The measure of a great vacation isn’t in the square footage of your hotel room. It’s in the time you spend exploring your chosen destination. One way to make sure you don’t end up sequestered indoors? Base your travels out of a tiny home. Here are five that’ll make it easy.
Hawi, Hawaii
The Dragon Cabin
Square feet: 384
Price: $75 per night
Shack up in a on this Big Island coffee farm managed by a local multigenerational family. The cozy cabin has a fully equipped indoor kitchen, and because the bathroom and shower are located outside, there’s room inside for a California king bed. From here, it’s easy access to hiking in and surfing at . Plus, you’re just a ten-mile drive to hiking along ’s black sand beach.
Narsaq, Greenland
The Great View
Square feet: 90
Price: $500 per week
The giant picture window with views of village, ceaseless fjords, and snow-capped mountains make this seem much bigger than it really is. It has room for a miniature living room, kitchen, bedroom, and terrace. And while showering is a no-go (running water is still a luxury in Greenland), you are treated to an outdoor wood-fired bathtub. During the day, explore southern Greenland by fishing, taking a boat out to the glaciers, or hiking among the ruins of old Viking homesteads and Inuit villages.
Ojai, California
The Pine Cabin
Square feet: 120
Price: $570 per week
Small doesn’t mean somber in this that comes with two outdoor showers, an outdoor kitchen, and a shared hot tub. Inside is a writing desk and queen-size bed. A few miles up the road, you’ll find plenty of hiking and mountain biking trails in . A few miles in the other direction puts you in artsy downtown . But before you head out, fix yourself an omelet using fresh eggs from the owner’s chickens.
Seattle, Washington
The Gypsy Wagon
Square feet: 32
Price: $60 per night
Seattle will feel like a small town if you stay this on wheels parked in a big backyard, where the owners keep a few chickens and bunnies. Despite the farmyard feel, this wee home is in the heart of , one of Seattle’s most desirable neighborhoods. Head out for a run among the nearby hilltop mansions (with the city’s best skyline and water views) or hop on a bus downtown, where you can savor the fresh fish dishes at .
Upper Normandy, France
The Little House in the Garden
Square feet: 130
Price: $50 per night
You won’t need much more than the bed and wood-burning fireplace to enjoy this surrounded by a floral garden. Relax, meditate, or pick fresh fruit before taking a day trip to some of Normandy’s finest beaches. Veules-les-Roses, arguably one of the most picturesque fishing villages in all of France, is only ten miles away, and Annie, the home’s yoga-instructor owner, is happy to provide directions.