It's not easy to disappear. Even when you feel the city is eating you alive or the suburbs are trapping you forever, the notion of escape seems more fantasy than reality. Yet secretive soul-reviving getaways are sprinkled throughout the country, ones that exist without resort-like prices or throngs of people noisily attempting the same. Most importantly, there’s a particularly dreamy Texan vacationland that looks like the adult getaway you imagined existed somewhere as a kid.

This week’s #BirthdayBucketList is Green Acres, a boutique ‘glampsite’ retreat where lucky-enough locals rediscover equal parts tranquility and passion. Founded by a family who bailed on nearly two decades of city living themselves, Green Acres reminds you that life in the country can be the simple, intentional, and sustainable existence you thought was only left for utopias.

At Green Acres, two glamping-style yurts shine as mid-century modern rustic for lovebirds. If there's a group of you—because Neverland surely isn't reserved for only couples—there's the Spartan Mansion, a two-bedroom Airstream with private kitchen, bunk beds, and a queen.

Did we mention the classic barn, open air kitchen, miniature donkeys, alpacas & corral fire pit set amid natural surroundings, simply perfect for any out-of-the-way gathering or getaway?

So imagine this, you gather a group of your favorite faces, head out to this opulent, off-the-grid offsite and #yolo in that yurt life. If you bring 30 or more of your closest friends, Green Acres will curate your very own dinner party under the stars. Choose from a 4-course farm-to-table option or a down-home bbq with all the beautiful, expected fixins'. It's a night to write home about, share on your favorite feed or just lock away in your heart for a day when nothing makes sense except the memory of this night, in this place with your people. 

Dinner Party Menu 

Option 1: Farm to Table *four course served plated meal ($40 a person)

• appetizer - crostini with fig/goat cheese/arugula or bacon wrapped date
• garden salad - sourced from local farms
• main - coq au vin with side of seasonal veggies or pork chop with honey glaze sauce and seasonal veggies
• dessert - caramel pot a creme

 Option 2: Meyers BBQ *delivered BBQ, self serve, very casual ($30 a person)

• Sliced Brisket and Garlic Pork Sausage
• 3 Sides:  potato salad, beans, and cole slaw
• sides such as onions, pickles, sliced bread and sauce
• iced tea
•  

Either choice of lodging, nestled beneath canvas or metal, means you’re surrounded by a folksy yet contemporary playground village. Welcomed travelers can enjoy the classic and very communal barn, the stylish open-air kitchen, and the seemingly endless majesty of Bastrop County. There, in the hunkered-down woods and pastures, guests can slow their breathing and relax their worries over cocktails and s’mores around the corral fire pit.

Green Acres is an enchanting paradise to write home about (maybe several times actually). It’s a withdrawal from the bustling and the scrambling, somewhere that welcomes all and offers what’s necessary. Concerts under the stars and weekend dinner parties sometimes enliven the grounds at night, following afternoons of hanging out with the roaming alpacas and miniature donkeys, all of whom could inspire a mellow mood in the antsiest of visitors.

Given that it’s a glampsite, your world is as much outdoor curiosity as it is indoor cleanliness. So whether you work up a sweat from the on-site trampoline, ping-pong table, or half-pipe skate ramp—or by simply spending a beautiful, peaceful day walking the woodland trails—a modern bathhouse awaits you with private shower room and eco-friendly amenities. Plus, there’s a washer and dryer if you really go hard for your exercise out in the rolling green of Texas terrain.

It’s hard to imagine a world like Green Acres. Epic sunsets melt through the trees and linger over the landscape like even they want a night in one of the yurts before moving on. One day, you’ll have to go back to your life in the city or the suburbs, but after a stay at Green Acres, you’re sure to come back better, mellower, and stronger. All you need is a good escape.

Credits

Venue: Green Acres | Photos: Courtesy of Green Acres