If looking for a perfect family weekend getaway from Cincinnati, Ohio then look no further than Hideaway on the Hocking. This is perfect for a family with young children, couples, and even pets! And it’s even better if you have a train obsessed toddler like we have, because what would be more magical than staying the night in a train caboose!

Hideaway on the Hocking is located in Guysville, Ohio, right outside of Athens, Ohio. This was an area of Ohio that I have not yet been to. So when we heard that you could stay in a caboose on four hundred wooded acres we were sold!

I will admit I was a little hesitant to stay in a train caboose for two nights, as it would also be our first trip as a family of four. I thought we might be cramped and we would be stir crazy with the early sunsets and cold weather projected. But boy was I wrong, the cabooses are quite spacious They have thoughtfully designed the layouts to make great use of the space, and are super warm and toasty to cuddle up and enjoy during our stay. It was also easy to fit in many activities as you just had to walk out the front door! We had a blast and are already talking about the next time we can visit!

If you are considering a trip just read farther to see all that the cabooses, property and surrounding areas have to offer.

Overview

Rental Options At The Hideaway on the Hocking

Where Did We Stay?

How Is This Kid Friendly?

What Is on the Property?

What is Nearby To Do?

Our Favorite Parts

Rental Options At The Hideaway on the Hocking

There are three different types of options to stay in at the Hideaway on the Hocking, all suited for different needs, vacationers and group sizes. There are Cabooses, a Train Depot and River Retreats.

Cabooses

There are 5 different types of rail-cars to stay in. All of them as different color, Red, Blue, Yellow, Green and Brown Cabooses. Each rail-car is slightly a different size and set up. Resulting in different bed options and capacities. We stayed in the Brown Caboose, which is their largest one but by only a fraction. All come with their unique features but each one has a porch and fire pit for private use.

Train Depot

If looking for a larger place to stay but wanting to keep with the train theme you should look into the Train Depot. This used to be a real Train Depot used in Ohio, they have flipped it into a beautiful getaway that can host up to 6 people. It even comes with a relaxing patio, spacious backyard and your own vintage water tower.

River Retreats

The River Retreats look like the perfect scenic getaway for larger families and groups. They are nestled up against the Hocking River. With multiple floors, and spacious kitchens, they can host up to 6 guests. This would be incredible for multiple couples staying in the same space, or even for a family looking for a holiday getting away. These seriously seem so dreamy! Every time I passed them I imagined cuddling up on the patios or nestled inside looking out the huge floor to ceiling windows.

Where Did We Stay?

We stayed in The Little Brown Caboose. This Caboose can host up to 4 guests, two on the bed and two on a pull out couch. It comes with a relaxing large covered porch, a bonfire pit, and private parking. And equipped with all of the amenities that you would need for a few nights stay.

Included in the caboose is a shower, bathroom, kitchenette (refrigerator, microwave, stovetop burners, sink) and all of the possible tools, utensils, and dishware that you can think of. This place did not miss a beat. We didn’t need to bring anything extra!

Since we had two small children, we chose to bring our Travel Lotus Pack and Play for our toddler and our UppaBaby Bassinet for our newborn. We even had a Slumberpod set up over the pack and play and we still had enough room to move around the caboose and let our toddler play. But the great thing about Hideaway on the Hocking is we didn’t even need to bring a pack and play, they had one there! You can also request a high chair as well.

How Is This Kid Friendly?

Hideaway on the Hocking makes this such an easy trip for families, from the small details like the books and games in the caboose, to daytime activities that span across their entire property. Here I listed just a few of the items and activities that they provided to make traveling easier and that much more special of a trip.

Crib and Highchairs

As mentioned before they do have the option to provide a pack and play and high chair to the rentals. They are free to add on, just click the add on when booking your rental.

Games and Books

In our caboose there was a cabinet for games and books for both children and adults. This was a big hit for our family as we love both games and books. Our toddler loved reading the books about trains day and night, and we loved playing the games after the kids went to bed!

Storybook Trail

If you have never been on a Storybook Trail they are perfect for families. Along the hike there are boards with each page of a story to read. Hiking, being out in nature, and the kids love looking for the next page along the hike, these are so much fun for everyone.

Hideouts

Along the property there are many different ‘Hideouts’. These are little open air buildings, often with a few seats, and even some entertainment for the kids. One of the ones we stopped in had tokens for the kids to take, and another had some puzzles. We rested here, ate a snack, and I was able to nurse my newborn along the hike in a comfortable setting.

Welcome Gifts

The sweet gifts left for both adults and children was such a nice touch. Trust me when I say, they have thought of everything to make this memorable for all. We were gifted a book, train whistle, and hat which our toddler loved wearing and using as we staying in the train. For the adults, coffee, cookies, and other local treats were left. We loved this because we only stayed for two nights over the holidays. It gave us a chance to taste some local treats without needing to leave.

Let’s Not Forget It Is A Caboose!

And really, just being a caboose itself made the trip one hundred percent worth it. The extras of the property were a cherry on top!

What Is on the Property?

Hiking Trails

Most of the hiking trails can be enjoyed all year round. There is a range for shorter or longer outings on the trails. Some can be slightly hilly but worth it as you will get to see some of the rocky gorge like landscapes that the area is known for. Some paths are flatter along the river which would be perfect for all ages.

River

If we came in a different season we would have loved letting our toddler dip his toes in the water. There is even an area for kayaks to release into the river. We would love to come back here in the summer to fully enjoy all of the the outdoor activities.

Coming Soon

Before I mentioned the many hideout huts that were fun to find along our hikes. But coming soon in 2025 there will be a Relaxation Station and Play Station. The Play Station I will be following for updates, I think it will be a great area for kid in all types of weather and ages.

Others

There are many other gems along the property. There is a covered community area, if it is not in use it is a get place to cozy up and play some games. You can even reserve the space for a large group dinner or celebration, such as a birthday or reunion.

What is Nearby To Do?

Athens

Athens is a small college town. It was a perfect place to stop on the way in and grab a bite to eat. We knew once we arrived at Hideaway on the Hocking that we wouldn’t want to leave. So we stopped on the way in at Avalanche Pizza, they were incredible! Definitely get a pizza with their sausage on it!

Breweries and Wineries

Make a visit to the many breweries and wineries nearby. Jackie O’s has many locations but we went to their Tap Room and Production Site to have a few tastings.

I also really wanted to stop at Bethany Ridge Winery, which is right down the road from the Hideaway on the Hocking. But unfortunately they were not open while we were there.

Hocking Hills State Park

If we were to go back we might have to make a stop at Hocking Hills State Park. This park is known for its cliffs, waterfalls and gorges. This well known park in Ohio is about a 45 minute drive from the Hideaway on the Hocking.

Ohio Valley Museum of Discovery

There is plenty to do at the Hideaway on the Hocking but if you found yourself in bad weather or wanting to visit other parts of the area with children definitely check on the Ohio Valley Museum of Discovery. This is a hands on discovery museum of children of all ages.

Our Favorite Parts

At the time of visiting, Hideaway on the Hocking was fairly new. But from their check in, the entirety of the stay, and check it out it was the easiest and most well throughout process I have experienced to date. It made me think they have been doing this for years.

We were contacted about a week out with a welcome email. Within this email was not only the check in process but every bit of information as possible from the caboose to the property, and surrounding areas. From how to use appliances, details on hiking trails, experiences that you could book on the property (picnic baskets, massages, s’mores kits, and so much more). I was blown away, a lot of time I take to research trips was saved by their plethora of information given to us.

We also loved how kid friendly this is. Not only the appeal of the actual cabooses but also how great it was that they catered to families. This was really refreshing because it is hard to travel with young kids, but they make it seamless and so much easier. I believe it is important to go on family trips and they make this a very easy thing to do.

Special touches made the trip memorable, we loved reading the books in the caboose for our bedtime routine, the new books to read to our toddler made nighttime just a little bit more special. Our toddler also loved learning how to use the train whistle and wearing the train hat that was left for our taking. The train book that was given to us is now read at home, the priceless memories are recalled each time we read it.

Along the hiking trail they even thought of ways to make it special for families. From the Storybook Trail, to little tokens we got to pick up in the Hideouts, and one even had some puzzles! This helped our toddler look forward to what we would find next on our hikes, which let us continue to hike longer (what us parents like to do!). It made it fun for all of us.

I look forward to add ons they plan to have completed in 2025, such as the Play Station and the Relaxation Station.

I cannot think of a better first trip as a family of four!

*This is a sponsored post, but as always all opinions are my own.