Take a break from the hustle and bustle of daily life and recharge with your family. Here are five places where you can relax:
- Gunflint Lodge, Gunflint Trail, Minn. Adventure has been on the menu since 1930 when the Kerfoot family began offering their personal brand of hospitality at the Gunflint Lodge.
Located at the “end of the road” on the historic Gunflint Trail National Scenic Byway, the northwoods lodge offers lakeside, family-friendly accommodations and daily dining options that include plenty of walleye. Your clan may choose to play games in front of the massive stone fireplace, learn about edible plants, local history and the impact of fire on a forest with the on-site naturalist or zip through the canopy with a sky guide. Paddle across glacier-carved lakes or hike to a nearby overlook for a view of Gunflint Lake and Canada in the distance.
Contact: gunflint.com; visitcookcounty.com
- Singletree Gun & Plough, Westfield, N.C. Check in to the lodge or secluded cabins at this elegantly rustic resort to start your digital detox. Guests are encouraged to turn off technology and become “intoxicated with nature” through hiking, relaxing on the lawn or “the fine art of Southern porch sittin’, ” all while surrounded by 1,000 acres of wilderness. After a game of pick-up sticks or Parcheesi, wander toward the riverfront and cast a line in the Dan River or visit the adjacent Hanging Rock State Park.
Contact: singletreegunandplough.com
- Sail the coast of Maine. Put your to-do list aside because once on board, only the wind, tide and your captain’s whim will dictate the day’s destination. Sail from island to island, enjoying sunrises, sunsets, stargazing and lobster bakes. Look for seals, eagles and porpoises, as well as the occasional whale or puffin. Each day, guests can explore uninhabited islands, coastal villages or a hike along a national park trail.
Contact: sailmainecoast.com
- Raft the Snake River, Idaho. You won’t find a cellphone connection while floating through America’s deepest (8,000 feet) river gorge on Idaho’s Snake River. Rather, you and your family will be focused on splashing through rapids and observing the stunning landscape of Hells Canyon.
Later, hike to check out American Indian rock art and pioneer homesteads, fly-fish, swim and share stories while roasting s’mores around the campfire.
Contact: rowadventures.com
- Walters Cove Resort, Kyuquot, B.C. Visit this remote coastal wilderness for the opportunity to explore hundreds of islands, inlets and a Vancouver Island coastline that’s all but deserted, except for the diverse population of wildlife.
Kayak or paddleboard among sea otters, with mist-covered peaks as backdrop. Set out to fish for salmon, halibut, lingcod and tuna, and discuss the meaning of sustainably harvested seafood when you return home with your catch, frozen for your enjoyment throughout the year ahead.
Contact: walterscoveresort.com
