Get outta town: 3 one-of-a-kind getaways close to Edmonton

Want a unique getaway? Get outta town!

But not too far.

CTV News Edmonton recently visited three destinations within easy driving distance of Alberta's capital city that offer one-of-a-kind guest experiences.

The Raspberry Castle near Red Deer Lake in Camrose County, Alta. (Adel Ahmed/CTV News Edmonton)

Red Deer Lake: Raspberry Castle

Jenny Keith was browsing online for affordable rental properties abroad last year when she stumbled upon a listing for an extraordinary holiday home in her own backyard, something she describes as "a drawing of someone's quirky imagination come to life."

"I was finding a whole lot of cute villas in Tuscany and old French farmhouses, and this one came up," Keith said of the listing for the Raspberry Castle in Camrose County.

"I ran down the stairs to show my husband and he was like, 'Well, we have to go look at it at least.'"

Keith and her husband partnered with three other people to buy the property in July 2023 and got to work.

Their renovations to the brick 1970s-built 'castle' and environs took six months.

"The amount of work that got done was incredible," said fellow owner Graham Czibere.

"This place was a complete overgrown forest, and the transformation has been stark."

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There are three bedrooms, one bathroom and a clear view of Red Deer Lake from the roof.

"It's a very magical little location," said Megan Oullette, a recent guest of the Raspberry Castle.

"You just wouldn't expect it to be out there ... It was pretty fun to explore."

The owners are continuing with work to modernize the Castle located 10 kilometres west of Ferintosh and about an hour-and-a-half drive south of Edmonton.

"We're looking at putting in a sauna possibly," Keith said.

"I think with this group, we're never going to sit still. There's always something to do and something to improve."

Room With A Pew, a former Church in Bowden, Alta., that's been converted into a vacation rental property. (Adel Ahmed/CTV News Edmonton)

Bowden: A Room With A Pew

When you first look at this building, you might not guess it's a vacation rental.

"I wouldn't have thought to stay in a church as an Airbnb," Sally Jo Sussa, a recent guest of A Room With A Pew, told CTV News Edmonton.

The building in the Town of Bowden, a two-hour drive south of Edmonton on Highway 2, opened in 1903 and served as the longtime home of St. Andrew's United Church.

The church's trustees sold it in December 2022 to Rhonda Morison, who has lived next to the building for several years.

"I was afraid that a historical building, like quite often happens, would be knocked down, and I wanted to make sure we preserved history," Morison said.

With the help of friends over three months, Morison turned it into a three-bedroom, three-bath short-term rental.

They kept some of the identifying features from the church, such as stained glass and a cross.

The bedrooms can be rented separately or altogether.

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The unique vacation rental has sparked interest both locally and worldwide.

"I've had (people from) England, Germany, Switzerland and, of course, every province," Morison said.

Sussa said the experience staying at A Room With A Pew is "mountainesque."

"You feel like you're in the mountains ... with all the hometown touches of everything Rhonda has put in there," she said.

"It makes you feel like you're at someone's cabin."

Morison is booking guests into next year.

"I had to call a couple of guests, thinking they'd made an error in the month and the year they were booking, and they said, 'No, no, we wanted to make sure that you're available in 2025.'"

The hillside suite at Obsidian Ridge less than an hour's drive east of Edmonton. (Adel Ahmed/CTV News Edmonton)

Beaver County: Obsidian Ridge

Tucked away east of Edmonton is the hidden hillside suite at Obsidian Ridge.

It's one of the places newlywed couples can stay at after getting married at the sprawling property less than an hour's drive from the city in Beaver County.

On top of hosting weddings, Obsidian Ridge has evolved over the last year into a holiday rental option close to home.

It offers five geo-domes for rent, each with a bed, a fireplace and an outdoor hammock.

It's an elevated experience where you're in nature but not really 'roughing it' outdoors.

"When people are coming to stay the night or multiple nights, they're looking for things to do," said Layson Lafayette, operator of Obsidian Ridge.

"We're catering to the experience of the great outdoors without all the work that's usually involved in camping."

The venue's views are one of its main attractions.

"We just knew seeing what they'd done with the space already just in the landscaping and how they were setting up their property, it was so beautiful and so much attention to detail -- a lot of photo-op spots, things like that," said Jarrett Delaney, a recent guest who held his wedding with wife Brittany at Obsidian Ridge.

Lafayette says creating the experience, whether it's camping or a wedding, is a team effort.

"There's a lot of people involved in this behind the scenes. They don't get (enough) credit," said Lafayette, adding there are more changes in the works to make the space even more welcoming. "They're not in the spotlight, but they put their heart and soul into the place."