Why Everyone Should Do a Yearly Off-Grid Tiny House Stay (And How to Plan Yours)

There’s a moment that happens every time I arrive at an off-grid tiny house. My phone loses signal, the noise drops away, and finally I feel like I can breathe again. 

Over the years, my yearly off-grid tiny house stay has become a ritual... not just a getaway, but a full reset. It’s the kind of travel experience that doesn’t just give you memories, but actually changes how you feel when you come home.

In this episode of Tourist to Traveller, I’m sharing why I believe everyone should experience an off-grid tiny house stay at least once a year, and exactly how to plan one so it feels restorative, not intimidating.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Why off-grid stays offer a deeper reset than traditional holidays
• What a tiny house stay actually includes (and what it doesn’t)
• How unplugging impacts your nervous system and creativity
• What to pack, and what to leave behind
• Easy, comforting food ideas for tiny house living
• Where to find great off-grid tiny house stays in Australia and beyond

Helpful Resources & Links

• Related Blog Post: Why Everyone Should Do a Yearly Off-Grid Tiny House Stay (And How to Plan Yours)
• Discount Code: Tiny Away - Australia, NZ, Europe, Malaysia, Taiwan (get 10% off with discount code TOURISTTOTRAVELLER10)

Disclosure: This episode includes an affiliate code. I will be paid a commission if you use this code to make a purchase. 

Connect & Explore

Find destination guides, travel planning resources and more at touristtotraveller.com, and follow along on Instagram @_touristtotraveller for behind-the-scenes planning and future travel inspiration. 

Transcript

Speaker 0:00

Welcome to the Tourist to Traveller Podcast, the show that helps you go beyond the guidebook and turn your bucket list dreams into real adventures. I'm Tahnee, a travel blogger, podcaster, and everyday explorer who's been ticking off epic destinations for over 20 years while balancing a 9 to 5. Each week I'll bring you inspiring stories, destination deep dives, and practical tips to help you plan smarter, travel deeper, and capture those unforgettable moments along the way. So, grab your passport, hack your curiosity, and let's get started. If you've ever come back from a holiday and thought, why do I still feel tired? This episode is for you. Over the past few years, I've built a ritual into my life that I now protect fiercely. A yearly off-grid tiny house stay. No Wi-Fi, barely any phone signal, no schedule, no pressure to do anything productive. And every single time I come back calmer, clearer, and more grounded than any traditional holiday has ever made me feel. Today I want to talk about why everyone should do an off-grid tiny house stay at least once a year. What actually happens when you unplug properly and how to plan one without a feeling intimidating or uncomfortable. If you're craving slower travel, deeper rest, and a reset that actually sticks, let's get into it. Not many people know that I actually grew up in a small country town in outback Queensland, Australia, where I was surrounded by big, wide open spaces. Life was very slow. We didn't have traffic lights or roundabouts or cinemas or fast food or shopping malls or anything like that. And at the time, I could not wait to escape. So when I was 18, I moved down to Melbourne to big city life. Now, year after year, as I progress in a career that I absolutely love, I am getting more busy and more stressed. And life seems to be moving so damn quickly. So I find myself craving the need to slow down. I crave space. I crave quietness. I crave those moments from childhood that were slow, where there was no mobile phone reception and no distractions and no Wi-Fi. And whilst I might live in big city life right now, there are plenty of opportunities to disconnect. And for me, I choose to do this with a tiny house stay. My first tiny house stay didn't quite come about purely from stress and overwhelm, but also I had recently developed a pretty severe chronic illness. And not only was it new when it was scary, and I wasn't too sure how to how to cope with it. Life for me at the time with that laid on top felt so overwhelming and almost unbearable. And I could not wait just to escape it all and get off-grid. So I booked an off-grid tiny house day in the Scenic Rim region in Queensland, Australia. And from the moment that I and from the moment that I arrived, I just felt like I could breathe again. The experience forces you to disconnect from your phone and reconnect with nature. It forces you to slow down and spend more time with your thoughts. It helps to recharge your nervous system and it helps you to stay present and in the moment. It provides something that traditional holidays simply don't. And while I still love my big bucket list adventures traveling all around the world, I have built this ritual into my routine so that at least once a year I have an off-grid tiny house stay. While it might sound terrifying, you know, completely disconnecting and being with your own thoughts, that initial discomfort suddenly becomes something more by the end of your time away. For me personally, I feel so much more grounded and clear-headed after my stay. For me, this is the ultimate wellness experience, and it's one that just really feels like it heals me inside and out. Going off grid helps to restore you in a different way. It is a great nervous system reset, not just mental rest. You have no decision fatigue because you're forced to slow down and almost do nothing. You don't have comparison or FOMO or noise. And it taps into some rising travel trends, including slow travel, digital detox retreats, and nature-based accommodation. So, what exactly is a tiny house? Well, it's almost the modern equivalent to a cabin in the woods. This isn't camping or glamping, but it's almost a step up from there. The accommodation is still incredibly simple, but has the minor luxuries that just make your stay so much more comfortable. So within just a few meters squared, you will usually have quite a small bathroom, a compact kitchen with the essentials that you need, a bed, a small dining table, which sometimes pulls out of the wall or from under the bed. You may have a balcony and a fire pit, and usually they are positioned in nature where you can't see anyone else around you. No houses, no cars, no roads, no buildings, nothing. It is just you and the nature around you. This is almost a hybrid between camping and being at home. It's comfort without excess and it encourages you to really live a minimalist lifestyle. Because they're usually off-grid, tiny houses are also about conserving electricity and water, and you'll usually be required to take your rubbish with you. It just helps you to be so much more mindful during your stay about what you're eating, what you're consuming, what you're using, because you want to look after the nature around you. So just to help you manage your expectations, this is not luxury. You're not going to have a fancy pool, room service, restaurant, luxurious linen and bedding, loads of space. It is minimalistic living at its best. So, what will you actually do here without your phone? Well, once you get past that initial discomfort phase, you know, where you wanting to check your phone every five minutes to see if you've had any notifications, any messages before you're tempted to check your social media apps. It's really important to embrace the off-grid lifestyle. Once you pass that phase, you're gonna find yourself more present and in the moment. And then the longer you're out there, the more you shift into the next phase, which is something that we don't have enough of these days, in my opinion. And that is boredom. Rather than seeing this as a negative part of your experience, it's actually the whole point. Boredom helps to create more presence and also creativity. It's that time by yourself with your own thoughts that is so nourishing to your soul. So, this is how I will spend a typical day at my tiny house. I always wake up with the sun. I typically will go to bed in my tiny house stay with the blinds or curtains open. And often they have huge, big, beautiful windows so that you can watch the stars at night, but also wake up with the sun in the morning. So I love to watch the sunrise with a hot coffee. Throughout the day, I'll typically go for slow walks in the nearby area. I might sometimes explore by car, but I also just want to spend as much time as possible just around my tiny house stay and exploring the local area. It's an opportunity to read or journal or just sit with your thoughts throughout the day. Typically, there is a, especially here in Australia, there's a lot of wildlife. You'll see a lot of birds and kangaroos and lizards and other things in the nearby area. There are a few places that I've stayed that even have cassette players with some old school cassettes, which I love playing throughout the day. It's a bit of novelty, breaks up the boredom, and just really adds to the whole experience. So I think that from memory, the last place that I stayed had a Bob Dylan cassette. So from from now, anytime I hear a Bob Dylan song, I kind of get transported back to my tiny house day. As the day moves on, I like to light a fire early so I can sit down and just enjoy a glass of wine. Then I will cook a simple dinner either using the kitchen inside the tiny house or by the fire. At night I like to gaze at the stars because typically you are far away from light pollution. You can also spend the time by playing board games, playing cards, or continuing to listen to your cassette if you have one available. And that's it. Just simple living. So, what do you need to pack for your tiny house day? Well, I want you to start to think about this kind of like camping, and I want you to I want to encourage you to pack like your camping. Pack light. The great thing about the tiny house is it has all of the essentials that you need. So you won't need much, but you will need to bring your own food. When you're packing, it's also important to keep in mind that many tiny houses force you to park your car away from the house and they provide you with a little cart or wheelbarrow to help you to get your belongings to the tiny house. Does this sound inconvenient? Yes, yes, it is. However, I actually really love this part because it stops you from going to your car regularly where you might be tempted to drive into the nearby town to do things or to go to the store or to fill your day with stuff and things. This is some, not all. So if you have uh restricted mobility or a low level of fitness, don't worry. Not all tiny houses are set up in this way. There are also many where you can drive right up to the front door. So here is what I always bring on my stays. First of all, it is weather appropriate clothing. Does of course depend on the season that you are in, but if it's colder months, I'll typically bring things like jeans, boots, a beanie, a scarf, a jacket, a shacket, for example. You want to make sure that it's weather appropriate and make sure that you check the nighttime temperature where you're staying. I always pack swimwear because you never know. Some tiny houses will have an outdoor shower or outdoor bath or a hot tub, but also nearby there might be a waterfall or a creek or somewhere that you do actually want to swim. Footwear for the outdoors, typically I just bring one pair of boots and that's it. I bring a bottle of red wine or two. I do love red wine, but also often in a tiny house, you have a bar fridge. It's really small, and I feel that to the brim with fresh food. So if you're bringing whites or roses, it's gonna be pretty challenging to fit those into your very small fridge. Therefore, red wine, very handy to have. Of course, I bring groceries. Once again, keep in mind that bar fridge, I bring firewood, kindling, and matches. There are many locations where you can actually pre-pay to have these things at your tiny house stay in advance. And there are also plenty that just provide these items. But I always check, and if they don't have them, I bring them along. And of course, I check the fire rating before I travel just to make sure that it is actually safe to light a fire. I always bring bug spray, sunscreen, and really basic toiletries. They'll typically have shampoo, conditioner, and soap. And other than that, there's not going to be too much that you need because you know I leave things like hair products and makeup at home because I'm off grid. I'm out in the bush. And really, who am I gonna see? A torch is really handy for me. I usually use the the torch on my phone. However, I would only recommend doing this if you're not going to be tempted to use your phone while you're there. And finally, a good book or a journal. I'm personally terrible at journaling. I thoroughly believe in the benefits. I'm just not so great at it. But a good book and a journal is great to have with you, even if you don't use it, because once you're out there and you actually have the mental space, you just never know. When it comes to food, most tiny house days actually have a couple of essentials there as well. Most, not all, will have things like olive oil, salt, pepper, tea, coffee. They might have some herbs, they'll often have bug spray, uh, they'll often have matches as well, uh, also things like sugar. So often they will have the essentials, but I never want to bank on it. And I have been to a tiny house where they were supposed to have all of these things. And the one thing that they had run out of and not restocked was coffee. And I am a coffee lover. I didn't care how far it was. I made this mistake once and I'll never make it again. So I did get back in my car, drove, I think it was about 45 minutes into town to get myself coffee and drove all the way back out again. Because for me, that is one luxury that I am not willing to go without. So leave the excess behind, the makeup, the jewelry, the electronics, fancy shoes, fancy clothes, because once you're off grid, you're not going to need them. I should also mention that here in Australia, they will typically have a mini fire extinguisher and first aid kit because we do have a lot of dangerous creatures out in the bush, snakes, spiders, and things like that. But if you want to be safe, I would recommend packing a small first aid kit just in case. When it comes to overpacking, yes, I can be guilty at this. There is always one thing that I'm consistently overpacking on my tiny house days, and that is food. I seem to come back with so much food, but I like to have the option out there. I don't want to get out there and either not have enough or have cravings for certain things, and I don't have them on me. So it's something that I don't mind, but I certainly do overpack on food. Speaking of food, I tend to eat very differently when I'm off grid compared to what I do at home. Even though typically the kitchen will have basic essentials, my food seems to be really simple and almost camping-inspired dishes. So let me run through some of the dishes that I will typically eat when you're off grid to give you a little bit of inspiration. I will give you a heads up though, I'm not a meat eater. So if I'm traveling with a companion, typically they'll eat similar things to me, but they'll also add meat. If there is a barbecue or a grill, I'll typically have vegetable skewers with rice, grilled corn, and potato slivers. For breakfast, I love a jaffel. I'll either go really simple with spaghetti, or I also love making a Mexican-style jaffel that I'll typically add in beans, corn, capsican, onion, mushrooms, and vegan cheese. I told you, camping inspired. Jack of potatoes. These are so good. Baked in the coals. Toasted vegan marshmallows. They don't quite taste the same, but they're close, but it just brings back that nostalgic feeling for me. And during the day, I'll typically be eating fruits, nuts, organic snacks, things that I'll just graze on throughout the day. So as you can see, these meals are really they're really simple, but they're also quite nourishing. One key consideration before your trip has to be the weather. Check the weather and any danger ratings in advance. Think about fire hazards, think about the risk of flooding or flash flooding, depending on where you are located. And of course, plan for the rain. This includes bringing appropriate footwear, appropriate clothing, maybe an umbrella, maybe a raincoat, and also just mentally prepare for a different style trip if it is raining. But just remember the whole point is to sit and be present in the moment and do almost nothing. And you can do that with rainy weather. One of my most memorable tiny house experiences was down in Victoria in Australia, where I was traveling solo. I'd been driving for a few hours in the afternoon, and it was bucketing down with rain. Yes, this is one of those tiny house days where you have the little cart that you put your gear in to walk to the tiny house. So for me, from where I parked my car, that was an uphill, muddy, slippery slope to reach the house, which I had to do in the pouring rain. I hadn't checked the weather ahead of time. So I'd come just from work, straight from work on a Friday afternoon, still wearing my work uniform and got absolutely drenched. But once I got there and I got set up, even with the rain, as soon as I had a glass of red in hand, I could sit outside underneath the covered balcony. I could really just sit, relax, and enjoy the experience and really start to enjoy the rain. So much so that I did at some point go running out in the rain because why not? So, how can you book your very own tiny house day? Well, first of all, it's important to think about the experience that you're looking to have. For me personally, as I mentioned earlier, I love getting fully off-grid and I love a tiny house where I can't see anyone or anything other than nature. That is what I look for. There are also tiny house days that are near cities or connected to a house, or you know, you are closer to other amenities. And if that's what you're looking for, there are those options out there as well. For me, my yearly tiny house stay is typically over a long weekend, and it's usually within a three to five hour drive of where I'm living. So my key recommendations here will be within Australia because those are the only places that I have had off-grid tiny house stays. But some of my favourite places in Australia, if you are Aussie or looking to travel here, are first of all the Scenic Rim in Queensland. Really beautiful hiking and waterfalls, loads of great foodie experiences and wineries. I love the Granite Belt in Queensland as well, really great for autumn and winter escapes. I love the Grampians region in Victoria. There are some really dramatic landscapes here, stunning heights and great all year round. And I also love the Byron Hinterland in New South Wales. Yes, everyone knows of Byron Bay, but the Byron Bay hinterland is absolutely stunning. Think green rolling hills, waterfalls, cozy vibes, and you're also really close to the beach. So let's talk about how to book and find your tiny house day. Where do you actually go and what platforms can you use? Here are some of my favorite platforms. The first one is Unyoked. Unyoked have stays currently across Australia. New Zealand and the UK. Unyoked have a very unique curated experience for off-grid. And the great thing about Unyoked is that their experiences, no matter where you are, have a very similar feel. Next is Into the Wild Escapes. Their boutique tiny house stays in Australian locations. The next one is Tiny Away. Tiny Away is a bit more global, and currently they have locations across Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Malaysia, and Taiwan. And you can also get 10% off a Tiny Away stay with my discount code, which is TOURISTTOTRAVELLER10. That is Traveller with two L's because I'm Australian. Tourist to Traveller 10 to get 10% off your stay with Tiny Away. Next one is Tiny Stays. They are in Victoria, Australia, with some really beautiful locations. There's Riparide that don't only have tiny houses, but they do have a lot of outdoor escapes across Australia. There is Getaway House, which is fantastic for US-based travelers. Glamping Hub, which includes tiny houses across the world, and also Airbnb. Now I'm also starting to see that platforms like Expedia and Booking.com are starting to feature tiny houses as well. And there are plenty on there. However, the other lit the other platforms that I've just listed, I find are more off-grid, which is what I am personally looking for. So if you are planning your first off-grid experience, I have a couple of final tips to add. Starting off with arriving before dark. I have made this mistake time and time again. Navigating in the dark, especially if you're looking at uh muddy or dirty tracks, you're looking at hills, you're walking through nature where there's only the light of the moon and the stars, it can get really difficult. And my strike rate for getting lost here every time I've arrived in the dark is 100%. 100% of the times that I've arrived in the dark, I have gotten lost. And usually I arrive in the dark with a travel partner. It's not something that I want to do alone. And still 100% of the time we have gotten lost. And every time we say, Oh, next time we should just work half a day and we should leave earlier. Next is to embrace the boredom. It is uncomfortable initially, but once you start to embrace it, this is where the magic really starts to happen. Which leads me to my next point, which is disconnect fully. So whether you turn your phone off or turn it into airplane mode or just completely put it away, I think as long as it's out of sight, you're not going to be as tempted to grab your phone. Some tiny house stays actually have a little box or a bag for you to put your phone in to lock it away during your stay. So think know where your phone is so you can use it in an emergency. But outside of that, try and completely disconnect if you can. And finally, plan ahead. The stays with the most beautiful locations and views do tend to book out in advance, especially on long weekends. So make sure you plan accordingly. Most importantly, let go of your expectations, especially any of luxury, because a tiny house getaway is meant to feel slow, rewarding, imperfect, and very restorative. The best thing that I did was I made this a ritual. Something that I do at least once a year, every single year. It is not a one-off. And it's something that I really look forward to just as much as my big bucket list experiences. I always come back feeling incredibly calm. I tend to experience a lot of clarity, a lot of creativity. And I feel it's just so restorative for me. It's a full reset. It's the number one thing that I do every single year for my well-being. If there's one thing I hope you take away from this episode, it's that rest doesn't have to be complicated, but it does need to be intentional. An off-grid tiny house stay isn't about escaping your life. It's about reconnecting yourself inside it. And once you experience that kind of reset, it's really hard to go back to traveling any other way. And if you're ready to plan your own stay, I've put together a guide on why everyone should do a yearly off-grid tiny house stay and how to plan yours. It's practical, simple, and designed to make your first day feel easy and exciting. I'll link it in the show notes. In the blog, you'll also find all my favorite platforms, regions, and personal tips. Thank you for joining me on this adventure. I'll see you in the next episode. Thanks for tuning in to the Tourist to Traveller podcast. I hope today's episode has inspired you to travel more authentically and plan your next adventure with confidence. Don't forget to head to touristtotraveller.com for today's show notes, resources, and free guides to help you plan like a pro. And if you love this episode, please hit subscribe and leave a review. It helps more travelers like you discover the show. Until our next adventure, go beyond the tourist track and level up your travel experiences.