Society has taken an interesting twist in regards to real estate.
While the rich and famous continue to live in their mansions high above reality, the average person is being drawn to minimalism and a simpler life.
Purchasing a tiny home provides all of that and more – but if you aren’t quite ready to drop off all your worldly possessions at a donation center, try renting one for a weekend at your favorite getaway spot.
Small used to be the chic thing – small dogs, small purses, small cars.
Of course, for anyone who has ever used a bathroom in Europe, you know they never got the memo that “small” went out of style.
Eventually bigger became better with luxury SUVs, giant handbags, and oversized cellphones.
While large phone screens aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, the “bigger is better” mentality is quickly becoming so last-decade.
Which is why the Eh’häusl Hotel in Amberg, Germany has had consistent business for the last 13 years after being featured in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s smallest hotel – which doesn’t take much considering there’s only two rooms in the whole hotel!
So why trade in the 10-bedroom beach house for 120nsquare feet of living space?
It is much easier to have genuine moments with your family or spouse when you’re cozied up on the couch rather than separated by countless rooms and stories.
Better yet, with a tiny home available for rent in almost every major destination nowadays, there’s no need to compromise on your favorite vacation spots.
Here are just a few of the tiny homes you’ll want to rent this year.
1. Pāhoa, Hawaii
Hawaii gets about 9.4 million tourists a year, with many of them looking to see a real live volcano.
Designer Will Beiharz, founder of sustainable architecture company ArtisTree Home, built a tiny home completely off the grid – and in the middle of a hardened lava field!
This Big Island tiny home sits at the bottom of the Kilauea volcano and you can actually see the glowing red heat from the tiny home’s porch.
Talk about an adventure!
The outside of the tiny home reflects the charred environment with a Japanese technique called shou sugi ban that blackens the wood.
Inside you could almost forget you’re alone in the middle of a lava field with a mini-fridge, coffee maker, and basic furniture.
For a mere $127 a night, you can have a truly unique experience that will make a fiery photo reel on Instagram.
2. Austin, Texas
This “micro cottage,” as Conde Nast Traveler dubs it, is called East Side Beehive by its creator.
The obscure architecture of this tiny home in the middle of the Live Music Capitol of the World gives off a real Dr. Seuss vibe.
Covered in cedar shingles, the house was inspired by Japanese teahouses.
The vaulted ceilings and wall-to-wall windows bring in tons of natural light, waking you up early to see all Austin has to offer.
The tiny home boasts locally crafted furniture (buying local is the Austin way) and an enclosed glass shower with custom copper piping and fixtures.
Unlike most tiny home rentals, this one comes fully equipped with a washer and dryer, making it a top choice for families with children.
Every detail and design is purposefully placed for your amazement, and it could be yours for only an average of $226 a night.
3. Fletcher, North Carolina
For the more old-school and rugged types, this tiny home sits on the edge of a rocky cliff overlooking a valley of farms across 40 acres.
Named Raven Rock cabin, you can only access the front door with a 4-WD vehicle or a 15-minute hike from the parking lot.
Nowhere else will you get a panoramic view of the Great Smoky Mountains during the day and every star in the sky at night.
This cliffside escape runs about $104 a night and is worth every penny.
After trying out tiny living for yourself, you may decide to join the thousands of other Americans who chose the transition to a minimalist lifestyle.
Or, you may enjoy only having one room to clean for a weekend, but can’t wait to get back to your own space.
Either way, you won’t regret checking this growing trend off your bucket list and letting go of all those big distractions in life, even for just a few days.
