At Wanderu, we always strive to bring you awesome travel deals and help you satiate that restless wanderlust of yours. But we also know that you work really hard all year long and you deserve to splurge and treat yourself to a nice relaxing vacation from time to time. Besides, it’s never a bad idea to start planning a getaway, right? We thought so! That’s why we looked all over the U.S. to find the best vacation resorts and help you get some well-deserved rest in 2016.
Rocking Horse Ranch Resort (Highland, NY)
This all-inclusive family resort offers a rich assortment of fun activities that are bound to keep everyone – from little kids and moody teenagers to young couples and seasoned parents – happy and occupied at all times. Located a couple hours north of New York City, the Rocking Horse Ranch Resort gives you the chance to go on an unforgettable horse-riding adventure along one of the many picturesque riding trails, spend the day in the massive indoor waterpark (featuring a 250 feet-long water slide), or hang out with camels, zebras and miniature donkeys at the resort’s wildlife exhibit. For winter sports enthusiasts, there’s snow tubing, skiing, ice skating and even horse-drawn sleigh rides. How awesome does that sound, by the way? Finally, for those of you who crave some alone time, the resort has a full-service spa available at your disposal.
How to get there: Take a bus or train to Poughkeepsie, NY or New Paltz, NY and then take a ride-share service for a short 10-minute ride to the Rocking Horse Ranch Resort.
Chiku Tip: Get the best rates by booking your stay during the week. The Rocking Horse Ranch Resort usually has special offers from Monday to Friday and you can snag accommodations for as low as $79/night. For an all-inclusive resort with all-you-can-eat food available at all times, that’s quite a steal!
The Cloister (Sea Island, GA)
For those of you looking to avoid any form of prolonged physical activity and simply lay back and relax, The Cloister Beach Club should be on top of your list of must-visit vacation spots. Apart from offering accommodations so beautiful that they will make you take a second look at your own home’s decor, this five-star hotel yields gorgeous oceanfront views, three magnificent swimming pools, a rich variety of water sports and a five-mile long private beach. If you don’t feel like lying under the sun all day, though, you can indulge into one (or more) of the nature activities the resort has in store like fishing adventures, horseback riding and, our personal favorite, clay target shooting!
How to get there: Take a bus or train to Savannah, GA or Jacksonville, FL and from there you can rent a car and drive directly to Sea Island.
Chiku Tip: Don’t wanna leave your furry friends at home? No worries! The Cloister is pet friendly! Just make sure to give them a call before heading out there to find out what the specific rules & regulations are for a fur ball like yours.
Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort (Scottsdale, AZ)
Hidden within Arizona’s famed Paradise Valley, Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort is a serene hideaway located just minutes away from downtown Scottsdale. Voted one of the top resorts in the continental U.S. by Travel + Leisure, Sanctuary is the ultimate relaxation destination with world-class dining options, state-of-the-art spa facilities and private tennis, yoga, pilates, and even zennis (!!) classes available on a daily basis.
How to get there: Hop on a bus or train to Phoenix, AZ and then take a short 20-minute ride on a ride-share service to the resort.
Chiku Tip: Get 15% off the resort’s Best Sanctuary rate with the “Advance Purchase” special available on their website. All you need to do is book your stay at least 14 days in advance.
The Resort at Paws Up (Greenough, MT)
Located in one of the most tourist-frequented states, Montana, The Resort at Paws Up gives a whole new meaning to camping or, as they like to call it, glamping. If you are among those people who have played around with the idea of spending the night in the wild embrace of Mother Nature but refuse to deal with pitching a tent and sleeping on the ground, then this is the perfect place for you. Each tent comes equipped with comfortable beds (of various sizes), en-suite bathrooms with jetted tubs and slate showers, electricity, A/C, and internet, among many other amenities. Most importantly, they all come with some of the most spectacular views western Montana has to offer.
How to get there: The Resort at Paws Up is deep into the woods of Montana, so your best bet of getting there would be taking a bus or train to Essex, MT and then renting a car to drive down to the resort or, if you are lucky, find a friend with a helicopter who can take you there 🙂
Chiku Tip: Even though you’ll be glamping, don’t hesitate to rough things up by participating in the awesome activities Paws Up has to offer such as rappelling, archery, mountain biking, ATV riding, and hot air ballooning, to name a few.
Point Sebago (Casco, ME)
Maine’s Point Sebago is another budget-friendly vacation option suitable for the entire family. The resort offers a wide variety of lodging options (from island lodges and park homes to campsites and cottages) and awesome activities tailored to the season during which you decide to visit. In the winter, for example, you have the options of alpine skiing, snow tubing and going on a snowmobile adventure, while in the summer you get to enjoy the sprawling golf course, the beautiful marina with boats and slips available for rent, as well as the resort’s family-friendly beach.
How to get there: We recommend hopping on a bus or train to Portland, ME and then grabbing a cab, using a ride-share service or jumping on a ferry to Casco, ME where the resort is located. You can find information about the Casco ferry here.
Chiku Tip: Plan your vacation for the last weeks of June or August and take advantage of the Family Fun special that gives you a 25% discount on regular rates. Now that’s sweet, isn’t it?
Red Mountain Resort (St. George, UT)
For the adventure-seekers at heart, Red Mountain Resort combines the thrill of exploring nature’s hidden treasures with the bliss of relaxing with Utah’s breathtaking scenery in the background. Conveniently nestled in between the Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks, with the Snow Canyon State Park nearby, Red Mountain Resort offers some of the best outdoor activities imaginable, including canyoneering (yes, that’s a thing and it involves hiking, scrambling, climbing and rappelling), kayaking and – wait for it – hanging out with a herd of wild horses. Yes! You get to learn how to lead a pack of mustangs and experience a powerful heart-to-heart hug. Excuse us while we add this to the definition of ‘cool’ in the dictionary.
How to get there: You can actually get on a bus or train headed to Las Vegas, NV and, once you get there, hop on one of the shuttles that they have running between Vegas and St George, UT on a daily basis.
Chiku Tip: Save 10% on the resort’s Essential Retreat package and earn a $25 voucher to the Red Mountain Outfitters Store by using promo code ESS10 and staying by March 31, 2016. Check out their website for complete information about this deal.
