This summer was very busy-we traveled the country from the Pacific Northwest, Minnesota’s North Shore & Canadian borders to the Gulf Shores of Florida- and tons more in between! I am a school social worker, so I consider myself a part time traveler (even though I do travel throughout the school year too!). With anticipation of the school year start this fall, I knew I wanted our final trip to be something relaxing, slow going and closer to home where we could truly enjoy each other’s company. We have been watching The Havens Company, a talented couple who flips cabins, build their latest addition to their rental cabin listings. When they announced they were finished, I booked right away- this was exactly what we were looking for!
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This blog is written around our personal experience at The Havens Co. called Modern Tiny Home in the Woods. This tiny home is extremely similar to the company called The Getaway, but there are some slight differences. I will be giving you information on both, but our itinerary of experiences come from our tiny cabin experience in Grantsburg, WI.
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In this blog, you will find…
- Options for a tiny cabin retreat
- Ideas of fun things to do
- What you can get out of a tiny cabin retreat
- Tips on how to save money
Disclaimer: Everything in my blog is based on my own opinions, experiences and perspectives. We are all different and my hope is you can go out and create experiences and perspectives of your own. I also have some affiliate links with Adobe, Back Country and Kayak.com throughout my blog and advertisements for brands I partner with and use such as Just Strong, Goli Vitamins and DIFF Eyewear. I make a very small commission if you purchase through the link & offer a discount code. I am not a promoter for The Havens Co. or The Getaway Houses.
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- Plenty of Options for a Tiny Cabin Retreat
You could log onto Airbnb & find plenty of tiny cabin homes to rent & create an amazing experience with your family. However, I am going to take us off Airbnb & point you towards two companies & their websites. Two of my tips for booking a place to stay was to 1) book directly on a company’s website if they are verified hosts and 2) follow on social media for deals. The link to my previous post on finding a place to stay is below this section.
I will first highlight The Havens Co., a smaller company with a cabin in Wisconsin and Minnesota. The first cabin, a stylish A-Frame Nordic Retreat, is located in Brooks Park, MN, not too far from Hinckley, MN (10 minutes) and the Twin Cities (1 hour and 15 minutes). This location offers 5 acres of land with wooded trails leading down to a private riverfront to enjoy. It also has a wooden barrel sauna! Our cabin, the Modern Tiny Home in the Woods, is located in Grantsburg, WI, 1 hour north of the Twin Cities. This home offers 10 acres of land & is 1/4 of a mile away from the St. Croix River.
The second company I will highlight is the Getaway Houses, a brand founded in 2015 that offers a modern tiny home getaway offering beautiful views. Getaway houses are located all over the United States, such as (but not limited to) Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Chicago, Austin, Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle, Atlanta, Greenville, Nashville, New Orleans, Boston, New York and even campgrounds.
You can start your adventure by finding a Getaway House or The Havens Co. cabin you’d like to book by location. Use the links to the maps and full list of locations below:
Click here for The Havens Co. – average nightly price $200-215, max of 4 guests. If you follow their Instagram, they offer deals time to time as well. We booked our stay for 20% off.
Click here for The Getaway Houses – average nightly price varies, $129 to 269 depending on # of guests. During year, they will offer discounts. For example, they usually do an end of summer 25% if you book between certain dates. These deals are usually present on their Instagram account.
2. Less Packing With All the Amenities Included in Your Cabin
We loved our tiny cabin experience because it came with everything we needed. It helped decrease the stress with packing knowing exactly what our hosts provided & exactly what we needed to bring. Specifically for our Safe Haven Co. experience, our tiny home came with hair dryer, cleaning products, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, laundry essentials (no washer/dryer, but a laundry mat is 10 minutes away), all bedding, TV & Wifi, all dinner ware (also children’s dinner ware), board games, A/C, portable fans, heater, cooking basics, mini fridge, electric stove, hot water kettle, over toaster, BBQ Utensils & grill (bring your own charcoal), lighters, fire pits (bring your own firewood), outdoor dining area and hammocks with strong lights. They provide Cornhole board & bags to play, which we had a blast with. They also have a luxurious outdoor shower & an indoor shower & bathroom as well. I must also note- our beds were SUPER comfy & there was even a king size bed!
The Getaway Houses website lists they provide comfy queen size beds and all bedding and pillows. All cooking items, utensils, paper towels, dish soap, salt & pepper, cooking oil and lights are there. Your bathroom is full stocked with towels, hot water, shampoo, conditioner & body wash. They have a fire pit and outdoor dining area. They also give you the option to purchase a log bunder, coffee, tea, fire starters and insect wipes. For $30 they will also provide you with meals if you really want to have a stress free option of not having to pack food.
3. Outdoor Relaxation
We loved our outdoor area, which was covered in rocks (smart to decrease the mud when it rains) a dining area, beautiful campfire and hammocks with string lights. We spent a lot of time out here. The kids hunted for bugs, did activities on the picnic table, slept in the hammocks, roasted marshmallows in the fire and read books outside. We went in August, so later afternoon & night time the bugs were out (definitely bring bug spray- be concious for ticks too). Early morning and most of the day they weren’t too bad! We enjoyed how peaceful the outdoors was here. We were shrouded in 10 acres of woods & we loved hearing nothing but the leaves rustling, birds sing and crickets chirp. Stargazing from the hammocks is also highly recommended!
4. Bring Your Furry Friend
While we did not currently have a furry friend to bring along, I wanted to mention this in case you do! For a fee, you can also bring your pet with. They aren’t able to sleep in the bed with you, but they are able to enjoy this beautiful piece of land- not to mention all the other amazing places I will list in this post they can enjoy-including a landing by the St. Croix River.
Check out My Post to Visit Stillwater, MN -Another Beautiful Town Along St. Croix River!
5. Nature Activities
About 1/4 of a mile from the cabin is a gravel road you will turn left onto. This is a boat landing called Fox Landing & it’s perfect for water activities like kayaking, canoeing or fishing. We saw plenty of different kids of fish just by standing shoreside! This area is also home a falcon who liked to hang out nearby. There is a hiking trail here too and a creek that rushes into the St. Croix River. (There are lots of critters in this area-including leeches- be mindful if you are wanting to wade the waters). A lot of people also ATV on this road, go boating here, birdwatching and admire the wildflowers. It’s a very quiet spot!
If you want a guided tour or to rent equipment, consider the Wild River Outfitters! Click here to view their website.
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6. Beautiful Views & Hiking
The following information is from our visit at Grantsburg, WI but all these wonderful places are rich in nearby wildlife area (which is part of why they were chosen to be built in the locations they are today).
If you are here to hike and for gorgeous views, I still recommend Fox Landing. Also nearby is another boat landing, 5 miles away, is an area called Sandrock Cliffs Trail, where you can get access to the St. Croix River. There are 4 separate loops of hiking trails along the St. Croix River & the landscapes on this trail change drastically. This park would be a dream to hike with the fall colors and pines along the St. Croix River! There is also the Crex Meadows State Wildlife Area with wooded prairie and wetlands, rich in wildlife habitat with over 30,000 acres. Twenty-five minutes away is the St. Croix State Park and an hour and 20 minutes north you can view the magnificent Lake Superior in Superior, WI.
Check Out Other Beautiful Views from the Midwest Here!
7. Discover Local Food Gems
We grilled and cooked at our tiny home, but we also explored some area of Grantsburg. We found a delicious coffee shop called The Ascend (it’s also very spacious). They have a variety of coffee options, breakfast and lunch items, ice cream and wine. They also feature local photography & we enjoyed exploring that. Next door is the Country Cafe, a classic family breakfast place. A neat hidden gem is The Drive-In Restaraunt, open since 1946 with a classic 1950s vibe and menu. They also have a beautiful outdoor seating.
8. Enjoy a Cozy Fire with S’Mores
We brought our own S’mores items but the roasting sticks were already there for us. We loved the backyard set up with the string lights & sat around our fire for most of the night. The beautiful stars and sitting by the cozy fire with our blankets on a cooler August night was unmatched. Fun fact- we got to do this on the evening of National S’Mores Day!
9. Beautiful Views Anytime of the Year
The large window by our bedside offered a beautiful view, but it would be perfect no matter what time of year. I would love to try a stay here during mid fall and even winter time because the view outside of that window is spectacular. There is even a sky window to see the stars above. If you feel like you have the winter blues or not sure what to do for fun this fall- consider a getaway in one of these tiny modern cabin homes.
10. Bond With Your Loved Ones
There is something about staying in a tiny home that brings you all closer together. It really made me realize how much time we spend in our own home doing our own things, separated. In a smaller space, unplugged in the woods, we played games, watched movies together, ate together and so much more. It’s a nice feeling to not have anything I HAVE to do or have anything we HAVE to do. We truly needed to slow down, enjoy the moment & each other’s company. This would be my NUMBER ONE reason to encourage you to create your own tiny cabin experience.
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