What to take to a rustic cabin to be comfortable?
October 2, 2011 7:56 AM Subscribe
In a few weeks we'll be spending the weekend at a "rustic cabin." Tell me the things I'm forgetting to bring that will make our stay an enjoyable one!
The SO and I are going on a fall weekend getaway and staying in a rented, one-room cabin. There is a town nearby that we will go to for a couple meals, but I'd like to bring most of our food with us in a cooler to be prepared there. Activities during our stay will likely include relaxing with a book, hiking, and visiting nearby hot springs.
Based on the description of the place that I've pasted below, please tell me what items (food or otherwise) we should bring to make our stay as comfortable/enjoyable/luxurious as possible.
Rustic Cabins: These simple one room cabins come with one double futon and sleep 2 people max. They have a gas light, heat and gas grill.
Please bring the following items with you:
*All bedding materials
*Food items in a cooler
*Flashlights/headlamps
*Appropriate Seasonal Gear (Jackets, boots, etc.)
*All deluxe and rustic cabins have access to a central bath house with hot showers and flush toilets.
Thanks, MeFites!!!
The SO and I are going on a fall weekend getaway and staying in a rented, one-room cabin. There is a town nearby that we will go to for a couple meals, but I'd like to bring most of our food with us in a cooler to be prepared there. Activities during our stay will likely include relaxing with a book, hiking, and visiting nearby hot springs.
Based on the description of the place that I've pasted below, please tell me what items (food or otherwise) we should bring to make our stay as comfortable/enjoyable/luxurious as possible.
Rustic Cabins: These simple one room cabins come with one double futon and sleep 2 people max. They have a gas light, heat and gas grill.
Please bring the following items with you:
*All bedding materials
*Food items in a cooler
*Flashlights/headlamps
*Appropriate Seasonal Gear (Jackets, boots, etc.)
*All deluxe and rustic cabins have access to a central bath house with hot showers and flush toilets.
Thanks, MeFites!!!
Binoculars - extra towels - spices- some first-aid items - emergency whistles
small individual head-lamps and a big spot-light flashlight
folding camp chairs - baby whips (to clean anything)
posted by Flood at 8:07 AM on October 2, 2011
small individual head-lamps and a big spot-light flashlight
folding camp chairs - baby whips (to clean anything)
posted by Flood at 8:07 AM on October 2, 2011
Is the cabin grouped with others? If do, it's helpful to have something to mark your cabin so that you can tell them apart. In the middle if a dark night it can be hard to tell them apart when you're on your eat back from the restrooms. A battery powered nightlight might be useful. A broom would be nice since those cabins are usually pretty dusty.
posted by otherwordlyglow at 8:14 AM on October 2, 2011
posted by otherwordlyglow at 8:14 AM on October 2, 2011
Eat=way
posted by otherwordlyglow at 8:15 AM on October 2, 2011
posted by otherwordlyglow at 8:15 AM on October 2, 2011
If you drink coffee bring nice ground coffee and a cafetiere and you will find mornings much more civilised. If you drink wine or beer bring those, too. No reason to make do without just because you're in a cabin.
Nthing head torches - you want to have your hands free. Not sure you need to bring an extra normal torch though.
Bring micro fibre towels if you have them, not normal ones. They take too long to dry and you end up having your arms full just with towels when you walk to the shower block and chances are you'll also be carrying your toiletry bag and a change of clothes.
Bring kitchen roll and some tea towels and a dish cloth, dish soap etc.
Give some thought to your meals - you will have less kitchen utensils than you are used to so think about meals that can be prepared with minimum equipment. Whilst the cooler will keep your food cool it is not as cold as your fridge. So you should perhaps have anything that is easily perishable earlier in your stay. Bring spices, bring a sharp knife - chances are any that are available in the cabin are not sharp any longer.
Bring flip-flops or at least shoes that slip on easily if you need to get up in the night to use the bathroom.
Bring some nice tea or hot chocolate, too, for the times when you want to relax with a book.
posted by koahiatamadl at 8:33 AM on October 2, 2011
Nthing head torches - you want to have your hands free. Not sure you need to bring an extra normal torch though.
Bring micro fibre towels if you have them, not normal ones. They take too long to dry and you end up having your arms full just with towels when you walk to the shower block and chances are you'll also be carrying your toiletry bag and a change of clothes.
Bring kitchen roll and some tea towels and a dish cloth, dish soap etc.
Give some thought to your meals - you will have less kitchen utensils than you are used to so think about meals that can be prepared with minimum equipment. Whilst the cooler will keep your food cool it is not as cold as your fridge. So you should perhaps have anything that is easily perishable earlier in your stay. Bring spices, bring a sharp knife - chances are any that are available in the cabin are not sharp any longer.
Bring flip-flops or at least shoes that slip on easily if you need to get up in the night to use the bathroom.
Bring some nice tea or hot chocolate, too, for the times when you want to relax with a book.
posted by koahiatamadl at 8:33 AM on October 2, 2011
Seconding camp chairs to sit on. Is there a table?
Playing cards, board games.
Flora/fauna identification guides, it you are into that at all.
posted by SLC Mom at 8:37 AM on October 2, 2011
Playing cards, board games.
Flora/fauna identification guides, it you are into that at all.
posted by SLC Mom at 8:37 AM on October 2, 2011
Some sort of good slip on shoes with hard soles so that you can get out of bed and head to the bathroom without having to put on big clunky boots. Similarly something WARM that you can wear out of the shower and back to the cabin that isn't your regular old clothes, like serious pajamas or similar. I always bring moisturizer if I'm someplace with quirky heat because my skin dries out. Get good headlamps if you don't already have them, they are so much easier than flailing around with flashlights. Something that plays music that will last forever on not much of a charge, or some chargers that you can use from your car cigarette lighter.
posted by jessamyn at 8:41 AM on October 2, 2011
posted by jessamyn at 8:41 AM on October 2, 2011
Don't forget a deck of cards or a wine bottle opener.
posted by pwb503 at 10:00 AM on October 2, 2011
posted by pwb503 at 10:00 AM on October 2, 2011
Fabreeze, just in case of lingering odors on the futon or elsewhere in the cabin. A broom is a fantastic idea. Trash bags. Ziplock bags. Maybe a hot water bottle?
posted by lemniskate at 11:03 AM on October 2, 2011
posted by lemniskate at 11:03 AM on October 2, 2011
Bring some kind of big flashlight or lantern that has a stand and will work to provide a general room light. It's hard to play cards by flashlight.
posted by doctor_negative at 11:05 AM on October 2, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by doctor_negative at 11:05 AM on October 2, 2011 [1 favorite]
Extra layers (long underwear), a warm hat, extra warm socks, gloves. Wear a hat in the cabin when you get chilled.
Bring basic medicine (advil/tylenol/benadryl) & bandaids.
Olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper are my basic travel staples in addition to coffee/coffee making supplies.
Also definitely agree with headlamp suggestions + extra batteries.
posted by countrymod at 11:07 AM on October 2, 2011
Bring basic medicine (advil/tylenol/benadryl) & bandaids.
Olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper are my basic travel staples in addition to coffee/coffee making supplies.
Also definitely agree with headlamp suggestions + extra batteries.
posted by countrymod at 11:07 AM on October 2, 2011
Is there any running water in the cabin? If not, bring a dishpan for dish rinsing purposes/toting dishes to where the water is.
Definitely bring baby wipes.
posted by shiny blue object at 11:13 AM on October 2, 2011 [1 favorite]
Definitely bring baby wipes.
posted by shiny blue object at 11:13 AM on October 2, 2011 [1 favorite]
If there's electricity in the bathroom cabin, hair dryer, especially if it'll be chilly. It's really unpleasant to be in an inconsistently heated space with cold, wet hair if you can avoid it.
posted by troublesome at 3:19 PM on October 2, 2011
posted by troublesome at 3:19 PM on October 2, 2011
Big pottery mugs, packed carefully, and the makings for your hot beverage of choice. Me, I go for hot chocolate with Bailey's. Friends prefer chai, coffee, or tea.
posted by vytae at 3:31 PM on October 2, 2011
posted by vytae at 3:31 PM on October 2, 2011
The last time I stayed in a rustic cabin, there was a really strong mildew smell and I wished for incense to help cover the smell.
posted by dottiechang at 10:10 PM on October 2, 2011
posted by dottiechang at 10:10 PM on October 2, 2011
it's helpful to have something to mark your cabin so that you can tell them apart
Glow sticks are great for this - just hang one near the door and snap it as late as possible in the evening - it should last all night that way.
Unless cooking is part of the 'fun' activities you are planning, concentrate on food that's quick and easy to prepare - lots of things can be prepared in advance and chucked on the stove/BBQ to be cooked/heated quickly. Don't worry about fancy food, just concentrate on things that are convenient and tasty. If you freeze meat and keep it in ice, it will last up to a couple of days.
Scented candles - nice for ambience and hiding musty smells.
Nice wine glasses - your favourite wine will taste like crap if you are drinking it out of a tin mug.
More blankets than you think you'll need - you can leave one unused if you want, but you can't wrap one around you if you left it at home.
Your sense of adventure is the most important thing to take, of course!
posted by dg at 11:38 PM on October 2, 2011
Glow sticks are great for this - just hang one near the door and snap it as late as possible in the evening - it should last all night that way.
Unless cooking is part of the 'fun' activities you are planning, concentrate on food that's quick and easy to prepare - lots of things can be prepared in advance and chucked on the stove/BBQ to be cooked/heated quickly. Don't worry about fancy food, just concentrate on things that are convenient and tasty. If you freeze meat and keep it in ice, it will last up to a couple of days.
Scented candles - nice for ambience and hiding musty smells.
Nice wine glasses - your favourite wine will taste like crap if you are drinking it out of a tin mug.
More blankets than you think you'll need - you can leave one unused if you want, but you can't wrap one around you if you left it at home.
Your sense of adventure is the most important thing to take, of course!
posted by dg at 11:38 PM on October 2, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by easily confused at 8:02 AM on October 2, 2011