A Cabin Stay: Getaway House

I’ve been wanting to take a vacation to a Getaway House since I first saw the ad on Instagram a couple years ago. I loved how the cabins looked and how it just seemed like the perfect opportunity to be off the grid. For my 27th birthday, I finally booked a stay and I cannot begin to tell you how much I loved it. I’ve been describing it as the perfect median between camping and glamping (“glam camping”) because you get the experience of being in nature, cooking outdoors, hiking, etc. but the comfort of returning to a home with running water, shower, kitchen and beds. In addition to this post, I also vlogged the experience.

Arrival

Before going we checked this packing list to make sure we grabbed everything we thought we might need. We arrived on a Monday and left on a Wednesday so our stay was three days. The cabin’s maximum occupancy is 4 people, so I took the top bunk while my brother and his girlfriend took the bottom bunk. We also paid a little extra to take my dog with us, which is nice if you have a small dog or one that loves to be outdoors. My dog did not enjoy the experience as much as we did because he’s older and has anxiety; he did, however, really enjoy the treats that were provided for him.

The trip was not expensive at all, especially having split the cost between three people. We ended up choosing the Asheboro, North Carolina outpost, a three hour drive from us, because it was the closest to us with availability for the days we wanted to go. The experience is completely contactless, as you check-in using a keypad on the door. I received the exact address a week before our arrival and we were able to check in right at 3pm on the day of.

Inside

There isn’t a whole lot of room inside the cabin, especially with three adults moving around, which was completely fine for me, but if you’re someone who is claustrophobic I would recommend going alone or with maybe only one other person. We booked a cabin with two beds, which take up a good amount of room, there’s a dining table, a bathroom, and a counter with sink, AC unit and refrigerator. I will admit that we still ended up packing a lot, but there was storage under the bench. What we couldn’t store there, we stored on top of the cabinets or left in the car. I was so impressed by what was provided inside because as I’m writing this post, nothing comes to mind that I felt we lacked. From cookware and kitchenware to a refrigerator and bluetooth radio, we were able to work with everything that was already inside the cabin.

If you get cold often, then I would recommend taking long pajamas and/or a lounge sweater or jacket because the AC gets cold, which is great because I imagine it can get really hot in the summer, but it was difficult to manage in the spring when the weather is kind of all over the place.

I was in love with the view from the window and waking up in fresh white linens to a flood of natural light both mornings. That is absolutely one of my small joys in life and something I look forward to about traveling. One thing that I would mention is that cell service was not the greatest, but since the trip is sort of for being off the grid, that really wasn’t an issue for me.

Outside

Outside is where you’ll find the picnic table and four chairs surrounding the fire pit. I was definitely very enthralled with how scenic and beautiful the area is. I periodically would go outside just to look around and take pictures, but I’d also go just to sit and listen to the sounds of nature that I don’t think we typically get a chance to hear or even really appreciate. In terms of space, other cabins in the neighborhood are in view but they are not close enough to bother. Everyone was extremely quiet and respectful of the overall space, which was super refreshing. I could imagine that would be highly important for you if you’re getting away from a big city.

What To Do

We are very much homebodies so this was perfect for us- doing what we normally do at home but in a different setting. We spent time reading inside and outside, we napped, and we played board games (Monopoly, Uno, Black Card Revoked, and Culture Tags). That took up a good amount of our time each night after we ate dinner until it was time for bed.

We really wanted to go for a walk on one of the hiking trails, but unfortunately it rained on and off most of our second day so we spent most of our time inside. The intimacy of the entire experience is so nice, especially if you go with people you actually like, that being stuck inside actually doesn’t matter much. It’s just nice to be somewhere that’s made for you to relax and recharge.

Food

We packed enough food so that we wouldn’t have to leave the cabin at all and there was just enough space in the refrigerator for what we took. We tried to keep it simple so we went with fruit, yogurt and eggs for breakfast and skipped lunch everyday until dinner when we were ready to grill our beyond meats on the fire pit outside. We are definitely cookers in my family and we like to use lots of seasonings and herbs, but I was actually completely comfortable just using the salt, pepper, and olive oil provided. I also was very excited about the complimentary s’mores kit that was left for us since I had never roasted anything on an open fire or made s’mores before.

Aside from the things we cooked on the fire and our breakfast foods, we took other small things to snack on throughout the day like Oreos and Skinny Pop. What didn’t fit into the refrigerator, we were able to leave on the counter or in the cabinet.

Provisions

We did not opt for a provisions package, but there is the option to have them leave certain food items in the cabin for a fee. There was a provisions charge for some of things you use in and outside of the cabin. I was okay with that because none of these items like the teabags, log bundles, or fire starters cost more than ten dollars. I really think that Getaway House does a good job of thinking ahead for you and making the trip really convenient and inexpensive overall.

Checking Out

Saying goodbye was so hard! I definitely could have stayed another week, but it’s something I’ll always keep in mind when I literally just need to “getaway.” We cleaned up as best we could and then just hit the lock on the keypad to exit and end our stay. Whatever additional provision charges you incur are just withdrawn from the card you booked with.