With two small children in school, we often don’t have time to take big, extravagant vacations. Instead, we love to take mini-adventures as a family whenever we can. A special day of hiking, visiting a unique museum, or going away for even a night to a fun location can be just enough to create special memories in a short period of time. Recently, we took a one-night getaway to a tiny cabin in the woods in New Hampshire.
The Location
Our cabin was located in Epsom, New Hampshire, at a place called Postcard Cabins, close to Bear Brook State Park. We have stayed here a few times before, and the kids really enjoy each visit. The drive up is easy, and finding the location is straightforward. There are about 40 cabins spaced out nicely on the property. They strike a nice balance of giving everyone some privacy while also not feeling like you are too alone in the deep woods.
The Cabin
We chose a two-bed cabin, which meant the kids loved climbing the stairs up and down to the top queen bunk over and over again! The white bedding was clean, crisp, and comfy. Both beds looked outside through a huge window so we could really soak in the views of nature. The windows had blinds that rolled down, though, so we could sleep in the next morning!
Our home for the night included a mini fridge, a two-burner stove, and all the pans, cups, plates, and utensils we would need. The kitchen space included a few basic essentials like coffee creamer, sugar, oil, and salt and pepper. From home, we brought plenty of snacks, drinks, s’mores ingredients, and stuff for coffee and pancakes in the morning.
The middle of the cabin featured a sunken table where we played cards and ate snacks. We turned on the FM radio to enjoy some nice background tunes while we went about our day. There is nothing like teaching your kids the vintage skill of tuning a radio dial to a certain station to make you really feel your age!
The far end of the cabin included a toilet and a narrow but manageable shower (towels included). Each cabin has its own hot water tank to allow for the creature comfort of a warm shower. A heating and A/C unit also kept us comfortable.
Outside of the cabin, we loved the Adirondack chairs next to the fire pit. We stopped by a roadside stand to purchase firewood on our way to the cabin, but it can also be purchased on-site.
What To Do
Part of the magic of the tiny cabins is that you don’t need to do much. Slowing down as a family feels like quite the gift amid our busy lives. We liked walking on the small hiking trail near our cabin that brought us through the forest and down to a stream. The kids loved exploring the mossy rocks near the water, and we loved taking in the peaceful surroundings.
Next, we built a roaring campfire that kept the springtime bugs at bay and entertained the kids as they experimented with tossing in pine needles that crackled when they hit the hot flames.
Once we all worked up an appetite, we drove about 10 minutes to Northwoods Brewing Company for some dinner. The grown-ups enjoyed a beer while we waited for our delicious, thin-crust pizzas to arrive at the table.
We came back to our cabin to get our campfire going again and indulged in some messy and melty s’mores. Once we all had our fill, we put out our fire and went inside to get cleaned up. Everyone put on jammies and took in the night sky before getting cozy in the beds.
The morning was slow as we woke up, relaxed in bed, made some coffee, and enjoyed some chocolate chip pancakes. Eventually, we showered, packed up our things, and checked out by 11am.
Booking a Stay
Depending on the timing, the price of a stay here can vary widely. Mid-week stays tend to be less expensive, as do off-season visits. Also, the website often features various promo codes. We love staying at these tiny Postcard Cabins and look forward to visiting again soon for more mini adventures!
