THAT LATE JULY URGENCY: Summer is famed for its lazy-day-ness, for its no-rush tendencies, for afternoons spent on the lawn eating treats from the icebox. (Also, one must replace the words "refrigerator" and "freezer" with "icebox" from Memorial Day Weekend to Labor Day Weekend; it's practically law.) But the last week of July takes a slight turn, goosing the lazy-day-ness into immediate action. Back-to-school advertisements start popping up as frequently as dandelions in springtime, and one is reminded that we're now on the waning side of the warm-weather-iest stretch of the year. How to savor the last few weeks of summer? The icebox treats and lawn-relaxing are essential, but a small jaunt, even an overnight or two, to a classic road trip destination is key. Our national parks around the Golden State do brimming business come July and August, but if you want to go deeper into the back country, away from some of the main hubs, consider the Grant Grove Cabins in Grant Grove Village. You're correct -- this is in King's Canyon, which means you'll have ample opportunity to commune with some of the most giganto trees on the planet. Another bonus? The sweet 'n rustic buildings, which are overseen by Delaware North, just received a makeover.
GOOD UPDATES: The refurbishment included "an array of updates and renovations" that include black iron headboards and that classic cabin-esque red-and-black plaid bedding. Rugs and lamps and rockers and other accent details are also fresh to the clutch of cabins. And while much is new, the look is not. The design team kept to the you're-in-the-woods, old-school getaway vibe of the cabins, so anything LED-y or super-shiny is not going to be part of the woodsy, under-the-sequoias scene. Summer is fleeting, but even if you can't make a booking, take heart: The Grant Grove stayovers push into early fall, when the back-to-school time that's promised in July has begun and things grow even more quiet around our national parks. Wherever you go for your final summer of '15 jaunt, if you've been longing for a road trip, tick tock; August is only days away.
