Get Away and Get Grounded With Getaway
How has the year gone? Let me count the ways. In early spring, my manager left the company and I took over the job – more money but also longer hours at work. Hail damage from a summer storm meant re-doing the roof. And, as the summer started winding down, Jo and I became the proud parents of Sparky, a Golden Retriever puppy. The holidays found us busier than ever… and more exhausted than ever, too. We needed a break, some time to decompress and reflect.
Jo booked a Getaway cabin. I’d never heard of such a thing, but Jo explained. Getaway offers the overwhelmed and weary the opportunity to relax in nature. They have cozy cabins about two hours away from most major cities and provide the best of the outdoors with indoor comforts. They’re family and pet-friendly, which means – for a small fee – we could bring Sparky with us.
So off we went!
The cabin was a very pleasant surprise: We found queen beds with fresh sheets. A/C & heat. A real shower with hot water. A private toilet. A kitchenette with a mini-fridge, a two-burner stove, and cooking basics like salt, pepper, olive oil. A lockbox to store intrusive mobile devices in. And… no wifi. Outside, was a fire pit, chairs, a picnic table, and more. With 50 to 150 feet between cabins, Getaway is socially distant by design – check-in and check-out are contact-free.
We relaxed immediately. I’d read about the positive effects of experiencing nature up close. Now, I totally got it. Breathing in the fresh, clean air, I felt the tensions of the year slipping away. And if you think I was happy, you should have seen Sparky! He’s a city dog and the most he knows about the natural world is the local dog park. He stayed on his leash – that’s required for all dogs outside the cabins – but I could tell he was ecstatic. (The squirrels maybe not so much...)
A cup of tea followed an afternoon nap in the warm and ultra-comfy bed. Refreshed, I did something I haven’t done in well over a year: I brought out my sketchbook. I keep what I call a visual diary, a record of the people, places, and things I encounter in the course of a day. I’d mostly seen the same people, places, and things for the last 18 months, so I tucked the sketchbook at the top of a bookshelf.
But, feeling reinvigorated and connected, I did a quick drawing of Jo and Sparky. When I gazed out the window, a breeze tossed the branches around and I could hear the birdcall. I hadn’t felt that content in a long, long time...
The first night Jo and I relaxed in the Adirondack chairs in front of our very own private fire pit. We toasted the brightly shining stars and Getaway for this exquisite setting and the opportunity to sit back, relax, think, and rejuvenate.
The next morning, the three happy campers hiked some beautiful trails. Then we drove into a nearby village and bought fresh-baked bread from a farmer’s market, dipped into an antique shop, and a well-stocked bookstore. Afterward, we had cappuccinos to die for. Sparky stuck with water.
Then it was back to the cabin, where we talked and dreamed. With our phones stashed away, surrounded by the trees and hills, we had the time and brain space to slow things down, reflect on what matters in our lives… and truly appreciate each other. What a fantastic weekend.
Which is why I recommend Getaway. Not only are their cabins super-affordable – they start at about $99 bucks a night – they’re also convenient. You can find them about two hours away from Atlanta, Austin, San Antonio, Boston, Charlotte, Raleigh, Portland, Seattle, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Nashville, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, New Orleans, Minneapolis, Kansas City, and Washington, D.C.
When you need a break, want to recharge your batteries, or simply spend quiet time with yourself, your loved ones – or your fine, furry friend – one word is all you need to know: Getaway.
