After a rather traumatic travel attempt in January, my little family decided to try another vacation. This time we decided to stay much closer to home. We booked an adorable Airbnb 1.5 hours south of us. Since I was a little gun shy about taking my wee one away from home, we figured a cheaper, closer, low expectation trip would be perfect. Our rental was in Decherd Tennessee which is right next to Sewanee, a cute college town. Read on to learn more about our weekend getaway to Decherd Tennessee!
Backstory
If you are curious about the “traumatic” travel I mentioned earlier, here’s the skinny. I planned a luxurious week-long trip for my Birthday to the Ritz Carlton Oconee Georgia. It was going to be 4 nights at the lakeside resort. It was all about relaxing, room service, spa treatments, just a dream trip. My husband and I were looking SO forward to it.
Well…. We drove there, tried to put the little man to bed, and he decided he was not having it. Not at all. I was shocked since he had slept fine on the other two trips we had taken. But he was older, and probably going through a new sleep regression… so it was a no-go. I couldn’t have him screaming all night as these poor Ritz Carlton guests were trying to sleep. So mama didn’t sleep and held her baby ALL NIGHT. The next day was my birthday, and I was an emotional, sleep-deprived mess. We could have toughed it out another night, but I was SO TIRED, I knew another sleepless night would kill me. So we packed up and went home. Sometimes you just have to know when to cut your losses and call it a day.
The Space
After that debacle, we were nervous to travel again but decided to try this super cute and close Airbnb. The draw for us was that it had gorgeous views, fun things to do at the rental, and the reviews were all glowingly positive.
It was small, tiny home-esque, but had everything we needed. There was a tiny but functional kitchen, two rooms, blackout curtains (a MUST for our baby!), and a cozy living room. I only wish it had been warmer when we were there since the table and chairs were outside on the front porch (once again, think tiny home). Also, the balcony upstairs had the cutest table and chairs I would have loved to enjoy!
There was one annoying aspect to the rental, a LOW ceiling going up the stairs. I would just be very cautious, I nailed my head on it a few times! My husband learned from my mistakes and didn’t have as many issues as I did. Even though that was not the best design, overall the house was just charming. And the special touches and decorations made it feel like a very special space. They even had fresh-cut flowers and treats to greet us upon arrival, so cute!
Activities
Game Room
The rental was located on 20 private acres. So there was plenty of space for many awesome things! First of all, let’s talk about the game room located in the garage. It had two arcade games (not to brag but my husband set a high score on Galaga… =p ), air hockey, video games, lawn games, foosball… the list goes on. I would love to come back and play even more out there, it made us feel like kids again!
BBQ and Fire Pit
Outside there was a fire pit and seating area plus a gas grill and party lights. My husband made THE BEST burgers on the grill, and we enjoyed smores one night using the fire pit. This outdoor area really helped us feel like we were in vacation mode!
Hot Tub
There was a hot tub on the second-story balcony. Taking an early morning dip in the 20 degrees February morning felt wonderful! This was a highlight for me!
Other
The property was so big it was fun just to walk around and check out the gazebo on the hill. There was a hammock that we each had to try out (it was surprisingly comfortable!). I ran a mile up and down the gravel hill on the property. It definitely got my heart rate up! The sunsets from the hill were breathtaking, we felt very fortunate to be able to enjoy them.
Area Exploration
We hadn’t planned on getting out much (or at all). But I did find a lookout point with hiking very close to the rental. We went to Green’s Point and LOVED the amazing view! I wish I had been better prepared to hike, but we walked a bit on the trail and came back. It looked like a nice hike though. It was definitely worth the trip to check out!
Conclusion
This trip might not have been an extravagant week at the Ritz, but it was exactly what we wanted it to be. We wanted a low-key getaway that would restore our faith in our family’s ability to travel. It wasn’t perfect, little man didn’t love sleeping in a pack’n’play, but it was ok. Ultimately, baby boy napped poorly but slept hard at night. So everyone felt ok after a good night’s rest (also, the mattress at the rental was fantastic!). It was A LOT traveling with a 9-month-old, the amount of stuff we brought was crazy! This was a very eye-opening trip that made us realize that travel will be a bit different from now on. I know that babies change so much, and so quickly that whatever challenges we have now will certainly change by the next time we take a vacation!
As for the rental, it was fantastic! The sunsets and sunrises were breathtaking, and waking up to the sunrise from our bed was a complete treat. I highly recommend this rental and hope to be back in the future! =)
If you are curious about the rental, check them out on instagram!
Want to read more about our travels and adventures from 2021? Check it out HERE!
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