Distance to 'Get Away Cabin' or Property?

[cday34]

Just over 2 hours for us. We are there 2-3 times a month in the summer and I am there as much as possible during any/every hunting season. The drive is no big deal, even with 2 young kids.

 

[Tim Pierce]

Our cabin is 1 hr. - 10 min. driveway to driveway. We spend every weekend there. Thinking about moving there when I retire in November.

 

[MikeyJG62]

2 hours away. Duck hunting property consisting of rice acreage and a decent sized seasonal marsh. We use it year round. Has a good sized home on it. Great for family and friend get aways. Being only two hours away makes it an easy trip, especially in the congested SF bay area.

 

[ben h]

My family's cabin is about 200 miles from home which takes about 3-4 hrs depending on traffic/food shopping. I think for most people, that's on the upper end for getting frequent and short weekend trips. I think any longer than that, the use would decline and you'd want to stay for longer periods. I think closer than 1.5 hrs, you really wouldn't feel like you're "away from home", which is part of cabin time. Now that we have Starlink internet and I can work there for a lot of the time, I think my trips will become longer.

 

[ErikT]

2-3 hrs. is ideal.
If less than 2 hrs.,,, did you really leave home?
If over 3hrs. you just lost a day of driving (8hrs. of total drive time and gas expense)
Our cabin is 2hrs and it seems perfect.
Do NOT underestimate the amount of work entailed to keep the cabin going. At least one-third to half of the time you spend there will be doing chores and maintenance. It is still fun to get away and be there but you will work for it.

 

[svivian]

No more and no less than 2 hrs.

 

[Desk Jockey]

No sure where you are in stage of life but if you have kids or are going to have kids, make sure it is a place they want to go or you will use it a lot less.

 

[Sam Colt]

1 to 1 1/2 hours.

 

[eaglemountainman]

My family's cabin is about 200 miles from home which takes about 3-4 hrs depending on traffic/food shopping. I think for most people, that's on the upper end for getting frequent and short weekend trips. I think any longer than that, the use would decline and you'd want to stay for longer periods. I think closer than 1.5 hrs, you really wouldn't feel like you're "away from home", which is part of cabin time. Now that we have Starlink internet and I can work there for a lot of the time, I think my trips will become longer.

I hate you

 

[Doc Holliday]

6 hours.

Has been in my family since the 1950s, so the location was determined before I was even born. What is nice about it being 425 miles to the north, is there is always a meaningful difference in the temperatures and humidity from where I live. And there are seasons there, unlike where I live it is essentially summer for 9 months out of the year. I go almost once a month throughout the year, and usually twice a month during Oct, Nov, and Dec.

 

[ScreamingPotato]

For those that own a cabin or property for your personal 'get away', how far away is it from your house?

Is there a preferred distance to have a Get Away?

Very preferred distance for me, gotta be far enough to make it a trip but not so far that it can't be a weekend trip. For us we have a cabin on an island on the gulf coast down here, 180 miles by truck then another 7 miles by boat to get to it. All things considered it takes roughly 5 hours to get from the front door at home to the front door at camp.

 

[lyingflatlander]

90 minutes here.

 

[cnelk]

No sure where you are in stage of life but if you have kids or are going to have kids, make sure it is a place they want to go or you will use it a lot less.

Retired - work part time and I have a granddaughter

 

[Gseith]

I have cabin that is 2.5 hours away. It’s close enough to get a lot of use during the summer and hunting season. Any farther it would be inconvenient.
With gas prices up I have been putting off my typical short weekend trips.

 

[Spence1875]

The most hunting I ever did was when I had a great duck, goose, deer and turkey lease about 45 minutes from my house when I lived in OKC, Oklahoma. It was about half section but two good ponds, crops and some woods. If the ducks and geese were migrating I would hunt 4 or 5 mornings a week for a Few hours then hustle back to work and stay at work a little late.

Like most have said 2 hrs is about max to me.

 

[CorbLand]

My family owns a cabin. When I was growing up, we were about 3 hours away and used it a fair amount. We moved 2 hours closer and it got used a lot only being an hour away. I now live 4.5 hours away from it and have been to it twice in 4 years.

I think 2-3 hours is the sweet spot but I also think a commute over 15 minutes is too long.

 

[KMW]

Ours is 2.5 hrs. Seems about perfect. Typically get there at least one weekend a month with a couple extended trips during the season.

 

[JeffP_Or]

most of these responses definitely are on the right track - especially the ones that note too close is not getting away.

one acquaintance has a place that is just over 5 hours - he goes maybe twice a year; it is a bit of a stretch to go just for the weekend especially since it is more rustic and he has to pack a lot to go.
another has a place that is 2-hours away; they go about every other weekend. however, their arrival and departure times have varied over the years as the population grows and the highways fill up - to avoid the traffic they have been short-staying which makes it worse.

one thing - no matter what - being able to leave gear/furnishings etc at the away place is a solid recommendation; eliminates the need to pack in order to go. Being able to just grab food and some restock items when prepping to leave will make it more appealing to just go on a whim.

 

[benjohnson311]

We have a place in West Texas that is 5.5-6 hours away. It’s really hard to make it worth going without taking an extra day off and pulling the kids out of school. 9 months of the year it’s hot and dusty, so it rarely gets used except for hunting season, which leads to not enough upkeep and too many rodents/bugs for the ladies to enjoy it. It’s been in the family since 1880, otherwise we would probably look at finding something closer even if we didn’t get near as much land for our $$$.

 

[grossklw]

3.5 hours on Lake Superior. We do long weekends up there occasionally and a couple weeks in the summer. I rent it out when I'm not there. I wish it was closer to 2, but it's a pretty drive and I don't mind it at least.