8 Spectacular Treehouses You Can Stay In from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the beaches of Costa Rica
Aunt Sarah's Treehouse, Stowe, Vermont
On a recent visit to my Aunt's house in Stowe, Vermont my love for treehouses was re-ignited. At 90, my Aunt Sarah decided to build a treehouse in her backyard. It's no joke, it's a real, fully accessible treehouse-- heated, with kitchen, bed and bath. She had help building but she did a lot of heavy lifting and all the designing. Since I am neither crafty nor handy, it did not inspire me to build a tree house but it did get me excited to stay in one. So I started researching treehouses to rent and discovered there are hundreds of tree houses for rent all over the world. Sorry to say that Aunt Sarah's is not one of them but please enjoy the pictures.
Here are eight treehouses that caught my attention for particular reasons; their incredible craftsmanship, comfort, location, most clever use of space, amenities and overall cool factor. You can reserve all of them through Homeaway and other booking services.
Most Luxurious - Waterbury, Vermont
Nestled on 86 secluded acres in the Green Mountains, the Adirondack style Moose Meadow Lodge in Waterbury, Vermont is a luxury cabin experience that includes four bedrooms, four and a half baths, three steam rooms, and this amazing treehouse w/ bathroom. The entire lodge + treehouse sleeps 10. A Vermont log cabin like no other, the Moose Meadow Lodge is close to Vermont's most popular attractions, including Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream factory, and the ski resorts of Stowe, Sugarbush, Bolton, and Mad River Glen. The friendly village of Waterbury, where you'll find everything you need, is only three miles away. Owners live on site. The Treehouse is available seasonally as part of the full rental of the lodge from late May to late October. The main lodge is available year round.
Romantic Meets Practical - Weaverville, NC
This treehouse nestled high above the Carolina Jewel in Reems Creek Valley, is both romantic and practical. It was custom built by the DYI Network Treehouse Guys. As far as amenities go they've thought of everything, HVAC, high speed Wi-Fi, gas log fire place, fully equipped kitchen complete with chef's knives and copper cookware, a stove, microwave, large refrigerator and gas grill on the deck. It has one bedroom, two bathrooms and sleeps four comfortably. The master bedroom has its own private bath, a tempur-pedic bed with an active base that gives mini massages and even USB ports that can monitor your sleep patterns. The outdoor shower is on the deck outside the main level full bathroom. In total the treehouse has three showers. Watch the sunset and views of the trees, mountains, and sky on the porch rocking chairs.
Functional Meets Tranquility - Pikeville, TN
This one of a kind treehouse set high in the trees an hour from Chattanooga, is the perfect getaway for those wanting to unplug while still having functional amenities. Suspended over a flowing creek with multiple little waterfalls beneath it, you will love the scenery on a full deck with outdoor grill and outdoor seating around a fire pit. The deck is a great place for morning coffee and the fully loaded kitchen has everything you need to feel at home, away from home. The treehouse is an easy hike to get supplies or shop in Pikeville as well as visit local attractions like the Lookout Mountain, Ruby Falls. It has two bedrooms and bathroom with a shower. There's a great selection of movies that you can watch on the big screen TV over the fireplace. And it's pet friendly!
Rustic Serenity - Volcano, HI
If a peaceful rustic experience is what you are searching for, look no further than this rainforest treehouse located eight miles to the Hawaii Volcanos National Park. The house is secluded off the road for privacy and to be as close to nature as possible. It's a step up from a camping experience as there is a toilet and shower but the interior is open concept, and I mean open to the forest. There is no kitchen but there are tables, chairs, a coffee machine, and drinking water. There's one lovely bedroom and a lot of peace and tranquility to get your zen on.
Cottage Grove, MN
Honeymooners this luxurious romantic getaway is for you! The house was constructed into a large 150 year old Burr Oak Tree. You can birdwatch or star gaze from the observation deck which sits 40 feet up--telescope provided! Also provided are touring bikes which you can use to ride through Cottage Grove Ravine nature park next door. The world famous Mall of America is just 20 minutes away and there are two nearby golf courses, River Oaks Golf course and Mississippi Dunes Golf links. It has two fireplaces, a full kitchen, one bedroom, jacuzzi, four levels and four decks.
Family Getaway - Blue Ridge, GA
This three story treehouse is perched on four private acres overlooking the National Forest with direct hiking access to the Benton MacKaye Trail and a 10 minute drive to historic Downtown Blue Ridge. It's an ideal getaway for families as it has a a private queen bedroom downstairs, bunk beds upstairs and a loft with a sofa bed. It has a kitchenette, refrigerator/freezer, stainless convection microwave, and 2 electric glass top burners, no conventional oven. The living room and the upstairs loft have flat screen TVs and DVD players. On the deck you can soak up the gorgeous view, literally, in the hot tub or have some wine and sit in front of the fire pit.
Little Piece of Paradise - Veintisiete de Abril, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
This luxurious treehouse, located in a 250-acre protected Nature Eco-reserve, sits on a mountainside with an ocean view. It is constructed with steel, teak, and floor-to-ceiling glass with an upper level meditation and a yoga deck. It also has corner platforms for viewing Costa Rica's rare birds and wildlife and spectacular sunsets. It has two bedrooms, two bathrooms with shower and an additional outside shower, a kitchen, living and dining room. The Treehouse is about an hour's drive from the International Airport in Liberia and only 10 minutes drive to beautiful, sandy, uncrowded local beaches and quaint restaurants. If you are looking for a place to relax, read, unwind, and enjoy a little piece of paradise, or explore Costa Rica this is the place for you.
Private Relaxation 30 Feet Up - Sooke, BC, Canada
Nestled between large cedars and a giant maple, Owl’s Perch is a true treehouse as it reaches 30 feet off the ground and uses tree tabs that allow the trees to sway naturally. Located along the Galloping goose trail only 5 minutes from Sooke city center and the Sooke Potholes, it offers stunning views across the Salish Sea to the mountains of Washington state. The treehouse sleeps two and comes fully equipped with a three-piece bathroom and kitchenette--The kitchenette does not have a stove only a microwave and toaster oven. There is a cozy loft bedroom with a double bed and a large picture window (Note if you have any difficulty climbing as there is a ladder to the bed.) The large deck is perfectly situated in the trees canopy providing for total privacy. The living room has a love seat, dinning table and fireplace. Bonus for those unable to completely disconnect...Netflix is installed!