2021 was a rough year as my family and I were going through a lot of unwanted changes. I needed to be alone with my thoughts and wanted to have a slow-paced experience. If you’ve read any of my previous posts, you’d know that I love solo trips. In July of 2021, I was ready to take my first solo trip since 2019. I’d seen advertisements about the Getaway cabins and was attracted to the “glamping” lifestyle that they offer. The Getaway cabins are ideal for glamping (glamorous camping) which is right up my alley (I am not super outdoorsy when it comes to camping).

For those who may not know, “glamping” is basically fancy camping. Instead of snoozing in a sleeping bag, you’d have a comfortable mattress or small bed. Instead of using candles for light, you’d have either fancy lanterns or electricity. The Getaway cabins are basically tiny homes situated in the woods with beautiful views located throughout the United States. My Getaway cabin was located in Suches, Georgia, and was advertised as a getaway from Atlanta. When booking these getaways, know that you’ll be miles away from the advertised city. For example, the Charlotte/Raleigh, NC getaway cabins are actually in Asheboro, NC (approximately an hour and thirty minutes from both cities). 

I’ve never been camping before, so I had to do research on what type of food would be best to have while there. Before heading to the north Georgia area, I bought enough groceries that would last for 2 days. I knew that the cabin included wood and a small grill to set up a campfire, so getting vegetables and meat that could go on a skewer were ideal. In the event that the campfire wasn’t going to work out for me, the cabin had a small stove that I could use (I’ll talk more about the cabin itself later in this post). I also packed things for breakfast, snacks, water, and my favorite wine! To add to the outdoorsy theme for this trip, I discovered that there were many waterfalls and hiking trails that I could visit. After doing some research on waterfalls that are accessible through easy hiking trails, I decided to add Duke Creek Falls and Anna Ruby Falls as stopping points before heading to the cabins. I did additional research and realized that the cabins were about 45 minutes away from Helen, Georgia which is known for their German-esque atmosphere. This quaint town is also in the same area as the falls which worked out perfectly! Please know that I had to do A LOT of research about all the places I visited for this trip, including looking at reviews to determine how safe they were for solo traveling. Once I had the logistics of my trip, I was ready to go!

Day 1: I decided that I would go to the waterfalls and Helen before checking into my cabin. Like regular hotels, I couldn’t check in until the afternoon. I decided to wake up early and make Duke Creek Falls my first stop. Since it was not crowded, parking was super easy. Since it is a state park, be prepared with cash or coins to pay a very small parking fee. The hike from the entrance to the waterfall was about 2 miles long with mostly flat terrain until you actually reach the waterfall area. The views were absolutely amazing and I took several minutes to take it all in.

My next stop was 21 minutes away towards Anna Ruby Falls. It was a little past noon by the time I got there, so it was a bit more crowded than Duke Creek Falls. While this trail from the entrance to the waterfall was only .4 miles, it didn’t seem like it was a hike for a beginner as you are constantly walking at an incline to get to the falls. Since I’d already made the trek through Duke Creek Falls, I may have already been a little worn out physically. I remember being excited about making the easier decline down the trail once I left the falls. Like Duke Creek Falls, Anna Ruby was stunning! I will say that I didn’t get to enjoy the falls at Anna Ruby as much because of the number of people congregated by the falls. It was difficult to get a picture of the falls without someone unknowingly photobombing it.

My next stop was to Helen, Georgia which was about 15 minutes away from Anna Ruby Falls. I’ve been to Germany and wanted to feel a bit of nostalgia by visiting the town. I was impressed! While it still felt very American, I loved the atmosphere of Helen. It was pretty busy and finding a parking space was a bit of a hassle. I was super hungry once I got there, so I stopped to eat at the Hofbrauhaus. In Germany, the Hofbrauhaus was my FAVORITE restaurant that I visited while there. I ordered the schweinshaxe (pork knuckle) with sauerkraut, red cabbage, and mashed potatoes. I knew that it would be a huge chunk of meat and I put a pretty good dent in it! With my food, I had a Paulener beer. Hefeweizen beer is my favorite type of German beer. With a full belly, I walked around the main town area where there are local shops and more restaurants. If I ever go back to Helen, I would love to try out the other German restaurants that are there. In the main square area, there is outdoor seating where you can grab food and drinks and relax by people-watching or taking in the area. It was such a unique experience.

I wanted to get to the cabin before the sun set since I knew I’d be driving in mountain areas with little or no street lighting. After my adventure to Helen, it was time to head to my Getaway cabin located in Suches, Georgia. I had to drive through the mountains and was relieved that I did so while the sun was still out. When you drive into the Getaway community, you’ll see that there are other cabins within close proximity to you. Each cabin has a name, and the company does a great job of providing maps of where to find your cabin. My cabin was named Rosemary and she was pretty easy to find. On the day of your trip, you are given a special code to get into the cabin. Once I entered mine, it was just as it was pictured on the website. When you first walk in, there is a mini kitchen with a sink, a stove with two burners, a mini fridge, and kitchen utensils (i.e., knives, a cutting board, cups). To the right is the bathroom area where there is a toilet and shower. There’s toilet tissue, wash clothes, and towels for you to use. Like many hotels, the shower has body wash, shampoo, and conditioner. To the left of the mini kitchen was a small desk, the AC unit (it was July and this was a selling point for me), and a full-sized bed with a beautiful forest view. While I didn’t read the books, there were a few next to the bed which added a cute aesthetic. They even left a s’mores kit! The company left a cute note and I felt at ease. On the desk was a box to place your phone in. The purpose of the cabins is to unwind and disconnect from the craziness of life. I had limited phone access because I was literally in the mountains and in the woods. Since I was alone, I did not utilize the box but would do so if I wasn’t alone. I took a shower and got settled in. My only concern the first night was setting up a campfire. Thankfully, they had firestarters, wood, and lighters to help out. The first fire that I set wasn’t as big as I anticipated and that eased my nerves. I made steak skewers with veggies and they were delicious. After eating, I was exhausted from my adventures earlier that day and went to bed.

Day 2: I woke up and used the mini stove to make an omelet with the groceries that I bought. To be honest, I didn’t do much that day besides laying around, reading books, taking pictures, journaling, and exploring the property. There were several other cabins in the area that were hidden from each other by trees. The views of the open landscape were refreshing and allowed me to clear my thoughts. Later that night, I made chicken skewers with vegetables. I even made s’mores that night and my fire to the grill was much better than the night before.

Day 3: I had to check out by 11 AM and was so sad to go but happy that I did something that was out of my element hen going on adventures. At that time, I needed the space to unpack everything that happened months prior and I have no regrets about it.

Within the pamphlets that were in the cabin, something that stood out to me was ways to “getaway” without having to pay to go to a cabin to achieve that feeling. It was mentioned that you can “getaway” within your home by doing things such as turning off the TV or putting your phone away even if for a few minutes to decompress. These strategies of taking a step back to care for your mental health can even be used when at work. It doesn’t mean that you are avoiding whatever difficult issue is occurring, but I think that it is healthy to take a step back to reflect and process what is actually happening in life. While glamping may not be everyone’s cup of tea, I do urge you to create your own “getaway’ within spaces where you feel comfortable. Cheers to more getaways!