So it's
October, and you want to get away to a rustic
cabin nestled deep in the woods. * You see
yourself basking in the glow of a small crackling fire,
while cuddling with your sweetie on the sofa. * Outside
a crisp evening breeze portends the change in seasons. *
Or, maybe you imagine walking through an autumnal forest
under azure skies, dry leaves crunching underfoot, while
squirrels and birds scurry about.
How do you find these memorable spots?
Turn on your computer, access your favorite search
engine, and type in the keywords "cabin
rental." Unfortunately, when you see the
magnitude of choices, your vision flies southward like a
flock of migrating geese.
Take a gander at our selections
instead. You just might locate the ideal
cabin for your fall getaway. Most offerings
provide photos, rates, and
rental agreement details.
Circling the Smokies
According to the number of sites
listed for the areas of North Carolina and Tennessee
around the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, these
states are the number one destination for
cabin rentals in the United States. We selected a
few sites that stand out above the rest.
On the Tennessee side, look for
locales near Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge at www.gatlin
burgchalets.com. Many of their chalets feature whirlpool
tubs and pool tables, in addition to fireplaces and
decks with wonderful views. Townsend, about 15 minutes
from Cades Cove, has a wide selection of cabins and
homes in Laurel Valley, a gated golf course community.
Check out the choices at www.white oakrealty.com.
Maggie Valley, in North Carolina, is
smaller and less crowded. Browse Johnson Branch Cabins
at http://hay wood.main.nc.us/~keno/. If you prefer the
cosmopolitan air of Asheville, visit
www.willowwinds.com, a site devoted to 21 new luxury
rentals located between the Blue Ridge Parkway and
Biltmore Estate, 45 minutes from the national park.
Mountain Mysteries
Look to www.turnstonecabins.com for
log cabins between Dillard, Georgia, and Franklin, North
Carolina. Adjacent to the Nantahala Wilderness Area,
they are made of hand-hewn logs with dovetail notched
corners, pine floors, and tin roofs. Visit
www.wildernessview cabins.com, and check out the new
luxury rentals between Ellijay and Chatsworth, Georgia,
each on its own 5 acres with outdoor hot tubs and
stacked stone fireplaces (wood provided).
West Virginia's tumble of forested
hills also hides quaint destinations at Summersville
Lake and the Gauley and New Rivers area. Examine the
details at www.westvirginiacabins.com. Nearby you'll
find white-water rafting, horseback riding, llama
trekking, rock climbing, and mountain biking. For
anglers in search of supreme trout fishing, go to
www.barnettcabins.com for rentals on Stamping Creek in
Pocahontas County.
Visitors to the Ozark Mountains near
Eureka Springs, Arkansas, may want to enjoy the
independence of their own
cabin. Log cabins with whirlpool tubs,
wood-burning stoves, decks, and kitchenettes can be
found at www.eureka cabins.com.
Slip into the wide-open spaces of the
Texas Hill Country. Four simply appointed cabins on the
Guadalupe River in New Braunfels are featured at
www.oakhillriverinn.com.
Staying on the Wild Side
Explore the Big South Fork National
River & Recreation Area in Tennessee by horseback. The
cabins at www.bigsouthforkcabins.com offer stalls for
your steed or horses for hire.
You will also find rustic cabins at
the National Forest Service Web site. Although the
accommodations are not as plush, the locations are
ideal. Look for
cabin rentals in George Washington and Jefferson
National Forests in Virginia, as well as the Monongahela
National Forest in West Virginia and the Ocala National
Forest in Florida at www.fs.fed.us/recreation/permits/
cabinrentals.htm.
Choice Sites
A
couple of Web sites offer nationwide rentals. At
www.cabins.com we discovered intriguing
Southern locales. The best Virginia selections
came from www.mountain-lodging.com. This site lists so
many Shenandoah Valley rentals they alternate offerings
every 10 days.
Exotic Escapades
Even the most loyal Southerners escape
to destinations outside our region from time to time. We
found three worthy ones.
Take a hike in the forests of New
York's Adirondack Mountains. Go to
www.canadalakemarine.com to find
cabin rentals on lovely Canada Lake. Two of their
cabins are accessible by boat only.
You can skip the crowded resort scene
in Hawaii by reserving a
cabin at www.hawaii-travelers.com, where you will
find beachfront estates, homes, and condos for rent.
For those of you who really have a
desire to get away from the crowd, check out www.denali
flying.com. The Denali Flying Service offers fly-in
cabins in Alaska. They also offer Iditarod tours for the
March 2002 mush race. Happy Trails. Annette Thompson
Copyright
Southern Progress Corporation Oct
2001
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company.
All rights Reserved
