Bare Creek Hollow treehouse at Savannah’s Meadow is two stories and sleeps four people.
For travelers seeking experiential accommodations, staying in a Swiss Family Robinson-style treehouse retreat is a thrilling opportunity. In Texas, these options range from rustic cabins to whimsical hideaways to luxury glamping getaways. Head toward the Hill Country, Piney Woods, and North Texas, where tree species like live oaks, cypress, and loblolly pines thrive. When staying in a treehouse, just remember: The trees are alive, growing, and going through seasonal cycles. A treehouse may sway on windy days, shed bark, and release sap. But being this close to nature is what the experience is all about.
Savannah’s Meadow
Celeste
Located about an hour northeast of Dallas, Savannah’s Meadow invites guests to experience a working farm sprinkled with pixie dust. Playful flourishes include a tree tunnel decorated with faces and an adorable fairy forest trail lined with miniature homes. Lodgers are encouraged to explore the 18-acre property’s duck pond, chicken coop, goat and donkey pen (yes, you can feed the animals), herb garden, lavender meadow, and trails. But the two treehouses are the main attraction.
True to its name, the Majestic Oak treehouse is built around a massive oak and sleeps up to seven people. A crow’s nest on the second floor has three twin beds perfect for kids. “The tree trunk is right there, so you’re touching the tree when you’re sleeping at night. You’re very much getting the woods experience,” says Tanya Lair, who bought the property with her husband, Chris, in December 2022. The two-story Bare Creek Hollow, built in 2016, has room for four with a full-size bed and a loft.
Both treehouses have a bathroom and a kitchen stocked with fresh eggs, milk from a local dairy, fresh-squeezed orange juice, and a bottle of wine. The Lairs plan to add another treehouse and wedding venue in the next two years. “I love giving people an experience,” Tanya says. “The fact that I can do this for others brings me a lot of joy.” Treehouses start at $330/weekday night for two guests. 4445 FM 903, Celeste. 214-668-4299; savannahsmeadow.com
Treehouse Utopia
Utopia
Biblioteque at Treehouse Utopia allows guests to sleep amongst books.
Romance is in the air at Treehouse Utopia. Co-owner Laurel Waters opened the bed-and-breakfast made up of four treehouses on her family’s 25-acre property in 2018. Each treehouse is built for two and decorated with a French-inspired theme. Biblioteque has leather chairs and custom-built bookshelves; Chapelle is decorated with French religious embroideries that Waters has collected over 30 years; Carousel offers bright décor inspired by French carousels; and Chateau is a grand two-story house with a 450-square-foot deck.
Waters’ love affair with France began while she was studying at the Paris Fashion Institute in 1989. She went on to train at Le Cordon Bleu and work in restaurants in Provence. In October 2004, she founded The Laurel Tree restaurant in Utopia, where she marries her gourmet training with her Texas roots. The idea for treehouses arose when Pete Nelson of Washington-based Nelson Treehouse had dinner at her restaurant. Waters showed him a 450-year-old oak tree on her property, and the rest is history.
Treehouse Utopia is located on the Sabinal River between Garner and Lost Maples state parks, so outdoor activities are plentiful. Still, Waters says, “People come with these grand ideas of all they’re going to do in the Hill Country, but most of them end up never wanting to leave the treehouse.” Treehouses start at $475/night with a two-night minimum. 830-966-8733; treehouseutopia.com
The Lost Pines Shire
paige
The Hobbit’s Nest at Lost Pines Shire is a rustic retreat with modern comforts.
For those enthralled with the fantastical worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien, the Lost Pines Shire is the perfect escape. Located within minutes of Bastrop State Park, the 42-acre site is home to two dog-friendly treehouses. Owners Jim and Sandy Stevens, both Lord of the Rings fans, moved to the property in 2011 when Jim retired after 30 years as a scientist for oil companies in Houston.
The Hobbit’s Nest was built in 2018. Made from felled trees from the property, it’s the more rustic of the two. Step through an arched doorway and find a cozy room with a queen-size bed, circular windows, and a peaked ceiling. Walk outside and around the house to get to the bathroom. On the ground level, hammocks and swings provide the ideal perch for lazing the day away.
The new Elf’s Aerie, opened last year, looks like a giant mushroom among the treetops. It sits on a platform attached to four trees and is held up with stilts. Inside, the circular room features a queen-size bed and octagonal windows that would delight any elf. An outside deck with two seating areas encircles the house, while a fire pit, kitchen area, and large picnic table are under the house. The bathroom includes an incinerator toilet and a fanciful outdoor shower built in a spiral design with walls made of concrete and repurposed glass bottles. Treehouses start at $165/night (both sleep four). 1712 State Highway 21, Paige. 713-614-5496; lostpinesshire.com
Onera’s Spyglass and Monarch
Fredericksburg
Monarch treehouse at Onera was designed to look like a butterfly. Photo courtesy Artistree
Spicewood-based Artistree has built treehouses in Texas since 2012. Designer Will Beilharz co-founded the company with his mother, Amy Beilharz, and launched his first project at his family’s glamping retreat, Cypress Valley. Their newest treehouses opened in November 2021 near Fredericksburg’s Main Street at a site named Onera, Greek for “dreams.” The 13-acre property features an eclectic array of 11 luxury accommodations, including container homes, safari tents, a geodesic dome, and two treehouses. Called Spyglass and Monarch, both treehouses sleep two people and have bathrooms, kitchenettes, fire pits, and minimalist décor, “mainly because we want nature to be the allure,” Amy explains.
As the name suggests, Monarch’s angular construction is designed to look like a butterfly. It’s outside deck features a rock soaking tub. Spyglass, a treehouse inspired by the old-fashioned telescope, is a long, barrel-shaped cabin with a large window overlooking a creek. It includes a cedar soaking tub. Unlike Cypress Valley, where the treehouses are built around 500-year-old cypress trees, the treehouses at Onera are built on stilts. “But that’s not a bad thing,” Amy says. “They’re just not dependent on the tree.” Onera also offers luxury experiences like forest massages, a private chef dinner for two, and wine tours. Treehouses start at $400/night. 173 Basse Lane, Fredericksburg. 512-777-1455; stayonera.com
The interior of the treehouse. Photo courtesy Artistree
