Our Basecamp Brooklyn Story
Gather. Explore. Savor.
We started Basecamp Brooklyn from two lifelong passions — the joy of gathering people around food, and the deep healing power of nature.
Allan grew up in New York City, where his dad’s adventurous spirit, rooted in the tropical southern islands of the Philippines, brought the wild into their urban world — bonfires on Long Island beaches, skiing in the Adirondacks, climbing trees wherever he could find them. His mom filled their home with the flavors and warmth of Filipino and American cooking, always opening the kitchen to friends and neighbors. Those early experiences shaped Allan’s love of food, community, and connection.
Erin grew up in Alabama, spending summers exploring caves, swamps, and backcountry trails with her family. Adventure was simply part of life. But after moving to New York City as an adult, she — like so many hardworking New Yorkers — stopped taking time to escape. Years passed without a real vacation. When she finally ventured upstate, the experience changed everything. The stress melted away, and the beauty of New York and New England reignited her love of camping and the outdoors.
In 2018, we decided to take a leap — leaving the city to live full-time on the road, sharing our adventures and outdoor cooking experiences on Basecamp Brooklyn’s YouTube Channel, while Erin grew Ivy+Light, her wellness brand built around the healing benefits of nature. Those travels became the foundation for Basecamp Brooklyn, our way of helping others rediscover what we’d found: peace, connection, and joy in the great outdoors.
After COVID, we took the next step — hosting our first culinary camping events to help fellow New Yorkers unplug, rest, and reconnect through food, fire, and community. From there, Basecamp Brooklyn has continued to evolve. Today we offer camping gear rentals, curated weekend campouts, and soon, our tiny cabin in the Catskills — each designed to make it easy for anyone to gather, explore, and savor life outdoors.
But our story doesn’t stop at the campfire. Out here in the Catskills, we’re building something lasting — planting roots, growing food, and shaping the land into a place where others can come to reset and reconnect.
We’re not just growing vegetables — we’re growing a home for community, creativity, and ridiculously good meals shared under the stars.
👉 Read about how we’re building our garden and growing the future of Basecamp Brooklyn
Whether it’s your first camping trip or your hundredth, there’s always room by the fire.
