Covid Friendly Retreats in the NYC Area
It’s no secret that travel in the last year isn’t what we’re used to. There is so much more to consider when planning a big trip or simple weekend getaway. Is this location being safe? Are the tourist attractions open? Is it okay to fly? Are there travel restrictions? Is it too risky to go anywhere other than our own home?
While looking for things to do during these times, we definitely struggled with all of these questions. Not to mention we wanted to make sure our friends, family, and followers knew that we were always doing the proper research and taking proper precautions before deciding to go away. Luckily, we found two incredible retreats fairly local to us that provided exactly what we were looking for in terms of safety, uniqueness, and location. If you are local to NYC or Westchester County, NY we highly recommend these companies when planning a change of scenery.
Location: Governors Island, NYC
Availability: May-October
Price: $$$$
Collective Retreats is a glamping company with locations all over the country. We were lucky enough to be able to visit the Governors Island location in NYC for my birthday this year and when I say wow, I mean WOW. There wasn’t anything about this retreat that I didn’t fall in love with.
First of all, we took a cute ferry from downtown Manhattan to Governors Island which we got to ride for free since we were staying overnight, though we had to make reservations online because of covid. We arrived on Governors Island where we were greeted with cute sidewalks, grass (yes, lots of grass), and historical buildings. It was a beautiful day so we decided to walk to the Collective Retreats glamping site, and when we arrived we were greeted by fire pits and large tents that were set up for guests. The view from the glampsite was gorgeous. It’s right on the water and from the site you can see lower Manhattan, Jersey City, and you have a perfect view of the Statue of Liberty.
The staff was more than friendly and even took us to our tent in a golf cart so that we wouldn’t have to walk. Upon arrival at our tent I was completely blown away. The outside was adorable and complete with a little deck and two chairs outside. Inside, though, left me speechless. The tent opened up to a king sized bed with a heated blanked, small desk, shoe cubbies, heat/AC unit, standing mirror, and a chair with a side table. When we walked to the back of the tent, we found another entrance that led to the full bathroom with a toilet, sink, rain style shower, towels, and robes for us to use. As someone who struggles sleeping in a sleeping bag on the ground, I had discovered the kind of camping that was made for me.
We spent the rest of the day enjoying the island. It was very easy to social distance since all of the activities were outdoor and included a walk through a garden, looking at historical buildings, ordering from street vendors, and a short walk to the top of a hill where you could see the whole island and the “great lawn” which consisted of beautiful grass and NYC’s version of rolling hills.
When evening came we had dinner at the restaurant that was set up on a deck at the Collective Retreats glamping site. Everything was outdoor and properly distanced and the staff was incredible. Our server even remembered my allergies from when we grabbed lunch earlier and informed me of everything on the menu that she thought that I could enjoy without having to be nervous. It was a bit cold, but they provided us with tall heat lamps near our table to keep us comfortable.
The rest of the night was wonderful and consisted of Emily and I watching a movie on my laptop, enjoying a glass of wine that my dad had sent to our tent (thanks, Dad!) and taking photos for our memories. There were complimentary s’mores available at the fire pits, but after stuffing ourselves at the restaurant we opted to stay in. We had a few questions while we were there, and were able to ask them via text to the Collective Retreats staff. The text service is 24 hours so we always got answers right when we needed them!
In the morning we were greeted with a breakfast tray that was delivered outside our tent. They had included yogurt, fruit, nut and gluten free granola, cheese and prosciutto, juice, and even a gluten-free spice cake, all of which had been checked for my allergies beforehand. It may sound like a small thing, but this was HUGE for me. I am never able to comfortably have a breakfast spread like this when I travel, but they were so on top of my allergies that I felt completely safe and comfortable having what they brought us. For me, this was what took the experience to the next level. I feel it is also important to note that in the morning there was a complimentary yoga and mindfulness session available, but we slept through it. After breakfast we checked out and were brought back to the ferry via a golf cart.
All in all I would give this experience a 10000/10. Great food, great service, great atmosphere, great location, great everything. Depending on your budget, this is definitely something to try out for a special occasion. The location is currently closed for the winter but they are typically open from May-October for bookings.
2. Getaway House
Location: East Catskills
Availability: Year-Round
Price: $$
Getaway House is a business that offers a tiny cabin experience in different locations all over the country. The idea behind Getaway House is to allow travelers to escape from technology and immerse themselves in the natural beauty and tranquility of the nature surrounding them. The Getaway House staff encourages visitors to see their stay as an opportunity for rest, relaxation, and inspiration. We just returned from our visit and could not have had a more pleasant experience.
I booked us a stay in one of their Eastern Catskills cabin and gave it to Emily as a Christmas gift. The booking was simple and I was even able to use a coupon code that I saw in the Instagram ad that introduced me to them. Leading up to our arrival, the Getaway team reached out to me multiple times to clarify details of our stay and to give us tips on what to pack, recipes to cook in the cabin, things to do in the area, and how to embrace nature while we were there. They even provided us with a travel playlist to get us started on our trip!
The drive to the cabin was approximately two hours from where we were in Westchester County, NY. By the time we arrived to the site our cell service was hanging on by a thread and we felt pretty off the grid and excited to simply exist in nature. We were surprised when we arrived at the amount of cabins at this location. I’ll be honest, when I booked the cabin I thought there would maybe be two or three cabins. As we drove around to find our cabin, which by the way was named “Yaya”, we were surprised and pleased to find a neighborhood of about 30 other cabins, all spread out far enough that you felt you had your own space and privacy.
Our cabin was adorable. The cabins are minimalist tiny houses that include a queen sized bed, beautiful big window, kitchenette complete with fridge, mini electric stove, and sink with drinkable water, a small dining table, and a bathroom with a shower. They even include pots, pans, a kettle, silverware, mugs, bowls, dishes, knives, a can opener, scissors, and a cutting board so that you can cook your own meals while you’re there. You can choose to bring your own ingredients or purchase a sustenance box anytime before or during your stay that includes meal and snack items. Otherwise you can purchase provisions and a s’mores kit that are in your cabin when you arrive. They also had a lockbox for our phones and books for us to read during our stay.
Outside the cabin there are chairs, a picnic table, a fire pit, and log bundles available for purchase. Emily and I LOVE to build fires and sit under the stars, so once we had made our dinner (steak and Brussels sprouts that were to die for) Emily built us a fire and we had s’mores and took pictures of the stars.
The rest of the night was relaxing and serene. I’ll admit I did get scared a few times thinking that someone was outside our cabin, but every time it was either the heater or some harmless wind. Regardless, I was comforted knowing that we had a bolt on the door and landline in the cabin to contact the Getaway team if we needed anything. They were also available via text before and during our stay which made us feel welcome and taken care of.
The morning consisted of us making some eggs and bacon and packing our things to head out. We had made plans to go on a hike nearby to Kaaterskill Falls, a popular waterfall in the Catskills near Hunter Mountain. The hike was beautiful, though a bit icy when we were there, and definitely somewhere we would recommend. It was the perfect length, not too short and not too long, and offered a gorgeous view of the waterfall and mountain scenery. We were even able to enjoy some hot chocolate that we had brought along with us.
All in all, everything from the Getaway team’s support, to the hike, to the pillows in our cabin completely exceeded our expectations. We knew that this would be a wonderful experience, but until we got there we didn’t realize how much care was put into every single aspect of the house. It was clear that the staff cares immensely about the experience they are creating for their guests just by the details that they thought to add in the cabin. I definitely regretted only booking one night in the cabin, but we discovered that Getaway House has many affordable packages available so that you can purchase a pack of stays at once to be used in any combination at any Getaway House location. We will definitely be going back!