Destinations
Regions we cover in depth, chosen for their cabin culture and range of pool seasons. Each guide covers when to go, where to stay and what to ask about the pool.
Tennessee & North Carolina
Forested ridgelines straddling the Tennessee–North Carolina line, with cabin communities climbing the hills around Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville. Summer is pool season here; for spring and fall trips, look for heated or indoor pools.
Outdoor pools: roughly late spring to early fall
Explore Great Smoky MountainsOklahoma
Tall pine forest in southeastern Oklahoma surrounding Broken Bow Lake and Beavers Bend State Park. Cabins here are often tucked into wooded lots, so ask how much sun the pool deck gets.
Outdoor pools; heating is often an optional nightly fee
Explore Broken Bow & HochatownGeorgia
A small mountain town in north Georgia beside Lake Blue Ridge and the Chattahoochee National Forest. Expect winding roads and steep driveways, which are worth asking about for winter visits.
Outdoor pools: roughly late spring to early fall
Explore Blue RidgeTexas
Rolling limestone hills, spring-fed rivers and wine country between Austin, San Antonio and Fredericksburg. Long, hot summers make a private pool a welcome part of any stay.
Outdoor pools: a long warm season
Explore Texas Hill CountryCalifornia
Boulder-strewn high desert around Joshua Tree National Park, Yucca Valley and Twentynine Palms. Days can be hot and nights cold, so pool heating matters more than you might expect.
Ask about heating outside summer
Explore Joshua Tree & High DesertOhio
Forested hills, sandstone gorges and waterfalls around Hocking Hills State Park in southeastern Ohio. Many pool lodges here are large group properties, and indoor pools are common, so ask whether a pool is private to your booking and heated.
Indoor pools year-round; outdoor pools roughly late spring to early fall
Explore Hocking HillsPennsylvania
Wooded plateau, lakes and ski areas in northeastern Pennsylvania. Many communities here have shared pools, so check that a listed pool is private to your house; heated indoor and enclosed pools make winter stays possible.
Enclosed and indoor pools year-round; outdoor pools summer only
Explore Pocono Mountains
