Earlier this year, I treated myself to a weekend stay at Snug Hollow Bed & Breakfast in Estill County, KY. Having attended Berea College and living around Berea for many year, I had heard about the beauty and wonder of the 300 acre organic farm bed and breakfast ran by Barbara Napier. A friend of mine worked on the property for a few years before attending Berea and another friend’s mother was good friends with Barbara and boasted of her delicious cooking and southern hospitality. I knew it had been chosen by National Geographic Traveler as one of the “50 Best Girlfriend’s Getaways of North America” and featured in Southern Living Magazine. I have always dreamed of bringing my grandmother and my mom there for a girls weekend. But, you know how time is–it gets away from you.
So, when I had to make the trek to eastern KY without any obligations I reached out to Barbara to see if there were any last-minute openings. Surprisingly there was one cabin open it seemed some sort of fate that I should go stay. I had purchased The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron for myself after a long hard winter of sickness and lack of vitamin D and it seemed the perfect place to dive in. Artist’s date, anyone?
The best part about a weekend at Snug Hollow is that you never have to leave your sanctuary once arriving. You can truly use your time as a retreat in every sense of the word and hunker down on the farm. Each morning a hearty, homemade breakfast is served at 9:00 AM at the main house. Moreover, you have an option to add a wonderful dinner as well. The dinner is delivered to your cabin each evening ready to serve and enjoy. The food is all vegetarian and oh my, is it delightful. The homemade food felt like genuine southern hospitality and if I am being honest, it felt like a hug from a mother or grandmother.
During my stay, I relaxed by the fire in my cabin, read books, meandered the trails, and journaled a whole bunch. My stay was my favorite thing I’ve ever bought myself. My time there felt like therapy. Actually, it felt like exactly what I needed to brave the rest of the winter. I loved it so much that I immediately booked another trip for May, my favorite month. And this time, I knew I was bringing my mother and my grandmother to share the magic I had encountered during my time at Snug Hollow.
If this article strikes you and inspires you to plan your own artist’s date at Snug Hollow, please share your experience with me! I would love to hear about it.
Oh and hey, if you are in the area and would like to schedule your own, customized photo session on timeless analog film, I’m your girl! Reach out to me here or catch all the juicy details here.
