Getaway House DC: The Perfect Getaway
In my world, everything is a constant hustle. From raising 3 boys, ages 7 to 13, all the way to planning a wedding while working on the success of my personal business and brand. Stress isn’t the right word to describe the overwhelming feeling that I have when I think about my life. At some point I shut down and just need to unpack emotionally and spiritually without breaking the bank.
The Getaway House was exactly what my Fiance’ and I needed. I have to give a huge shout out to my IG follower, @kam.kirk, for giving me an inside glimpse of what this cozy, pimped out storage unit in the woods would be like via her Instagram stories. If you follow me on Instagram and also follow my stories, you were able to see the small time fun my Fiance’ and I had while away on our 2 day hiatus from the city. In this blog I’m going to go more into detail, so WHEN you decide to plan your Getaway, you’ll be prepared to take on the full experience.
Where is the Getaway Located?
There are several different locations for you to getaway to. Those locations include New York, Boston and Atlanta. There is a LA location coming soon, but our little vacation was based in DC. Don’t let the location name fool you! The cabins are nestled in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia area, which is about 2 hours away from Downtown DC. To give you an idea of the community surrounding these tiny shack-house-cabins, think cows, farms, horses and hay stacks with a sprinkle of tractors around a bend or two.
What is the Getaway House?
You’re probably wondering, what exactly is the Getaway House? Well technically, it’s not a house. Imagine, wooden storage unit, turned into the tiniest efficiency quarters you’ve ever seen (unless you live in New York, of course). It is equipped with a queen size bed, table, chair, countertop, sink, dual hot plate and a small bathroom with a toilet and a shower. The larger sized cabins come with queen bunk beds. Great for if you’d like your children to tag along. (All power to you!) Throughout the cabins are 4 small windows and one huge window replacing the majority of the wall by the bed. This window gives you a wide view of the surrounding wooded area (and maybe a neighboring cabin). No worries about privacy because each window has a darkening curtain.
What is there to do?
The whole concept of the getaway house is for you to unplug from the normal hustle and bustle of your everyday life. To help with getting you to really disconnect, each tiny house has a cellphone lockbox, a mini book shelf with 5-6 books, and you even get a complimentary S’mores package to enjoy while setting a relaxing mood at your personal camp fire in front of your cabin. Our stay lasted 2 nights. We are the type to get restless really easily and the area is pretty rural and small, so making the best out of nothing was exciting in itself. If you’re brave, you can explore the trail within the getaway cabin site. If you’re looking for something a little bigger than just your average wooded jogging trail then take a drive through The Shenandoah Valley. It’s such a breathtaking drive up into the mountains with scenic points that overlook the small towns down below.
We also ventured off to the local Winery, Early Mountain Vineyard, which was only about a 5 minute drive. Early Mountain Vineyards is a beautiful mansion turned winery with an inviting staff and natural lighting to please all selfie-takers and foodie photographers! They specialize in an array of local dry wines and I highly recommend that you taste the Early Mountain Flight paired with the Artisanal Charcuterie & Cheese Board.
What’s Good to Eat?
Like I mentioned before, we’re the type to get a little restless and cabin fever set in moments after we unpacked our bags from the car. This was a new experience for us and I wanted to explore more! About 30 minutes away from the cabin site is an old diner called the Thunderbird Cafe. The Thunderbird Cafe served breakfast all day, and hearty lunch and dinner meals. This Mom & Pop Restaurant served us up some big flavors. Flavors so big, we went twice!
The first visit, I ordered the Sausage & Gravy Biscuit with red potatoes and scrambled eggs (with cheese of course). Husbae ordered himself the Worth Your While Breakfast Burrito. We washed our food down with their fresh brewed coffee and a few blueberry mimosas. Before we got on the road to head back home, we decided the 30 minute trip in the opposite direction was worth it just to eat there once again. Still staying true to our breakfast food addiction, we took a chance on their amazing Belgian Waffles. He ordered his plain alongside a veggie omelette. I, on the other hand, went all out with their Maple-Pecan-Bacon Waffle that lived up to my expectations. For my side, I had my usual red potatoes, scrambled eggs (with cheese) and to drink, a blueberry mimosa.
Not into spending too much money on this trip? Here are a few simple ideas you can use to meal prep before you leave the house. There is a mini fridge and dual hot plate inside the tiny cabin. I packed a half carton of eggs, turkey sausage and cinnamon and slices of bread for french toast. I also packed tea bags for our morning tea drinking ritual, and I even brought along a 4 pack case of mini Simply Orange Juice and a bottle of Champagne for his Birthday Breakfast Celebration. You will have use for 1 frying pan and a medium sauce pot in the cabin but I made sure I had my cast-iron skillet, just so I could make an authentic country meal by camp fire. Me being a “my brain goes a million miles per minute” kind of person, I forgot to grab a few essential things like milk and butter. Luckily, Wolfetown Mercantile Country Store, a very homey grocery store which was located 10 minutes from the site had everything I needed. Plus, there was a huge perk! Just about everything was farm fresh. If you feel really enthusiastic there is a petting farm along side it. For a dinner option, I prepped turkey burgers at home with my favorite seasonings and kept the uncooked balls of turkey preserved in a ziplock bag. Freezing a few bottles of water and placing them in the same bag together kept them cold on the 2 hour drive into Virginia. These can be cooked on the hot plate or on the open fire. I strongly suggest cooking on the open fire for a scrumptious smokey flavor. There are small provisions in the cabin that can be used for a small fee, but I felt there was no need in me using any of them.
I found myself one night gazing out of the huge window beside our bed and watching the clouds move through the stars and moon. Having a great playlist to meditate to can make silent moments in your cabin all the more meaningful. If you are bringing a significant other, this conversation card game opens up dialogue that will have you and your boo rekindling the reasons why you fell in love in the first place. As for cost and availability, it’s strictly based on the time of year and the days you are looking to book. I easily booked my Tuesday-Thursday getaway a month in advance and it was a little over $200 in total. A comparable price for peace of mind. This perfect escape is ideal for those who want to get a break from the fast pace of city-living and take some time to appreciate life and all the nature around you. If you’re here looking for a reason to go book a Getaway House in the near future, let this definitely be your sign.
