The 9 Best Treehouse Vacation Rentals You’ll Ever Stay At

Published February 18, 2025 03:00AM

I always wanted a treehouse growing up. Who didn’t? There’s something magical about the idea of a tiny cabin, vaulted above the ground and surrounded by strong trees, where you could peek out the window and find yourself at eye level with birds and branches. I envisioned sleepovers in the backyard with friends and secret meetings where my siblings and I could look out over the neighborhood or watch squirrels scramble up close by.

While I never got that treehouse as a kid, I can rent one for the night now if I want. From a lookout tower with a wood-fired sauna in Idaho to a sleek cabin with volcano views in Washington to an architect-designed treehouse on a pond in New York, these nine grown-up-worthy treehouse vacation rentals—which are all built to avoid harming the woods around them—will help fulfill your wildest childhood dreams.

Score Views of Mount Adams From This Modern Treehouse in the Columbia River Gorge

Location: White Salmon, Washington

You’ll come for the view of 12,281-foot Mount Adams at sunset through the 18-foot-tall floor-to-ceiling windows in this modern, sleekly designed treehouse vacation rental, which sits in between three hearty Douglas firs near the town of White Salmon, Washington, across the Columbia River from Hood River, Oregon. This 500-square-foot pet-friendly cabin comes with minimalist Scandinavian furnishings and maximalist amenities, like an outdoor shower, on-the-ground fire pit, and coffee-making equipment of the highest Pacific Northwest-approved quality. Cell service and TVs don’t exist here. The place sleeps up to six in a private bedroom and an open sleeping loft equipped with two queen beds.

🔍 Don’t Miss: From here, you’re just 15 minutes from the Post Canyon trails in Hood River, a prime spot for mountain biking, and even closer to the windsurfing and kiteboarding that the Columbia River Gorge is famous for. Otherwise, hike to a waterfall like Wahclella Falls or Horsetail Falls and end the day with nachos and live music at Everybody’s Brewing, a local’s favorite pub in White Salmon.

Spare No Comforts in This Studio Treehouse in the Foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains

Location: Travelers Rest, South Carolina

The small town of Travelers Rest, South Carolina, 25 minutes outside of Greenville, is as charming as it sounds. And this thoughtfully designed treehouse on a quiet 16-acre property in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains is the sweetest place to call home while you’re there. The studio-sized treehouse sleeps two in ultra-comfortable accommodations, complete with an outdoor shower on the back deck and yoga mats for morning stretching. At night, you’ll hear the resident owl, named Betty, hooting a welcome. This treehouse has a two-night minimum, is available for long-term stays, and intentionally doesn’t come with WiFi, though it does have cell service.

🔍 Don’t Miss: You’re just 10 minutes from downtown Travelers Rest, where you can ride bikes along the Swamp Rabbit Trail, a 28-mile multi-use pathway. The hiking trails in Jones Gap State Park are 20 minutes away, and there’s wine tasting and an outdoor sculpture park at Eagle Mountain Winery, five minutes down the road.

Sleep 40 Feet Off the Ground in a Far-Out Lookout Tower in the Forested Midwest

Location: Bradleyville, Missouri

You’ll drive two miles down a gravel road to reach this remote two-story lookout tower, which is located about 20 minutes outside the tiny outpost of Bradleyville, Missouri. (The nearest grocery store is 30 minutes away, so pack supplies.) This one-bedroom treehouse-style tower was built to resemble the historic fire lookout towers once used to spot fires in rural areas. Two such remaining towers still exist around the Hercules Wilderness Area, 15 minutes away, which has 32 miles of hiking trails. This is the kind of Airbnb that comes with a welcome basket and a hand-written note from your hosts, making you feel right at home when you arrive. Put your belongings into a winch-operated luggage elevator while you climb the 40 stairs to the top level. Too windy? There’s a cellar storm shelter you can hide out in until the bad weather passes. Nice amenities include upgrades like plush bathrobes, a telescope for night stargazing, and a rock-lined hot tub. Plan to unplug: There’s no TV or WiFi.

🔍 Don’t Miss: About an hour from the tower, you can dine on farm-to-table ingredients or take a workshop on soap making or floral bouquets at Finley Farms in Ozark.

Take a Detour on Your Highway 1 Road Trip to Stay at This Magical Treehouse Along the Pacific Coast

Location: Watsonville, California

You’ll park your car and meander on foot down a wooded pathway before arriving at this picturesque one-bedroom treehouse vacation rental, suspended in a grove of redwoods outside the town of Watsonville, California, known for its plethora of artichoke farms. The bathhouse at this treehouse has its own separate building, accessible via vaulted plank from the main cabin. The house comes stocked with board games and has sliver views of the Pacific Ocean from the wraparound deck. The popular beaches of Santa Cruz and Monterey aren’t far, or stay close and take a stroll on the sand dunes at Sunset State Beach.

🔍 Don’t Miss: Farm stands are abundant in the area. Buy an olallieberry pie or pick your own apples or strawberries at Gizdich Ranch or stop into the Pizzini Farms shop for fresh artichokes or artichoke dips and sauces, depending on the season. Hike the five miles of woodland trails or spot sea otters by kayak on the wetland waterways of the Elkhorn Slough Preserve. Kayak Connection rents kayaks and leads guided tours.

Explore Glacier National Park from this A-Frame Treehouse Nearby

Location: Columbia Falls, Montana

You might never want to leave the comfortable confines of this two-bedroom A-frame cabin that’s suspended in the trees 10 minutes outside Columbia Falls, Montana. That is, until you realize you’re just 30 minutes from the west entrance to Glacier National Park. This well-appointed treehouse is situated on a 5-acre forested property that’s also home to a second neighboring treehouse, but both are positioned to preserve a sense of privacy. In the winter, you’re just 15 minutes from skiing at Whitefish Mountain Resort. In the summer, head to Whitefish Lake and the charming lakeside town of Whitefish or go for a scenic drive or hike in Glacier National Park.

🔍 Don’t Miss: During peak season from June through September, you’ll need a vehicle reservation to drive Glacier National Park’s famous Going to the Sun Road, but it’s worth it for the views along this scenic mountain roadway. In the warmer months, park at the Logan Pass trailhead to hike a section of the 11-mile Highline Trail, which goes point to point along the Continental Divide past the Granite Park Chalet, a historic, romantic backcountry lodge within the national park.

Disconnect at this Architect-Designed Treehouse in the Catskills

Location: Woodstock, New York

This 500-square-foot tiny house is situated on a private wooded property 15 minutes from the town of Woodstock, New York. Designed by architect Antony Gibbons as a whimsical family escape for these Airbnb hosts, this unique, stilted, stand-alone cabin has massive windows that look out into the Catskill Mountains and to the on-site pond. The quarters are quaint: A lofted, open-air bedroom sleeps two. Pick up bagels and coffee at the Mud Club in Woodstock to have on hand. In the winter, there’s downhill skiing and an uphill policy at Belleayre Mountain, a 30-minute drive away.

🔍 Don’t Miss: From spring to fall, tackle the 6-mile hike to the Tremper Mountain Fire Tower, which starts just up the road, or take the short but scenic walk to Kaaterskill Falls. There are plenty of lakes and swimming holes to jump into in the area, but why bother going anywhere else when you have a swimming pond in the backyard of your treehouse vacation rental? A wood-fired cedar hot tub awaits you on the edge of the pond. There’s no cell service or WiFi.

Enjoy a Wood-Fired Sauna at This Lookout Tower in Remote Backcountry

Location: Fernwood, Idaho

This structure wasn’t built to look like an old fire lookout tower—it actually is an old lookout tower. Originally built in 1959 atop a peak in eastern Washington, it was relocated to western Idaho in 1983 and completely remodeled as a year-round no-frills guest house in 2018. It’s surrounded by 13 acres of forest land on Crystal Peak outside the tiny hamlet of Fernwood, Idaho. In the summer, you can drive to within 50 feet of the lookout, but you’ll need an all-wheel-drive car (the road in is pretty rugged); in the winter, you’ll need to ski tour, snowmobile, or catch a lift from the caretaker’s off-road vehicle for an additional fee. There’s no bathroom in the lookout; you’ll need to climb down the ladder to the ground level to use the outhouse.

🔍 Don’t Miss: You’ll likely spend your days wandering around the hut—you can forage for huckleberries or morel mushrooms—then light up the wood-fired sauna, located on its own deck.

Bring Your Family to This Cozy Treehouse in the Foothills of the North Georgia Mountains

Location: Dahlonega, Georgia

You wouldn’t guess you’re just an hour north of Atlanta when you settle into this peaceful abode built around a massive oak tree. For families or groups, four people can sleep in bunks and a queen bed stacked in various nooks and this treehouse vacation rental comes with kids’ books and toys if you’re bringing little ones. There’s a short nature trail out the door. Three other vacation rental cabins sit on the same 7-acre property, but they’re well spaced apart from each other.

🔍 Don’t Miss: Downtown Dahlonega, a few minutes away, is listed on the National Historic Register as the site of one of America’s first gold rush towns. You can learn more about the area’s history at the Dahlonega Gold Museum. Visit the 729-foot high waterfall in Amicalola Falls State Park or hike the 8-mile Approach Trail that connects to the 2,193-mile Appalachian Trail near its southern terminus at Springer Mountain.

Ski Sunday River from This Chalet in the Trees

Location: Woodstock, Maine

You’ll sleep 20 feet off the ground in a 300-square-foot tiny house designed and built by The Treehouse Guys, made famous on a DIY Network show. This cabin, in Woodstock, which can sleep up to four in two small, lofted spaces, is surrounded by maple and hemlock trees and just 10 minutes from the town of Bethel, Maine. It comes stocked with a record player, a ukulele, and a hot tub. The hosts call this pad The Ski Haus for a reason: Skiing at Sunday River is less than 15 minutes away and skiing and summertime lift-accessed mountain biking at Mount Abram is just five minutes away. Or don’t leave the grounds: You can reach seven miles of hiking and snowshoeing trails from this treehouse vacation rental within the surrounding 634-acre Bucks Ledge Community Forest.

🔍 Don’t Miss: There’s ice skating midwinter on North Pond, a short walk from the treehouse, or in the summer, the place comes with access to paddleboards and kayaks.

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