Anyone who knows me knows that traveling with me is not usually a relaxation situation. For me, the busier the better. But..sometimes we need to take a break and recharge… take a minute to slow down, look around and appreciate the surroundings. If that is something that resonates with you, I have the perfect place for you!

Something else you should know about me is that I love to visit places in the off season! I find the small towns in the state of New York to be so special and the small businesses and rentals in those towns need visitors to support them year round.

Let me tell you about the 19A Cabin, where it is and why I think you should add it to your travel wishlist. The cabin is located in Portageville, NY, a tiny town at the base of Letchworth State Park. That is about a ninety minute drive from Buffalo, NY and about five hours from NYC. This is my second time being hosted by Amanda at Dell Collective and her properties are incredibly special. Her mission is to make your stay as cozy and chic as possible and she always succeeds.

So, a little bit about the cabin! There are two bedrooms (one king room on the top level and one queen on the bottom level), one incredible bathroom with a soaking tub that looks like it’s straight out of a magazine, a chef’s dream of a kitchen, a washer and dryer (perfect for those extended stays), a screened in porch with a swing bed ( the ideal place to read) and a hot tub in the perfect spot for viewing the stars. If you’re a person that is excited to be outdoors, you’re in luck! The cabin offers direct access to the Genesee Valley Greenway Trail and is only 3 minutes to the Portageville entrance to Letchworth State Park. The amenities are too long to list, but I doubt there would be something you’d want that isn’t in this cabin.

This place checks all the boxes for an incredible, relaxing getaway!

My friend and I decided to stay midweek in the month of January. We needed a minute from the hustle of the holidays and this was the perfect, quick reset we needed. We debated going out to dinner once we arrived, but ultimately decided to stop at one of our faves (Elm Street Bakery in East Aurora) to grab some salad and a pizza to enjoy later. We wanted to spend as much time as we could at the cabin since it was just a one night stay. We brought a bottle of chilled red from one of our previous adventures, a puzzle and my laptop so we could plan some future 2025 trips together. And if you’re wondering, the wifi is strong and reliable so no worries about that! It was a perfect evening and even though the temperature was around 10 degrees, we decided to brave the cold and enjoy the hot tub. Best decision ever! The snow was falling on us as we sipped on a drink with our winter hats on. The hot tub was very easy to use! Something to note though, if you’re staying here in the winter, you’ll want to start heating it up about an hour before use.

The next morning, we were up early to have our first cup of coffee and to try and catch the sunrise. It was just a quick blip before it clouded over but still so beautiful. Since we didn’t venture into town for dinner, we decided to check out Valley Bread and Bounty in Fillmore, NY ( about 10 mins from the cabin) for another coffee and some breakfast. This place is adorable! The owner was so sweet and all of our food was great. I ordered a create your own breakfast sandwich, a cinnamon roll because what is life without a sweet treat and a cherry vanilla latte. I can’t wait to come back and have lunch here in the summer!

Now, for my absolute favorite part of our stay! We knew we wanted to snow shoe if there was enough snow and we were in luck! We rented snowshoes from Gear for Adventure. They have locations in Amherst and in Hamburg. A rental will cost you roughly $50 for three days including poles. There is also a company in Perry, NY (much closer to the cabin) called Endlessly Outdoors that you can rent from if you’d prefer to rent when you get there. Check their website for details and pricing. Two other websites that are great resources if you’re planning a visit to the area are Explore Geneses Valley and Visit LivCo.

To be able to walk out the back door and hit the trail was amazing! There was fresh snow on the ground and not another person in site. What a fabulous morning! Snow shoeing is so fun but it is definitely a work out! After about two miles, we headed back to the cabin to pack up. We had one final stop before heading home.

If you’ve never been to Letchworth State park in the winter, you’re missing out. Don’t let the frigid temps and snow deter you from visiting. We were there during a week of freezing cold temps so when we arrived to the middle and upper falls, we were greeted with an incredible sight. The fountain at the Glen Iris Inn had started to turn into an ice volcano and the falls were covered in spectacular ice formations. And fyi, since my visit a few weeks ago, the volcano has gotten even larger! We didn’t spend very much time there because it was absolutely freezing, but we were so glad we made the stop. Oh and another thing to mention is that in the winter there is no fee to enter the park (that’s a win!) and keep in mind you can only view these by entering at the Castile entrance since the park closes some of the main road in the winter.

Our time at the 19A Cabin was short but sweet and I hope to be able to stay again when the grass is green and the trees are full of leaves. Rates for the cabin vary during the year so for the best deal, plan a visit in the winter. You won’t be disappointed.

Thanks again to Amanda, the incredible Dell Collective host for the stay! The Cabin is truly a special place.

Get out there and make some memories!

x, Julie