Check in to a cozy cabin with your crew and let the games begin. Here are five scenic places to foster some family fun.
The Ranch at Emerald Valley
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Set amid 100,000 acres in the Pike National Forest, this high mountain, luxury ranch allows guests to choose from richly appointed one-, two- or three-bedroom cabins so cozy you'll have to force yourselves away from the fire and out the door to embark on the many adventures that await. Cast for trout on one of two well-stocked lakes, explore the surrounding area on horseback or hike to nearby lookout points. Challenge the gang at the archery center or settle in fireside for a masterful game of chess. Those looking for a new experience may want to join the Elk Glade wranglers in a cattle drive. At day's end, sip fine wines and share stories of adventure while enjoying fresh gourmet fare at the dinner table or around the fire pit.
For more: https://www.broadmoor.com/the-ranch-at-emerald-valley
Oglebay Resort
Wheeling, West Virginia
Oglebay Resort's rustic but comfortable cabins are the perfect home base from which to enjoy a 1,700-acre wonderland. Sit by the fire or head out for hiking in the rolling hills. Expect golf, fishing, kayaking, aqua cycling, a petting zoo, a playground and horseback riding. Throughout the year, festivals celebrating everything from polka to the polar plunge and other family-friendly events lure the generations. During the holiday season, a character-filled festival of lights show will delight the whole family.
For more: www.oglebay-resort.com;
Bar Lazy J Guest Ranch
Parshall, Colorado
Check into a "cowboy authentic" cabin on a Gold Medal stretch of the Colorado River (or spread out in the ranch house) before gearing up for a week of Western fun. Days are filled riding into the nearby hills, practicing skills in the arena, fly fishing and mountain biking. Guests 13 and older can whip across the river at speeds up to 35 mph on the ranch's 1,500-foot-long zip line. Evening entertainment includes game night, talent shows, hayrides, campfire singalongs and stargazing while curled up on riverside log furniture.
For more: www.barlazyj.com, www.Colorado.com, www.visitGrandCounty.com
Sundance Resort
Sundance, Utah
You'll find it difficult to emerge from the cozy lodge warmed by a roaring fire or your cabin crafted from indigenous materials. But when you do, choose from cross-country and snowshoe trails that run deep into the woods or sunlit downhill runs on the slopes of Mount Timpanogos. Founded by filmmaker and conservationist Robert Redford, the resort offers family-friendly pottery, beading and printmaking classes in the Art Shack, year-round fly-fishing and dining menus with an emphasis on organic and locally sourced ingredients.
For more: www.SundanceResort.com
Historic Harding Cabin
Mount Sterling, Ohio
History buffs, take note: You can check into what was once the private hideaway of President Warren G. Harding in Ohio's Deer Creek State Park. The restored yet rustic multilevel cabin reportedly served as a getaway for Harding and his close circle of friends known as the "Ohio Gang."
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the cabin was constructed on the banks of Deer Creek by U.S. Attorney General Harry M. Daugherty at the close of World War I.
With a full-length screened porch overlooking the 1,277-acre lake, it's easy to imagine why Harding might have retreated to the picturesque spot to gain a little perspective.
Other unique cabins throughout the Ohio State park system provide affordable opportunities for families to enjoy a relaxing getaway in a natural environment.
For more: www.deercreekstateparklodge.com
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Lynn O'Rourke Hayes (LOHayes.com) is an author, family travel expert and enthusiastic explorer. Gather more travel intel on Twitter lohayes, Facebook, or via FamilyTravel.com.