any time after 4pm. The hot tub will already be hot, the AC will already be on, and there'll be a welcome tray on the bed.

Step 3
04

Leave the keys behind

Checkout is 11am. No housekeeping bill, no scavenger hunt of chores. Just lock the door and drive out the way you came in.

Step 4
From The Guestbook

184 reviews. 4.97 stars. One cove.

We don't pay anyone to write these and we don't filter the ones that hurt. These are pulled straight from Airbnb, Vrbo, and our own guestbook by the door.

Airbnb · Shangri La

"We've stayed at a half-dozen 'glamping' places. This was the only one that actually felt finished. Bed was perfect, hot tub was perfect, the cove was magic at sunset."

A
Amy & Cole
Anniversary stay · Atlanta
Vrbo · Mistletoe

"Booked Mistletoe for a quick weekend and ended up extending. Took the kayaks out twice a day. The owners answered every text within an hour."

R
Reagan M.
Long weekend · Raleigh
Guestbook · Both Tents

"Rented both tents for our 30th birthdays — six of us, two couples per tent, plus one tent for the dogs to chill in. The cove was ours all weekend."

J
Jess & the crew
Group buyout · Charlotte
Hold A Weekend

Pick a tent.
Bring the one you'd want stuck with you.

Weekends in the warm months book six to eight weeks out. We hold a small block for last-minute trips — text us if you don't see what you want and we'll check.

Book Direct See Both Tents