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It’s less than two weeks until the start of fall and already the Halloween decorations are filling stores and the pumpkin spice latte tweets are out in full force. So, though the last remnants of summer linger and the leaves haven’t hit the ground yet, it’s not too early to get psyched about autumn and all the awesome vacation options it brings with it. While summer travel means beaches and pool parties, fall is the perfect time to take a break from crowded nightlife, work responsibilities, and scheduling family holidays. Instead, turn your back on hustle and embrace the slow speed of cabin life.
Think about stretching out in a soft bed with a piece of tawdry fiction or enjoying a dram of whiskey or a quiet evening with someone whose company makes you smile. Days can be spent kicking up leaves on winding trails and photographing once in a lifetime landscapes. Nights are for fires and simple, hearty dishes. This is the kind of trip where your phone remains in your luggage and you don’t spend hours searching for outrage online.
To make your transition into shoulder season easier, we’ve gathered a variety of stunning cabins you can lock in reservations for right now. Because everyone deserves a little rustic downtime.
Jude at CABN Life: Adelaide Hills, Australia
Michael Lamprell, CABN Life’s creator, began a journey when he discovered transcendental meditation in 2016. While on a meditation trip to the United States, the journey continued to deepen via a greater understanding of minimalism and a desire to alleviate the stress and anxiety that permeated his life. He desperately wanted to live a simplified, authentic life and positive memories from a childhood spent outdoors spurred him to create off-grid, sustainable and eco-friendly tiny houses in the heart of South Australia’s most stunning landscape. One visit gives guests an opportunity to break with a life spent online and to reconnect with the things that truly matter.
The first CABN in Lamprell’s project, Jude, is Scandinavian in aesthetic and set in 180 acres of natural scrubland adjacent to a conservation park. That means, not only do you have everything you need to stay comfortably for a few days, you also have chances to spot kangaroos, bandicoots, and… maybe even a few drop bears?
Red A-Frame at Far Meadow: Sierra National Forest, California
We are all about National Parks, but we also understand that it can be hard to appreciate the outdoors when you can only see witness nature’s wonders through a sea of fellow tourists. Pausing every few feet on a hike to avoid photobombing someone’s selfie gets old. That is why Far Meadow is so wonderful. Just 12 miles from Yosemite in the Sierra National Forest, the retreat features five cabins, as well as teepee tents and a trailer. Although every option is a stunner, we are partial to Red A-Frame on the Sierra Vista Scenic Byway. Surrounded by secret swimming holes, gorgeous meadows, and a ton of hiking trails, it is essentially your own little park while you stay there. When it comes to fall escapes, the foliage rivals the famed Technicolor offerings of New England.
Red A-Frame features two separate sleeping lofts each with a queen bed, a full kitchen with a stove and an oven, and a bathroom with both a shower and toilet. That might seem like the sort of stuff one expects as a given, but many of the cabins on this list are much less amenity-laden. You can consider this a reasonably comfortable option with some great photo potential. Sure, nature is great to snap, but this classic cabin with its massive windows and abundance of honey-colored woods begs for you to take some architectural shots as well.
Cabins at Point No Point Resort: British Colombia, Canada
Skeptical that it’s possible to find a private waterfront cabin with constant views of waves crashing in the Pacific for a reasonable price? We have news for you. Not only does it exist, it comes with cozy décor, a large fireplace, and the feeling that you are completely alone out there. And, even better? There are 25 of them, so you can pick the size and amenities that match what you need from a weekend or more away. Point No Point feels like an awesome Canadian secret that we want to share with just a few special friends (you’re on the list, obviously).
The title may include the word “resort,” but Point No Point feels like you are sitting on the edge of the world appreciating nature as people were intended to. Many of the simple cabins were built in the 1950s, but thanks to improvements over time, you get to enjoy modern perks like a hot tub on your deck or a two-person shower along with the classic cedar walls, bright red Adirondack chairs, and Shaker-style furnishings. You can walk from beach to beach and enjoy a covered fire pit on an empty stretch of sand or kick it at the on-site restaurant, where every table has binoculars to use in scanning for dolphins, whales, and otters.
Dolores Cabin at Dunton Hot Springs: Dolores, Colorado
A restored ghost town in an isolated part of southwestern Colorado? Twelve quintessential log cabin examples built in 1885 from aspen and cottonwood? Steamy pools fed by natural hot springs? And a location at the base of the towering San Juan Mountains? Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. If this sounds amazing, that’s because it is. But, Dunton Hot Springs is also a little heavier on 21st-century luxe than some of the other options because this is the sort of destination that may be rustic on the outside but is not even close to it on the inside. Think outdoor yoga classes on a raised platform set in the middle of an open natural area and a restaurant pouring glasses of Napa’s best to quaff with your slow-roasted elk tenderloin.
We like the Dolores cabin because it is so perfect to look at. One of the tinier options, it has been exquisitely restored and decorated, including a Rajasthan wedding bed. The cabins maintain the authenticity imbued in them by the miners who hand-built them, and the furnishings are distinct, making them perfect for a vacation photo shoot. Images taken here are Instagram fire for sure. If you are curious, check out their live webcam.
Little Owl Cabin: Packwood, Washington
At this point, you may be thinking “Another A-frame? Haven’t we seen one already?” Yes. This is true. And you will be seeing even more because though they don’t have the traditional overtones of a full log cabin, they do have the 1960s fondue vibe and that is autumnal perfection. Get on our level. This Airbnb example of our beloved A-frame cabin is a Pacific Northwest wonder, set twenty minutes from Mt. Rainier National Park and the White Pass Ski Area. Should you feel desperate to get to a city, you are about two and a half hours from either Portland or Seattle. If you decide to settle in and enjoy this cabin in the woods, there is a cedar soaking hot tub to help your stress melt away, as well as a hi-fi sound system and a wood stove for an extra cozy factor.
These are the kind of digs that can accommodate a lot of people, so this is ideal for you and a gaggle of your closest friends. For real, the upstairs platform has two twins and the downstairs features a bunked twin above a queen and a day bed in the living room. Plus, the kitchen is fully appointed, and there is a grill on the deck. There is no reason you couldn’t make some of the best travel memories of your life here. And, yes, they must include fondue.
Milk Barn: Hankins, New York
We tried to stick closer to the cozy end of the spectrum in choosing these cabins, but Milk Barn is our exception for the cabin-goer who requires a large, spectacular property a few hours outside of New York City. This converted barn can be traced back to 1873, but its present form took thirty years to achieve. Between the 1960s and 1990s, a fashion photographer used the property for outrageous parties and fashion shoots, which neighbors still remember. Those three decades resulted in a space that is very European in appearance.
The property includes the former dairy barn, two guest houses, a chef’s kitchen, a vintage stereo and vinyl collection, projector television, industrial washer and dryer, hammam with sauna and soak tub, 15-acres of land, a treehouse, an outdoor fireplace, and a treated aquifer-fed swimming pond. It’s super fancypants. With the acoustic guitars on the wall, as well as the option to provide amps, mics, bass, Electric guitars, and club drum kit on request, you get the impression that this is the sort of retreat that people go to when they are writing their album. That’s pretty cool.
Pinecone Treehouse: Bonny Doon, California
There was some debate about this one and we are fully willing to concede it is not a traditional cabin. It is, in point of fact, a treehouse. It is also a tiny, cozy structure with superb craftsmanship, which seems pretty cabiny. Above all, it’s fucking rad, so give us a pass. The Pinecone Treehouse is the work of Designer and builder Dustin Feider who started O2Treehouse with the goal of helping people think about how to coexist with nature without harming it. Actually, his first project was a geodesic structure in a poplar tree in Wisconsin, and it was part of his thesis for his BFA in Furniture Design. Thirteen years later, people who aren’t his filthy rich clients can finally stay in one of his pieces.
The Airbnb listing for the Pinecone Treehouse declares that the host’s hope is for guests to leave “refreshed, inspired, reconnected, and recommitted to themselves, their dreams, and to this beautiful home we call Mother Earth.” Who doesn’t want to do that? Even if that sounds too hippy for you, how do you resist the draw of a treehouse that is cradled by California redwoods and makes you feel like you are flying through the tree canopy?
Raven House: Ontario, Canada
Midway between Toronto and Montreal, Raven House is situated in the 1000 Islands region of the St Lawrence River, considered one of Ontario’s most breathtaking locales. The cabin sits on the edge of a high rocky ridge that overlooks a three-acre wetland. Be assured, wildlife will be sighted. Essentially, this is a no-frills, back to basics option. It’s the spirit of a backcountry cabin coupled with a modern environmentalist’s values. Off-grid and solar-powered, this is not an option for people looking to be pampered.
The cabin is built almost exclusively from locally harvested spruce, pine, and cedar, making it a calming space with a minimalist aesthetic. Ten windows and three skylights ensure that the open floor plan is filled with natural light all day long, giving guests the opportunity to watch the sun rise and set. A small wood burning stove offers all the warmth you could desire, and wood is provided between mid-October and mid-April. This is the type of cabin that expects you to walk to the dry composting toilet located by the back door, so be prepared.
We’ve teased this, but let’s make it blatant: Don’t expect running water or WiFi. It’s not exactly roughing it in the traditional sense, but it’s also not a hotel.
Nolla Cabin: Helsinki, Finland
This cabin is named Nolla because it translates to “zero,” and the aim was to help people camp in a way that generates minimal emissions. Or, ideally, zero. Located on Vallisaari Island, a short boat ride from the Helsinki farmer’s market, it gives guests a chance to experience modern cabin life in nature while also being ecologically responsible. Finnish designer Robin Falck created it in collaboration with energy company Neste as part of a campaign, but it’s not a publicity stunt. It’s a genuinely attractive, innovative piece of design.
Nolla Cabin doesn’t provide much more room inside than a small bedroom would. There’s just enough space for a cooking nook and two twin sized camping beds. Electricity is courtesy of solar panels and the heat comes via renewable diesel in a Wallas stove, which is also used for cooking. There is no running water, so bathing in the sea is the only option. As autumn grows chill, it’s probably fine to forgo bathing. But you don’t really have that choice with using the bathroom, so prepare to walk to the composting toilets in this one, too.
Ditchling Cabin: West Sussex, United Kingdom
Looking for a straightforward lakeside retreat? Ditchling Cabin is exactly what you need. This idyllic British haunt is situated on a private lake that invites you to swim, canoe, and fish. We are big fans of watching the water from a comfortable seat on the deck while we have cocktails. Plus that’s where the barbeque is, so there’s a lot of incentive to hang outside. The nearby South Down National Park also has some stellar walking and cycling for further outdoor pursuits.
When you are ready to go inside, prepare to be impressed. The cabin has folding glass frontage, which means the kitchen and the lounge have uninterrupted views of the lake. And when you go upstairs to soak in the roll top bath, you still get to look down the length of the water. That bath experience is sheer indulgence for people who enjoy a good soak. A wood-burning stove invites you to curl up on the couch with a book or to throw down during with some tabletop gaming.
JR’s Hut at Kimo Estate: New South Wales, Australia
Kimo Estate is one of the oldest properties in the Riverina region, as it dates back to the early 1830s. Now it’s a working 7000-acre farm with a variety of accommodation options for people interested in switching off and enjoying the natural beauty of the area. And there is a lot to enjoy. JR’s Hut specifically sits high on a hill and has 360-degree views of the Murrumbidgee River flats and the Kimo Valley. There are no nearby neighbors, so it feels really isolated. Between the landscape and the stylish design of the cabin, there is a lot to photograph here. And if you decide to visit the working farm (which is totally encouraged) there is a ton to snap there, too.
We love the classic A-frame design of JR’s hut for the same reason that so many designers use it: it is clearly an allusion to a classic tent shape. Plus, the shape provides a warm, comfortable refuge from adverse weather while also allowing for a visual connection with the natural environment the entire time you are inside. In addition, the lack of light pollution means a blanket of stars unlike anything city dwellers are used to will be on full display every night.
Tiny Transforming A-Frame: Missoula, Montana
This is the tiny house of cabins and that’s saying a lot considering how small some of the previous entries have been. If an A-frame had a filthy, sordid affair with a capsule hotel, this darling dwelling might be the offspring that neither of them planned. In reality, the transforming 80-square-foot cabin is the solar-powered architectural lovechild of photographer Alla Ponomareva and husband Garrett — who built it in three weeks with $700 worth of materials. They were able to save by using a ton of recycled items. For instance, the front steps were crafted using logs from the surrounding trees, as was the countertop.
The cabin has two single beds that can be smushed together for a bit less of a chaste Lucy and Desi energy. Of course, there isn’t a shower or bathroom, but there is an outdoor toilet and a portable solar shower. There’s also a “kitchen.” Well, yeah, it’s a shelf with dishes, a gas burner, a cooler, and a large pitcher of water. Our favorite feature is the wall that lifts up to open the cabin and create an indoor-outdoor space. If you go early in the season, you might be able to sleep that way.
Moon Lodge at The Living Well Centre: Penzance, United Kingdom
Generally, cabins are all about wood, but we think this roundhouse provides an alternate interpretation. Hidden in a circle of trees, this off-grid home features hand-sculpted baked Earth walls that the Living Well Centre where it is located claims is like the building giving visitors and “earth-hug.” If you read “earth-hug” and recoiled, you might not be down with staying at an ashram. But, if you are hyped on a dreamy escape from modern stresses that encourages people to live mindfully, you will dig this. And, surely the nearby beaches, coastal walks, and ancient sites won’t hurt.
Spend your days walking through the beautiful labyrinthine woodlands outside the door and experiencing the ancient holy well in the property’s secluded garden. Check out the orchard and vegetable gardens. There are a lot of outdoor activities to keep you busy. Later in the day, lounge at the Moon Lodge and cook something over the outdoor firepit (or on the indoor gas range). Eat by the light of an assortment of candle lanterns, and put them out when the sky fills with the moon and stars, which will shine brightly through the tall windows of the cabin.
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