If you’re searching for a stay that’s truly out of the ordinary, Treetop Retreat Ohio is one of those places that immediately grabs your attention. It’s quirky, modern, tucked away in the woods, and absolutely nothing like your average Ohio hotel. This is the kind of getaway where you trade elevator dings and lobby crowds for forest views, quiet mornings, and a shipping container turned boutique hideaway. If you want a unique stay that feels like a little adventure, this one deserves a spot at the top of your list.
Treetop Retreat is located just outside Sugarcreek, Ohio, making it an easy weekend getaway from Columbus (about 90 minutes) or Cleveland (about 1.5–2 hours). You’ll definitely need a car for this trip, and the last bit of road is country-style, so plug it into your GPS ahead of time and download the map just in case your cell service drops.
Check-in is simple and contactless — you’ll get a door code ahead of time so you can go straight to your room. Parking is right near the entrance, but here’s the part that surprises most people: you actually go down a big set of stairs and then follow a gravel path to get to the unit.
And let me just say — if you’re an overpacker like me, this is the moment you’ll question your life choices while carrying your bags down those stairs. (Consider this your friendly reminder to maybe leave the fourth pair of boots at home. Your quads will thank you later.)
The room is cleverly laid out inside its converted shipping container — modern and cozy without feeling cramped. Warm wood paneling softens the industrial edges, there’s a fireplace that makes the whole space glow at night, and a private balcony with a peaceful forest view.
But here’s the honest truth: the bed felt a lot like sleeping on a camping air mattress — not soft, not plush — so if you’re particular about mattresses, you’ll want to know that going in. The huge windows are gorgeous for letting in daylight, but they make it hard to sleep in since they let in all the morning sun. (Bring an eye mask if you want any hope of sleeping past sunrise.)
The outdoor bathroom setup is one of the most unique features — there’s not just a shower but also a soaking tub. Taking a bath or shower surrounded by nature is a total main-character moment. And when you’re done, you can sit by the outdoor firepit and enjoy the evening sounds — perfect for roasting marshmallows or just staying warm on chilly nights.
This is a very small, boutique-style stay — no lobby, no pool, no on-site restaurant — and that’s part of its charm. It’s private, quiet, and really designed to make you slow down and unplug.
Plan your meals ahead because you’ll want to explore the area’s best spots:
Park Street Pizza – my personal favorite, and yes, it’s worth the drive.
Rebecca’s Bistro – perfect for a cozy weekend brunch.
Local wineries – even if you don’t drink, they often have great food and views.
Heini’s Cheese Chalet – free samples of all the cheeses (a must).
You can also bring your own groceries and enjoy a simple dinner right there — nothing beats sitting by the firepit with a mug of hot cocoa and just listening to the quiet.
I personally recommend only staying a night or two here — any longer and you may really start to feel that firm bed. Two nights is the sweet spot: just enough time to explore Sugarcreek, check out the wineries and cheese shops, grab brunch, and still enjoy time by the firepit or soaking in that outdoor tub. Two nights also gives you time to explore Sugarcreek — I cover all my favorite stops in my Weekend in Sugarcreek, Ohio guide.
Treetop Retreat is one of the most unique hotels in Ohio — a shipping container turned secluded woodland stay that gives you the feeling of getting away from everything without sacrificing modern comforts. It’s quiet, creative, and ideal if you’re looking to reset for a couple of nights.
Just be prepared for the stairs and gravel path (your legs and luggage will get a workout), pack an eye mask, and maybe edit your packing list so you don’t end up hauling an entire wardrobe down the stairs. This is the kind of stay where you sip hot cocoa, light the fireplace just because, sit by the outdoor firepit, and end your night with a soak under the stars.
If you’re road-tripping through Ohio, check out my Where to Stay in Columbus guide too.
Four hours on a train through a canyon you can’t reach by car — such a fun experience! We picked the indoor seats with unlimited access to the open-air viewing car, which honestly felt like the only right call. You’re not stuck in an assigned seat the whole time we bounced between the two, snacks in hand, chasing the best light.
The scenery is the whole point. Red rock cliffs, the Verde River, a 734-foot tunnel, historic trestle bridges views most people visiting Sedona never see, because you literally can’t drive to them.
The charcuterie box that comes with your ticket is shockingly filling ✨ so skip lunch at the Copper Spike Café beforehand, save your appetite for dinner back in Sedona.
Four hours with no stops did start to feel long by the end, but the trade-off for scenery like this? Worth it.
Would I ride it again? Yes. Would I buy lunch first again? No.
Link in bio for the full review cost breakdown, what to pack, and exactly how early to arrive 🚂
I ate chilaquiles while a Cessna taxied past the window, and that’s just a normal Tuesday breakfast in Sedona.
@mesa_grill_sedona sits right beside the Sedona Airport Scenic Lookout, so along with your food you get red rock views stretching in every direction and a front-row seat to tiny planes lifting off. Chef Mercer Mohr runs the kitchen, serving up Southwestern comfort food from breakfast through dinner, chilaquiles, elevated diner classics, burgers, steaks, seafood, all of it.
The view is what pulls people in the door, but the food actually holds its own. Good enough that this place stays packed with locals, not just tourists passing through on their way to the lookout. It also picked up the 2025 Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice and OpenTable Diners’ Choice awards, so it’s not just me saying it.
Indoor seating if you want the AC, a pet-friendly patio if your dog’s along for the trip. Either way, get there before plane-spotting turns into a wait for a table.
Link in bio for the full Sedona breakfast roundup ✈️🌵
Confession: my newsletter is where the good stuff lives. Not the polished, edited-for-the-grid stuff, the “here’s the hole-in-the-wall I almost skipped” stuff, the packing lists I actually use, the “don’t book this hotel” warnings before you waste your money on them.
The newsletter is basically me texting you before a trip instead of after one. Sign up and you’ll be the first to know where I’m headed next, plus a few things I’ll never post here.
Link in bio if you want in. ✈️
Yes, it’s only July. Start planning anyway. Fall books faster than people expect, and a few of these destinations are worth getting ahead of. Here are five places worth putting on your radar right now.
Ireland: Cooler temps, moody skies, dramatic coastline fall was made for it. Tourist crowds drop, the green stays, and the whole country feels a little more like itself.
Great Smoky Mountains, TN/NC: Fall foliage in the Smokies is the real thing. The color peaks mid-October and the views from the ridgelines are hard to argue with. It’s also one of the most visited national parks in the country, so going on a weekday makes a real difference.
New York City: Fall is NYC at its best comfortable temps, the energy of the city shifting into a new season, and every neighborhood doing something worth showing up for. It’s also just a great walking city when it’s not brutally hot.
Japan: Fall foliage season is as good as spring cherry blossoms and somehow less talked about. The colors are dramatic, the temples and gardens are stunning, and it’s worth planning around peak dates by region.
Mystic, Connecticut: Small, walkable, genuinely charming Mystic in fall feels like exactly what a New England autumn is supposed to look like. Easy to pair with a broader New England road trip if you want to extend it.
Full guides linked in bio 🍂
There are two kinds of travelers: people who plan a trip and then figure out where to eat, and people who book a restaurant and then build the rest of the itinerary around it.I am the second kind. I will not apologize for this.
The reservation gets locked in first. The hotel search happens within the same 24 hours. The flights get compared around the restaurant’s hours of operation. The rest of the trip exists to fill the days before and after the table I actually came for.
If this sounds unhinged, I completely understand. It has also resulted in some of the best meals of my life, so I’m going to keep doing it.
Drop a 🍽️ if you plan your trips around food too.
Follow @travelwithwendyplummer for Beautiful Beach Destinations, City Guides, Foodie Spots, and Luxury Hotel Recommendations.
