Tiny cabins are all the rage. There is something about this new “glamping” experience that speaks to the soul somehow, especially during the pandemic. Instagram-worthy and inexpensive, they are the perfect “getaway” from it all in order to unwind and soothe the soul. There is a company called “Getaway” that currently has tiny cabins in twelve cities, usually two to three hours away from major cities such as Atlanta, Austin/San Antonio, Boston, Charlotte/Raleigh, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Pittsburgh/Cleveland, Portland, and Washington, D.C.

The company advocates “unplugging” to “getaway”, and there isn’t even a television in the tiny cabin. What IS in the tiny cabin are several books to borrow while you are there, firewood, a campfire, a/c and heat, coffee makers, and a tiny kitchen stocked with pots, pans, dishes, and other supplies to make cooking a focus of your stay. They advocate packing light, as you can even buy some provisions, such as pasta and sauce, right in the cabin. Furthermore, the website offers many recipes for cooking in the firepit, too. The thought of breaking bread together with my family or sharing something we made over the fire in the middle of the woods where there is NOTHING to do but to relax and enjoy each other’s company sounds both delightful and inviting.

Along with the outdoor firepit with a grilling grate, there are outdoor chairs and a picnic table as well. The queen sized bed looks comfortable, and many of these cozy cabins have an additional queen bed in a loft above the other queen bed. The windows adjacent to the bed let in LOTS of light but have a shade for those who prefer to sleep within the darkness. There is enhanced covid cleaning protocol, and the housekeeping staff wears masks and gloves while cleaning the cabins two times longer than they normally do.

What I love about this company is the minimalist Scandinavian-inspired decor, private bathroom/shower within the cabin, complete with toiletries such as shampoo, conditioner, and body wash, and the idea that I can book on-line and receive the code to the locked door via email prior to my arrival. That means, in the days of the pandemic, there is no need to check-in at a front desk or speak to anyone at all. There is no pressure to social distance, as there is no need to speak to anyone at all. This could be JUST the remedy for the stresses of the pandemic and just the break you are looking for. In fact, the website says to:

1. Book your escape.
2. Sit back.
3. Just Be.

The website also offers the following questions to get to know your friends and/or family a little better while at your Getaway tiny cabin (questions are taken from their website):

• What is your favorite childhood memory?
• If you could’ve been born anywhere else, where would you have wanted to grow up, and why?
• What’s your go-to stress reliever?
• What songs have you memorized?
• If your life was a book or a movie, what would the title be, and why?
• What song, movie, or book has meant the most to you, and why?
• Describe your perfect weekend.
• What is something you really want to learn, and why?
• What is your favorite place that you’ve traveled to, and why?
• If you could become bilingual in another language right now, what language would you choose?
• Which if your friends or family do you look up to most?
• What were some of your favorite hobbies when you were a kid, and what are your favorite hobbies now?
• What’s your favorite city, and why?
• Where is your favorite place in nature, and why?
• What’s the wildest thing you’ve ever done?
• What pets did you have when you were growing up?
• What’s the most important element to strong friendships?
• What’s something small that always makes your day better?
• What food couldn’t you live without?
• What’s your most-worn piece of clothing?
• What’s the most impressive thing you know how to do?
• What’s one question that you’d most like to know the answer to?
• What’s something that you think everyone should do in their lives?
• Who inspires you?
• What are your favorite smells?
• What’s something you’ll never do again?
• What’s the most memorable gift you’ve received? What’s the most memorable gift that you’ve given?
• What are you most grateful that your parents taught you?
• What are your favorite and least favorite things about getting older?
• What’s one responsibility you wish you didn’t have?
• What’s the best and worst advice you’ve ever received?
• What small gestures from strangers have meant the most to you?
• What personality traits do you value the most?
• What do you bring with you wherever you go?
• Who was your most interesting teacher in high school or college?
• What question have you not asked me?
• What is the most amazing true story you’ve ever heard?

On the Getaway Facebook page, I found a posting recently by the founder of Getaway and loved it:

“I’ve been thinking about the language we use to describe our relationship to time. We spend time. We invest time. If we’re foolish, we waste time; if we’re wise, we budget it. And of course, we long for free time. Notice a theme? Today, as we seek out life hacks and productivity apps to squeeze the most out of every minute, it seems we’ve collectively bought into the idea that time is money (and we never have enough of either).

What if instead of thinking of time as a currency, we thought of it as a natural resource? What if, instead of thinking of time as something to spend (or waste, or budget, or maximize), we thought of it as something to experience?” – Jon Staff

Such wise words that Jon has written to ponder today and every day.

Life is good and full of a myriad of wonderful experiences. Why not try a tiny cabin to escape the stresses of the pandemic to get away soon? Carpe diem, friends…

(*all photos courtesy of the Getaway Facebook page)