Sometimes the best land for glamping is the land nobody else wants.
Developers pass on it.
Homebuilders won’t touch it.
But glamping entrepreneurs? We see magic.
Case in point: our most recent YouTube video features a stunning 44-acre property in Nebraska where future Ferncrest franchisees Shannon and Jonathan are preparing to build. It has everything you’d want for a glampground – it’s riverfront, peaceful, remote-yet-accessible, and jaw-droppingly beautiful.
But it also has a problem:
Nearly the entire property is in a floodplain.
Now, most people would walk away right there.
But glamping isn’t about finding perfect land – it’s about finding the perfect opportunity in the imperfection.
Why This Matters
If you’re trying to build residential housing or commercial development, floodplain land is a hard no. But for glamping, it can be an affordable, viable, and even ideal piece of land – if you do your homework and mitigate the risk.
Here’s what we’ve learned through this process:
- A floodplain doesn’t mean your land is always at risk – it means you need to strategically design around it.
- After a survey, we identified higher elevation areas on the property that don’t require significant build-up.
- The cost of the land was dramatically lower than similar non-floodplain properties, giving more room in the budget for infrastructure and amenities.
In short, challenges like this can unlock hidden value if you’re willing to get creative and plan carefully.
You don’t need the “perfect” parcel.
But There’s One More Secret Ingredient
Even more important than the land itself is the town you’re building in.
When we visited Neligh, Nebraska – where this property is located – we were blown away. The mayor, town council, zoning officials, and community leaders all showed up in person to walk the property with us.
They weren’t there to regulate or resist.
They were there to help.
That kind of support can shave months off your timeline and tens of thousands off your budget. And it’s not something you can always plan for – but it’s something you can seek out if you’re open-minded about location.
In short: the best glampgrounds are often built on land that would never work for traditional development – and in towns that are eager to welcome something new.
That’s how Shannon and Jonathan are doing it.
And it might be how you do it too.
🚨 One More Thing…
We’re gearing up for the next LIVE online Glampground Startup Challenge, where I’ll be teaching on topics just like this – helping you launch your glamping business as soon as this year.
It’s completely free, but you do need to register to get access.
We’ll talk land strategy, profitability, timeline, equipment, and everything in between.
Let’s build something beautiful – even if it starts with imperfect land.
Happy Glamping,
Brian & Joanna Linton
