…to Shawnee Hills Hideaway

At the beginning of March, I stayed — no, more like I retreated to the Shawnee Hills Hideaway in Cobden, Illinois.

I’m going to get personal; I needed this so bad. Earlier in the day, I had to take my 8 month-old and autistic toddler along to my Behavioral Health appointment, that I made because frankly, I had been experiencing scary postpartum rage.

I don’t think I had ever felt that melted down. Burnt out. Scared of myself, even. I just needed some time away with my friends to be myself and readjust my brain.

We had planned on staying at the Hideaway because the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail Spring Pairing Event was also going on nearby. We had booked both sides of this massive three-story duplex with the intention of having another couple join us, but of course with the way things had been going, those plans didn’t quite pan out.

Instead, and so very, very, fortunately, I was able to invite my friend Devin, of Devin Leigh Photography, and Kendall Lee of Shawnee Cake House. Both Devin and Kendall are also parents of neurodivergent kiddos and have quite frankly been through it lately, so I kind of felt like a Real Housewife mashed with a fairy godmother being able to invite them to this pairing event, which meant going to 6 wineries for food and wine and a two-night stay.

I arrived Friday night about an hour after Christian got home from work. It was already a little dark, but I loved driving through Giant City State Park to get to this AirBNB. The winding roads might be intimidating to some, but this is where I learned to drive, where I’ve spent hours with different friends at different stages of my life backroading at night.

After inspecting and filming both sides, I chose side B because I loved it’s aesthetic. Side A has white appliances, lighter fixtures and bedding. Side B had black appliances and darker aesthetics, and beautiful wooden sound dampening wall on two floors, and a railroad theme. If you know about the history of Cobden, you know how significant the railroad is, and I just felt connected to that side. I also wanted to do a photoshoot with that cool wall and black bathtub, but ran out of time.

Devin arrived shortly after I did, and we just couldn’t get over how peaceful and quiet it was outside, save for the sound of owls and occasional critters crunching the leaves out in the woods. We sat on the deck for awhile, and then hung out in the huge bed to work on our laptops and start a Degrassi: The Next Generation (IYKYK) marathon on the Roku TV. I loved that it was in Guest Mode, so I didn’t have to worry about signing out of all my apps at checkout. I had brought snacks and drinks, so in between some self-care masks I would pop downstairs to the kitchen to heat something up in the microwave or grab something out of the full fridge.

Being the first weekend of March and also being Southern Illinois, it rained. I am not complaining. On the second level of each duplex are sliding glass windows with locking screens that open to a shared deck. This deck also has stairs that lead either to the entry-level and gravel parking spots, or down to a concrete patio area on the bottom floor, which is the kitchen level in each house. There is a shared barbecue on the bottom level too. Anyways, you could lay in the luxurious king-size bed and just listen or watch the rain hit the deck and leaves below from the door. The bedding was soft and cotton, and there were extra pillows and blankets in the closet and upstairs on the couch. I am a throw blanket girl and like lots of pillows to prop me up while watching television in bed, so I appreciated this.

Saturday morning, we were slow moving! The rain and overcast skies just made the deck so peaceful, and truthfully only hunger motivated us to get dressed and get out. But, with the Iron Whisk so close by, we definitely felt motivated.

We headed out to the Iron Whisk a little after 9 or maybe 10, and decided to peruse the Cobden Village Shops next door while we waited. We were able to do one lap of the store before almost serendipitously, we received our text that our table was ready.

Brunch was a classic bacon cheeseburger for me and because it was a vacation, a mimosa to wash it down. Devin went with the veggie sandwich and smashed potatoes, which I sampled and fell in love with. We loved watching the train pass through town through the drizzly window, and the staff at the Iron Whisk has always been so incredibly nice.

After brunch, we headed to the Green Mug for some to-go coffee in hopes of getting the enery to get ready and not fall into the lure of the deck or bed. This was my first time visiting this little coffee shop, and what a treat! Cash or Venmo only, we loved the local art, the delicious and plentiful offerings, and meeting the owners!

Then it was back to the Hideaway to get ready for the wineries. But truthfully, again we were slow moving! The Hideaway was just so cozy, and once we would sit in bed and start Degrassi, it was hard to want to shower or even put on non-sweatpants!

But being the troopers we are, we pulled it together and met Kendall at the first winery. We unfortunately could not get to one winery because of some flooding and the time the alternate route would have taken, and then the final winery we just ran out of time for. Kendall ended up having to head out before the last winery, but it was still great to see her and her kiddo and spend some time together.

We ended our pairings at Feather Hills Winery, where they were preparing for an event. We decided the deck was calling to us again, and ordered some sandwiches and dessert to go. Definitely the right choice. As soon as we got back, it was into pajamas and then sandwiches on the back deck while listening to the crickets and reflecting on our favorite dishes of the day (Devin chose the DD option, and was able to enjoy drinks other than wine for the event). Then of course, back to bed for Degrassi and editing on our devices. I know this doesn’t sound like fun or a retreat, but I cannot explain how revitalizing not being responsible for anyone or anything but your own comfort can be. And the Hideaway provides just that. You don’t need to make a decision, you don’t need to go anywhere. If you wanted, you could get food DoorDashed, or bring your own groceries to cook in the full kitchen and never leave your entire stay.

Above photos by Devin Leigh Photography

Sunday morning also brought Daylight Savings, so I found myself up earlier than planned. It was back to reality, and while I hated to leave the magic of the deck (or being able to take a shower without someone knocking on the door for my attention), it was time to head out.

We absolutely recommend staying at the Hideaway for: couples, friends trips, winery weekends, or solo travel.