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IN THE MEDIA

We are the only Tiny House Hotel, nestled between the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.

We had always had dreams of owning our own tiny house village. Little did we know that the gem of a property we now own would be found in a place my wife and children had frequently visited for 20 years—the eastern shore of Cape Charles.


We have been living the tiny lifestyle for over 14 years now, and we love it. For a time, we decided to dedicate ourselves to full-time RV travel and living. Because of this we’ve become experts on everything “Tiny Living.” 


In 2017, we were introduced to Airbnb and the idea of short term rentals, and decided to take our travel and business to the next level. We opened 19 Airbnb listings and gained a ton of valuable experience before turning our attention to the eastern shore of Virginia.

a woman wearing overalls and a hat is standing next to a bed .

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a small house with a porch and stairs is sitting in the middle of a grassy field .

Eric and Sylvia Hawkins are not new to anything tiny. They lived for over 15 years in an RV and ran a company and short-term rentals from their camper.


Sylvia and Eric Hawkins run the new Tiny Livin’ hotel in Cape Charles, Virginia.


Their latest endeavor is a set of little houses that were once a 1930s auto court. Over 40 years they fell into disrepair and when found were overgrown with trees, bushes, and trash. The Hawkins decided to make the little houses their next project – a tiny house hotel on the coast of Virginia.

In Other News...

Breaking News!

Here's the buzz!

THE U.S. SUN

THE NEW JOURNAL & GUIDE

GLAMP IT UP THIS FALL

a man and woman are posing for a picture in front of a trailer
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sage-tiny-house

TINY UPGRADE My wife and I moved into a tiny home on wheels-we paid $1500 for it and ended up making $80k in just a year.

BY STEVE BRENNER, The U.S. Sun —


Summer Traveling: Couple Opens Tiny Cottages For Vacationers On The Eastern Shore

BY LEONARD E. COLVIN, New Journal & Guide —


cape charles tiny livin': Simple meets scintillating at this hidden gem on the Eastern Shore.

BY LEONA BAKER, KELSEY THOMAS AND JENNY DAVIS —


WHEN Eric Hawkins and wife Sylvia decided to change their lives and move out of their beautiful Virginia Beach home and into an RV, the reaction was universal.

"Everyone thought we were nuts," Eric told The U.S. Sun with a smile.


"But we wanted to prove to ourselves that we could do something different."

They did just that.

A couple in Cape Charles, Virginia, has transformed an old Esso site into a travel destination called “Cape Charles Tiny Livin’.” They have renovated several small cottages, offering a unique and cozy accommodation option for vacationers exploring the Eastern Shore.

If you’re looking for a glamping getaway with charm, character and history, then Cape Charles Tiny Livin’ is for you. Their motto, “less space, more livin’,” epitomizes the experience.

Here's What's Up!

WTKR

Three small houses are sitting next to each other in a grassy yard.

Tiny houses offer new way of life for beach couple

BY Beverly Kidd —


CAPE CHARLES, Va. (WAVY) — 

Virginia Beach residents Sylvia and Eric Hawkins built a big life, each owning a successful business.


“We were working achieving the American dream living in a 3000 square foot home, 3 kids, nice cars,” said Eric.

Micro Weddings

VIRGINIA BRIDE

A bride and groom are standing in front of a building holding hands.

Micro-Wedding: Cape Charles Tiny Livin

February 21, 2024 —

The Tiny Livin Village is conveniently located in the intimate beach town of Cape Charles on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. It is 3 drive minutes from downtown Cape Charles and is nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and Chesapeake Bay. 

We Made the Front Page!

CAPE CHARLES MOTOR LODGE CELEBRATES MINIMALISM


BY TED SHOCKLEY, Eastern Shore Post —


Sylvia and Eric Hawkins were living in Virginia Beach years ago when they decided having fewer belongings is better — and that the trappings of life can be a trap themselves.  Or, as Sylvia Hawkins asked rhetorically, “Do you have stuff, or does your stuff have you?” So they moved out of their 3,000-square-foot home. And Eric Hawkins told the 20 employees at his business that he was moving into a 400-square-foot travel trailer in a campground. “It was all about having a fuller life with less stuff,” he said.

EASTERN SHORE POST

SHORE DAILY NEWS

AIRBNB

April 7, 2023

August 1, 2022

January 10, 2024

the front page of the eastern share post newspaper
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Extra! Extra!

Tiny Home News...

SHORE PERSPECTIVES: ERIC AND SYLVIA HAWKINS COMBINE BIG DREAMS WITH TINY LIVING

BY KELLEY GASKILL, Shore Daily News —


Travelers escape the winter blues with trip planning

BY AIRBNB —


We have all heard the phrase “Bigger is Better” and many believe that to be the case. In recent years, however, there has a been a growing trend of “Less is Best” or “Smaller is Simpler” as evidenced by the minimalism and tiny house movements.

For travelers feeling the winter blues, they’re not alone. Last year, just behind the summer months of June, July and August, January was the busiest month for Airbnb searches as guests sought to escape the winter doldrums through travel planning.

Exclusive!

THE U.S. SUN (2.0)

May 13, 2023

tiny-home-village

tiny house empire': I’m addicted to tiny home rentals – I bought an abandoned ‘village’ of houses and am making huge ‘passive income’.

BY STEVE BRENNER —


THERE are a few things you can expect to find in the woods.

Plenty of wildlife, trees, and enticing trails to enjoy are the norm.


But how about an abandoned, 84-year-old tiny home holiday park?

It may sound utterly bizarre but that's what Eric Hawkins and his wife found when they were traveling around their Chesapeake Bay hometown of Cape Charles, Virginia.

The Man Behind the Tiny Houses

BOLD JOURNEY

A man in a grey shirt is smiling in front of a green wall.

Meet Eric Hawkins

November 5, 2024 —


We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Eric Hawkins a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation at the link below.

Simple Living

THE U.S. SUN

A man and a woman are standing in front of a blue house.

SIMPLE LIVING We own a tiny home village on the beach after giving up our 3k square-foot home – ‘you gotta not care’ what people think

November 25, 2024 —

A COUPLE has created a unique tiny home village after spending several years traveling in an RV.

The pair used to live in a 3,000-square-foot home with their children but were inspired after a short vacation.

CAPE CHARLES MIRROR

Read all about it!

November 12, 2021

Adapting the Esso Park Auto Court in Cheriton


BY WAYNE CREED, Cape Charles Mirror —

In architecture, adaptive reuse (also called building reuse) refers to the repurposing of an existing structure for new use. For example, converting an old church into a restaurant, an old train station into an office space, or an old windmill into a home. Adaptive reuse architecture breathes new life into historic structures by converting them into something useful for the surrounding area.

a postcard showing a row of houses and the words bass park auto court

In Cheriton, one of the most exciting things happening now is the adaptive reuse of the former Esso Park Auto Court at the intersection of Bayside Road and Bayview Circle.

Event Hosting!

Cape Charles tiny house property to host event with live music, food trucks, vendors and more

By 13News Now Staff —


greenhouse
If you've ever wanted to get a taste of what it's like to live in a tiny house, there's an event on the Eastern Shore coming up.
The Tiny Livin’ Experience will take place Saturday and Sunday in Cape Charles, and will have live music, food trucks, wedding vendors and local vendors "to help the party come alive."

See What's Happening!

The latest!

EIN PRESSWIRE

VIRGINIA LIVING

13NEWS NOW

May 8, 2023

sage-tiny-house

Newly restored tiny house village breaths life into travelers seeking nostalgia and relaxation

DYNAMITE PR —


Eric and Sylvia Hawkins have been tiny living evangelists for more than 16 years. Three years ago, the couple transformed their passion into a 10-unit tiny home vacation property.

March 11, 2024

a man and a woman are standing in front of a greenhouse filled with potted plants .

tiny lIVIN IN cAPE cHARLES: It started with a vision board and a prayer, says Cape Charles resident Eric Hawkins, 53. 

BY PEGGY SIJSWERDA —


He and his wife, Sylvia, 60, had been dreaming of creating a unique lodging destination for a long time. The couple put a photo of a tiny house village on their fridge and waited.

Eric also prayed: “Lord, help me see what other people can’t.”

The benefits!

HAMPTON ROAD SHOW

September 12, 2024

a man and a woman are standing in front of a greenhouse filled with potted plants .

HRS: The benefits of tiny home living

BY SPONSORED CONTENT —


PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — 

If you’re planning some time away and looking for something other than the typical hotel or AirBnB, Cape Charles Tiny Livin might be the perfect spot for you.

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