I love our cabins and I stay in them a lot as I stay in them for work and I also choose to stay in them for my own vacations
I like our new cabin design and I also like our rustic legacy cabins that include both the CCC built hand hewn log and frame cabins at our original six parks and our 60s cinder block models (read about the different types here).
But we do have a few unique cabins that don't fit into the regular categories like the four cabins atChippokes Plantation State Park in beautiful Surry County.
Bedroom with queen size four poster bed and wardrobe
Chippokes Plantation State Park has been a go to destination for my husband and I for what I like to call our winter break vacation for many years now. We have an anniversary of sorts related to Valentine's Day so we try to visit around then and usually cash in on the extra President's Day holiday. We didn't go last year and we were really looking forward to getting away last week. We were not disappointed.
Cabin 4 is the Price House – I call it Priceless!
My favorite cabin is 4
But we have stayed in three of the four cabins (all but cabin 1) and they are all great. These cabins are restored dwellings and they have lots of character. Cabin 2 is the oldest cabin, built for the Plantation Overseer around 1850. Cabin 4 is the second oldest from the 1920s and cabin 3 from the 1930s, both tenant farmer dwellings. Cabin 1 was built as a reproduction colonial cottage on the site of an earlier dwelling in the 40s. Find out the specific details of the cabins and bed arrangements here.
All Virginia State Park cabins are pet-friendly (except the Yurt at Kiptopeke State Park).
Stenciling along a wood planked cabin wall of cabin 4 at Chippokes Plantation State Park
While all the cabins are very nice, cabin 4 is especially nice as it has a few touches that makes it extra special in addition to the bedroom, a volunteer added stenciling over a doorway and in the bathroom.
A homey touch is the checkers table in the living room (there are chess pieces too)
Decor items like the watering pot, curtains and flowers in a coffee tin also give a colonial touch
Extra insights about my favorite cabin
- Did I mention the park is a half hour ferry ride (free) from Colonial Williamsburg? You can also make it to Virginia Beach without crossing a bridge tunnel in less than an hour.
- The living room has a nice sofa and oversized upholstered chair that my husband loved. It was a great room to sit and read.
- And sssshhhhhh! Don't tell anyone but we have televisions with DVD players in the cabins. You will pick up a couple local channels but we enjoy renting a DVD or two and, I confess, my husband brings his PlayStation. You may have just figured out why we like to go to Chippokes in the winter.
There are a few limitations
It was pretty cold the last two days of our stay. Heat pumps have limits on how much they can warm a building over the actual temperature. We have the same problem at home. We did find that if we closed off the bedroom it was plenty warm at night. Temps were below 10 degrees with wind chill and the wind sounded ominous so normal winter temperatures are not an issue.
Unlike other state park cabins, these four either don't have a fireplace or the fireplace is not functioning.
Cabin 4 view from the road ready for the harvest
Chippokes is a working farm
If you come in the fall, the cotton and soy fields add to the rustic setting. There are wooded areas behind the cabins and the cabins are far apart and off the road. I do recall one customer who was upset that the cabin they had was in the middle of a soy bean field. Apparently they lived on a farm. But I'd venture to guess not many of us have that experience any more.
We made it back on President's Day before the snow hit but we have been there in the snow before and it is magical.
Click the map below for directions. I always recommend using Google Maps to route your trip as other GPS services and mapping programs often have errors. For reservations and information, contact our Customer Service Center at 800-933-7275, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Reservations can also be made on line any time.
If you decide to stay in one of the four cabins at the very scenic and historichigh cotton!