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A Backward Glance, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Edith Wharton’s gem of an autobiography is highbrow beach reading at its very best. In the memoir, she recalls time spent with her bff traveling buddy, Henry James, and quotes his arcadian proclamation, “summer afternoon — summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.” Maybe so in the less than industrious heyday of inherited wealth, but in today’s world where most people work all day for a living, those two words just don’t have the same appeal as our two favorite words: summer getaway.

Like everyone else in our overworked and overheated city, rest and relaxation are all we can think about — especially on a hot Friday afternoon like this. In considering options for our celebrated summer respite, we thought we’d take a virtual gander to check out alternatives to the usual Hamptons summer share. From a treehouse where sloths join you for morning coffee to a giant sandcastle, click through to see some of the most unusual summer getaway destinations in the world.

Tree House Lodge – Punta Uva, Costa Rica

Image credit: Tree House Lodge

Located in Costa Rica’s Gandoca- Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge, the Tree House is but one of four incredible, if not somewhat bizarre, forest suites. As their site explains “the place is very quiet and private. However, there you may have to share the place with the monkeys and sloths who frequently visit the Tree House.” Fun local activities: jungle hikes, snorkeling, dolphin tours, and chocolate farms.