1. Picking the cabin is honestly the, most important task. If you are traveling with a group,particularly a couple’s trip then the cabin must check off must haves. The most important step when picking a cabin for a group is to ensure comfort. I knew there were 3 couples for our trip so we needed 3 rooms with a queen bed or bigger and a private bathroom. This is harder to find than it sounds. The higher the guest count the harder it is to find fair sleeping arrangements. I not only found a cabin with three master suites (bathrooms included) each room had its own floor! This was an epic find and it’s safe to say we are now spoiled. I used air b&b and I must say reading the reviews are so important when selecting a cabin. You can trust the reviews and pay attention to the response rate of the host. There are several locations people choose for cabins when in the metro Atl area. Due to the current situation of COVID I chose to keep it safe with Blue Ridge mountains. I wanted beautiful views and plenty of outdoor living space. I never been to the cabins in the summer. I must say that the experience was totally different. In a good way, it wasn’t too cold to enjoy the balcony for extended periods of time and the views were beautiful and green. Be sure to check location prior as well. Not all cabin locations are created equally lol. This one had a little trek up the mountain spanning over 2 miles up and let’s just say with gravel and steep moments it was a little scary. I prefer an updated kitchen because eating in is usually the goal and you want it to be easy. Check out our cabin and tell them Jasmine sent you when you book https://abnb.me/zvYj5j0GN6
2. FOOD! Y’all this is the most important part because being up there lets just say uber eats and delivery isn’t usually an option. We mapped out a menu prior to going on the trip because we knew that we wanted to make enough food. We were able to have early check in so we made a quick lunch as we prepped for dinner. Sheila designed a beautiful tablescape to set the mood for a romantic dinner and lets just say she NAILED it! www.sheimiller.com
On the menu for dinner we wanted to make it steakhouse vibes and offered a choice between filet mignon or salmon both being thyme ad garlic rubbed. A side of either Brussel sprouts or green beans and baby potatoes.
We did a breakfast spread the next morning before we headed out on an excursion. One we returned my husband made his famous shrimp and grits for lunch and it was amazing! For dinner we had sliders as an appetizer including salmon, blue cheesed stuffed burgers, and hot links. For dinner we did a traditional cookout spread including jerk chicken, baked Mac and cheese, potato salad, watermelon arugula salad, grilled veggies baked beans! Yes it was amazing lol… we finished off with French toast with a blueberry compote, eggs, bacon and grits for breakfast the next morning to finish out our trip. Now that I bragged about our menu let me tell you that we were able to make this work with $75 food budget per couple. I like to plan ahead and secure a budget and purchase prior for everyone so that the food is available for everyone. Please don’t be that person to hog food that you brought when there is a large group of possibly intoxicated people. The food is for everyone. Hide special goodies in your room lol. trust me. When it comes to the alcohol we use a BYOB method. Bottle of choice to all contribute to the bar. This way we created an open bar but there will certainly be something for everyone.
3. In house activities can get really creative and fun. The first night after our fabulous dinner we did a couples style sip and paint. Kadian purchased the supplies prior and we were able to set up right t the table. We did them together as a couple and we all voted on an image and had to recreate! This was a blast and we used the quiz feature and posted it on on socials and got our friends involved on the vote. I may be bias but its fun and safe to say that we won by a landslide lol. We had a game night that involved drinking games and classic board games. We played heads up and cards and had the best time. We enjoyed time on the balcony in the hammocks and a little television our cabin even had Netflix. We made sure to have a playlist going as well. We bought our google home just to be safe but music is a must! Remember I’m all ab out setting the mood.
4. Excursions- this is where things went left… we did a kayaking tour on the river and although we all look excited prior Karl and I fell off and thought we were going to die! It was awful but once we made it to safety we can both agree that it was still an amazing experience. Check out local attractions and activated and that can now be done straight from the air b and b app. I even reached out to our host for the cabin and inquired about any recommendations and he sent them right over. Outdoor activities range depending on the seasons in the mountains. They had soooooo much to do and I definitely want to try the winery tour when we return and the train through the town for a scenic experience.
5. Clothing! Listen clothing on a couples trip is extremely important because you want to be mindful not to be inappropriate. Now I know a lot of people won’t agree with this statement but just think. Of bathing suit options it’d be appropriate to have a cover up when walking around. Maybe choose the suit that doesn’t involve a thong. Maybe choose the pant set pj’s for game night instead of the boy shorts set. These are simple points to keep in mind to respect everyone’s presence. Ok now that that’s out of the way I can say I had a blast trying to find “summer” cabin attire. Remember I usually go when its cold so this was a challenge. I went with a cute swing dress and sporty sandal for dinner and I felt so festive and on trend. http://liketk.it/2PBSO
I paired a pair of denim shorts with a mountain style over-sized button up. http://liketk.it/2PBR9
I purchased the cutest pair of house slippers that truly came in handy. Home Ideas Women’s Faux Fur Lined Suede House Slippers, Breathable Indoor Outdoor Moccasins undefined
For the excursion I was sure to have water shoes and I went with a dri fit set from nike. Thank God I did because like I stated earlier we certainly ended up in the water lol.
All in all we had a blast and would highly recommend to all couples. A good quick giveaway sometimes can be the exact recharge we all need. No distractions just quality time spent and love shared. Even if you curse your husband out for a solid hour for flipping you into the river!
Have you done a couple’s cabin trip? if not, is it something you want to do? Let’s discuss on instagram and facebook @nlovewithjamine
