My first day in my Getaway, I awoke around my normal weekday time of 5:30, gazed out at the flecks of light beginning to show in the forest outside my window and shot a couple photos of the coming dawn. Then I snuggled my pup Felix, who was nestled beside me, and fell back to sleep. I dozed on and off till 9:30, the latest I’ve slept in years.
When eventually I dragged myself out of bed, I gave Felix breakfast and a walk. I made eggs and bacon on the cooktop. Took a shower and straightened up the space. Did the dishes. Went right back to bed and took a 2 hour nap.
After I woke up, I took the dog for a walk on the nature trail along the stream. Fed the dog dinner. Read for a bit in the Adirondack chair by the fireplace. Started dinner prep. Built a fire. Opened a bottle of wine. Cooked a burger over the fire. Drank wine, read my Kindle, and stoked the fire until it was time for bed.
And that was a day at Getaway. Nothing says you can’t do more—my Getaway location was near the Shenandoah Mountains in Virginia, with plenty of hiking trails in the National Park, and vineyards and breweries in the other direction. But Getaway encourages you to take a break—“lock away your phone, connect with those who matter most, and enjoy free time in nature,” instructs their website. That kind of break was truly what I needed.
I told myself there was nothing I had to accomplish that weekend. No agenda. On the second day, when I awoke to the staccato tapping of rain on the roof and raindrops creeping down the oversized window beside my bed, I settled into the prospect of a rainy day indoors, mostly lying in bed, sipping tea with my dog’s snout nuzzled against me while I read a book and planned some future travel.
Getaway offers all of the good parts of camping, and none of the bad. Instead of streaming tv, I watched the sun rising through the trees, squirrels scampering through the dry leaves, and the flames of the campfire. Instead of a podcast, I listened to the flap of a crow’s wings flying overhead, a woodpecker tapping in the high reaches of a nearby oak, and dogs howling in the distance like their primordial lupine ancestors.
At the same time, I had a solid roof over my head and slept in a soft bed with clean linens. Had a private toilet and enough hot running water for a decent length shower.
The Getaway houses are thoughtfully designed tiny houses, constructed in with multiple tiers for efficient use of space. (Felix particularly loved this because he could easily get up and down from the bed, which he no longer can with his arthritis.)
The kitchen is equipped with all the basics: camping mugs, plates, bowls, and cups, one pot and pan, and a two-burner stove with a kettle. They provide salt, pepper, and olive oil packets free of charge, and charge only nominal fees for tea, coffee, water, smores—we are not talking hotel minibar prices here. Outdoors, you have all the supplies you need for making a fire.
As Getaway promises in its site’s “What should I pack?” FAQ section, you really can pack “Not much!” beyond food and few changes of clothes. As soon as I thought of something that was missing, I found it wasn’t missing after all. “Nothing to store food in,” I thought the first night. The next morning, I found aluminum foil under the sink. “The lights are awfully bright in here,” I thought the second night, moments before seeing the tiny dimmer switch.
Even Felix was provided for, for only a $50 fee. The puppy welcome kit included s’mores treats (no chocolate of course), poop bags (hint-hint), and a towel (hint-hint again). There was even a cable outside to keep a dog safely leashed but with freedom to move.
Getaway is the perfect option for the novice outdoorsman. For those who like the idea of camping, but miss the creature comforts. For those trying to convince the wife or new girlfriend to try camping. For those who think sleeping on the ground is a young man’s game. For those who just need to get out of town to rest and recharge with minimal planning.
All that said, Getaway is not cheap. Weeknights were comparatively inexpensive, but weekends were just as expensive as local rates for a much more well-appointed AirBnB. In some ways, it feels like a scam on yuppies, paying exorbitantly for a rustic lifestyle that is simply normal life for many people. If you want an inexpensive getaway in the woods, camping is a much better bet. That said, I loved it.
P.S. I’m not being paid for this review! I truly enjoyed Getaway and I would go there again, not least because Felix truly loved the place. (I am, however, open to sponsorships, should anyone be interested.)