Travel Guides Outdoor Adventures
Sanjay Surana
For a real escape, does anything beat a treehouse? Raised off the ground, sometimes on stilts, sometimes supported by the trunks around, these fun schemes of lodging are not only a departure from terra firma, but also an indulgence steeped in childhood fantasy. After all, what kid hasn’t wanted to spend a night — or lifetime — living in the trees? Treehouses also tend to feel pretty private, removed from the traditional gravitational structures that bind most homes to the ground, and typically offer fine views from their lofty perches.
And, while the word treehouse conjures up images of haphazardly assembled sections of wood lashed together with strips of barks and twine and stuffed atop and between trunks of trees, modern treehouses can be simply be elevated homes, and as professionally designed and put together as any fully-fledged standard home (meaning all the bells and whistles are included). Peruse the list below, all within the continental United States — so they are an easy weekend trip for anyone in the Lower 48 — and you’ll see what we mean.
Arkansas
Vrbo
A short drive from Blanchard Springs Caverns in the north of the state, this treehouse sits in the Ozarks region, with greenery all around. There is much to admire at this abode that can sleep up to four people, and that even features a Jacuzzi tub, perfect for a soak after a walk in the wild. Accessed via a wooden bridge, the property has plenty on offer to keep guests on-site. The house is surrounded by trees, merging into the forest, and railings and other accents made from slender tree trunks reflect the setting.
There is also a firepit, hammock, grill, and fans that make the outdoor area great for relaxing. A visit wouldn’t be complete without a stop at the caverns, its glinting formations, chambers, and walls making the space seem very much alive, the stalactites and stalagmites spread over three levels. Adventurers can explore the phantasmic interior on a number of trails, though shoes with good traction are recommended, as is a light outer layer.
California
Airbnb
On the outskirts of the town of Visalia, between Bakersfield and Fresno, this modernist treehouse looks like it’s been lifted from the pages of an architectural magazine. First opened in 2019 and shaded by the umbrella of large oaks all around, it stands next to a grove of almond trees. Using this as a base, visitors can easily get to Sequoia National Forest and Sierra National Park for day trips, but given the views from the property, they might be just as happy to stay put — the large wooden deck has astounding views of the Sierra mountains. Interiors espouse simple, clean design, with modern bathrooms, and light wood floors.
The masterpiece is the bedroom, with a fireplace and a wall of windows that look onto the mountain range. Only adults are allowed to stay here, and capacity is maxed out at two. The small kitchen doesn’t have a stove or oven, but visitors can avail themselves of the outdoor barbecue.
Georgia
Airbnb
Guests will feel extremely secluded here — the multi-level house sits on eight acres and is surrounded by pines, about a 90-mile drive from Atlanta. The property rests 15 feet above the ground, making it really feel as though it’s part of the arboreal landscape, and since entry is via a wooden walkway, guests won’t need to lift bags up and down stairs. There is plenty of wood in the interiors, and flowing, generous linens bring to mind a comfortable country home. Lots of natural light through large windows mimic the feeling the guests will enjoy when seated outdoors, with generous exterior seating/lounging areas that include a bed swing and a hammock under the house. For some indulgence, try out the hot tub on the deck.
Visitors can also enjoy the fire pit, a koi pond, a well-stocked kitchen, an indoor LED fireplace, and a loft that is perfect for relaxing or curling up with a page-turner. A sinewy wooden walk from the back of the house extends 100 feet and terminates in an elevated deck where stargazing will delight any fans of the night sky.
Kansas
Airbnb
The sunsets from this treehouse are to die for. Situated a short drive north of Wichita, it resides on a cattle ranch that is in full operation — cows sometimes wander by for a quick look — and sits close to an effervescent creek. The house sits among trees, with one even sprouting through the wraparound deck, and the house faces west across open land, making it a perfect canvas for sunsets that paint the sky a fiery red, orange, and yellow. Guests can also enjoy the home’s outdoor space, with a fire pit acting as a gathering spot for cool evenings.
Knotty pine interiors, with ample helpings of planks that use the tongue-in-groove linking system, create a cabin feel. There is one bedroom here, set on the loft, with a queen-size bed and sofa sleeper, as well as a small barn-style door that leads out onto a balcony set among the canopy. Wildlife is all around, and guests will hear frogs, cows, cats, and, if they’re lucky, the calls of coyotes.
Kentucky
Airbnb
Think of this as the next level up from a treehouse — it’s secured to the side of a cliff, with an incredible viewing deck on the top level. Its location places it a short drive southeast of Lexington, though its physical setting is above the Red River Gorge, divided into a series of spaces that seem to defy the laws of gravity, engineering, and common sense. The lodging can take up to four guests, and accessing it requires climbing a straight-shot uphill set of wooden steps.
Two sections make up the rental, with the main house at the top of the steps — this is where to find the kitchen, a bathroom, and a compact loft room with a queen bed. A set of spiral stairs takes guests up to the main bedroom, where large windows allow the light to pour in. Above this bedroom is a viewing deck, set below a natural rock overhang and accessed by ladder steps; not surprisingly, the views are serene. For outdoors enthusiasts, accommodations don’t get much more exciting than this.
Maine
Airbnb
Designed for two guests, this raised house comes with a hammock below and inspiring river views. Strategically placed at the top of a large hill replete with trees near Georgetown, the lodging is close to Reid State Park and its sand beaches, a rarity given that Maine’s shore usually leans more rugged. The home is divided into two sections, a deck linking the constituent halves, and trees erupting through the deck floor from below. More than just a passageway to connect the two parts, the deck is also where guests will encounter the cedar hot tub, its waters warmed by wood.
The sleeping quarters inhabit one side of the set-up, with a king-size bed and huge windows that look over the Black River and Kennebec River; across the deck, travelers will find the kitchen and a compact area for eating, as well as the bathroom and a seating area — screened in so visitors are spared from any bugs — from where to admire the views. The treehouse is open year-round, with fall colors here breathtaking.
Minnesota
Bloomberg/Getty Images
Southeast of Minneapolis and close to Cottage Grove Ravine Regional Park, this house comes with not one, but two, fireplaces. It’s also next to a lake, where kayaking, fishing, and walks on the neighboring trails are popular outdoor pursuits. The building sits right on a towering oak tree, more than a century old, and features one spacious bedroom that’s cozy spot, and has its own fireplace — the other one, with a stone outer hearth, anchors a living room with a pretty chandelier and comfortable leather furnishings.
Birdwatchers and astronomers will gravitate to the elevated observation area, where a telescope is on hand for some ornithology and stargazing. The decor leans heavily toward wood, though marble and stone in the bathroom give its a more glamorous esthetic. Guests can easily while away their time at the property, though those with restless feet, and arms itching for a swing, can hit two golf courses close by.
Montana
Airbnb
This two-story retreat is just 30 minutes away from Glacier National Park, and even closer to the town of Columbia Falls and the ski mountain Whitefish, so outdoors enthusiasts will be over the moon. Closer to home, the property offers guests five acres of woods to explore or inhabit for simple peace and quiet. If any property could be correctly called a treehouse, it’s this one — two living trees pierce through the middle of the house, while two more make an appearance in the deck area.
Visitors get into the house via a spiral staircase that winds around the chunky trunk of a fir tree, and there is another spiral staircase inside that leads up to the top floor. The color red recurs inside, from the kitchen curtains to the seating benches in the living room; the well-appointed kitchen, with a dishwasher, allows guests to prepare meals that make the term haute cuisine seem wholly appropriate. The main bedroom, set in a loft, comes with its own private deck.
New Mexico
Airbnb
There is a rustic, cozy feel to this treehouse northeast of Las Cruces. The house is simply set up, with one bedroom where the bed has four posters, gauzy netting, pretty, patterned linens and cushions, and a bedside table with an aged look that lends the space a country home atmosphere. The room looks out through large windows onto views of trees and mountain ridges, and from the deck outside, visitors might get to spot deer or elk roaming the forested slopes, or carousing turkeys poking around the terrain.
The main kitchen and living space are also blessed with natural light, a compact area with jade colored walls and a mounted antler head. Travelers will find plenty of places to unwind, from the leather seats inside to the hammocks and red Adirondack chairs outside, while on cooler nights, they can huddle around the fire pit. Only children 10 and above are allowed to stay.
New York
Airbnb
Access to this huge treehouse is via a suspension bridge, adding a frisson of excitement before the stay. Located in the Adirondack Mountains, in the northern half of the state, and not far from the Hinckley Reservoir, the property provides some polish in a rugged environment. Interiors have been carefully and lovingly mapped out, with little details like Edison lightbulbs and a kitchen where the wall has a whitewashed shiplap finish, that makes the space stylish and comforting. The main section features an open design, so views through the huge windows are ubiquitous, and guests can warm themselves in front of a wood-burning fireplace.
The kitchen is as well kitted out as a normal home’s kitchen, and visitors can take their meals at the dining table next to it. But guests don’t have to confine themselves indoors, with plenty of outdoor space primed for relaxing — the deck with wooden chairs, a fire pit with seats around it, access to a charcoal barbecue, and an outdoor pond with a small waterfall.
North Carolina
VRBO
On first look at this sprawling treehouse, travelers might think that they have stumbled upon a mini-château. Set on a large deck, with a handful of trees acting as its supporting pillars, the home in the Reems Creek Valley, northeast of Asheville, is a marvel of engineering. The deck in itself is vast, 1,000 square feet that looks, and almost feels, like a wooden moat, and from it, sitting atop a rocking chair, guests will be able to take in spellbinding sunsets. Elsewhere on the deck, they can also take a shower al fresco, or cook a barbecue dinner on the outdoor grill.
Once inside, the towering turret lined with poplar trees, lends the house a great sense of space, openness, and regality, while the kitchen, with a fridge, stove, dishwasher, and microwave, is suitable for guests that desire to cook up a storm. The bathrooms — there are two of them — have heated floors so even on cool nights they are a welcoming refuge. The fall colors here are a spectacle worth setting aside time for.
Oklahoma
Courtesy of VRBO
Visitors can enjoy fine views of Eufaula Lake at this property located a couple of hours southeast of Oklahoma City. Built so that it stands 15 feet above the ground, the house lives among trees, an elevated perch that does a fine job of enhancing the scenic vistas. Inside, pine and cedar floors, walls, and a vaulted ceiling honor the arboreal location, and big bay windows help to bring the outside in, both in the bedroom and the cozy living room.
A spacious deck is a site for relaxation as well as bouts of cooking on an outdoor gas grill; guests can also enjoy the warming embers of the fire pit. The lake, a short distance away, is popular for fishing excursions as well as kayaking and pontoon trips (the property owners rent pontoons). Guest are likely to get a kick out of one whimsical touch here — suspended kitchen lights enclosed in mason jars.
Oregon
Airbnb
Not far from the coast, in the southern part of the state, this treehouse is set between two fir trees, giving it a real connection to the woods. The views from its heightened state take in a river canyon, with the sounds of the water, both from the creek and a waterfall close to the house, offering a calming soundtrack during a stay. Expect to spend plenty of time outdoors here, with the bathing area set on a separate deck by the main structure — it features two bathtubs encased in wooden frames, great for taking a soak as the sights and sounds of nature suffuse the air all around.
The bedroom has Edison lightbulbs, large windows, and a big mirror, so light permeates all corners of the space, and the bed is simply dressed, with a small throw on it adding a splash of color to sober linens. The toilet, an outhouse, has sublime views of the forest.
South Dakota
Airbnb
Country-chic comes to mind at this treehouse where a beautiful mix of colors and materials make the design something that is likely to leave a lasting impression. At first glance, guests might notice the baby blue and crimson red exterior of the building, a hint of what is to come beyond. Inside, in the dining area, the pale wood walls are accented by splashes of turquoise on a sliding door and a hanging gate frame, and reds in the outline of a fireplace.
There are two bedrooms in the house, including one in the loft with a full-size bed and a smaller bed below it in the trundle. Little touches will delight, like the string lights wrapped around a long tree limb in the main area, or the small bunches of dried flowers hung on the wall in a bedroom. The outdoor deck is a great spot for a morning coffee taken to the song of nature, perhaps while on the swing. Note, the property only opens seasonally.
Tennessee
Airbnb
Handsome landscaping and a location in the heart of the trees make this house feel like it’s the home of some mythical wood elf. It sits 15 feet above the ground, due east of Nashville, and only adults can stay; the owners also require guests to book two nights at the very minimum. The building was constructed by Amish residents in the area and has plenty of antiques and old details that lend it an air of nostalgia and romanticism.
Here, you’ll find a front door that is more than 150 years old, a bathroom window made of stained glass from a century ago, and a claw-foot tub fashioned from iron (you don’t see many of those these days!) that can hold two and is great for an old-fashioned soak. It’s also set under a glittering chandelier. The bed frame has gilt detailed while comfortable padded armchairs, set atop a floor of mismatched, aged wood planks, are upholstered in bright quilts. Bring your dancing shoes — the house even features a jukebox.
Texas
Airbnb
Travelers will feel a strong tie to the working ranch in the midst of which this treehouse is located, with broad open expanses of space all around the property. Found in the rural plains west of Fort Worth, the property captures crisp, clean light all day, and at night, that clarity transforms to golden hues that cast a stunning glow in all directions.
The ranch itself spreads across 800 acres and has tanks of fish where guests can cast a line. But travelers need not venture beyond the house’s realm to enjoy the outdoors — right here, onsite, they will find easy seating around a fire pit, an elevated deck with a bench, a swing chair, large enough for two, and a hammock between oak trees, from which to admire the grand open spaces. The bathroom and kitchen feel like both inside and outside spaces, screened-in but welcoming the elements, while the bedroom is reached via a spiral staircase. The sunset views from the deck will nourish your soul.
Utah
VRBO
Travelers that drive up to this forest retreat during Sundance will experience an über-chic, modernist treehouse that can accommodate up to 12 guests. This isn’t your typical rough-and-ready tree lodging. This space is artfully designed with architectural touches like a large atrium, skylights, and a wood-burning fireplace. The design scheme is bright and clean, characterized by plenty of white, stone, and pale wood. There is even a hot tub, set out on the deck, and for all-over body warming, there’s a sauna inside the property.
While there is much to extol within, the floor-to-ceiling windows that are a recurrent feature of the house ensure the outdoors is never far from the mind. Children — the house is huge, spread over 6,000 square feet, and has four bedrooms, so families will not lack space — have plenty to keep them occupied with a games room with a pool table, ping-pong table, and an oversized Scrabble board that is hung on the wall.
Vermont
Airbnb
Plenty of wood in the interiors give this elevated house near Waterbury the feeling of a log cabin. But more than that, the design incorporates trees fully into the very DNA of the property. A trunk rises through the house, resting right up against the sink, and elsewhere encircled by a spiral staircase, while mirrors have frames made from bark. The railings on the outdoor deck uses branches for its structural form, and tree limbs appear throughout spaces, sometimes as stair bannisters, other times as pieces of natural art.
Antler chandeliers add more sylvan artistry to the interiors, and wooden walls round out the frontier ambience. For relaxation, a hammock on the property will do the trick, as will Adirondack chairs by the pond and fire pit, or seats on the wraparound deck that looks over rural majesty. Views from the higher levels of the house take in the tree tops and mountain ridges of Vermont.
Washington
Courtesy of Airbnb
Treehouse in name, treehouse in nature, dutifully sums up this property set among fir trees south of Seattle. Secured by beams and attached by bolts to 100-year-old Douglas firs, the house sits 15 feet off the ground, within its own stash of forest, a living, breathing part of the environment — it even sways as the trees do during strong winds. Low-impact lighting is complemented by natural light that streams through large windows and skylights, though a more gentle glow emits from the fireplace in the living room.
Sleeping quarters are in a loft, where guests can also take a nap on a suspended net. Artwork reflects the setting, from steel pieces that represent trees, to delicate works that recreate the fragile, intricate beauty of something as simple as a leaf. There is an EV charger onsite for guests that drive their electric vehicles to the retreat.
Wisconsin
Courtesy of Airbnb
Exploring the Apostle Islands is easy from this treehouse in Bayfield, also close to orchards and fields where visitors can pick their own apples and berries. Wood is the dominant material inside and out, not just planks carefully aligned to create the walls, floors, and ceilings, but also more casually sourced pieces — driftwood from Lake Superior has been skilfully shaped into railings, appearing along the staircase, and on the top level of the house, lining the passageway that connects the two bedrooms.
Wood from the surrounding forest also makes an appearance here, most notably in the maple counter in the downstairs living space, while stones from Lake Superior combine to form a mosaic wall around the fireplace. The outdoors are here for guests to enjoy — they can sit by a small pond, or explore the various walking trails nearby, and the friendly dog of the property owners sometimes drops by to visit.
