My friends always tease me about how I'm never off my phone. Not gonna lie, whenever we go out, I'm always the one asking everybody to pose for the gram. So, when I found out my friend Amy was planning a no-phone weekend trip for Sophie's birthday, I low-key freaked out.
It feels like I haven't been without my phone for more than 2 hours in, like, 2 years. And that's because I was at a movie.
Not only was it going to be a no-phone weekend, it was going to be a weekend away from civilization, in a Getawaycabin in the depths of nature. I'm a city girl at heart, so camping and hiking scared me a little. I wasn't really looking forward to the trip, but it was only for a few days. Amy had already bought supplies (wine and snacks) for the trip. Plus, after checking out their Instagram I realized it looked really pretty and maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all.
Loaded up with snacks and an awesome playlist, the four of us set off in Amy's car. The Getaway Outpost was only a 2-hour drive from the city, so at least it wasn't a long commute - Sophie had no idea where we were taking her. Just before we pulled up to our cabin, we covered the birthday girl's eyes. When we gave her the big reveal, she was so excited.
And after seeing how peaceful it was, I was excited, too. It was so quiet we could hear the crickets chirping - it had been so long since I had been in the middle of nature like that. I forgot how nice it was.
The Getawaycabins are nicely spread out - we could see other cabins in the distance through the trees, but we had our own space. I didn't have high expectations, so I was relieved to see it has all the essentials: AC and heat, a private bathroom with a toilet and a hot shower, a kitchenette with a two-burner stove, mini-fridge, fire pit, and all the kitchen essentials. We also found a deck of cards, and some books.
They're super modern and the beds are so soft, but the best part was the giant window with the views of nature. Which meant we could appreciate nature without having to rough it – maybe the weekend wouldn't be so bad after all.
When the time came to part ways with our cell phones and put them in the lockbox for the weekend (at Amy's insistence), I felt like I was giving up a limb. But we had a busy few days ahead so we went straight to bed.
The next morning, we went on a hike in Beaver Slide Nature Park. The trail was so scenic, with a peaceful lake. The scent in the air was so fresh compared to the city air I was used to. When we spotted a beaver, I couldn't help but wish I had my phone to snap a pic (old habits die hard), but Sophie got super cute shots with her yellow instant camera.
That evening, we grilled veggies and chicken skewers and ate them at the picnic table while drinking wine. We laughed for hours, and it was great to finally catch up. When it got kinda chilly, we went inside the cozy cabin and fell asleep.
The next day we went on a longer hike, on the Wolfpen Hike and Bike Trail. This trail was 4.1 miles but it wasn't intense, so we were able to stroll along leisurely while chatting and sharing stories. It was nice to not be interrupted by constant notifications.
For our last evening we toasted s'mores and made some hot chocolate as we chilled out in the Adirondack chairs around the fire. We even saw I deer in the distance! The girls teased at how shocked they were that I actually lasted the whole 3 days without my phone - Amy lost her 5 dollar bet to Sophie that I would break!
It's funny, this trip was organized for Sophie, but I needed it the most. Detaching from my phone and simply enjoying the scenery and the company in the moment was so refreshing. I never thought I could go 3 whole days without my phone (alright, I did post a picture on Instagram once the photos were developed, but still).
Now, whenever we go out and I try to snap a pic, the girls jokingly threaten to confiscate my phone again. Our trip to the Getaway cabin is a memory we will never forget.
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