Yeah, it’s one word – Getaway. Because that’s the name of a place we recently visited that truly did help us to “get away” from the busyness and craziness of our hectic lives, a place where we could just “be”. Getaway Piney Woods is the full name, to be exact, and it’s located in Larue, Texas, a short distance outside of Athens. And it was a refreshing experience, one that I think every couple should take the time to try, as it offered an opportunity to talk, reconnect, and enjoy each other’s company in complete beauty and solitude. How often do you get to do that?
We made reservations for two nights, a Friday and a Saturday in May. We arrived late afternoon and knew it would be a pretty remote experience once we turned off highway 175 onto country road 4343. We traveled down a two-lane, black-topped road with no shoulder for about three miles, past pastures and rolling hills, small ranches, cows, and trees, trying to avoid the potholes and dips in the road. Finally, a left onto 4357 and not too far down the road a sign appears – Getaway Piney Woods.
Once you arrive at this oasis in the woods, you will immediately notice that the area is covered with beautiful towering pine trees, and as you pass through this little slice of heaven you start to see entrances for each of the little “cabins” where the guests stay. Each one is cutely labeled with a person’s name – Roland, Stephanie, Shia, and Aldo were just a few of the ones we passed as we made our way to ours, called Sandy. We were pleased to find that each cabin was spread out from the others with plenty of privacy. Sandy was no disappointment as it was well off the road and actually surrounded by a grove of bamboo. We pulled into our spot, got out, and just stood and listened for a moment. No street sounds, no people sounds, no airplanes overhead – yay, no concrete city whatsoever! All we heard was the chorus of cicadas, which was completely fine with us!
Now, one of the beauties of this place, and possibly the challenge for many who go there, is that you are supposed to lock your cell phone in a little box provided in the cabin and be “off grid” for your stay. Think you’ll be bored without your phone handy? Think again. The hosts provide little suggestions and activities for you to do while you are there. There is a fire pit and grill. A radio is available, as well as an activity sheet with fun questions to ask your partner if you need some discussion starters. Books are available for reading. And there is a wonderful nature trail for a long walk just to enjoy the scenery.
But really, the best part is to not to have to “do” anything. It is a time to unwind and keep your partner as your sole focus – every couple should do that, because we let too many other distractions get in the way most of the time and often lose sight of what makes our partner tick, who they are, or who they have become over time. The best thing that Mike and I did was to just hang out and talk. Oh, and play cards…yeah…that was fun too!
But if you do need a little something extra, as we did at one point, take a trip into Athens and enjoy the East Texas Arboretum (www.easttexasarboretum.org). There we found some nice hiking and beautiful plants and gardens to enjoy. We also made time to visit 3 P’s in a Vine (3psinavine.com), a wonderful family-owned winery we try to visit each time we are in the area – their wines are delicious and the hosts make you feel like an old friend.
Overall, the Getaway provided everything we needed for a refresh. We highly recommend the experience. As a couple, we came back strengthened and more connected – simply because we were able to put the distractions of the world away and just focus on us. It’s a great gift you can give to your relationship.
