When it comes to hanging hammocks most people think they need two perfectly spaced trees, but there are many other places that are just as good. Some people love the simplicity of two posts in the ground, while others want something a little more decorative like a Pergola.
Some people call it a Pergola, some Arbor, and others a Gazebo, but whatever you choose to call it they are all great places to hang a hammock. To Hang a Caribbean Hammock you are looking for two sturdy posts that are thirteen feet or more apart. No worries if the posts are a little further apart as you can use a little rope or chain at either end of the hammock to make the right adjustments. Also, bear in mind that hanging a hammock is more of an art than a science, distances do not have to be exact, there is no set formula, and quite a lot of leeway. If you are starting from scratch, building your own Pergola with the intention of hanging a hammock I would suggest that you have a fourteen-foot span between two of your posts, as this would be enough distance to hang just about any size hammock. I would also recommend going at least ten feet high for your cross supports as this would give you plenty of room to hang a couple of hammock chairs or a porch swing if you wanted to.
I took a little time watching YouTube videos on building your own hammock pergola and re-posted what I consider the most informative and concise one above. It requires digging a few holes in the ground, two 6x6 posts, three 2x6 joists, some bags of concrete, some bolts, and basic tools. it is a good weekend project that is definitely not beyond the scope of your average handyman. As a nice finishing touch In this video, they also string some garden lights above the pergola for nighttime hammocking, another nice option would be to grow a vine over the top for decoration. In a later video, they hang an outdoor movie screen from the 2x6 which I thought was a pretty awesome idea.
If you watched the hammock pergola video and it looked like a little too much for you to tackle at the moment, your other option would be a hammock stand either in sturdy metal or attractive wood.