In December, in need of a vacation, we stayed at a Getaway cabin near Mount Vernon for the weekend. To be honest, who isn’t in need of a vacation these days? With a new wave of COVID-19, it’s hard to ever fully be recovered from pandemic fatigue and burn out when we’re still in the thick of it. For me, any chance to have a little r&r right now is welcome.

Getaway opened up their second PNW location in the fall of 2021 and we were excited to check it out. The next closest location is their “Portland” outpost, which is in Glenwood, WA, about a 4.5 hour drive away. Getaway does an impressive job with their visual marketing on social media and on their website. It really made me want to experience it for myself.

To be clear, these aren’t the Airbnb cabins you share with a group of friends. This is a tiny house experience. Think of it as an upscale version of camping with a comfy queen-sized bed, AC+heat, a mini fridge, stove, hot shower, and a toilet. They offer cabins with 1 bed or 2 beds (bunks). The tiny cabins are also dog-friendly and we brought along our dog for a small cleaning fee.

There’s a great grocery store about 15 minutes away—Haggen (2601 E Division St, Mt Vernon, WA 98274)—that has a wide selection of dry goods, drinks, produce, and an expansive prepared foods section. A few more minutes, there’s a small street lined with restaurants, boutique shops, and a brewery. There’s also this delicious bagel shop nearby for breakfast, Whidbey Island Bagel Factory. They’re popular, so get there on the early side because they sell out of certain flavors by noon.

While Getaway encourages patrons to disconnect, and you’re surrounded by nature, you’re also not alone in the middle of nowhere. There’s no wifi, but at this location, there is cell service and you can look up things on Yelp or on Google maps, and check email or social media. You probably won’t be able to work remotely, but that’s the point.

The outpost was larger than we thought, with about 36 cabins. You have “neighbors” but their campsite is maybe 50-60 feet away (from cabin to cabin, maybe 100 feet in between?) and the way the lots and houses are placed, you almost never see them. You can’t see them when inside the house or outside at the picnic area and fire pit, so it feels private. We only saw people as we were driving in and out of the grounds. There are also staff on-site that are responsive and friendly, should you have any questions or in the event of an emergency.

Every cabin has a private fire pit with a grill to make food or roast marshmallows for s’mores over an open fire. We saw one group had the forethought to bring their own 10×10 pop-up tent and I thought that was brilliant, especially for this rainy season we’re in. If I were to come again, I’d want to book a time in the spring or summer, when nicer weather is more likely and I can spend more time outside around the fire, hiking trails, and generally being outdoors. Overall, a really pleasant experience that I would recommend.

Pricing runs between $149 – $299 per night, depending on when you book. Healthcare providers, first responders, active duty military, veterans, and students are all eligible for a 15% discount. You can find this information on their website, under the tab on the top: “Programs”.

Book your Skagit Valley getaway here.