You wouldn’t even know it’s there, nestled behind a residential house off of Fayetteville Road in an East Atlanta neighborhood. But that’s the fun of it, because as you pass through two farm gates you walk into a National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitat, peppered with alpacas, llamas, exotic chickens, playful bunnies and two friendly dogs, waiting for ear scratches, a game of catch or a good belly rub.
These playful companions stole our attention for a good while, until we meandered down the path to the main attraction—a night’s stay in the Alpaca Treehouse.
Perched within the property’s 80-year-old Bamboo Forest, the treehouse may be tiny, but it is mighty. The wrap around porch offers a set of Adirondack chairs, perfect for relaxing, while listening to the sounds of nearby chattering chickens or the gentle tweet of a forest bird. You feel a million miles away from the hustle and bustle of Atlanta. In fact, you feel like you could be in Costa Rica.
The temperature-controlled treehouse itself is built from six cut trees including red maples, black locusts and cedars. Inside there is a comfy couch (which folds out to a bed, if needed), an antique writing desk, a mini-fridge filled with complimentary drinks and snacks (including soft drinks, beer and wine), some dinner and glassware, a coffeemaker and an old-fashioned wash basin for brushing your teeth and washing your hands. The main queen size bed is in the upstairs loft, which is so cozy it barely has room for anything but the bed! And, for the other necessities of life, there is a compost toilet as well as access to a private, full marble bath with a shower within the main house, just a 2-minute walk from the treehouse.
Staying inside the treehouse was a cozy and memorable experience and comes with an unexpected surprise. You may, at times, feel slight sway in the treehouse, and that is by design. The owners, Kara O’Brien and Kate Giroux, created the treehouse to sway like a ship, so you may feel it move ever so gently in a strong passing breeze. But do not fear, the treehouse was built with guidance from a structural engineer, so you are as safe and sound as a baby in a cradle as you drift off to sleep.
Still, possibly our favorite spot of the treehouse was not in the treehouse at all, but below where hanging underneath is a beautiful swinging Bali bed fit for four that beckoned us several times during our stay.
Kara and Kate work in historic renovation, so history lovers will marvel at the treehouse’s special touches, such as the porch’s beadboard ceiling constructed from a pre-Civil War home and antique light fixtures that dates to the early 1900s.
The women love their East Atlanta neighborhood and are happy to point out delicious nearby restaurants or stops to visit during your stay, or you may prefer just to enjoy the treehouse and its environs, like we did. Kara is happy to chat with you about their menagerie of animals or offer you the privacy you seek in their backyard refuge.
Once we had a moment to settle in and relax, my daughter and I grabbed our bags of organic baby carrots and sliced apples to feed the alpacas and llamas, with whimsical names like Dali Llama and Figgy Llama, a rare appaloosa llama and our personal favorite. Figgy is spotted like a gray giraffe and was the most curious (and hungry) furry friend during our stay. In fact, as we descended the stairs after our night’s sleep, we were greeted by her lazily sitting under the stairs waiting for our arrival/apples.
Which brings me to one important point—three bags of apples and carrots was clearly not enough. The alpacas and llamas gobbled them so quickly that we tore through the bags in just a few minutes. I heartily suggest bringing more llama snacks than we did, perhaps a cooler full, to be sure you get the most time with them. The owners’ warned us the llamas were “greedy piglets” so it’s best to feed them slowly through the gate, but it is fun, yet messy, to feed them free in the yard as you are gently mobbed by their smacking lips. Just remember, your treats will be gone lickety split!
Beyond the llamas, we heartily enjoyed walking through the courtyard where a plethora of exotic chickens, ducks and bunnies call home, of which the owners allow to roam free range while guests meander through. I adored the bear-sized Great Pyrenees dog Schuyler (Pronounced Skylar) while my daughter enjoyed playing catch with Yoda and snuggling the most-friendly chicken I have ever seen. The bunnies are adorable … but fast hoppers, so if you can catch one, consider yourself lucky!
Just one night was an experience to be long remembered, so if you are looking for a quick, local getaway that makes you feel like you are in another world, then the Atlanta Alpaca Treehouse should be on your North Georgia bucket list.
For more information or to book your stay, please visit the Alpaca Treehouse website.
For a several videos of our stay at the Alpaca Treehouse, please visit and subscribe to our North Georgia Living YouTube Channel
