Close to Home, Far from Ordinary

Vacations are our opportunity to rest and recharge. Others prefer the polar opposite — a chance to chase an adventure. Either way, the goal is to live a totally different life, even if it’s just for a few days or a week.

Fortunately, getting away doesn’t always require going far. Wilmington may already be a vacation destination, but sometimes an escape is simply a matter of seeing familiar territory from an unfamiliar vantage point — from a converted church downtown to an artist’s retreat in the woods or a working farm just beyond the city.

That can be difficult to achieve from your own home, where you’re bound to be distracted by all those little things that need attention, like oiling your butcher block countertops or washing your comforter. The solution? Get out of your regular living space and book a short-term rental nearby. Since we live in a tourist destination, there are literally thousands of options to choose from, but here are a few one-of-a-kind possibilities that will make for a spectacular staycation.

Walkerworld Organic Artist Retreat — Castle Hayne

Walkerworld is billed as a place “for the adventurous and unafraid.” No, it’s not a haunted house, but more like a cross between a treehouse, a church and the windmill house from “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.” Everywhere you look and every step you take inside its 3,000-plus square feet, there’s something that’s going to make you catch your breath in wonder, shriek with delight or just scratch your head in bewilderment. Stained-glass windows bring a kaleidoscope of colors inside. Provocative and muted artwork is displayed on the log-covered walls. For music lovers, an impressive 1907 grand piano sits adjacent to a stone fireplace. An upside-down, 60-foot 1920s wooden rowing scull suspended in the middle of the home lends a playful, topsy-turvy feeling to the space.

Heading outside to the 10-acre property, the charming tchotchke chaos of the house gives way to the serenity of the Cape Fear River and the surrounding woods. There’s a deep-water slip, an organic garden, a fire pit and even a pool table outdoors.

The Farmhouse — Whiteville

If you were lucky enough to have a grandma who had a place “out in the country,” your visit here will, no doubt, take you back to those special times. Take a bite out of a just-picked tomato, clamber up onto the fence to visit the sheep or lie on a blanket stargazing — all there for the taking at the Farmhouse.

It’s a working farm, and your hosts want you to experience as much of the goings-on at the farm as possible without having to do the heavy lifting because, after all, you’re on vacation. So reap the rewards of their hard work by enjoying the bounty and beauty of the vegetable and herb gardens; fruit and nut trees and bushes (the mulberries are a must-try); a grape arbor; and fields of flowers.

Unique to the property is the presence of live English willows. The young saplings are shaped into artistic forms that guests can admire. In time, their branches will be used by the hosts for basketry.

The circa-1939 house has been updated with all the modern amenities you could hope for but still retains much of the original heart pine throughout. You’re sure to appreciate the homemade furniture as well.

Abbey Haus — Wilmington

Conveniently located near downtown, Abbey Haus is an ideal spot for a family celebration. It’s an example of repurposing at its finest — what was once a church is now a massive, 10-bedroom luxury space. The cathedral ceilings and pointed-arch windows remain but have been given a totally modern vibe.

The property offers a chef’s kitchen, pool, rooftop deck and courtyard with a gazebo. There are arcade games and a pool table to add to the fun. The bedrooms are decorated to mimic the feel of worldwide getaways like the Amalfi Coast (think lemons), Mykonos (blue and white, of course) or Miami Beach (flamingos on the bathroom walls), and they share two additional kitchens for easy late-night snacking.

Other interesting properties in the area that might have some appeal include a community of houseboats, a “Golden Girls”-themed cottage, a ’70s-themed studio apartment and even a few properties that include pickleball courts.