Claire U.
Yelp
4 1/2 stars!
I had heard about Out and About Tree Resort, but they were booked solid. I stumbled on across this place after scouring the Internet and liked the reviews I read on Trip Advisor. I'm so glad we stayed here instead. Out and About seems to have a ton of activities and traffic. This place is less known but peaceful and clean because of it.
What a unique and fun experience! My daughter (age 6) and I stayed for two nights and loved it.
Vertical Horizons is like B&B, camping, a cabin, a resort and nature's paradise all rolled up into one.
Let me try to break it down...there's just so much to say..
B&B - There are three tree houses on the grounds, plus the main house where the hosts Phil and Jody (and their many pets) live. Phil makes an incredible breakfast every morning at 9 a.m. Don't skip this very important meal - especially here. He uses fresh and locally grown fruits, meats, etc. Incredible! First morning, we had a delicious fritata, chicken apple sausage with caramelized demi-glaze sauce, bacon (which was pretty special I have to say...), fresh fruit platters, and pancakes. (He even whipped up a special batch of gluten free pancakes for my daughter. The next day's fare was just as delicious!
Since there are only three tree units (and a typical stay is at least two days), you have an opportunity to chat with the other guests during breakfast. We enjoyed the other folks company - both groups happened to have kids - so there was good synergy with everyone.
Camping: There is a small, tiny hike to the tree houses. Not long or far at all, but you do not want to lug a bunch of stuff to your place. There's no rolling cart or bell hop. Try not to forget anything when leaving your tree like me. (doh...my sunscreen. doh...my sunglasses...)
There are bathrooms in the tree house, but the showers are close to where you park your car. This ended up to be pretty convenient because we just kept most of our stuff in the car.
Calypso Tree: The trees are really nice. Even though it was over 90 degrees outside, our tree stayed comfortably cool all day and night. Thank goodness for those tall green pines! There is a ceiling fan, a comfortable bed, a mini fridge, a tall table and two bar stools, a bathroom and sink and a tree in the middle of our room. There's also a seating area on our tree deck.
Resort: The grounds are absolutely beautiful. You have an awesome view everywhere you turn. The swimming pool provided a day and a half of fun for the kids.They had a blast together - playing in the pool. I noticed a lot of lone hammocks placed around the grounds for some peace and quiet time.
We learned how to climb trees which gave a whole different perspective to our surroundings. Jody was a great teacher - patient and encouraging. (Tree climb is $25 per person). After the climb, Phil lit a campfire where we toasted marshmallows and chilled out and took in a pretty amazing sunset view.
Nature's paradise: there are three horses (no you cannot ride them), two sweet - friendly - and mellow dogs named Cosmo and Sady, three cats (although I only saw two), a gecko, a parrot (or Macaw), and of course wild life (like bull frogs, squirrels, birds, deer, etc.)
Note: Getting to Vertical Horizons was a bit of a challenge. The 3305 sign is hard to see because it is a bit set back on the road you turn on, so you would probably want to arrive when there is daylight. There's an old abandoned looking barn and a couple trailers right before you turn to the road that takes you to the resort.
Vertical Horizons is close to the National Caves monument and the Wild Cats Park. We ate at the local deli (Taylors) which was great and a short drive (10 - 15 min) from the resort.