From Cozy Cabins to City Stays: Airbnb's I Can't Wait to Revisit
- Kayla
- Mar 18
- 6 min read
Updated: Apr 21
In this post, I’m sharing the Airbnb stays I’ve truly fallen in love with. To be clear, this isn't a sponsored post- just a collection of places that left a mark on my heart (and sometimes my kitchen!). Whether you’re dreaming of a grand adventure or just need a quiet weekend to reset, I’m here to help you pull it all together. Just reach out if you need help or ideas. Remember, a trip doesn’t have to be 'fancy' or big to be transformative; sometimes, a simple change of scenery for the weekend is exactly what the soul needs.
A word on vacation rental homes. I am aware that in many towns home ownership dreams have been devastated by large investors gobbling up affordable properties to flip and rent. I am not an advocate of that practice. I try to support rental properties that are locally owned or located on personal properties of the owner.
I have personally owned two vacation rental properties in the past. One was my personal home. When we traveled on the weekends we were brave enough to list our home in Raleigh, NC on Airbnb for several months to balance expenses. That could be a post in itself! The other property was a cabin my grandparents owned in Virginia. My uncle and I purchased the property from them because, at the time, they couldn't bear to let it go. It had been a dream of theirs to own that cabin. In their old age paying for the cabin was a struggle. This allowed the cabin to stay in our family a little longer.
*** The first few listed date back to 2015! They are currently still listed, but turned off from Airbnb- so the links may not pull up for you. I am leaving them listed here in case they open back up soon. Sometimes vacation rental homes close seasonally, or may be closed for needed repairs. All of the links further down work!
This is one of the first Airbnb's I ever stayed in! My husband was running a Spartan Race race nearby and this spot was an excellent distance from the race and the town of Asheville, NC. My cousin and her husband came with us. We enjoyed the peace yet proximity to civilization the cabin offered. A highlight for me was the apple tree in the yard! Not only did it bring bears for us to see, but I enjoyed making cooked apples in the mornings.
I have had the pleasure of going to Puerto Rico a few times. On this particular occasion we needed a place to stay pre cruise. We went on a Christmas cruise with my husbands family in 2019. This place was large enough for all of us. While we were there we did have an ant problem in the kitchen, but that is common at beach properties. For me the outside space this stay provided was what was amazing. It had a lovely porch and an amazing rooftop dining area. I also loved the little beach on site and the access to the pool. The coastal drive to the property was also second to none! There are a lot of great street food stops between Loiza and San Juan.
During Covid between 2020-2021 while we were living in Texas we drove back to the East Coast a few times. Drifting Inn was our midway point to stop and sleep for the night. I have literally never been in a more homey feeling, clean and comfortable Airbnb in my life. I can't quite put my finger on it, but it was something we felt every time we stayed. This property is just outside of Mobile, Alabama. We have vowed one day we will go back and stay here to explore the area instead of just stopping through.
And the award for the most well stocked Airbnb goes to... Tiny living on The Hilltop. Y'all I can not believe how much stuff we found here. Games, a well stocked kitchen, yoga supplies, outdoor space- all here is this tiny little package. We used this Airbnb as a launching point for a anniversary stay and hiking getaway. It was close to Shenandoah National Park in Virginia where I think I completed the most challenging hike of my life to date, Old Rag Circuit Hike.
Talk about an experience! I will do a write up on this whole trip one day, but this Airbnb is truly something authentically Hill Country Texas. This barn style Airbnb featured 2 free roaming longhorn cows who came to visit us occasionally. We truly had the best time exploring the property, scorpions and all! HA! There was something magical about how clear the night sky was out by the firepit every night. We definitely had our fill of s'mores and roasted hot dogs : )
Talk about a peaceful stay! This cottage is nestled in an apple orchard at Old Hill Cidery in the mountains of Timberville, Virginia. Again, I loved the access to the apple and peach orchard. We had fresh cooked apples and peaches in our oatmeal every morning! There is plenty of hiking and mountain towns to explore nearby. Highlights for this trip were the Route 11 Potato Chip Factory, and driving into West Virginia to hike at Lost River State Park.
This carriage house was the PERFECT spot to stay in San Antonio. We were able to walk to dinner every night, and to the iconic River Walk area. Avoiding having to find parking is always a bright spot for me. The hosts were generous and stocked snacks and provided breakfast items during our stay. That is very rare!
Staying here almost feels like a dream, and a nightmare! Not because we had a bad stay, it was perfect in every way. But during this time a hurricane blew through Texas causing our staked down trampoline to blow out of our yard while we were gone. In Arkansas, where we were staying, this caused crazy tornado producing weather. To top it off Hailey got a stomach bug from hades that caused us to end our trip a day early. BUT I highly recommend a visit to this amazing barn loft in Hot Springs. Not only is it away from the hustle and bustle of the touristy area, it's like stepping into a dream. You can buy goat milk and fresh eggs from the owner. You can visit with him while he milks the goats in the barn below you! And just a short walk away there is a beautiful creek we got to play in with a firepit area.
Another trip I really need to write about was a Pacific Northwest anniversary getaway with my husband during the summer of 2025. Washington State is now on my list as one of the prettiest places I have ever seen.
We split our trip into two parts. We began with hiking and exploring Hoodsport and Olympic National Park. Home Sweet Dome was SUCH a vibe and the perfect launching point. From the moment we walked in it was special. It wasn't just the unique look of the dome home, but it was the touches by the host as well. The host had NPR playing thumpy local music on a Bose speaker to greet us. I enjoyed it so much that I turned it on every night and morning. This is the first Airbnb I have stayed in that provided local coffee along with a ton of different apparatuses to prepare it. We have since expanded our own coffee brewing library to include a gas stove percolator and a dripper for pour overs. In addition to the coffee, the host also left a basket of snack and drink items made in Washington. So generous!
For part two we wanted to explore the Tacoma and Seattle area. We relocated to a cute converted garage called The Pinewood Retreat. It was set up like a studio apartment which was perfect for our two night city exploration stay. I tired to take pictures of how cute it was, but the photos didn't do it any justice. I'll let you look at the listing photos to see for yourself!
Let me know if you go to one of these! I want to hear all about it. And as always- reach out for planning help!
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