Love the idea of a rustic, back-to-basics vacation, but don’t want to scrimp on comfort? A luxury treehouse rental is the perfect compromise. Kids imagine they are roughing it in a backwoods tree fort, while parents delight in the cozy ambiance of a contemporary cabin. Everyone wins.
Luxury Treehouse Rentals in New Braunfels, Texas
Custom-built elevated cabins in New Braunfels, the River Road Treehouses, are just the ticket for a family adventure off the beaten track. Nestled in a wooded hillside of 80-foot cypress trees, overlooking a seasonal creek, these high-end rentals blend seamlessly into their primitive Central Texas surroundings.
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My husband and I headed to New Braunfels with our three rambunctious boys, to give sleeping in a tree a try. Upon arrival at the River Road Treehouses, my boys could barely contain their excitement. There were hammocks, sticks, rocks, and a creek bed all begging to be explored! But it was already dark. With some difficulty, I managed to convince the boys they would have to wait until morning.
Sleeping arrangements worked well in the spacious cabin, with a master bedroom, a loft with two beds, and two couches in the living room. It was nice to have the kids in their own space, so my husband and I could enjoy some late-night television without disturbing them.
Bright and early, we awoke to sun streaming in through the cabin’s many large picture windows, and I headed out to enjoy a peaceful cup of coffee on our private deck. But, my boys are not big on relaxing. Raring to go, they soon convinced the sleepy adults to set out on an early morning nature walk.
Crossing the elevated footbridges that connect the cabins, we encountered a family who had created a pulley system with rope and buckets. The girls were lowering buckets to the creek bed below, where their mother filled them with rocks to be hoisted back up to the top. The kids were also dropping homemade plastic bag parachutes down to the ground below, to be returned by bucket. This is the kind of make-your-own fun we had been looking forward to!
Having not thought to bring our own buckets, we embarked on an expedition along the creek bed. The water was low, enabling us to hop from rock to rock and cross with ease. Following the creek led us to the Guadalupe River, where we strolled along the riverbanks and discovered a small waterfall. We tried skipping stones and making bark boats to send over the waterfall. It was a pleasant morning, spent poking around the water’s edge.
Take a Scenic Hike at Canyon Lake
After making our way back to the treehouse, we piled the boys in the car and followed the Guadalupe River to the nearby Overlook Park at Canyon Lake. Built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for flood risk management and water conservation, Canyon Dam and Reservoir is a nice spot for hiking. We followed several trails and the boys had a grand time scrambling over large rocks to get a better view of the huge lake.
Chicken Fried Everything at The Gristmill
Tuckered out and hungry from a day of exploring, we headed to the historic Gruene district to eat at The Gristmill, one of our favorite Hill Country restaurants. We love The Gristmill for the same reason we were enjoying the treehouse: it provides a luxurious experience, in a deceptively rustic environment. Plus, you can’t go wrong with chicken fried chicken and mashed potatoes.
Our entire weekend getaway was so relaxing and enjoyable, I completely forgot that we were supposedly toughing it out in the wilderness. We’ll take our monkeys back to sleep in a tree any day!
What to Know Before You Go
- Bring your own food to River Road Treehouses, as the units have full kitchens. If you don’t feel like making your own breakfast, however, head to Sweeties Donuts in Canyon Lake for an early morning treat.
- The cabins offer board games, wi-fi, and satellite television, so there are indoor options if the weather doesn’t cooperate. Plus, the cabins are air-conditioned, which is important in Texas.
- If you plan to visit in the summer, look into tubing on the Guadalupe. Several nearby companies offer tube, raft, and kayak rentals.
- Bring along your fishing gear to try fishing on the river, or in Canyon Lake.
- For more information on River Road Treehouses, visit the website.
- To learn more about camping, swimming, boating, hiking, fishing and picnicking in the seven park areas around Canyon Lake, visit the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department website.
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