Stay Cool With These Great Water Retreats

Door County – WI

The perfect mix for summer fun in the sun is some glamping with a side of water! And when we say water we mean the rivers, lakes, and oceans just waiting for you to enjoy near your favorite glamping spot. Here’s a water-based itinerary to keep in mind:

Wisconsin Water: Like its northern neighbor, Minnesota, Wisconsin has plenty of lakes and waterways to explore via canoe and kayak as well as for fishing fun. A few glamping options include Tranquil Timbers in Door County. Up here on this beautiful Wisconsin peninsula, you’re surrounded by the waters of Lake Michigan and Green Bay. There are also several lakes in Door County including Kangaroo Lake in Baileys Harbor and Little Lake (named because it is the smallest) on Washington Island. Rent a cabin, cottage or yurt at Tranquil Timbers and explore the waters of Door County. Another fun Badger State glamping location with a lakeside location is Neshonoc Lakeside. Located on one of Wisconsin’s best fishing lakes for walleye, bass, northern pike, and perch, there are several glamping cabin rentals available here if you’re angling to fish this summer! And, you can’t forget the waterpark variety found in the Wisconsin Dells, aptly considered the water park capital of the world. The Tiny House Container Village at Yukon Trails is about 10 minutes from the action, and are a great choice for a unique and sustainable Dells getaway!

Neshonoc Lakeside – WI

Oceanside: If you’re wanting to spend your summer glamping oceanside, there are several options to choose from. The waters of the Atlantic can be easily accessed with a visit to our East Coast locations including Mt. Desert Narrows and Narrows Too (rent a glamping cabin at these great Bar Harbor spots); with a tiny house rental at Tuxbury Pond Tiny House Village in New Hampshire; and the idyllic resort towns of Cape Cod (check out the cottage rentals at Gateway to Cape Cod). Heading south for warmer Atlantic waters? Check out the Florida glamping cabin rentals at Miami Everglades and Sunshine Key Tiny House Village in Big Pine Key. Pacific Coast options include  Oregon’s Pacific City or Seaside (rentals include glamping cabins and cottages), where the beach is just steps from the campground.

Encore Sunshine Key

Running the Rivers: Can we really divide people into ocean, lake, and river people? If you feel more in tune with rivers, then consider these glamping locations, including the one where a river literally runs through it. That one is California’s Ponderosa, which has the South Fork of the American river running through it. A great place for rafting, tubing, and canoeing with great glamping cabin rentals. Head to Bend, Oregon to explore all the Little Deschutes River has to offer. Rent a glamping cabin, cottage, or yurt at Bend-Sunriver and paddle, tube, or canoe the scenic waterway and enjoy the view.

Thousand Trails Ponderosa

Lake Life: When you glamp with Petite Retreats, living the lake life while glamping is one sure thing. Countless glamping locations are located lakeside. So, if your mantra for your next glamping trip is “Sorry can’t. Lake. Bye.” then we have some choices for you. Lake Minden, located in California’s Sacramento Valley, has a 41-acre private lake onsite that is perfect for boating or fishing for catfish or largemouth bass. Lake life in the foothills of the Sierras? Texas has lake offerings too including Lake Conroe with its 22,000-acre lake world-famous for fishing and great glamping cabin rentals. Speaking of rentals, paddle boats, kayaks and canoes are also available for rent. Alabama’s Hidden Cove sits on Smith Lake known for its crystal clear waters and great fishing. Rent a glamping cottage or cabin and see for yourself.

Thousand Trails Hidden Cove

So much water, so little time! Check out petiteretreats.com and see what body of water can be found at your favorite glamping location.

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Last Minute Trips for Your 2021 Bucket List

It’s been awhile, but think back to early January 2021. What resolutions did you make then? What about that 2021 Bucket List? Is everything crossed off? If not, we’ve got a few ideas on how to clear the slate to get ready for your 2022 list. 

  1. See a National Landmark: In a list of the Top 10 National Landmarks compiled by flightcentre.com, two are nearby to our locations that enjoy year-round visitors. Those include Hoover Dam (less than 35 miles from cozy cabins at our Las Vegas location); and the iconic Space Needle in Seattle (less than 30 miles from the yurts and cabins at Tall Chief RV & Camping Resort). Another must-see landmark is the historic Alamo, in San Antonio, Texas, which is less than an hour from the cabins at Medina Lake.

2. Drive an Iconic Highway: A drive on the 100-mile-plus engineering marvel known as Florida’s Overseas Highway will take you from the southern tip of Florida down to the Florida Keys with the beautiful waters of the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico all around you. Choose to stay two hours north of the road’s starting point in a cabin at our Miami Everglades Resort or stay at one of our Keys locations, Sunshine Key or Fiesta Key. Enjoy a glamping experience in a cottage or glamping tent at California’s Marina Dunes and enjoy an equally glamorous experience along the 17-Mile Drive that includes charming towns, woodlands, and ocean views along the Monterey Peninsula. 

3. Learn a new skill: ‘Tis the season to don a pair of snowshoes and tackle this winter sport. Consider a stay in a snow covered cabin at Tahoe Valley in California’s Lake Tahoe area and learn how to traverse and glissade with the best of them. Stalk the striper and try your hand at catching hybrid striper bass in the winter waters of Texas’ Lake Conroe. Book a stay in a cabin at Lake Conroe RV & Camping Resort in Willis and see what you can catch. How about hopping on a “fat bike” and tooling around the snowy trails available near Leavenworth, Washington. Book a tiny house at Leavenworth Tiny House Village to go along with your fat bike experience!

Family Trip at Thousand Trails Lake Conroe Campground
Family Trip at Lake Conroe Camping & RV Resort

4. Girls’ Trip, Guys’ Trip, Family Trip, Couples’ Trip: Whichever one remains on your list unchecked, Petite Retreats has locations that can satisfy any of them (or all if you’ve got the time). Perfect family trip locations can include Orlando and all the theme park fun (book a stay in a colorful cottage at Tropical Palms Resort in Kissimmee, Florida) or Yosemite National Park in winter with all its activities (try a yurt at Yosemite Lakes RV Resort in Groveland, California); California’s wine country and a girl’s trip are a perfect match and a cabin or cottage accommodation at Russian River is the perfect wine country girl’s getaway home base. Nashville is great for girls, guys, and family fun depending on the activities you choose – there are bars and honky tonks, historic sites, museums, and outdoor adventure to be found here – and any of the rental cabins at nearby Natchez Trace work for all of these groups. Guys trip options could include the casinos and nightlife of Las Vegas (stay in a cabin or cottage at our Las Vegas location) or deep-sea fishing charters in the Florida Keys (Sunshine Key Tiny House Village is a great option as they run charters from the resort). Looking for romance? Check out the tiny house and cabin accommodations at Verde Valley in Arizona’s scenic and transformative Red Rocks country or a cozy cabin at Rancho Oso RV & Camping Resort in Santa Barbara and explore this charming California oceanside town with its wineries, architectural tours, and romantic sunsets. 

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Black History Sites

The historic and famous Acorn Street in Boston

February is Black History Month. In 1976, President Gerald Ford officially recognized the month of February as a time to “recognize the accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” However, the original concept to recognize black history dates to the early 1900s and is attributed to Carter G. Woodson, who is considered the “father of black history.” There are many historic sites throughout the US significant to black history, including the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which opened in 2016 in Washington DC. The museum is the largest destination dedicated to the African-American experience. A few more sites are listed here.

Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument: Part of the National Park System, this location in Wilberforce, Ohio, preserves and interprets the legacy of the Buffalo Soldier of the U.S. Army. Through photos and other multi-media exhibits, visitors can learn about these soldiers who served in America’s wars, beginning with the Civil War.

Wilberforce is approximately 30 miles from the cabins and cottages at Wilmington.

National Civil Rights Museum:  The museum, located in Memphis, Tennessee, explores the history of the Civil Rights Movement and houses more than 260 artifacts. Through these artifacts, films and other multi-media exhibits, visitors can trace the history of the movement beginning with the 17th century. The museum is built around the Lorraine Motel, which was the site of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Memphis is approximately 68 miles from the cozy cabins at Cherokee Landing.

Frederick Douglass National Historic Site: Visitors to this national park in Washington, D.C., can tour Cedar Hill, where Frederick Douglass lived from 1877 until his death in 1895, through a guided tour with a Park Ranger. There is also a film, Fighter for Freedom: The Frederick Douglass Story, as well as other historical exhibits.

Freedmen’s Town National Historic District: This neighborhood in Houston was one of several areas established by freed slaves after the Civil War. Roughly 1000 freed slaves settled the community after leaving the cotton plantations of Texas. The history of the area can be explored at the Rutherford B.H. Yates Museum and the African American Library at the Gregory School.

Houston is about 50 miles from Lake Conroe, where you can stay in a cozy cabin.

African American National Historic Site/Black Heritage Trail: The Black Heritage Trail runs through the city of Boston, Massachusetts, and highlights 15 pre-Civil War structures and historic sites important to black history. The African Meeting House, which is the oldest surviving black church in the United States, dating to 1806, is on the trail. The trail also includes the home of John Coburn, an African-American abolitionist who aided the efforts of the Underground Railroad.

Boston is 45 miles from the Tuxbury Tiny House Village.