We know that with the hustle and bustle of city life, it can be hard for artists to carve out time to create. That’s why we started our Artist Fellowship Program, to give creatives uninterrupted time in nature to work on their projects. We love seeing what our artists make during their time with us, so we’re excited to share with you some of our fellows from this season.
Photographer Albert Groshenko knows how difficult it can be to find balance in his life. As an economics student at Columbia, Albert says he is lucky enough to draw inspiration from every street corner of New York City. He believes the sidewalk has become our culture’s “runway,” and loves seeing how artfully people choose to present themselves to the world.
Despite his love for the city, Albert still enjoys escaping to the woods. During his Getaway in Epsom, N.H., Albert took photos, cooked on an open fire, and slept amid the trees. While he loves working with his camera, Albert says he would love to one day create his own line of menswear, in addition to the finance career he aspires to.
Sophie Calhoun has been drawing for most of her life, but she had to take a hiatus from her art when life got too crazy. Once she graduated college though, Sophie rededicated time to her work and says she’s happy creating visual art again.
Sophie says she loves escaping into nature and gaining a fresh perspective, so she was able to spend some time creating illustrations while at Getaway Boston. Sophie says she usually gets her inspiration from a desire to visually represent complex concepts, like emotions. She loves storytelling and world-building and dreams of one day using her skills to create a graphic novel or video game.
Interested in becoming an Artist Fellow? Apply here.
Your getaway is about finding time to disconnect in order to reconnect – whether with family, friends, or nature. After or en route to a restful break at one of our cabins, there’s plenty to explore in the area, whatever may pique your interest.
Here’s our guide to nearby attractions and things to do along the way:
Getting There
Nestled in the Chattahoochee National Forest, your secluded escape is easily accessible from Atlanta. The best way to get there is by car; the cabins are about a two hour drive from the city. Parking is easy and available for every cabin. If you don’t have a car yourself, consider carpooling with a friend, or renting a car in the city. If all else fails, your journey will take you longer, but you can take a Greyhound bus to Gainesville, which is an hour-long Uber or Lyft from the location.
The drive to Postcard Cabins Chattahoochee can get windy and steep. Be sure to prepare by knowing your route ahead of time, and addressing any motion sickness needs you might have.
Walks in the Mountains Near Our Cabins
Jarrard Gap Trail Hike Distance: 1mile Difficulty: Easy Dogs allowed on-leash Close by your cabin, this trail climbs gradually from Lake Winfield Scott Campground and merges with the Appalachian Trail. With ridge-line views, the path continues into the Blood Mountains in a lovely loop.
Cooper Creek Trail Hike Distance: 1.7 miles Difficulty: Easy Dogs allowed on-leash This loop trail, which is accessible all year, features a gorgeous array of wildflowers. As you hike, you’ll be followed by the gentle sounds of the creek. This is a great route for families and anyone interested in familiarizing themselves with all the colors Georgia has to offer.
Long Creek Falls on the Appalachian Trial Hike Distance: 1.9 miles Difficulty: Easy Dogs allowed on-leash This two-mile section of the Appalachian Trail is one of the most beautiful in Georgia. It winds through a lush valley en route to Long Creek Falls, full of wildlife, flowers, steep cliffs, and soft moss in every season. The double-tiered waterfall rises over 50 feet before emptying into a deep pool, shadowed by bunches of rhododendron.
Yonah Mt. Hike Distance: 4.4 miles Difficulty: Moderate Dogs allowed on-leash Recognizable by its asymmetric shape and exposed rock outcrops near the top, Yonah Mt. rises from the foothills of the southern Appalachian Mts. and is one of North Georgia’s best hikes. The continuous uphill hike climbs through a rocky, moss-filled forest leads to stunning panoramic views of the horizon. Check out the views from the rock outcrops along the way and at the summit, as practice some leaf-, flower-, and snow-spotting in all seasons.
Blood Mt. Loop via the Appalachian and Freeman Trails Hike distance: 6 miles Difficulty: Hard Dogs allowed on-leash Towering over the surrounding peaks, Blood Mt. is Georgia’s highest Appalachian Trail summit, rising high to 4,459 ft. at the summit’s massive rock outcrop, which offers sweeping, stunning views and a chance to explore the historic stone Blood Mt. Shelter. This loop explores quieter stretches, beginning at the Neels Gap trailhead and hiking the eastern face with the Byron Reece Trail. It merges with and follows the Appalachian Trail at Flatrock Gap to the summit, descending along the Freeman Trail, which leads back through a fern-filled valley.
Appalachian Trail: Three Forks to Springer Mt. Hike Distance: 8.6 miles Difficulty: Hard Dogs allowed on-leash Spanning from Maine down through the eastern United States, the Appalachian Trail winds to a stop here in North Georgia, its southernmost point. This hike traces the last steps of the trail and dips through the creek-strewn Three Forks Valley before climbing to an end at the summit of Springer Mt. with the reward of the southern Appalachian Mts., blanketed in blue haze.
Sustenance and Snacks Near Our Cabins
There aren’t very many grocery stores in close proximity to the cabins, so it may be best to prepare before you head out on your escape. There is a Walmart around 36 minutes from the cabins, in case you forget anything.
Van Zandt’s Riverwalk Grill & Grocery 103 Newport Rd, Blue Ridge, GA 30513 ~ 20 mins away Visit Van Zandt’s for country-diner style breakfast and lunch and to grab some groceries on your way to the cabins. Their pancakes are bigger than a plate, and if you can finish their 1/2 lb. burgers for lunch, they offer a 4 mile-long tubing and kayak float.
Dahlonega General Store 24 Public Square, Dahlonega, GA 30533 ~ 40 mins away This old-timey general stores has everything you need for your stay in a tiny cabin, with a wide variety of items, snacks, and tchotchkes.
Sunrise Grocery 7568 Gainesville Hwy, Blairsville, GA 30512 ~34 mins away A locally owned grocer and specialty shop where you can find “a lil bit of everything,” as their sign claims. Stop by for local honey, handmade goods, fresh produce, souvenirs, and more.
On the Local Menu
Wildcat BBQ & Store 7475 GA-60, Suches, GA 30572 ~10 minute walk or ~2 minute drive Our neighbor at the bottom of the hill dishes up great barbecue, wings, southern sides, and more (call ahead to order your pizza), and has folks traveling from miles away to enjoy their ribs and brisket. They’re typically closed during the winter months, but stay busy the rest of the year. There’s plenty of outdoor seating that’s dog-friendly and the small shop has local preserves, pantry items, and other goods for sale.
Bratzeit 77 Memorial Dr, Dahlonega, GA 30533 ~ 40 mins away Born in Switzerland and Germany, the owners of Bratzeit bring their native cuisine and Swiss-German tastes to Northern Georgia. The schnitzels are fantastic, and order a classic apple strudel to top off the fare.
Shenanigans 87 N Chestatee St, Dahlonega, GA 30533 ~ 40 mins away With its hole-in-the-wall atmosphere and snug quarters, Shenanigans plates Irish-American classics (try the fish ‘n chips) and a diverse beer menu.
Sidetrips
Consolidated Gold Mine 185 Consolidated Gold Mine Rd, Dahlonega, GA 30522 ~ 35 mins away Descend 200 feet underground into this 100-year-old mine to see how turn-of-the-centuries miners found gold in Georgia. After panning for your own gold, visit the Dahlonega Gold Museum nearby, housed in the 1836 Lumpkin County Courthouse. The perfect excursion for the whole family.
Wolf Mountain Vineyards 180 Wolf Mountain Trail, Dahlonega, GA 30533 ~ 35 mins away Tucked at the edge of the Chattahoochee National Forest with views of the North Georgia mountains, Wolf Mountain has earned over 200 medals for its wines. Its grounds are landscaped beautifully, transforming the vineyard into a lovely place to taste wines and brunch.
Grumpy Old Men Brewing 1315 E Main St, Blue Ridge, GA 30513 ~ 45 mins away The couple of retired beer enthusiasts who founded Grumpy Old Men Brewing in 2012 began by brewing their stores in an outdoor shower and eventually opened their microbrewery in Blue Ridge. In 2018, the original two migrated to the other side of the 18-tap bar, passing the company onto “another Grumpy Old Man & his Crabby Lady.” There’s lots of space in the tasting room to play games and chat with other brew-loving folk.
Lakewood 400 Antiques Market 1321 Atlanta Hwy, Cumming, GA 30040 ~ 1 hr 15 mins away Many dealers come to set up booths and stores at Lakewood 400, open on the third weekend of every month, to sell a wide variety of unique, fascinating antiques, and there’s something for everyone.
As Daylight Savings approaches, we know you’re not looking forward to losing an hour of sleep, so we tapped our team and reached out to Coach Cam to hear about how they plan to spend their extra hour of sunlight to reconnect to what matters most. Here’s what they had to say:
What’s going on y’all it’s daylight savings, and that means EXTRA SUNLIGHT! Whoop Whoop! So looking forward to getting back to having “more time” during the day!
I’m taking this time to connect and embrace more of the things that I enjoy doing and that means starting it off right with a hot fluffy fresh stack of homemade protein French toast, lattes, and being outdoors! Spending any kind of time outdoors, especially in nature, has been a great mood booster for me. It’s grounding, always brings me back to center, it’s another opportunity for me to be present and bask in gratitude. In my free time outdoors, I enjoy hiking and nature walks during the week to get my steps in and to get the good energy flow going, kayaking, and golfing. Cheers to enjoying our extra hour of sunlight!
Here’s how team Getaway is following Coach Cam’s lead and getting outside:
The Graze Outdoors
You’ll find me grilling dinner in the great outdoors. — Langer, Facilities Team
Golden Happy Hour
I’ll be hosting happy hour on my patio and taking evening walks with my pup, Bertie. — Anna, Marketing Team
Having a Ball
To unwind after work, I’ll be using the extra daylight to take beach walks and play soccer in the park. — Lindsey, Community Team
Spring Flowers
I’ll be using the extra hour of daylight to start working on my backyard, getting everything ready for spring. — Idris, Outpost Team
Family Free Time
I’ll be using the extra daylight to take my kiddos to the park to play after school. — Jeannice, Digital + Software Team
Friends Al Fresco
I’m planning to enjoy more evening picnics with friends while catching sunset. — Kara, Product Team
Easy Rider
Three words: Sunset bike rides! — Bethany, Outpost Team
In our overbooked and overwhelming lives, mindful gratitude can help us slow down, to take a couple of minutes to appreciate where we’re at, rather than constantly looking towards the future or back into the past. This ability to focus on the present and all it has to offer us is one that can change your life immensely; improving your relationships, your ability to manage your emotions, and so much more. All you need to do is find a few minutes in your day to practice mindful gratitude to reap these benefits.
Here are a few simple practices rooted in gratitude that can help keep you present.
Try Mindful Gratitude Journaling
Mindful gratitude journaling is a great way to start training your brain to focus on gratitude. You can pick a few minutes during the day—whether that’s in the morning before your day begins, before you go to bed at night, or even on your commute—to take note of a few things you’re truly grateful for. While writing down five things a day that you’re grateful for may not seem like much, over time you’ll still gain benefits from this practice.
When you first begin this practice, you may find yourself reaching towards the same things to be grateful for each day, but you’ll find the greatest benefit from moving beyond these things—your family, your health, etc.—and taking a bit more time to find smaller, but no less significant things, like the way light comes through your curtains in the morning or the toddler who waved at you on the subway the day before.
Try a Gratitude Meditation
There are also countless meditations on Youtube or on apps like Calm or Headspace that you can use each day to bring more focus to feelings of gratitude. Guided gratitude meditations are great when you’re just starting to create a gratitude practice because the guide of the meditation will help you to focus your thoughts and lead you back to the focus of the meditation if your thoughts drift away at any point. Not only will gratitude meditations allow you to reap the benefits of gratitude, but you’ll also be reaping the benefits of meditation, which include reducing stress, aiding anxiety, and increasing attention span, among others. When you feel prepared, you can leave the guided meditations, and try to sit and only focus on feelings of gratitude and your breathing to gain even more benefits.
Make a Mindful Gratitude Jar
A mindful gratitude jar can become a part of your gratitude practice that you add to each day. The idea behind a gratitude jar is that you set aside a few minutes each day to write something you’re grateful for to add to the jar, and at the end of a week, a month, or even a year you can open the jar and look at all the things you’ve been grateful for in that period of time.
Make a Gratitude Vision Board
While a gratitude vision board is something you make once, it’s something you can hang up on your wall and see every day. By collecting photos and words that you’re grateful for onto a kind of vision board, you’ll keep your intention to focus on gratitude in the front of your mind. This will help you to keep up with any other gratitude practices that you’re trying to implement into your daily routines by reminding you of your focus each time you see it.
Say Thank You
The easiest way to implement more mindful gratitude into your life is to make sure you’re expressing gratitude in your daily interactions and in your important relationships. Make sure you’re thanking anyone who performs a service for you during the day—the bus driver, the cashier, etc.—or that you’re thanking your partner or your family members for little things they do for you each day.
Getting away from your daily routines is a great way to get back in touch with gratitude; to notice how many simple things in life there are to be grateful for. However, implementing more gratitude into your daily life will help you find more joy in your routines, and will bring more mindfulness to each moment.
Looking to practice mindfulness in nature? Book a Getaway today.
We created our Artist Fellowship Program to give artists time and space to create. Uninterrupted and in the middle of nature, we love that our cabins can provide the inspirational setting for artists to be their best. We’re very excited to show off a selection of our Artist Fellows’ work over the last few months.
Vincent Ribeiro is a versatile artist in mediums ranging from construction and architecture to graphic design and photography. Most recently, he visited our Boston Outpost for a creative kick.
Brittany Fan finds inspiration in nature to create ceramics, painting, photography, illustration, hand lettering, and graphic design in and around her native Charlottesville.
Johnson Kow is a photographer and specializes in landscapes, cityscape, and portraits. Photography is his creative outlet aside from his engineering work, and it’s taken him to fascinating places and introduced him to interesting people.
Deanna Jacome is a multi-media artists working primarily in mixed-media painting. Deanne escaped to our Boston Outpost to create painted collages incorporating pieces of her past paintings and handmade paper made from dried leaves.
Chelsea Ma is a Creative Director based in NYC. She draws on the creative energy of her surroundings, from New York architecture to tiny wooded cabins in the Catskills.
We created our Artist Fellowship Program to help creative people find the space and inspiration they need to bring their ideas to life. Earlier this year, we hosted illustrator, Hannah Gumbo, at Getaway Chattahoochee outside of Atlanta. Here’s what she had to say about her creative process, her relationship to nature, and her Getaway:
I grew up doodling all sorts of weird things like cats dressed as fashion models and bedazzling everything I owned to look “fancy” but it wasn’t until my sophomore year of high school that I had my first official art class. Having access to new materials and learning to bring discipline into my art flow had an enormous impact on me. I’ve been HOOKED ON ART ever since, baby! Beyond it being fun, it also helped me communicate so much more than I was able to with words and connected me to a community of other quirky creatives.
These days I am a freelance illustrator/artist, working from my tiny home studio in the Cajun prairies of Louisiana. My work consists of drawing on my Wacom tablet (looks like a giant iPad with stylus pen), creating colorful murals (which allows me to paint much larger than my workspace), and a whole lot of playing around (I had the time of my life last year drawing iconic hairstyles for 100 days straight, lol).
It is truly a dream to not only continue making artwork after all these years, but to make a living doing it. When I graduated from college, I was pretty certain I’d stop drawing forever (dramatic much?!?). I had just seen so many people before me get burnt out and let their practice fade away over time. I figured it could easily happen to me too, and so I began to guard my creativity like an over-protective mother. Even now, I try not to demand too much of it but at the same time, keep it in check, and make sure it doesn’t grow into a lazy brat. If one day, my creative work can’t pay the bills, I can handle that. But my biggest fear is that I would over-work myself to the point that I lose the love of what got me started in the first place.
I live out in the middle of nowhere. But this amazing little small town surrounded by farmland has given so much to me and my creativity. With less to do, distractions also decrease. Living in Eunice has produced a deeper focus in me and lit a fire in me to pursue all the crazy ideas that pop into my head. Plus, I’m surrounded by so much natural beauty including miles of crawfish ponds that attract amazing wildlife such as roseate spoonbills. If you aren’t familiar think: “flamingo, but in the sky”… and they have a curved beak like a spoon which is super cute.
I’ve been applying to artist fellowships for a while now, and Getaway was the first one to say YES! Not only was it a great experience to take my art for a road trip, but I felt so valued as an artist through the whole process. I love that Getaway encourages creativity alongside rest. My husband Jordan and I spent our first night just enjoying our spot, eating s’mores, and settling in by the campfire. It was a cloudy night but I woke up around two in the morning to an entire blanket of stars above our window. It was so magical I had to wake Jordan up too! The next morning we enjoyed listening to the radio over coffee and I explored some ideas in my sketchbook to pursue once I got home.
Creating original ideas, keeping a freelance career going, and still finding time to seek out “inspiration” can really take its toll. I am so excited that places like Getaway exist to recharge our batteries and make space for resting in nature. After stepping away from my routine and carving out time for this Getaway, I was able to return to my work in a healthier and more intentional way.
To learn more about Hannah, you can follow her work on her Instagram and check out her website. She also has a monthly email newsletter with studio updates, freebies, and colorful creativity to follow along, even if you’re off social media.
Mimi Olins has been living in Portland, Maine for 23 years. She’s a newly-retired art teacher, pursuing her dream as a ceramic artist in her home studio. She’s the parent “of two sweet and sour tweens,” and the spouse of “a generous-hearted baker, whose love and food feeds us all.”
Mimi and her family visited Getaway Blake Brook this winter, and they found a space to slow time, to truly enjoy quiet moments as a family as their kids grow older each day. Here’s what Mimi had to say of her Getaway.
We love a family adventure, to depart the familiar cold winter, to soak in the sun, to explore a distant city. But this time we could spare only a few days away from the busyness of work.
A skeptic of all things that come via Instagram ads, I was smitten by the escape into the woods of a remote camping trip, and the comforts of a downy pillow. The window beside our stacked queen-sized beds, a full wall of light, gifted us with hours of peering outwards, into the piney forest covered in freshly fallen snow. Our dogs, and us, were equally enthralled.
We brought the essentials for cooking and sipping, and our daughter delighted in unpacking our picnic supplies into the tiny fridge. She loves all things miniature and so the efficiency of the design was under non-stop evaluation as she imagined a life in her twenties, living so efficiently, with only what she needed.
We recently began a family mindfulness time together. Partly as a way of increasing our gratitude, and perhaps also as a way of pausing the rush of childhood. Here, an hour and a half drive from home, we tucked in our cell phones—all four went into the cellphone lock box. We slipped into the closeness of our quarters, moving in the tiny space with more carefulness, drawing in our sketchbooks, hearing each other breathe and sleep talk.
We had read about—and were excited to visit—Blasty Bough Brewery, but sad to learn that like the few other establishments mentioned online, things were closed during the week in the quiet town. But when I gave them a call, the owner, David Stewart, invited us to come by anyhow. The beers were delicious, the kids played Jenga while sipping cream sodas and visiting with the friendly pub pup, Charlie. We were reminded of the kindness and humanity found in often unnoticed places as we listened to David’s stories; we appreciated the gift of his time.
We brought cross-country skis and warm, light layers of clothing hoping to catch some wandering walks and ski trails. In the nearby Bear Brook State Park, we walked and skied in fresh snow on the Catamount Trail. There, we crossed a trickling brook, glazed in cool blue ice, both kids ventured off the path, hiding themselves in a thicket of standing and fallen trees. The dogs smiling, buried their noses into the snow, thrilled with the new smells. If they could tell me of the vole in hibernation, or the abandoned squirrel’s nest now decaying, what more life I could understand.
That night, we found our silliness together. Board games became mom-is-bored-games, a laughing fit led to dares to roll skin in the snow. The warmth of the tiny shower tempting us to push our edge, knowing we would soon return to comfort. The leaving behind of our racket, our luggage, our usual ensnarements and escapes, the lightness of our leave. We will return.
In celebration of International Women’s Day, we’re taking a moment to highlight a few of the incredible women who make Getaway possible. From our field team at our Outposts, to our headquartered team in Brooklyn, and our guests, meet the women of Getaway.
Stephanie Dombrowski is the assistant site manager at our New York Outpost. As a member of our field team, Stephanie plays a crucial role in welcoming guests into our cabins. Whenever guests have problems, big or small, Stephanie is there to help and she is instrumental in our ability to offer guests the peace and relaxation they deserve. If you find yourself at Getaway New York, you may see Stephanie’s smiling face on your way out.
Anthea Song has been a fan of Getaway for a while now, as one of our very first guests. The New York City resident has stayed in our cabins six different times and says that Getaway has become a second home for her.
“Its simplicity is so pure, and yet filled with a personal touch that shows the heart and care [the team] has put into it,” Anthea says. “It gives me space, while making me feel I’m cared for; it empowers my sense of independence.”
Over at our headquarters in Brooklyn, Afshan Dosani is the senior growth manager for our marketing team. She works on making the Getaway experience as easy as possible and helps get the word out about our tiny cabins. For Afshan, Getaway is a special place where she takes time to slow down and recharge from city life.
On International Women’s Day, we want to celebrate not only the women of Getaway, but women and girls around the world.
That’s why for every booking made today, March 8, we’re donating $10 to She’s the First, an organization that fights gender inequality through education.
The non-profit raises funds for girls who are the first in their families to graduate from high school, while training young women to be the global leaders of tomorrow. Book a cabin today.
