Good cabin rental for a newbie camper? (Raleigh, Albemarle: home, camping)

[Stagemomma]

My BF is not an outdoorsman, but he wants to try new things. He has never been camping and I really enjoy it.

I'm looking for a nice cabin we could stay at that would give a somewhat deluxe camping experience. Shared bathroom might be okay. I don't mind taking our own linens but a real bed is a must have. He might be okay with a KOA Kamping Kabin type place but I suspect he'd appreciate something a little nicer (we can work our way down to KOA Kamping Kabins Not sure he'll ever stay in a tent)

We would like to do things like: take a shortish hike (about 2 miles), sit by a water feature, maybe paddle a kayak for a bit, ride on a bike path, cook a simple no fuss outdoor meal, watch the sunset, have a campfire, meditate, do a bit of outdoor yoga. Nothing rugged or strenuous or that would require a lot of equipment/advance prep. We would be happy to have a meal at a local diner and visit a local tourist attraction near our 'campsite', so it doesn't have to be in the boondocks.

My schedule for the next two months dictates that I can really only have a one-night trip (prob saturday night) so I need a place that won't require a two night stay. I assume this will need to take place before Memorial Day for that reason. I'd like to keep it under $100 for one night and no more than a 2-3 hour drive from Raleigh, tops.

Any suggestions?

[etacarinae]

There are cabins off of highway 109 you could rent for about $95 nightly. However , they are out on the sticks , and the nearest eatery is the Eldorado Outpost. Aside from that , the towns of Albemarle and Troy are 15 miles away. Check the forest service website , they manage the facilities up there. The area itself is pretty , just isolated.

[SunnyKayak]

Originally Posted by Stagemomma

My BF is not an outdoorsman, but he wants to try new things. He has never been camping and I really enjoy it.

I'm looking for a nice cabin we could stay at that would give a somewhat deluxe camping experience. Shared bathroom might be okay. I don't mind taking our own linens but a real bed is a must have. He might be okay with a KOA Kamping Kabin type place but I suspect he'd appreciate something a little nicer (we can work our way down to KOA Kamping Kabins Not sure he'll ever stay in a tent)

We would like to do things like: take a shortish hike (about 2 miles), sit by a water feature, maybe paddle a kayak for a bit, ride on a bike path, cook a simple no fuss outdoor meal, watch the sunset, have a campfire, meditate, do a bit of outdoor yoga. Nothing rugged or strenuous or that would require a lot of equipment/advance prep. We would be happy to have a meal at a local diner and visit a local tourist attraction near our 'campsite', so it doesn't have to be in the boondocks.

My schedule for the next two months dictates that I can really only have a one-night trip (prob saturday night) so I need a place that won't require a two night stay. I assume this will need to take place before Memorial Day for that reason. I'd like to keep it under $100 for one night and no more than a 2-3 hour drive from Raleigh, tops.

Any suggestions?

When do you plan on going late Spring or Summer

I recommend renting one of the cabins at beautiful Hanging Rock State Park. The rate is only $88 so advance reservation needed . There plenty of trails, they provide rowboats and canoes during Spring and Fall weekends and daily in the Summer.

Tourist things to do is Pilot Mountain or Mount Pilot from Mayberry which is my next recommendation of visiting Mount Airy and Old Salem but I would do all three on the way home and cherish what Hanging Rock has to offer.