Today we’d like to introduce you to Mallory & Tuck Wheeler.
Hi Mallory & Tuck, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
We are Tuck and Mallory Wheeler and we, along with our two kids, created the Getaway Ranch. Our family was living in a so-called rat race, a vicious cycle of work, eat, sleep, repeat. We didn’t get to spend the quality time as a couple or with our kids that we wanted to. By the time we got home, we were exhausted. We talked about things we could do to change it, but overall things stayed the same because we were comfortable in the life we were living. For years we talked about moving to the Texas Hill Country to change the pace of life, but change is hard.
We eventually found 30 acres of undeveloped land off of the devil’s backbone, which is an area known for its amazing views. We purchased it but with no plan for how to use it. Then came 2020, the year that literally changed the world. Everything closed and people were forced to stay home. After a long shutdown, my family was ready to escape so we ventured outside, and began to explore and really enjoy nature. The kids were set on going camping, but my idea of camping was getting close to nature without getting covered in it! So I began searching for a luxury camping experience, a place immersed in nature with the comforts of home. That’s when I came across the concept of “Glamping” which stands for glamorous camping.
The places I found were few and far between and were also completely booked for months out. A lightbulb went off in my head, we have 30 acres in the hill country where we could create a luxury camping retreat. We can build a place where families like us could go to escape city life, reconnect with each other, and disconnect from the outside world. A place where families could stay in a tent but not have to be uncomfortable all night or worry about bugs and animals. After many months of contemplation, we decided to take a leap of faith and follow our dream of creating the Getaway Ranch. We both left our 9:00-5:00 jobs and moved our family to the Texas Hill Country. We began developing the property, carving out roads, clearing the land, installing utilities, and creating sites where we wanted to build the glamping structures. We knew we wanted to offer our guests tents to get a true camping experience, but we didn’t want an average tent, we wanted something that was unique and would create a one-of-a-kind experience for our guests.
We found Bushtec Safari, a company based in South Africa, and we knew that these were the perfect options for our property. We meticulously designed the tents to provide all the amenities of a luxury hotel while providing an authentic outdoor experience. With Tucks construction experience and my niche for interior design, we were able to complete the Getaway Ranch project ourselves. Together as a family, we built and created a place where others could come to escape the city and unplug. Fortunately, while creating this unique place, we were able to reconnect as a family and get back to a simpler way of living. We believe nature is the perfect setting to recharge your spirit, enjoy a slower pace, and lose track of time reconnecting with your people.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Throughout this process, we have faced many obstacles and challenges. Our first challenge was inflation. Everything that we had priced for our ranch had doubled and even tripled when it was time to install. Our second challenge was the contractors or lack thereof.
We ended up completing 99% of the work by ourselves due to contractors not being reliable or overpriced. This was time-consuming and slowed the process down because we didn’t have a crew of people coming in to complete the work. Tuck and I completed these projects together which was both physically and mentally challenging.
Another challenge we faced was building on the land. The land has a limestone rock base and has over 100 feet of elevation change throughout the property. It was difficult to build these structures with the rock base and elevation changes throughout the property.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
We are focused on getting the word out about our business. We are looking for those that are wanting to experience the ultimate Texas outdoor adventure without forgoing the luxuries of home. We want people to understand what glamping is and why they should come to The Getaway a Ranch.
Glamping is the perfect combination of comfort and countryside. Unlike traditional camping, glamping provides you with every single comfort of home. There is no roughing-it to be had in our canvas retreats! Luxury glamping is exactly that, getting close to nature without getting covered in it! Our tents, our location, and our amenities all reflect an experience you won’t find at home or on a traditional camping trip!
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
Glamping is growing. The trend has become large enough and popular enough to carve out its own piece of the travel pie. As the Glamping industry grows, we aim to stay at the forefront of the movement at The Getaway Ranch.
Pricing:
- $300.00-450.00
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.getawayranchtx.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getawayranchtx
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/getawayranchtx
Image Credits
Grant Pittman
