In the Blue Ridge Mountains, about an hour from airports in Greenville, SC, two hours from Charlotte, NC, and a half hour from Asheville, NC, we made a real find through Air B&B…Pura Vida Cottage (near Hendersonville).
We had never before been inside a tiny house, and here we discovered a whole village of them at Flat Rock, NC. About 60 percent of these are the permanent residences of people who wanted to downsize in keeping with the ever-growing popularity of ecological living practices: to stop taking up more than our share of space and use of utilities in our over-burdened planet Earth. Many of the other tiny houses are second homes and these are often for short stays for friends, or rentals.
Tiny house in Flat Rock, North Carolina
Pura Vida Cottage far exceeded our expectations when we entered the approximately 400 square foot living space! It is far more comfortable and with many more amenities than most hotel suites. The lovely living room features a large TV and a small reclining sofa with room for the other two chairs stacked neatly beside the book case with plenty of games, videos, and reading materials to entertain all.
Tiny house combined open kitchen and living room
The open counters in the kitchen serve also as a bar for eating, and the cabinets contain all the utensils anyone could need, sparkling clean with the dishwasher here. A full-size refrigerator stood beside the washer and dryer in the hallway across from a very adequate and well-supplied full bathroom.
Marble countertops in the Tiny House
Our bedroom had a large closet, another flat-screen TV, and a very comfortable queen bed, with all fresh, clean bedding supplied and more in the closet. The four seasons back porch made a cozy extra living space with comfortable seating and a little fireplace. Even on the rainy winter day when we arrived it was a pleasure to enjoy the outdoor living indoors on this enclosed porch!
Enclosed porch of the Tiny House
Guests have free access to the large clubhouse with pool table, big screen TV, meeting/party space, games, and a large outdoor swimming pool. The gym is well equipped with modern exercise machines of all types. What a perfect vacation Pura Vida Cottage offers for a week-end or a long stay in the beautiful mountains near Great Smoky National Park.
Clubhouse gym
There are so many hiking trails, waterfalls, and things to do within a few minutes’ drive. The historic town of Flat Rock, established in 1807, is lovely with a wonderful Art Gallery, unique little shops, and delightful restaurants.
Golf courses are nearby. In most seasons you can enjoy many plays and music performances at Flat Rock Playhouse, well-known for their excellence. Purchase your tickets ahead. Be sure to spend a couple of hours at Connemara, a National Historic Site which was the home of Carl Sandburg, who was awarded several Putlizer prizes for his writing including the biographies of Abraham Lincoln and poetry about The People of America.
Connemara, a National Historic Site, the home of Carl Sandburg.
The working goat farm has delightful little animals to watch and even pet, formerly owned by Mrs. Sandburg. Plan to hike on to the top of Glassy Mountain from this farm. Other little artsy, historic towns with unique shops are nearby and fun to visit, including Hendersonville, Saluda, and Asheville.
Enjoy your next get-away at Pura Vida Cottage in Flat Rock, NC.
About the Author:
Bonnie and Bill Neely, currently retired on the east coast. Bonnie has been a professional journalist for over 30 years, has worked extensively in educational television in which she has been project coordinator, researcher, and scriptwriter. She has also been a columnist for various newspapers and magazines as well as a producer/scriptwriter for the Discovery Channel. Furthermore Bonnie is one of the “Top Book Reviewers” for Amazon.com. She founded Real Travel Adventures and built it into a leading travel blog.
