So way back in February or so, when I was feeling particularly stir-crazy, but we were also being super-cautious about interacting with people, I followed a FB ad to this place called Getaway. It claimed to have a site within two hours of Chicago, but it was being very mysterious about the actual address.
This is the actual address, which is now easy to find online, but I don’t think it was back then: 117 55th St, Grand Junction, MI 49056. I will also note up front that I don’t think any of the cabins are accessible; they are very tight quarters, and have several steps up to the front door.
I guess I was feeling stir-crazy adventurous; I went ahead and booked a night, $129 for 2 adults and 2 kids + $40 for the dog. I’ll note right now that they seem pretty popular — I glanced at the site again yesterday, and most rates are higher for the next few months; it doesn’t drop down to $129 again until August/September. They also don’t have that many vacancies soon, so plan ahead if you want to do this.
Yesterday was the appointed day — we couldn’t leave until 2 p.m. (both Kevin and I had teaching), which was a little frustrating because check-in was at 3 (which I also didn’t know until this week, due to their aforementioned mysteriousness), and it turned out to be in Michigan, which is three hours drive from Oak Park if you’re hitting rush hour.
I’m honestly not sure if I’d recommend this for Oak Parkers — maybe, but I’d probably say go for at least two nights, or you’re going to feel like you spend more time driving than actually hanging out there. Checkout is at 11 the next day, so just like a hotel, which is not unreasonable, but somehow we hadn’t anticipated we’d be kicked out so quickly at a campsite, so we felt a little rushed.
ESPECIALLY since there’s a time change, so if you’re coming from Chicagoland, it’s an hour later when you arrive. Not that it’s actually so much darker earlier, but it *feels* depressing to not get there until 6 p.m. when you left at 2. (If you live in Hyde Park and avoid rush hour, you should be able to get there in two hours.)
All that said, it was easy to find, and the key code system meant you didn’t have to check in with an actual person. We didn’t interact with any humans during our stay. The little cabin/trailer thing itself was beautiful. Modern attractive styling, comfortable bedding, nice products in the shower, all very clean and well-maintained. Ours was named Isaak. Hello, Isaak! We like you.
They say you don’t need to bring much with you, but we did bring a bunch of extra blankets, and I’d recommend that if you’re coming when it’s cool — they have lovely downy white comforters on the bed, but I don’t think they have wool blankets or anything like that for curling up by the fire, and we would’ve been too chilly without ours.
