The chaotic commotion of city living can get to some people. But when you’re on the brink of insanity and need to stage a Thoreau-grade escape to the woods, Getaway is there for you. The startup, which is based out of the Harvard iLab, rents out tiny houses in rural Southern New Hampshire and gives you a chance to breathe.
That’s not all, though. I caught up with some of the Getaway team at the iLab’s Showcase last night, and they have big plans.
Getaway has been getting a lot of publicity for their simple, stylish and sustainable tiny houses located only 2 hours outside of Boston. For the economical price of $99 per night, you and your friends can book one of their mobile mini-cabins to get a little peace and quiet.
“White picket fences and two-car garages aren’t what most millennials want or can even attain at this point."
The startup’s team means business about treating these excursions as an opportunity to disconnect and do nothing.
CEO and Co-Founder Jon Staff explained that they want to prevent people from jumping on TripAdvisor and planning an itinerary. Their solution? They don’t tell you where the houses are located until 24 hours in advance. It’s all about appreciating the company you’re with and becoming one with your natural surroundings.
Better pack your guitar because sounds like you’ll have many, many verses of "Kumbaya" ahead of you.
Redoing the American Dream
Right now, Getaway is primarily pushing an “anti-vacation” agenda — the staff’s term for the low-cost, short-term and stress-free outings they provide. They’ve just built their third tiny house in the East Boston Shipyard and they’re planning on expanding to New York next year.
But that’s not all. The company is thinking big picture, and its endgame is to overhaul the American Dream to realign it with what millennials can and want to accomplish.
Yep, seriously profound stuff. Getaway’s Pete Davis explained that they ultimately would like to construct tiny house villages in U.S. cities to create tight-knit communities.
“Many people’s perception of housing was invented back in the day when suburbia was on the rise,” Davis said. “White picket fences and two-car garages aren’t what most millennials want or can even attain at this point. All they want is to be with their friends, their neighbors. They want experiences. They don’t care about having stuff.”
It almost goes without saying that these tiny house communities would be affordable to meet millennials’ tight budgets, as well as eco-friendly. The houses are decked out with solar panels and a battery bank, and their minimalist design ensures you’re expending less energy, which can’t be bad for your utilities bills.
“It’d have all the benefits of a commune, but you don’t have to be a full-out hippy to be a part of it,” Davis joked.
While there’s no timeline for these modern millennial villages, Davis did say Getaway is in talks with a major Southern city about building the first one. But he made it clear there’s much to be done before that vision comes into fruition. So now it’s a waiting game until the team kicks their American Dream revolution into high gear.
Images via Olivia Vanni.
