When planning our 4th of July vacation, we had to think out of the box due to the current state of the world. We didn’t want to go to a city that would get crowded, and the idea of staying in a hotel worried us a bit. Thankfully, Facebook and Instagram bombarded me with ads for the newly open Getaway outpost near Houston and I immediately booked, especially because I was able to bring my dogs for just an additional $40!
Getaway outposts are located all over the country: Atlanta, Austin + San Antonio, Boston, Charlotte + Raleigh, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Pittsburgh + Cleveland, Portland and Washington D.C.
Get $25 off your first booking using this link!
I am not an outdoorsy person so as the trip got closer I was extremely nervous that I was not going to enjoy it. I was very wrong. This trip, just an hour outside of Houston, has been one of the most relaxing trips I’ve ever taken. It’s also the perfect way to take a quick getaway outside your city with your pups (us pet parents know how expensive it is to leave your dog in a doggy hotel).
What You’ll Find Inside Your Cabin
The cabin has everything you need for a relaxing vacation,
- AC – very important. Heat is available if you visit in the winter
- Running water (and hot water in the shower)
- A toilet
- 2 Towels
- A queen bed (the cabin will have 2 beds if you pick one for 4 people)
- Shampoo + conditioner
- Two burner stove
- Sink and drinking water
- Dishwashing soap and a sponge
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- A radio
- A landline phone for emergencies
- Books
- A deck of cards
- Plates, cups and cutlery
- Cooking utensils
- Corkscrew
- Paper towels
- Outside you’ll find: a picnic table, a fire pit and chairs
- For sale: fire kits and provisions in case you forget to bring food
I really admire the people who can camp on actual tents, because after staying in these cabins and being extremely comfortable, I don’t know how people do the great outdoors and actually sleep outdoors.
Check out our Tik Tok for a video tour of the cabin!
What You Should Bring
I’m not a light packer and I’ve never camped before but I came prepared with everything you might possibly need. Use my handy dandy packing list to make sure you don’t forget any vital items.
Personal items,
- Mosquito Repellent
- Sunblock (this is especially important if you’re visiting in the sunny summer months)
- Ankle high boots if you plan on going hiking
- Other weather appropriate shoes (sandals, tennis shoes)
- A hat to protect yourself from the sun
- Comfortable clothing, you’ll be lounging or sitting outside a lot
- Underwear, duh
- PJs
- Skincare products, I even brought masks to keep myself entertained at night
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Razor
- Make-up and make-up remover
- Phone charger
- Downloaded playlists and TV shows on your phone, iPad or laptop. You won’t have good signal out there!
Food and drinks (based on a 2-night stay),
- Water bottles
- An ice cooler with ice
- Your preferred alcoholic beverages (they have a corkscrew so don’t worry about bringing that!)
- Snacks (fruit, chips, cookies, crackers)
- Coffee, I brought individual servings of iced coffee because it would be hot. The cabin has a kettle so you can also bring instant coffee or your french press
- Creamer
- Dinner #1: Cheese and charcuterie
- Breakfast #1: Pastries we picked up on the way there
- Lunch #1: Hot dogs (grilled in the fire pit), chips, watermelon, potato salad
- Dinner #2: Gnocchi, pasta sauce and parmesan cheese
- Breakfast #2: Yogurt and fruit
- Don’t forget about the s’mores: you’ll need graham crackers, marshmallows and a bar of your favorite chocolate
- Metal skewers for the hot dogs + the marshmallows
- Plastic cups (the cabin has a few cups but if you’ll be drinking wine I recommend bringing your own.
- Napkins
- Ziplock bags
For your pups,
- Leashes and harnesses
- Dog food
- Dog bowls if you need more than 2 bowls (the cabin had 2 metal bowls)
- Dog treats
- Dog toys
What to do at your Getaway House
From walking your dogs, to making s’mores, taking naps and having dance parties inside the cabin. There’s lots you can do on a 2 night stay at Getaway!
I checked in at 3PM on Friday and spent a good bit unpacking and checking out all that the cabin had to offer. We then took the dogs on a walk on the walking trail, we didn’t get too far because the grass started to get really tall and there are rattlesnakes in the area.
Once we got hungry, we put our cheese plate together + opened a bottle of wine and hung out by the picnic table. It was very hot so we quickly ran inside and took a very long nap. When we woke up, we built a fire by the fire pit (my first time building a fire!) and made a couple of s’mores! Once it was dark outside, we want back into the cabin, put the radio on, opened another bottle of wine and just relaxed.
It gets pitch dark once the sun goes down, so I highly recommend you spend the night inside the cabin to avoid running into any critters!
The following day we slept in a bit, I spent some time shooting content with the gorgeous window by the cabin bed (shoutout to my boyfriend, Javi for being the photographer on this trip), and then spent some time walking around with the dogs. After sweating in the 100F+ Texas heat, we were ready to grill some hot dogs! We ate, drank beer and hung around the fire pit for a bit.
When thinking about what food to bring to this type of trip, I recommend bringing items you can grill easily, or that you have premade and require minimum prep. You’re there to unwind, not stress over cooking!
After lunch, we went back into the cabin, read books while listening to music, napped a bit and enjoyed each other’s company. The next morning we had coffee, packed up and were on our way home. I honestly didn’t want to leave the Getaway cabin, I loved it so much!
If you want to take a stress-free, socially distanced trip this year, I highly recommend Getaway! I’ve never felt so relaxed since 2019, it’s been one of the best trips I’ve taken in the recent months.
PS: I know safety is a concern, especially for solo travelers. The area felt super safe, the cabins are spread apart but you can see other cabins from your area. The cabin locked with a code keyless lock and had a door stopper on the inside.
xo,
Ready to book your Getaway trip? Use this link or use code JAVIER!
