What the heck is Serenbe? That was our first thought after we heard about it a couple of years in the past. An area pal named Kelly was shifting to this “wellness group” exterior of Atlanta and advised us it’s an amazing place for a fast getaway with the children. And shortly after that dialog, we realized that our buddies Vern Yip and Craig Koch are additionally constructing a house there. So, fast-forward 5 years, we lastly visited over Spring Break and had a good time.
Okay, so now let’s reply that preliminary query.
What Is Serenbe?
Serenbe (rhymes with “Heron B.”) is a small “New City” group about 45 minutes south of Atlanta in a rural city known as Chattahoochee Hills. It’s kind of a mixture of an upscale-feeling suburban improvement and an eco-conscious resort within the countryside. There’s a give attention to well-being and connection to nature, together with on-site options like an natural farm, a number of farm-to-table eating places, and 16 miles of nature trails.
We didn’t know if we must always count on sprawling farmland or dense city facilities and truthfully, it’s kinda each. The principle points of interest are these quaint “hamlets” with retailers, eating places, and houses inside strolling distance of each other. However between them are horse pastures, wooded trails, and bigger heaps known as “farmettes” that also provide you with a way of remoteness. There’s a variety of house sizes and types, from fashionable condos to retro bungalows which makes for heaps to take a look at while you drive round (in a golf cart, which is the preffered technique of transportation for locals and guests alike).
There may be an Inn you may keep at, in addition to a number of Airbnbs, however total Serenbe felt extra full-time and residential than we anticipated. We requested a neighborhood and so they mentioned about 70% of its occupancy is full-time, which differs so much from our seaside down (which is extra like 50/50 and even decrease relying on the realm). We additionally got here of their low season (mid-March) so maybe it has a extra tourist-y vibe through the summer time. Both means, it was nice for us as a result of we stay in a trip vacation spot that will get fairly busy over spring break, so the slower tempo was truly very nice.
The place To Keep In Serenbe?
The Inn at Serenbe is the one lodge however you can even discover leases by way of websites like Airbnb and the official Serenbe Trip Leases web site. Some Airbnb outcomes could present up as “Palmetto, GA” and a few will not be inside Serenbe correct, so make sure you examine the itemizing if that’s vital to you. Being on website offers you simpler entry to trails & retailers, and also you’ll additionally have the ability to golf cart between hamlets extra simply.
We ended up being extraordinarily fortunate that Vern & Craig allow us to keep within the condominium they’ve (which is the place they keep whereas their Serenbe house is being constructed, since they stay full time in Atlanta). Sherry had texted them for Serenbe suggestions after we began planning our journey and so they insisted that we keep at their place, because it wasn’t getting used. They’re critically the kindest people on the planet.
What To Do In Serenbe
Our 3 days in Serenbe have been a splendidly chill expertise stuffed with – as tacky because it sounds – nice alternatives to decelerate and join with nature and one another.
Get Outdoors
Serenbe gives lots of excuses to be exterior: trails, playgrounds, even waterfalls. And far to our shock, the primary exercise our youngsters requested every day was enjoying in a close-by stream. Our children are 10 and 14 and we have been fairly stunned to appreciate that this little stream could be a giant draw for them. However it stored them busy for a pair hours every day – simply enjoying with rocks and dust (our daughter made legit pottery with clay from the riverbed), strolling throughout fallen logs, skipping stones, and so forth.
The paths & streams have been very paying homage to the Virginia suburb I grew up in, so I’m undecided each child would discover Serenbe’s babbling brooks as fascinating as our youngsters did. However I suppose it was novel sufficient in comparison with the sandy seashores they’re used to in Florida.
Past the character trails, our youngsters additionally liked the little playgrounds peppered all through the group (once more, one thing paying homage to the suburb I grew up in – and one thing we questioned if that they had outgrown). However Serenbe’s playgrounds appeared deliberately retro and easy – fundamental swings & slides vs elaborate plastic playplaces – which completely charmed our youngsters. They even ended up enjoying on this little lean-to manufactured from sticks for some time.
The good “fashionable” playground options in Serenbe are a few in-ground trampolines, together with one atop a hill known as “Sundown Level” that overlooks the stables. They liked them.
Total, there wasn’t something particularly elaborate or distinctive about these varied out of doors facilities, however there gave the impression to be some magic within the old style simplicity of them, and the truth that they have been scattered round Serenbe (to the purpose that many children would “trampoline hop” to every spot after dinner within the night).
Trip Horses
With all the stables and pastures round, it appeared solely pure to splurge on a household horseback experience. Plus, it was Sherry’s birthday – so why not spend it atop a horse?
We booked a 1-hour tour by way of Serenbe Path Driving, which was good for novice riders like us. My daughter and I had performed one thing comparable final summer time on our journey to South Dakota, however this was our son’s first time on a horse! He was nervous, however Crystal (our information) and Dakota (his horse) have been superior. By the tip, he mentioned it was his favourite a part of your entire trip!
The experience took us alongside a few of the Serenbe trails with sufficient sights (a waterfall! cool homes!) and terrain (steep-ish hills!) to make it partaking & enjoyable on the similar time.
Hit the Spa
Sherry’s different birthday current whereas we have been there was a soothing journey to the Spa at Serenbe with our daughter. After we known as to ebook, the girl on the telephone gushed a lot concerning the Reiki therapy over a typical therapeutic massage that Sherry took her recommendation and that’s what they every loved for an hour (together with hanging out within the infrared sauna earlier than and after the therapy, and ordering some macarons). However each our daughter and Sherry ranked their spa expertise as their favourite a part of the journey!
Lease Bikes or A Golf Cart
You may simply get round Serenbe and not using a automobile. We solely used it sooner or later after we ventured out to a close-by park. Our pal Kelly – the one who moved there full-time a couple of years in the past – loaned us her golf cart and our youngsters liked that we may all scoot round city in it. Had we been there longer, I positively would have introduced our bikes (or rented them), though it’s pretty hilly so getting round may very well be a little bit of a exercise.
Go See A Waterfall
Okay, so this one is technically exterior of Serenbe, nevertheless it was positively definitely worth the 15-minute drive (there are a few smaller waterfalls in Serenbe too). We went on a 2-mile-ish hike at Cochran Mills Park that took us previous quite a few waterfalls, together with this spectacular cascade proper initially. It was a bit steep and overgrown at components, however our chihuahua did it, so I wouldn’t say it was too difficult!
FYI – the paths we took (the Orange trails) are throughout the primary highway from the parking zone.
Store the Shops
We had a enjoyable afternoon of exploring a few of the retailers in Serenbe, though they’re pretty restricted – particularly in the case of issues that youngsters get pleasure from. So the retailers didn’t take up a lot time, however they have been good pit stops on our walks.
Most likely our two favorites have been Typo Market and the Hills & Hamlet Bookshop. They’re each charming & quaint, and Typo Market packs lots of cute curiosities (stationery, decor, toys, and so forth) in a small retailer! Sherry additionally ducked into an upscale house decor retailer known as Mister & Mrs Sharp to oogle the products. She left with two little gold fortune cookies (one for every of our youngsters) that hinge open, and you’ll write a bit be aware for them inside. Right here’s an affiliate hyperlink to a model of what she received you can get engraved on Etsy.
The place To Eat in Serenbe
Very like the purchasing choices, the eating choices in Serenbe aren’t quite a few, however we loved each meal we had – particularly from the place we ate thrice!
Blue Eyed Daisy
Blue Eyed Daisy is an informal spot that was a brief stroll from our condominium and we ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner there (not all on the identical day). They solely serve dinner a few nights per week and we caught their weekly “Burger Evening” on Monday, which Vern and Craig mentioned we couldn’t miss. My Dubliner burger was one of the best burger I’ve had shortly.
Halsa
Halsa is a Swedish-inspired restaurant that positively had our favourite “vibes” of all of the eating places. It’s a bit pricier, and the “clear” and “vegetable-forward” menu won’t be each child’s favourite, however we appreciated our lunch a lot that we got here again the following day for breakfast!
The Hill
The Hill is a barely nicer, however nonetheless informal dinner spot the place we ate on our final night time. Like the opposite eating places, it boasts native farm recent components and could be a superb date night time choice too. Our children shared a pizza, Sherry crated her personal “tapas” from the apps & sides, and I completely loved my “beef stack” that ended up being code for a burger.
Nigel’s Fancy Bananas
We’ve been huge followers of this frozen banana & gelato store ever since a mutual pal of ours & Kelly’s opened her first one in Florida a couple of years in the past. Serenbe is its third location, so in fact we needed to cease in. It by no means disappoints and the chocolate-covered bananas sprinkled with issues like graham crackers & marshmallows or a melted peanut butter drizzle are nice. We counted this as lunch as soon as day (at house each from time to time, it’s dinner, together with another random snack that we eat afterwards).
Different Locations To Eat
One other standard eating spot is The Farmhouse on the Inn, however we have been advised it’s a bit dressier and we didn’t pack for the event. There are additionally espresso retailers like Birdhouse Espresso Room and Minro Studio that could be a cafe and ceramics studio the place you may take pottery workshops (however that was closed whereas we have been there). There’s additionally a pizza place known as Radical Dough that we might’ve liked to attempt, nevertheless it was additionally closed whereas we have been there.
A Journey to Serenbe: A Abstract
We had a good time in Serenbe. We didn’t actually know what to anticipate, aside from it at all times being known as having a “farm” feeling and being a pleasant sluggish place to calm down. It lived as much as the chilliness, connect-with-nature vibe we’d heard about – and I believe its distinction to our each day setting was particularly enjoyable for our youngsters. Our daughter is already asking to return and check out goat yoga!
In any case, right here’s a fast rundown of our journey in bullet type:
The place to Keep:
What to Do:
Procuring & Eating:
Extra Household Journeys We’ve Taken
In case you’re concerned with our tackle different locations or are in quest of family-friendly journeys, you may additionally get pleasure from these posts:
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