Try chilling out at a mountain resort
Highgate Springs, Vt., tylerplace.com
THE SCENE: Sitting on Lake Champlain in northern Vermont, this all-inclusive family resort strikes the perfect balance between family togetherness and kids-only/ adults-only activities. Kids attend ageappropriate (infants through age 15) camp groups for supervised outdoor recreation, while parents go on kayak trips or mountain hikes, take sailing lessons, or hit the spa.
WHAT’S THERE: Lake tubing, waterskiing, canoeing, wakeboarding, kayaking, sailing lessons, lake trampoline, slides, banana boating and family pontoon cruises, as well as ropes course, tennis, archery, indoor and outdoor pools with swim lessons and free poolside massages, your own bike for the entire stay (riding lessons available), fishing trips, hiking, arts and crafts, organic gardening, outdoor culinary classes, mountain bike trips, evening activities and spa services.
DON’T MISS: Adult date nights, Tyler Place dance party and jazz nights.
DINING: Morning meals are in the family breakfast room; kids have lunch and dinners with their “bunk” while adults enjoy cocktail hour and candlelit dinners. The kitchen is always happy to provide family picnic baskets.
LODGING: Lodging options range from family suites to private cabins (from $229 per adult, $142 per child). Included in the rates are meals, accommodations, children’s programs and all nonmotorized activities. Blowing Rock, N.C., chetola.com
THE SCENE: Surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains, this 87-acre resort’s Cherokee name means “haven of rest.” And with Chetola’s wide variety of activities in the crisp mountain air, you’ll surely sleep well. The property adjoins the 3,600-acre Moses H. Cone Park, with hiking trails and riding facilities. You’ll be so busy that you won’t mind that the only pool is indoors.
WHAT’S THERE: A lake with paddleboats, tennis, pickleball, golf, fly-fishing, ziplining, clay-pigeon shooting, organized and personalized hikes, spa, and kids’ camp.
DON’T MISS: Bonfire night, with s’mores for the kids and al fresco cocktail bar for parents.
DINING: On the premises are the casualfare Headwaters Pub and the elegant waterfront eatery Timberlakes Restaurant.
LODGING: Choose between Arts and Crafts-style abodes in the Bob Timberlake Inn (from $266), lake-view rooms in the lodge (from $224), or two- to four-bedroom condos (from $242). Pocono Pines, Pa., mountaintoplodge.com
The scene: Overlooking a 277-acre lake in the Pocono Mountains, guests of this restored circa-1928 mountain lodge enjoy full access to the amenities of the adjoining Lake Naomi Club.
WHAT’S THERE: A lake with sandy beaches, boating, fishing, swimming and sailing, two outdoor Olympic-size swimming pools (one heated), nine-hole executive golf course, and tennis center. The resort’s ever-changing weekly activity schedule features fiction-writing workshops for teens, ceramics, trivia contests, and a fish clinic on a pontoon boat. DON’T MISS: RC Laser Sailing regattas. DINING: A freshly prepared gourmet breakfast is included. Restaurants, located around the resort and at the beach, range from casual fare to fine dining.
LODGING: Lodge accommodations include antiques-filled studios and twobedroom suites (from $140), but try to snag a cabin with romantic double Jacuzzis (from $215). Cashiers, N.C., highhamptoninn.com
THE SCENE: At an elevation of 3,600 feet, this 1,400-acre National Register of Historic Places all-inclusive resort overlooks the Blue Ridge Mountains. The scenery is so spectacular, it was selected as the location for the remake of the film “Dirty Dancing.”
WHAT’S THERE: Llama hikes, a falconry program, freshwater 35-acre lake with swimming, fishing, paddle boating and canoeing, tennis, an 18-hole George W. Cobb-designed golf course, bocce, tether ball and volleyball, croquet and a European spa with a health club offering fitness classes. There are also a variety of kids and teen programs.
DON’T MISS: High Hampton’s llamas and miniature donkeys.
DINING: Southern seasonal cuisine is served buffet-style with wait-staff for drinks. Dinner requires men in sport jackets and long pants. Also included are cocktails and afternoon tea.
LODGING: Choose between the main lodge and cottages (from $161 a person, includes meals and activities), rustically decorated with locally made furnishings. Lake Placid, N.Y., mirrorlakeinn.com THE SCENE: This all-inclusive resort sits in the Adirondack Mountains, by the 19th-century town that hosted the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics. Mirror Lake’s circa-1924 lodge has sustained its 4-Diamond AAA rating for 32 years.
WHAT’S THERE: Private beach with fishing, canoes, kayaks, paddleboats and lounge chairs, tennis, outdoor heated pool, indoor pool, spa and afternoon tea.
DON’T MISS: The Tuesday Night Songs at Mirror Lake summer series.
DINING: Three fine-dining venues: Taste Bistro, The Cottage, and the AAA 4Diamond recipient, The View.
LODGING: 131 Arts and Crafts-style lodge guestrooms include signature custommade maple-oatmeal soap (request the most spectacular scenic view rooms: numbered 730-740), while private cabins offer panoramic vistas of the lake and mountains. From $424. Meal plans are available. Wheeling, W.Va., oglebay-resort.com
THE SCENE: This 1,700-acre year-round resort has its own zoo, environmental center offering camps and daily activities, museums and a performance theater. Many activities require wristbands, purchased separately, unless you’ve booked a package.
WHAT’S THERE: Four golf courses, two swimming pools, Har-Tru tennis courts, horseback riding, fishing, hiking trails, hiking, pedal boating, miniature golf, spa, nightly fire pits and outdoor movies.
DON’T MISS: The Glass Museum exhibiting 19th-century Wheeling glass and the 16-acre garden.
DINING: Oglebay offers two a la carte restaurants: Ihlenfield is fine dining and Glassworks is a casual eatery.
LODGING: Guests choose between the Wilson Lodge (from $116 a night) and cottages featuring four to eight bedrooms (from $652 a night) and fancier twobedrooms (from $773 for two nights). Roanoke, W.Va., stonewallresort.com
THE SCENE: Set deep in the mountainous forest of 1,400-acre Stonewall Resort State Park, the lakeside resort offers guests lodging, fine dining and an array of outdoor recreational activities.
WHAT’S THERE: An 18-hole Arnold Palmer golf course, indoor/outdoor pool, 16 miles of hiking trails, a fishing marina, Segway tours, adventure center for land and lake activities, and a spa. The Stonewall Outfitters Pass ($15 per day) includes unlimited sessions with bikes, kayaks, canoes, paddleboards, AquaCycles, rock wall climbing, miniature golf and disc golf.
DON’T MISS: Take the 45-minute evening lake cruise on the resort’s boat, Little Sorrel, named for Confederate Gen. Stonewall Jackson’s horse.
DINING: Three eating establishments are on site: Stillwaters Restaurant, TJ Muskies Lounge and Lightburn’s Restaurant, as well as a coffee shop.
LODGING: The guestrooms at the lodge begin at $122 per night, but the Play All Day package ($139) also includes two Outfitters Passes. There are also two-, three-and four-bedroom cottages set along Stonewall Jackson Lake, many with private decks and gas grills. New Paltz, N.Y., mohonk.com
THE SCENE: This resort is a sprawling circa-1869 Victorian castle in the Hudson Valley’s Shawangunk Mountains overlooking Lake Mohonk.
WHAT’S THERE: A 2.7-mile lake offering swimming, kayaking, canoeing, fishing, stand-up paddleboarding and log-rolling. Over 85 miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, rock climbing, and birding with a naturalist. Also onsite are golf, tennis, lawn games, a swimming pool, kids and teen programs, porches and balconies with rocking chairs, and spa with an outdoor mineral pool. Each day brings a new schedule of workshops, entertainment and dining options.
DON’T MISS: “Forest Bathing,” an exclusive “mindfulness” walk through the woods led by a botanist or naturalist. And climb Sky Top Tower to take in the views.
DINING: Locally sourced ingredients fill the dishes for breakfast and lunch buffets. If you have plans for a full-day hike, the kitchen will prepare a trail lunch. At dinner, choose between the buffet and a formal four-course meal, where men wear jackets and women don heels.
LODGING: There are 265 guestrooms. Ask for accommodations in the towers, where the rooms have original woodwork and balconies. Room rates include meals, afternoon tea and most resort activities. From $549. Bartlett, N.H., attitash.com
THE SCENE: Envision an outdoor adventure-themed amusement park built into a grand mountainscape, with low-key accommodations. There’s nothing fancy here, just family-friendly fun.
WHAT’S THERE: Alpine slides, slacklining (a low-to-the-ground tightrope), airbag jumping, water tube slides, chairlift rides and mountain biking.
DON’T MISS: The Scenic Mountain Coaster.
DINING: Two a la carte dining options onsite: Black Diamond Grill serves breakfast and lunch, and Crawford’s Pub is a full-service dinner restaurant.
LODGING: Rooms at the Mountainside Hotel range from studios to three-bedroom suites (from $105). Tip: The Slide and Ride Package includes overnight accommodations, breakfast, admission to the slide and waterpark ($75 a person per night based on family of four). Wintergreen, Va., wintergreenresort.com
THE SCENE: An 11,000-acre, ecologically minded resort nearly 4,000 feet above sea level in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
WHAT’S THERE: Championship golf, tubing, zip lining, archery, an awardwinning tennis program, mountain biking, Lake Monocan with a sandy beach, rental canoes, kayaks and paddleboats, and a full-service spa. The $44 Mountains of Activity Pass includes admission to the resort’s recreational offerings.
DON’T MISS: Hiking to Founders’ Vision Overlook with 360-degree views.
DINING: Wintergreen’s four restaurants range from casual to fine dining, but the beauty of staying in a condominium means that you can prepare breakfast in your jammies while looking at the views.
LODGING: Chose between lodge guestrooms: studios to three-bedroom suites (from $139); and one- to five-bedroom condominiums (from $159). Farmington, Pa., nemacolin.com
THE SCENE: A 2,000-acre resort in the Laurel Highlands.
WHAT’S THERE: Two championship golf courses, tennis, off-road driving academy, zip lines, combat paintball, Jamaican (summertime) dog sledding, African safari tours and shows, two pools, casino, and adult and kids spas. DON’T MISS: The African safari train. DINING: Four high-end restaurants and six more casual spots, as well as seven bars and lounges
LODGING: Sleep in one of Nemacolin’s fancy hotels — a French chateau and an English lodge (from $369) — or twobedroom townhouses (from $479). Bretton Woods, N.H., omnihotels.com/hotels/bretton-woods-mount-washington
THE SCENE: Located at the base of Mount Washington in the White Mountain National Forest, this circa-1902 resort hotel provides lots of activities for its multigenerational clientele in an elegant, Old World-style milieu.
WHAT’S THERE: Two championship golf courses, archery, mountain biking, river tubing, lift rides, spa, canopy tour on New England’s longest zipline, ranger tours and hikes, rock climbing, river tubing, flyfishing, horseback riding and evening performances.
DON’T MISS: The free historic tours of the property, offered daily.
DINING: Full-service, a la carte dining is available in the resort’s main dining room and the family-friendly Stickney’s.
LODGING: Accommodations range from traditional guestrooms (from $278) to family rooms and suites. Most offer views.