15 alternative resorts across the US that are perfect for social distancing, from a tiny house resort in upstate New York to a bohemian yurt retreat in West Texas

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Katie Warren,Hillary HoffowerAug 1, 2020, 19:41 IST
15 alternative resorts across the US that are perfect for social distancing, from a tiny house resort in upstate New York to a bohemian yurt retreat in West Texas

At Treebones Resort in Big Sur, California, guests can stay in luxury yurts and tents or huts made out of hand-woven wood art.Kodiak Greenwood.

  • The key to taking a vacation during the pandemic is privacy and lots of outdoor space for social distancing.
  • From bohemian yurts to tiny houses, Business Insider rounded up some of the best alternative resorts in the US for social distancing.
  • Consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website and travel advisories before any vacation.

In a pandemic era, privacy is the ultimate luxury.

But some alternative resorts already knew that and started designing retreats around social distancing long before it was the norm. Now, those very resorts are a prime solution for cooped-up individuals looking to escape their home without putting themselves or others at risk.

Business Insider rounded up 15 of these destinations for people looking to take a late summer or fall getaway. We selected these resorts based on three factors: outdoor access, socially distanced design, and driving distance from big cities. From bohemian yurts in Texas to tiny houses in New York, there's something for every taste of adventure.

Note that while nonessential travel restrictions are slowly being lifted, vacations aren't a go everywhere. Some states have specific travel restrictions in place. Check these restrictions, follow guidelines from the CDC website, and consult travel advisories before hitting the road — and take precautions if you do.

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Arizona: Shash Dine Eco Retreat

Arizona: Shash Dine Eco Retreat
Shash Dine EcoRetreat

Location: Page, Arizona

Why we love it: Shash Dine Eco Retreat calls itself a "glamping bed and breakfast," and is just minutes away from Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon. Tents, wagons, shepherd huts — the options are endless when it comes to sleeping under the desert stars.

COVID-19 summer update: Open for reservations

Rates starting at: $150 per night

Driving distance: just over two hours from Flagstaff; just over four hours from Phoenix

California: Motorcoach Country Club

California: Motorcoach Country Club
Motorcoach Country Club

Location: Indio, California

Why we love it: Both a luxury RV park and a country club, the 80-acre Motorcoach Country Club has 400 RV lots, a nine-hole golf course, a fitness center, multiple swimming pools, three tennis courts, and a clubhouse with a private restaurant and bar. And it's only about a 30-minute drive from the chic resort town of Palm Springs.

COVID-19 summer update: Reservations are required.

Rates starting at: $114 for a rental lot. (You'll need to bring your own RV.)

Driving distance from: just over two hours from Los Angeles; 2.5 hours from San Diego

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California: Treebones Resort

California: Treebones Resort
Kodiak Greenwood.

Location: Big Sur, California

Why we love it: At this family-owned boutique resort, all the rooms are tent-like structures, from luxury yurts and tents to two huts made out of hand-woven wood art. Treebones generates its own power and has its own organic garden that supplies its garden-to-table restaurant, Wild Coast Restaurant & Sushi Bar.

COVID-19 summer update: Open for reservations

Rates starting at: Campsites start at $95 per night and huts start at $215 with a two-night minimum stay

Driving distance from closest major city: three hours from San Jose; 4.5 hours from Los Angeles

Colorado: Dunton Hot Springs

Colorado: Dunton Hot Springs
Dunton Destinations

Location: Dolores, Colorado

Why we love it: Rustic cabins scattered across the valley of a restored ghost town create a very socially distanced Wild West experience at Dunton Hot Springs. Some of the cabins even have their own private hot springs.

COVID-19 summer update: Staff have increased sanitization procedures and wash their hands every 30 minutes. Checking out has been changed to a call-ahead process, and the deposit for booking has dropped from 50% to 20%. Guests can also cancel for a refund up to a week in advance, compared to the previous 60-day requirement.

Rates starting at: $1,250 per night, varying by season

Driving distance from: nearly 1.5 hours from Telluride; 4.5 hours from Santa Fe, New Mexico

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Connecticut: Winvian Farm

Connecticut: Winvian Farm
Winvian Farm

Location: Litchfield Hills, Connecticut

Why we love it: Winvian Farm is a woodland cottage retreat that sits on 113 acres of woods and lakes. Each of the 18 cottages, designed by 15 different architects, have their own unique theme. There's the Artist, an "arts-and-crafts bungalow," the Helicopter, which includes an actual 1968 Coast Guard helicopter at the center of the cottage, and the Treehouse, which is suspended 35 feet above the forest floor.

COVID-19 summer update: Reservations are required. The restaurant and spa are open to overnight guests only.

Rates starting at: $699 per night

Driving distance from closest major city: one hour from Hartford; two hours from New York City

Florida: Sunshine Key Tiny House Village

A post shared by Petite Retreats (@petite.retreats)

Location: Big Pine Key, Florida

Why we love it: Sunshine Key Tiny House Village is Instagram heaven with its row of cotton-candy colored tiny houses set against a waterfront backdrop in the Florida Keys. An adjoining marina and the nearby Bahia Honda State Park make it easy to enjoy the Keys' best offerings.

COVID-19 summer update: Open for reservations

Rates starting at: $250 per night

Driving distance from: 2.5 hours from Miami, Florida

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Maine: Terramor Outdoor Resort

A post shared by Terramor Outdoor Resort (@terramorresort)

 

Location: Bar Harbor, Maine

Why we love it: Spaced 50 feet apart from each other with their own private fire pits and outdoor seating, the luxury tents at Terramor Outdoor Resort were made for social distancing. Hidden away in the woods of Mount Desert Island, you'll be able to really connect with New England nature.

COVID-19 summer update: All tents and public spaces are cleaned and disinfected and the resorts will work with reservations canceled due to state or federal restrictions.

Rates starting at: $218 per night

Driving distance from: nearly three hours from Portland, Maine

Montana: The Resort at Paws Up

Montana: The Resort at Paws Up
Paws Up

Location: Greenough, Montana

Why we love it: At this luxury ranch resort that sits on 37,000 acres in Western Montana, guests can take their pick of 36 safari-style glamping tents, 28 luxury homes, or even tree houses. Paws Up has in-room dining as well as a shared outdoor dining pavilion, and the resort offers an array of outdoor activities, from hiking and mountain biking to horseback riding, rafting, and archery.

COVID-19 summer update: Reservations are required. The resort is limiting capacity at some types of accommodation.

Rates starting at: $1,980 based on double occupancy

Driving distance from closest major city: 3.5 hours from Spokane; eight hours from Seattle

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New York: A Tiny House Resort

New York: A Tiny House Resort
Hillary Hoffower

Location: South Cairo, New York

Why we love it: A Tiny House Resort was made for social distancing. Stay in one of eight tiny houses spread out across the property for privacy, complete with panoramic views of the surrounding Catskill woods. There's also a waterfall on site.

COVID-19 summer update: Guests are to bring their own linens, and a housekeeper in PPE gear sprays and disinfects all surfaces. There are no refunds, but a five-year house credit is issued for cancellations.

Rates starting at: $250 per night

Driving distance from: 2.5 hours from New York City

Tennessee: Under Canvas Great Smoky Mountains

A post shared by Under Canvas® (@undercanvasofficial)

 

Location: Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Why we love it: Nestled on 182 acres of the Great Smoky Mountains, this Under Canvas campsite offers safari-style glamping for a luxurious outdoors experience.

COVID-19 summer update: Open for reservations

Rates starting at: $209 per night

Driving distance from: less than one hour from Knoxville; 3.5 hours from Nashville; nearly four hours from Charlotte, North Carolina

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Texas: El Cosmico

Texas: El Cosmico
Nick Simonite

Location: Marfa, Texas

Why we love it: El Cosmico bills itself as a "bohemian West Texas nomadic hotel." Its standalone accommodations — including yurts, tepees, safari tents, trailers, and kasitas — are ideal for a socially distanced stay in the outdoors. But you'll hardly be roughing it: The resort's Cosmic Kasita, for example, is a micro-home that comes with a queen-size bed, a fridge, a bathroom and shower, and heat and air conditioning.

COVID-19 summer update: El Cosmico is operating at 50% capacity and reservations are required.

Rates starting at: $75 for a safari tent

Driving distance from closest major city: three hours from El Paso; 6.5 hours from Austin

Utah: Amangiri

Utah: Amangiri
An aerial view of Amangiri on May 21, 2020. AMAN/Handout via REUTERS

Location: Canyon Point, Utah

Why we love it: Amangiri is an upscale, secluded desert retreat with luxurious suites, private homes, and tented pavilions. The surrounding 600 acres of wilderness include stunning landscapes of mesas and slot canyons. The resort's 25,000-square-foot spa offers treatments inspired by the healing traditions of the Navajo.

COVID-19 summer update: Amangani is operating at limited capacity and reservations are required.

Rates starting at: $3,500 per night

Driving distance from closest major city: six hours from Salt Lake City; nearly five hours from Phoenix, Arizona

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Washington: TreeHouse Point

A post shared by TreeHouse Point (@treehousepoint)

 

Location: Fall City, Washington

Why we love it: There's no better way to distance than by staying up in the air in a treehouse. TreeHouse Point will whisk you away into the Pacific Northwest's canopy of trees. Bonus: It's near several trails with waterfall views.

COVID-19 summer update: Open for reservations

Rates starting at: $325 per night

Driving distance: 30 minutes from Seattle, Washington

Wisconsin: Canoe Bay

A post shared by Canoe Bay Resort (@canoebayrelaischateaux)

 

Location: Chetek, Wisconsin

Why we love it: Canoe Bay features an array of cozy lakefront tiny houses, cottages, and villas. Guests can borrow from the resort's fleet of canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards, go swimming in the lake, or hike along miles of trails. Canoe Bay's in-room dining sources much of its produce from the resort's on-site garden. 

COVID-19 summer update: Open for reservations

Rates starting at: $348 per night

Driving distance from closest major city: 5.5 hours from Chicago

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Wyoming: The Lodge & Spa at Brush Creek Ranch

Wyoming: The Lodge & Spa at Brush Creek Ranch
Brush Creek Luxury Ranch Collection

Location: Saratoga, Wyoming

Why we love it: The Lodge & Spa at Brush Creek Ranch offers ultra-luxe dude ranch accommodations that provide "a seamless semblance of the 'old west' while maintaining luxury," per the website. On the ranch's 30,000 acres, guests can embark on ATV adventures, fly fishing and horseback riding trips, and more.

COVID-19 summer update: The ranch is operating at full capacity and reservations are required.

Rates starting at: $1,000 per person, per night, all inclusive

Driving distance from closest major city: Nearly four hours from Denver, Colorado

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