UNPLUGGING FOR ROMANCE

A BREATH OF FRESH AIR

With 17 rental cabins to choose from, Kishauwau Cabins offers plenty of space to spread out and feel as if you have a private wooded area all to yourself. This spot is the back patio on one of the cabin rentals.

Kishauwau Cabins in rural Tonica is ideal for engagements and honeymoons

Photos and story by Shannon Serpette

With the pandemic roaring on, honeymoons are hard to plan. With travel restrictions constantly changing, many couples are still planning honeymoons that allow them to isolate themselves to protect their health and provide that essential romantic alone time. Kishauwau Cabins in rural Tonica is an excellent pick for couples looking for a local engagement spot.

“We get tons of engagements here. This is a backdrop to be in if you are going to get your engagement photos,” said Terisa King, who owns Kishauwau Cabins with her husband, Jamie. “There’s a lot of heart and passion here. This is a passion for me. It’s where I think I was meant to end up.”

Terisa and Jamie have owned the cabins and property since 2018, and Jamie has been a part

See CABINS page 8 Jamie and Terisa King, owners of Kishauwau Cabins in rural Tonica, are carrying on the family business started decades ago by Jamie’s parents, Ben and Ellen.

Terisa King stands outside one of the cabins available for rental at Kishauwau Cabins. This cabin has a back patio with a swing, a scenic view, and a whirlpool bathtub, making it ideal for romantic get-aways such as engagements, honeymoons, and anniversaries.

The main office is the hub of Kishauwau Cabins, where guests can get assistance from owners Terisa and Jamie King or buy a few essentials they forgot to pack.

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of the site since his parents, Ben and Ellen, decided to create a place for outdoor lovers there.

“My husband helped his father build these cabins,” Terisa said, adding that she’s been a part of the endeavor for 18 years.

These days, the 65-acre property that was once a Boy Scout camp has 17 cabins on it.

“They are so nicely spread out,” she said, adding that each one feels private. “That’s what people like most about our property.”

For Jamie, the magic of Kishauwau Cabins lies not just in its scenic beauty with the Vermillion River running on the back of the property, but his memories of building it with his family.

“It’s the history,” he said.

Right from the start, Ben and Ellen created a place where people could meet up to share their love of the outdoors and companionship with like minds.

“They created a sense of community,” Terisa said.

That sense of community continues with Jamie and Terisa as owners. They live onsite and are happy to have conversations and interactions with guests, but they’re also respectful of guests’ wishes for alone time. One thing that has changed in recent years is the wait time for a cabin.

“We became high demand because of Covid,” Terisa said. “Summer is the busiest season – our books go out one year, so it’s good to book as early as possible.”

The site offers contactless check-in, full kitchens in the cabins, outdoor grills, and whirlpool tubs in many of the cabins. There are four dog-friendly cabins for couples who can’t stand the idea of leaving their fur babies at home.

Part of the office is open 24/7, even if no one is there. Guests can check out movies, games, and books for free, working on the honor system. If you need a snack, water, or essential item, you can put your cash in an envelope. Jamie and Terisa trust their guests, just as Jamie’s parents did. That’s part of the special charm that makes Kishauwau Cabins feel like a family-friendly stop that only existed 40 or 50 years ago.

One thing you won’t find at the cabins, though, is WiFi.

“To me, that’s not what this get-away is about,” Terisa said. “What people have to get used to is that you’re unplugged. I love the unpluggedness of our property. It’s forced reconnection,” she said. “You’re going to sit down and play a board game or tell ghost stories. This get-away is nostalgic. That’s why the older generation loves it.”

To help create the mood for an engagement get-away, a honeymoon, or anniversary, Kishauwau Cabins offers add-on packages aimed at helping couples connect. They have a stargazing package, a romance package, a romantic dining package, and more.

Terisa and Jamie are grateful to carry on the family legacy, helping people reconnect and enjoy nature in such a busy world.

“Ben and Ellen would be very proud to see what we’ve done with the place,” Terisa said.

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