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Cleveland | Local Guides | Pittsburgh

Family Friendly Road Trip to Getaway Beaver Creek

By Postcard Cabins -

We know it can be hard keeping kids entertained during the car ride to our Outpost. That’s why we’ve put together our recommendations for the best places to stop along the way from Pittsburgh or Cleveland with your kiddos.

Attractions

White House Fruit Farm Youngstown, OH
~ 40 minutes from Outpost
This family-owned farm allows you to buy freshly picked berries, fruits, and vegetables, as well as sample some of their famed baked goods. The farm, 1.5 hours from Cleveland, offers year-round events, including summer crop picking and flower festivals.

Lanternman’s Mill Youngstown, OH
~ 45 minutes from Outpost
This peaceful park, 1.5 hours from Cleveland, is a great historical stop along the way. Best yet, it’s dog-friendly and features an old mill built in the 1840s and restored in the 1980s.

Fellows Riverside Gardens Youngstown, OH
~45 minutes from Outpost
This 12-acre free public garden boasts views of rose, annuals, perennials, and scenic vistas. With an attached education and visitor center, the garden is a beautiful and education place to stop along the way.

Fun Fore All Family Fun Park Cranberry Township, PA
~ 1 hour from Outpost
This park, just 30 minutes north of Pittsburgh and 1 hour east of Getaway Beaver Creek, has a little something for everyone. With arcade games, bumper boats, mini golf, rock climbing, and more, it’s the perfect place to stop and let your kids spend some energy before your family escape.

Akron Zoo Akron, OH
~1.5 hours from Outpost
Just 45 minutes south of Cleveland, this 50-acre non-profit zoo is home to over 700 animals and is sure to please the whole family.

Walks in the Woods

Mineral Springs Loop Trail
Hike Duration: 1.3 miles
Difficulty: Easy
This easy loop trail, just 45 minutes from both Pittsburgh and the Outpost, features a waterfall and is recommended for families with young kids.

Hellbender Bluff Trail
Hike Duration: 3.4 miles
Difficulty: Easy
This loop trail features lots of wildlife, including bald eagles and spring warblers, as well as wild flowers and mushrooms. Just 1 hour from Pittsburgh and 2 hours from Cleveland, it’s a great family-friendly hike to do once you’re close to Getaway Beaver Creek.

Food

Two Smart Cookies East Liverpool, OH
~ 5 minutes from Outpost
This nearby bakery is the perfect place to stop for some sweet treats right before you arrive or right after you leave our Outpost.

Shale Tavern and Grille
~ 10 minutes from Outpost
This tavern has all of your classic favorites, from chicken noodle soup to a barbecue bacon cheeseburger, so there’s sure to be something for every one in your group.

Mary’s Pizza Lisbon, OH
~ 20 minutes from the Outpost
If your family is hungry from the drive over, then this local pizza joint is an easy stop that’s sure to please.

Looking for our full list of attractions to explore around Getaway Beaver Creek? You can find it here.

Artist Fellowship

Getaway Presents: Roe and E’s Getaway Playlist

By Postcard Cabins -

There’s a lot to love about minimalist pros Roe and E, of @brownkids on Instagram.

Their approachable take on minimalism, sustainability, and pro-tips have spawned a community of those eager to partake in their no frills, gratitude-full lifestyle. As they prepare for their February Getaway, we asked Roe and E to curate the perfect playlist for their getting away.

Enjoy Roe and E’s Getaway playlist, featuring artists like Tom Misch, Jordan Rakei, and Mac Ayres. Listen from home, or to and from a Getaway of your own.

Atlanta | Features

Atlanta, Here We Come

By Postcard Cabins -

We’re thrilled to announced that Getaway is heading south to Georgia. We’re opening our first Outpost in the South less than two hours outside of Atlanta in Suches, Georgia, nestled in the Chattahoochee National Forest.

Our Atlanta Outpost is our fifth to date, alongside our newly-announced LA Outpost (opening 2019), and adding to our existing families of tiny cabins in DC, New York, and Boston.

We like to think of Getaway Atlanta as the southern extension of our ethos: to provide everything you need and nothing you don’t for an easily-accessible escape from the daily grind. With no WiFi and a cellphone lockbox, you’re free to do absolutely nothing, disconnect completely, and get back to nature.

Getaway Atlanta

We’re very happy to welcome overworked Southerners in need of an escape to our 40 tiny cabins. Located in tranquil Suches, Georgia, also known as “The Valley Above the Clouds,” the cabins – complete with comfy beds, a kitchen, games, hand-picked books, and our classic “big window” – will be available to book for Getaways starting this March.

See you soon, Atlanta. Find cabins near Atlanta.

Features | Reflections

The Magic of Reverie James Harvey Robinson

By Postcard Cabins -

At a time when we’re constantly inundated with advertisements, 24-hour news, and social media, taking time for quiet contemplation can seem like a luxury from a bygone era. When we’re not checking our phones or running between work and social gatherings, we feel anxious for not doing so. But making time for introspection and giving ourselves space to just be can make us more creative and self-aware, something the great historian and educator James Harvey Robinson believed was essential to self-actualization.

In his seminal 1921 essay, On Various Kinds of Thinking, Robinson referred to these moments when our minds wander as reverie. For Robinson, reverie was so important to our well being that it constituted the “chief index to our fundamental character.”

“[Reverie] is our spontaneous and favorite kind of thinking. We allow our ideas to take their own course and this course is determined by our hopes and fears, our spontaneous desires, their fulfillment or frustration; by our likes and dislikes, our loves and hates and resentments. There is nothing else so interesting to ourselves as ourselves.”

Robinson argued that practical thoughts–those utilitarian considerations that we face throughout the day (should I ride the subway today? Did I turn off the stove?) – “are a more difficult and laborious thing than the reverie, and we resent having to ‘make up our mind’ when we are tired, or absorbed in a congenial reverie.” In other words, we feel most fulfilled when free to daydream. Of the four types of thought Robinson identified–reverie, decision making, rationalizing, and creative fact–reverie, he believed, is the most enjoyable.

Reverie allows for thinking that is just as long as it is wide, extending into the past, present, and future, helping the thinker form new ideas and inspirations.

It’s easy to see why: the word literally means to be pleasantly lost in thought. Reverie allows for thinking that is just as long as it is wide, extending into the past, present, and future, helping the thinker form new ideas and inspirations. Like in sleeping dreams, in reverie we build worlds of our minds creation and forge paths that can and often do manifest themselves in the real world. Without reveries, would an entrepreneur come up with her next world shaping idea? Or an artist her next masterpiece?

What would Robinson say about reverie today? That it is more important now than ever. With notifications, and text messages, emails and comments, and thousands of other distractions constantly vying for our attention, it has never been more difficult to make time for reverie. And that’s a shame. So much good can come of losing oneself in thoughts and dreams from time to time. It gets us excited for the future, helps us find answers to gnawing questions, and guides us to important life decisions. In a world that often feels overwhelming and beyond our control, we can all benefit from a little more of that.

Book a Getaway here.

Artist Fellowship | For Your Free Time

How Nature Inspires Creativity

By Postcard Cabins -

Feeling stuck in a rut and out of ideas? Maybe Mother Nature has the solution to your lack of imagination.

People who don’t identify as creatives are often caught in a cycle of repeating phrases like I’m not creative or I don’t know how to draw—effectively, they’re stuck in this mindset.

A good way to combat this pattern of thinking is to actually remove yourself from your own everyday routine for a new perspective. Shifting your routine, where you go, how you spend your days, off time and weekends could be a key way to inspire some creativity. As creativity is often times described as making or discovering previously hidden connections, it makes sense that diverting from your daily routine could help you do just that.

Whereas city life can be swamped with patterns, ruts and cycles of doing what is expected; nature can be a powerful source of creativity.

A 2012 study explored the consequences of more time spent with media and technology over nature found that backpackers who spent a few days hiking showed higher levels of creativity in a word association test than before they immersed themselves in nature.

The Science Behind Nature + Creativity

Why is nature so beneficial to the brain? Scientists believe the state of “soft fascination” – in which you can find yourself as you appreciate your surroundings on a hike or watch the water of a river flow by – is believed to calm the prefrontal cortex, allowing the brain to access other regions that can lead to insights and new ideas.

Spending time in nature also inspires a sense of awe. This feeling that the world is so much bigger than you can comprehend leads to “expansive thinking,” which allows us to consider different perspectives and can lead to innovative ideas. This could explain why so many artists – from Ansel Adams to Henry David Thoreau to Georgia O’Keefe – have found spending time in nature essential their work.

Technology Versus Nature

In everyday life in the city, your brain can easily get overwhelmed, making it hard to focus. A simple way to combat the war for our attention is to simply take a break: turn off your phones every now and again. This is especially important if you’re trying to reap the benefits of nature: a study showed that people walking through an arboretum while talking on their cell phone had brain activity levels “consistent with attention overload” while those who strolled among the plants without their phones had higher recollection of detail.

Even a simple walk in the park can boost your creativity, but longer escapes are more beneficial. Three days out in nature seems to be the sweet spot for fully letting your mind calm down from a fast-paced life.

Try getting out of a rut and give your brain a break by taking a deep dive into the outdoors. What patterns can you break? Unplug from everything. Switch up where you sleep and spend a night (or several) in a tent or a cabin in the woods. Explore new natural terrain, watch the sunset and look at the stars – without Instagramming the view. Connect with the world through your eyes instead of through a lens for a while. Bring along your paintbrushes or pencils, and see what being in nature inspires.

Once you get back to daily life, your old routine will feel new again, which is key to sparking your creativity.

Ready for your own creative escape? Book your Getaway today.

Local Guides

Wildflowers of Getaway

By Postcard Cabins -

The chirping of birds. The smell of the trees. The views of budding flowers all around you.

That feeling of being immersed in nature is a huge part of what makes Getaway special. Waking up and breathing in fresh air, walking around, and taking in all the natural beauty of our Outposts.

Make it an adventure and go on a wildflower hunt. Each of our Outposts have gorgeous flowers and plants native to the region – from New York to Portland, and everywhere in between. Here’s our guide:

Wildflowers at Getaway Beaver Creek

Columbiana County is home to many beautiful wildflowers year-round, including tall thistles, daisies, sunflowers, and ferns. Take a walk through on the walking path at Getaway Beaver Creek or venture out to nearby Beaver Creek State Park and see what you uncover.

Wildflowers at Getaway Big Bear

One of the first things you may notice when you take a walk at our first California Outpost is the many pinecones and incredible aroma of their trees. But if you search a little further, you may be able to spot some wildflowers at the Outpost or nearby at Big Bear Lake, including the California wild rose, lupines, lilies, fireweed, and sunflowers. Tis the season year round as well – keep an eye out for juniper mistletoe.

wlldflowers

Wildflowers at Getaway Blake Brook

Drive 2 hours outside of Boston to Getaway Blake Brook, and explore all of the native flowers and plants that the Outpost has to offer. Everything from witch hazel to irises, yarrow, ferns, and waterlilies can be found in the area. See what delights you as you walk around the Outpost on our trail, and if you want even more, Bear Brook State Park, you’ll find countless bluets, sheep laurel, and so much more.

Wildflowers at Getaway Catskills

Our New York Outposts are just a 10 minute drive from each other, so you’ll find similar flora at both. Spot aster, sumac, witch hazel, goldenrods, and lobelias. If you head into the Catskills on your way there or back, you may spot some wild mint growing among snakeroots, bergamot, and various kinds of aster.

Wildflowers at Getaway Chattahoochee

Get ready for Trout lilies, redbuds, and so much more. You can head deeper into the forest to the Anna Ruby Falls Trail, a designated wildflower viewing area, where you’ll likely to see many varietals of trees and flowering shrubs, including strawberry bushes and dogwood. Stay closer to the Outpost and keep an eye out for lobelias, morning glories, and sunflowers.

wildflowers

Wildflowers at Getaway Mount Adams

Get mesmerized by all of the plants, trees, and flowers on the drive rom Portland to our Outpost just 2 hours from the city in scenic Glenwood, Washington. Common sightings at the Outpost and throughout the Mount Adams area include Pacific dogwoods, sunflowers, pearly everlasting, lupines, like the ones pictured above.

Wildflowers at Getaway Piney Woods

Making your way to our Outpost in East Texas? Be prepared for colorful native flowers, from the purple passionflower to the trumpet creeper, bitter sneezeweed, and pink scale blazing star. If you’re lucky, you may spot a gorgeous firewheel or bright blue dayflower, or just simply get lost among the trees.

wildflowers

Wildflowers at Getaway Shenandoah

If you’ve planned your escape for Getaway Shenandoah – you’re in luck. There are so many gorgeous, colorful species of flowers and plants right in your backyard. Find some magnolias or tulips, coneflowers, dogwoods, morning glories, even purple thistles and chicory. Venture into Shenandoah National Park and get lost in the aster and sunflowers. For a full list of species you could find in the park, check out this handy guide.

Ready to make your own escape? Book a Getaway today.

Artist Fellowship | Guest Stories

Meet an Artist Fellow: Papercut Artist, Annie Howe

By Postcard Cabins -

We created our Artist Fellowship Program to help creative people find the space and inspiration they need to bring their ideas to life. We hosted papercut artist, Annie Howe, in September at Getaway Shenandoah outside of DC. Here’s what she had to say about her creative process, her relationship to nature, and her Getaway:

On Creative Work

I create handmade paper cuts for all kinds of projects including illustration, surface design and three dimensional work. I got into papercutting because I was making shadow puppets for shadow puppet shows with a local performing group for many years. I figured out that the same materials I was using for shadow puppets (excato knives and paper) were also the same tools needed for papercuts. I began making papercuts as gifts for family and friends, and with encouragement, started doing work for local businesses and craft shows.  Slowly my network expanded and now I work with clients and businesses all across the country. I never planned to make papercutting my life’s work but I am so glad I did—I can not imagine my life without papercutting. I am always learning something new and challenging myself to make more interesting work.

On Nature

I live in a  Baltimore city but I try to be outside and in the parks as much as I can. I am lucky to live by a very large urban park that is rugged and has trails and woods. I can walk through the park to my studio from my house and spend a lot of time watching the seasons  through the changing  flora and fauna. I do use a lot of botanical imagery in my work—I love including all kinds of fantastical plants and animals and insects in my work. Being out in nature gives me time to think and come up with ideas while I am doing something else like hunting mushrooms or walking in the woods.

When I am not papercutting I spend a lot of time working on issues I care about like access to affordable healthcare and progressive politics. I love the city I call home and all the amazing creatives and activists working to make it a better place for all our citizens. I spend a lot of time riding my bike around the city and trails just outside the city with my friends. 

On Getting Away

My Getaway Stay was so inspiring. The outpost I was at was near Shenandoah National Park so I took full advantage of hiking there the day before checking into my Getaway cabin. The trails surrounding the outpost were so nice and I had a great time hunting and identifying mushrooms all over the trails — there were so many to see.

I do include a lot of nature themes in my work and being surrounded by nature while staying at Getaway gave me time and space to think of new ideas and also just focus on my papercut I worked on while I was there. The design and thought put into the space also encouraged a lot of daydreaming and thinking — while drinking coffee in the morning and watching the sun come up!

To keep up with Annie, you can follow her on Instagram and check out her website.

Ready for your own creative escape to nature? Book your Getaway today.

For Your Free Time

Wellness Tip: Embrace Boredom

By Postcard Cabins -

According to the psychologist John Eastwood, boredom is “the unfulfilled desire for satisfying activity” — when our mind and bodies are looking for, but failing to find, something that merits our meaningful attention.

Researchers have found that subjects who are asked to perform boring tasks later perform better than a control group at a creative activity. The scientists believe that when we’re bored, we tend to start daydreaming, engaging in the kind of free and associative thinking that’s fertile ground for creativity.

Boredom can also make us more productive. When we’re uninspired by the task in front of us, it’s easy to indulge in distractions like social media, online shopping, or texting. The productivity expert Josh Kaufman advises us to resist this impulse and embrace the boring task instead. He calls this “strategic boredom” — when we don’t allow ourselves anything else to focus on, we’re more inspired to finish the boring task quickly.

Here are some tips to help you embrace boredom. 

1. Don’t Dismiss Boredom 

Next time you find yourself in a potentially boring situation — waiting in line at the grocery store, sitting on a bus or train, stuck at your desk with an uninspiring assignment—resist the impulse to focus on something more entertaining. If you don’t have pressing responsibilities, let your mind wander and see where it leads you.

2. Approach Boredom With Curiosity

Researchers have identified multiple forms of boredom ranging from indifferent (calm but disengaged) to reactant (negative feelings, like a desperate wish to be doing something else). When you notice boredom, ask yourself about the nature of that feeling. What thoughts and feelings can you identify?

3. Listen to Your Boredom

Your boredom may be sending you an important message. Being consistently bored at work is a good sign that your work isn’t challenging you. If you’re bored around your friends or significant other, you may have gotten into a social pattern you no longer find stimulating or fulfilling — meaning it may be time to introduce new conversation topics or new activities.

Ready to daydream at a tiny cabin in the woods? Book your Getaway today.