Getaway Cabin Review
“Without emptiness, creation cannot happen.”
Dodik Cahyendra
In 2006, Nine Inch Nails released the 3rd single, "Every Day Is Exactly The Same," from their album "With Teeth." A song that would go on to hit #1 on the Billboard Modern Rock singles chart that year. It has recently become the unofficial theme song for 2020 for some. This year has mostly been about trying to creatively bring something new to each day. The pandemic has turned us all into trees firmly rooted in our own homes. While the necessitated isolation helps promote safety for all us, the longing to travel has steadily drummed in the background. Social media is mostly barren of images of friends exploring far off reaches. Only a careful few have ventured out responsibly and of those a handful made their way to a Getaway Cabin. Each of them seeking out a space where they could dive deeper into the creative and reflective process. So we decided to test it out also.
It is not unreasonable at first glance to consider Getaway just another form of glamping. Set up in purchased lands near natural preserves, each Getaway location serves as a nearby escape from many major cities. The sites are home to over 20 micro-habitats spaced evenly apart, across serene settings. Ours was located in Suches between Blue Ridge and Dahlonega. The positioning not so remote to draw on survivalist skills; but instead ideal for Turning Off and Tuning Out the everyday monotony. A humble experience lies inside of a small bubble all your own. You can go and not leave the same four walls or grounds for days. Or you may venture out and explore local areas and hike. But you will get to decompress at the very least.
Decompressing is the essence of Getaway. This is a deconstructed experience, where the outside is in and inside is out. The formula for this simplicity consists of removing distractions to balance the equation between the self and life. Remove the city, remove the wifi, all but kill the cellular signal, and shrink the domicile. All while increasing the natural space around you. Ironically, the strongest cellular signal is at the height of the nature walk a half mile into the woods.
Getaway excels at encouraging simplicity and minimalism in your normal life as a take away from your stay. Everything you normally live with is condensed down to under 150 square feet. The small form factor of everything gets you to focus on intentionality and purposeful actions. I have espoused the virtue of these two mindsets before and how they help make for a more meaningful life. Getaway is a great place to refresh these principles if you already live by them or to discover them for the first time.
I have woefully undersold the value of a Getaway trip but I sincerely hope you go at least once. Some helpful advice for your trip. Don’t bring much with you except some prepared meals that you can reheat on the stove or over the campfire. Bring physical books to get away from your screens. Three days and two nights is an ideal stay for a couple. If you are alone and working on a creation, you can probably stay a week. Bring a puzzle or board game with you. The Georgia location has at least three vineyards near by to relax at. Most of all, just rest. We don’t do enough of that in our "always on" lives. The website also offers a great packing list.
There are already competitors out there to Getaway, which speaks to the success of the experience. True to flattery, they seem to have copied the Getaway formula bit for bit. Time will judge which operation wins out, but the growth of this segment clearly highlights a simple need. A strong desire for even small moments of simplicity in a hectic world. I wouldn’t be surprised to see one of the major hotel chains buy up Getaway or one of their challengers soon. Though, it would be odd to see the builders of towering hotels suddenly peddling tiny rustic escapes. Regardless, the demand necessitates that everyone wants a simpler experience every now and then.
