Tag: tiny houses

5 Things to do in Lake George, New York

Feeling like a throwback glamping trip is in order? Consider a trip to the beautiful Adirondacks in upstate New York where the who’s who have been flocking to relax and retreat since the late 1800s. Reserve a cabin or vacation cottage at Lake George Escape and get ready to time travel. BTW, Country Living magazine recently named the town of Lake George to their list of the top small towns in New York. List-making reasons included scenic views, outdoor activity, history, culture, and a lively downtown. Based on that list, we’ve found a few things to do when glamping in Lake George:

  • Scenic Views: From sunrise (check out Prospect Mountain) to sunset (check out Pilot Knob Preserve), Lake George offers plenty of scenery to be seen. The afore-mentioned sunrise/sunset locations can be added to the list that would include the views from the Lake George lakeside trail with wildflowers and steamboat views and the scenic drive on Route 9N (especially in fall).
  • Outdoor Activity: Pick your favorite outdoor activity and you can most probably find it here in Lake George. Wild water fun can include whitewater rafting (check out wildwaters.net) or parasailing over Lake George (check out parasailingadventures.com). Hiking trails include Prospect Mountain (a steep climb but great views); Amy’s Park in Bolton’s Landing (great glimpses of wildlife) and Sleeping Beauty Mountain (again, the views will not disappoint).
  • History: Although it was officially formed as the town of Lake George in 1810, the area has played a major role in history long before then. It was the site of strategic battleground in the French and Indian War and in 1759 it was home to three forts: Fort Gage, Fort George, and Fort William Henry. Visitors today can visit the Fort William Henry Museum. Other historic highlights in the area are Fort Ticonderoga, the Bolton Historical Society Museum for lots of local history, and the Rogers Island Visitor Center which is great for exhibits related to native Americans, the French Indian Wars, and the Revolutionary Era.
  • Culture: The Hyde Collection is a wonderful art museum in Glen Falls with works that span centuries of American and European art. A special exhibit featuring works by Edgar Degas will run through December 2023. The Lake George Dinner Theater is an option with the current production of Sheer Madness running through August 26 while The Sembrich, in Bolton’s Landing, has a variety of musical events running through the summer season.
  • Lively Downtown: Beach Road and Canada Street are Lake George’s busy, bustling main streets filled with shops and restaurants. Handmade gifts, candy shops, clothing and souvenir shops, and even dog-friendly restaurants can be found here. If Fido is along, check out the Adirondack Pub & Brewery.

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Reasons to be Thankful for Glamping

If you became a camper by way of the glamping trend, you know that there is plenty to be thankful for when it comes to glamping. There’s a bit more of a solid structure to keep you comfy and cozy at night, there are some pretty neat glamping accommodation options in some pretty fun locations, there’s no need to arrive before dark so you can set up camp, and the list goes on. Here are a few more things to be thankful for when it comes to glamping with Petite Retreats.

Yurts: What makes a yurt so great is its spaciousness. Most yurts can easily accommodate six people, so they are great for family trips as well as getting together with your best glamping group. Plus, they are totally cool – there’s no denying that. You’ve got a sturdy canvas roof overhead, plenty of room to socialize indoors and out, plus amenities you can’t find in a tent, like mini kitchens, ceiling fans and cable TVs! Petite Retreat yurt accommodations can be found in California, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Tiny Houses: The tiny house trend is only getting bigger as glampers find that these “home away from home” accommodations have everything you need for a perfect glamping adventure. First off, Petite Retreats’ tiny house locations are near some of the most popular travel destinations like Nashville, Tennessee, Oregon’s Mt. Hood area, Washington State’s Bavarian-styled charming town of Leavenworth, Boston’s quintessential New England towns, the vortexes of Sedona, Arizona, and the Florida Keys. Secondly, the Petite Retreat tiny homes are perfectly appointed from hip décor to the amenities like kitchens and full bathrooms! All you need to do is pick a location, settle in and check out these great areas, knowing that your comfortable tiny house awaits you at the end of a long day exploring.

Leavenworth Tiny House Village
Leavenworth Tiny House Village

Variety: If you’ve done the tiny house or the yurt glamp, there are still a lot more choices – including the unique tepee, glamping tent, and covered wagon options available at some of our California locations. Plus, there are cabins and cottages in great locations around the country. Want to experience a glamping trip in the mountains? Check out the two Lake George, New York, locations or Tuxbury Pond in New Hampshire. How about glamping near Maine’s charming Bar Harbor or the bucolic Pennsylvania Dutch Country? Our glamping accommodations are the spice of outdoor life! 

Rancho Oso RV Campground
Rancho Oso RV Campground

Location to Events and Attractions: Always wanted to experience Coachella? Book a stay at Palm Springs. Have you been wanting to see just how crazy Key West’s Hemingway Days can get? Book a stay at one of Petite Retreats’ Keys locations. How about touring Nashville’s historic Ryman Theater and taking in a show or indulging in a fried bologna sandwich at Robert’s Western World? Nashville glamping is possible with a reservation at the Natchez Trace Tiny House Village. Are healing vibes and great hikes on the agenda? Verde Valley can accommodate a Sedona glamping adventure. Check out petiteretreats.com and find your perfect glamping location.

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Tiny 101

Tiny Houses – They’re the talk of the town and all the rage. If you haven’t tried one, your friends may consider you a bit cheugy. The tiny house trend has continued to grow rather than wane in popularity, whether they are used as a permanent residence or a glamping getaway where all the comforts of home, including a roof over your head, are must-haves.

Why are they so popular? For one, they are eco-friendly and energy efficient in that they use few materials to build and less energy to cool and heat. Tiny house = tiny carbon footprint. Another plus is the creative use of space and storage. Almost everything has a dual purpose – stair risers can also double as storage drawers; the extra space up top near the roof – that’s a cozy sleeping loft. Vertical space is put to use not just for art, but also for kitchenware and other necessary items.

Otto at Leavenworth Tiny House Village
Otto at Leavenworth Tiny House Village

From a glamping perspective, you’ve got a cozy, dry spot to come home to after you’ve spent the day outside. One thing about the tiny house, since there is less inside space, the great outdoors are that much more inviting. For the first-time glamper, a tiny house accommodation might be just the thing needed to turn them into a “yes, please let’s glamp again” kind of person. Plus, do we need to say it? They are absolutely adorable.

So, before you feel left out of the tiny house loop, check out our fabulous tiny house rental offerings, pick a dreamy location, and find out what’s the big deal about tiny houses.

Mt. Hood Tiny House Village
Mt. Hood Tiny House Village

With five individual Tiny House Villages, plus two tiny houses at Verde Valley RV & Camping Resort near Sedona, there are plenty of choices. Pacific Northwest locations include Washington’s Leavenworth Tiny House Village and Mt. Hood Tiny House Village in Welches, Oregon. Warmer climate options include the sunshine-filled Florida Keys location, Sunshine Key Tiny House Village and our newest tiny house village for a near-Nashville getaway, Natchez Trace Tiny House Village. Looking to spend time in New England? Head to New Hampshire to enjoy the tinies at Tuxbury Pond Tiny House Village.

What can you expect from a tiny? Plenty! All have full bathrooms and the majority of them have a kitchen and TV with cable. If there’s no full kitchen, there are kitchen amenities like coffeemakers and mini fridges. They range in size sleeping anywhere from 2 to 7 people and several are pet friendly so if your companions are the furry kind, they’re welcome to the tiny experience. You can expect spacious indoor living space and décor and design straight out of Tiny House Today (if there was such a magazine.) Cozy quarters for a top-notch glamping experience, for sure.

Location-wise, you’ve got outdoor adventure at any location. Hiking, biking, fishing, kayaking, and canoeing are just the beginning. Plus, there’s the proximity to major cities and their attractions like Seattle (from Leavenworth), Portland (from Welches), Nashville (from Natchez Trace) and Boston (from Tuxbury Pond). There’s the serenity of Sedona and the beautiful Red Rocks when you choose Verde Valley and the island-hopping, laid-back life of the Florida Keys when you choose Sunshine Key. This is one trend you want to be a part of! Don’t get left out in the cold (especially if you’re glamping), check out all the fabulous tiny house options at petiteretreats.com and make your reservation soon.

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3 of the Best Glamping Accommodations for Summer

We all know the popularity of camping has taken off in the past few years and more people are camping than ever before. And of course, glamping has gone from a little know activity to being the “only way to camp” for some. So, what’s the difference? In reality, you’re still camping but glamping notches up the accommodations for sure. Check out some of the best glamping accommodations offered by Petite Retreats.

Yurt at Tranquil Timbers Campground
Yurt at Tranquil Timbers Campground
  1. Yurts: These circular domed tents date back to the 5th century and the word yurt actually translates to “home” in many languages. Yurts are spacious yet cozy and the yurts at Petite Retreat locations have kitchens and TVs –  just like home! Yurt glamping opportunities can be found in California, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington, and Wisconsin. Make it a beach experience and rent a yurt at Oregon’s Pacific City or a wooded wilderness adventure at Wisconsin’s Tranquil Timbers, on the state’s magnificent Door County Peninsula.

  2. Tiny Homes: Tiny homes are exactly that – all the comforts of home but just consolidated into 200 to 350 square feet! The tinies at Petite Retreats locations are decorated straight out of a magazine, located in some of the most popular vacation destinations, and really provide one of the best glamping experiences you may ever have. Our tiny homes have kitchens, bathrooms and sleeping lofts as well as plenty of space for indoor living when you’re done with outdoor adventure. From a location standpoint, renting a tiny home near Nashville, Tennessee, the beaches of New Hampshire or the Florida Keys, the woodsy Pacific Northwest, or the gorgeous Arizona Red Rock Canyon are all possibilities.

  1. Completely Unique: Have you ever camped in a covered wagon? Or a real glamping tent? Check out these unique accommodations at Petite Retreats.

The Glamping Tents, located at beautiful Marina Dunes, have queen-sized beds, two bedside tables with lamps, and cozy outdoor spaces, too. With a glamping tent, it’s like spending the night in your own bedroom. No need to pitch a tent or blow up the air mattress. When you’re done with the day, settle into bed, switch off the lamp and enjoy a comfortable sleep with the moon and stars as nightlights. Marina Dunes is adjacent to the Marina Dunes Preserve and a short drive to Monterey, where attractions include Cannery Row, the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Old Fisherman’s Wharf.

The Covered Wagon option is the perfect accommodation when you choose to glamp at Rancho Oso in Santa Barbara. Bedding down in the Covered Wagon at this western-ranch style campground will make you feel like you’ve gone back in time, except you have electricity. The Covered Wagon has camping cots and plenty of outdoor space for activities, including the glamping favorite: a campfire. Other unique accommodations at Rancho Oso include a tipi and western-style cabins. This is a fantastic location if you want to go to the beach, explore the wine country here, or beautiful downtown Santa Barbara. The campground itself offers a Western Village and horseback riding.

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Tiny House, Big Hype

The Tiny House Movement is taking the glamping community by storm. Bigger is definitely not better in this case, because these unique accommodations are even being bought and used as family homes. These tiny home owners and glampers are living in about 200 square feet, and they are lavishing in the mini–minimalistic lifestyle. Skeptics may wonder why and how people would choose to be confined in that small of a space all the time. As interesting as the concept may sound to those “bigger is better” believers, inhabitants of the homes fall in love with the experience. The hype for tiny homes is real and verifiable not only for how cute they are, but for benefits they have not only for your health but also the environment. 

Henry, a tiny house at the Tuxbury Tiny House Village.

Size isn’t everything – 

Surprisingly, some of these tiny houses can easily sleep 5 people. Fully equipped with a kitchen and full bathroom, many tiny houses also have an upstairs loft area. So, if you think you and your glamping companions will be constantly stepping on each other toes, think again. You and your four favorite friends will be housed quite comfortably, and you’ll have entertaining photos to prove it.  

They push you to spend more time outdoors – 

Although the sleeping and general living accommodations are available in a small footprint, spending all of your days inside is no way to live, regardless of square footage. Nonetheless, tiny home living pushes guests to want to be outside more, ultimately expanding their living space. More time being spent outside is related to better mental health, which might be why tiny house residents enjoy the experience so much! You are truly living with the environment in a tiny house. 

A friend to the environment –

Tiny homes are environmentally beneficial. For one, they’re typically made from wood and mostly recycled material, and use much less energy and building material compared to a normal sized house. Additionally, the average house uses approximately 30,000 pounds of CO2 a year, while tiny homes use an average of 2,000. Less electricity use and less land space, the environmental impact, or lack thereof, is just one of many reasons vacationing tiny is an attractive choice. A smaller house ultimately brings a smaller carbon footprint, and we’re talking tiny. 

Staying put is so last year –

Tiny homes can also act like RVs! If you have a vehicle that can pull and RV, it can tow a road ready tiny home, and some builders (such as Tumbleweed Tiny House Company) ensure their tinies are RVIA certified. The camping world is surely your oyster as you can still be a nomad family on the go, even though you are still technically living in a house. There’s no way to feel confined in a tiny home if you can live in it literally anywhere you choose. Tired of the warm southern weather? Just move north! You will never exhaust a location living the tiny life.  

Adeline, a tiny house at the Leavenworth Tiny House Village.

 You can give the tiny house life a try by visiting any of our tiny house villages!

 

 

 

Glamping in Style with Petite Retreats!

Thanks to the advent of “glamping,” more and more people are catching the camping bug. And, because glamping made alternatives to tent camping cool, camping is no longer just a warm-weather getaway option. With glamping becoming trendier, accommodations like yurts, cabins, and tiny houses are now sought after options, compared to the more traditional, yet weather-dependent tent and all the outdoor accoutrements associated with camping.

Glamping options like tiny houses have all the amenities of a hotel while also providing the cozy, communing with nature feeling campers seek. Cottages and cabins can range from rustic to well-outfitted yet still maintain that same “one with nature” atmosphere provided by the camping cottages and cabins of yesteryear. Yurts offer a unique way to spend time among nature in a setting that is both cozy and spacious all at once.

Whether you’re looking for a wintery glamping experience filled with hot cocoa and activities bouncing around in the snow, or escaping the cold until the winter in the North is over, there are plenty of options ready and waiting to help make your glamping dreams come true with Petite Retreats!

Is the Pacific Northwest calling your name this season? Check out the Tiny House Villages in Leavenworth, Washington, or Welches, Oregon. The Mt. Hood Tiny House Village in Welches sits amid all the winter sports activities in the area and is also close to Portland so you can get your big city fix when you’re done playing in the snow.

Leavenworth Tiny House Village has the backdrop of the Cascade Mountains (and all the snow fun that comes with it) and is, of course, is just a few miles from the Bavarian Village of Leavenworth, where you may just feel like you went to sleep in Washington and woke up in Germany!

Leavenworth Tiny House Village
Leavenworth Tiny House Village

There are also yurts at Bend-Sunriver in Oregon, the aforementioned Mt. Hood, and several Pacific Coast locations from Washington on down through Oregon. Cabins can be found in California, Oregon, and Texas. And, if you insist on spending winter on the beach, colorful cottages in Florida beckon you to locations that include the Florida Keys and centrally-located Kissimmee.

Florida speaks for itself in terms of fun and sun. Kissimmee offers perfect proximity to all the theme parks and the Keys are as close as you can get to a tropical adventure without leaving the U.S. So, enjoy a cottage in the sun and go glamping the Sunshine State.

Colorful Cottages at Fiesta Key

Pick a yurt and enjoy a stay at Tall Chief RV Resort in Fall City, Washington, which is less than a half hour outside of Seattle. Or, choose a cozy cabin at Pacific City RV Resort in Cloverdale, Oregon, and enjoy winter hiking in Cape Meares State Park. Try out staying in a cabin “Cali-style” and book a stay at Rancho Oso RV Resort, located just outside the charming city of Santa Barbara. Enjoy “America’s Riviera” as Santa Barbara is known, and take in the history, culture, arts, and local wineries.

Get your winter glamping groove on while you can! Petite Retreats provides you with lots of variety in your choice of destination, or destinations if you’ve got the time. So, get going and get glamping!

Visit petiteretreats.com to find your perfect winter glamping getaway.

Make Mt. Hood Your Happy Place

If your happy place is nestled among the trees, then there’s nothing better than the Mt. Hood Tiny House Village for your next vacation destination. Five tiny houses, all with their own individual personalities, await you at this Oregon campground in the picturesque landscape of the Pacific Northwest.

There’s Atticus, complete with modern masculine finishes as the name would imply. Atticus is 178 square feet in size with a full bathroom and kitchen and sleeps 3. He’s quite handsome with his cedar plank siding and black trim.

Atticus - Sleek + Rugged + Modern
Atticus

Atticus
Atticus

Lincoln may be more of the hipster in this group sporting red trim siding. Lincoln sleeps 5 in 261 square feet and has a full bathroom and kitchen. He’s also pet-friendly, of course.

Lincoln - Rustic & Modern
Lincoln

Lincoln
Lincoln

What can we say about Zoe? She’s boho chic with her blue finish accented by white trim. Zoe sleeps 3 and has a full bathroom and kitchen in her cool 196 square feet.

Zoe
Zoe – Wild & Free

Zoe
Zoe

Savannah is oh so charming with her light yellow cedar plank siding with white trim and red shutters. Savannah’s southern hospitality extends to three guests in her cozy 175 square feet.

Savannah - Down home grace
Savannah

Savannah
Savannah

Scarlett, at 233 square feet, is of course easily recognized by her farmhouse red cedar plank siding. Five guests can sleep easily with her double loft, complete with full bathroom and kitchen.

Scarlett - Farm House Charm
Scarlett

Scarlett
Scarlett

Each one of these tiny houses at Mt. Hood Tiny House Village offers the perfect, and unique, place to start and end your day when exploring the beauty of the area. The tiny houses are perfectly designed to make you feel that you’re a part of the natural setting while providing all the comforts and accommodations of home.

Mt. Hood Tiny House Village
Mt. Hood Tiny House Village

Mt. Hood’s must-sees include the Mt. Hood Scenic Loop, historic Timberline Lodge, and the Mt. Hood Skibowl. Mt. Hood must-dos include snowshoeing, winter waterfall hikes, skiing, and snowboarding.

Make your reservations at the Mt. Hood Tiny House Village today!