Bluffs Lodge and Restaurant, Blue Ridge Resort
Bluffs Lodge and Restaurant are a part of the Blue Ridge Resort set along Blue Ridge Parkway in the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. This hotel provides plenty of activities and unplanned adventure possibilities to guests with a taste for the outdoors. An outdoor patio and fireplace provide the perfect setting for watching deer and wild turkeys or enjoying the panoramic view of surrounding mountains.
For daytime fun, families can visit nearby Price Lake, where boat and canoe rentals are available for fishing and sailing. Crabtree Meadows is about a 90-minute drive away from the lodge and offers 70-foot waterfalls and beautiful nature walks that are perfect for mid-afternoon picnics. As of October 2009, rooms with a mountain view were $95 per night.
Bluffs Lodge & Restaurant, Blue Ridge Resort
45356 Blue Ridge Parkway, Milepost 241
Laurel Springs, NC 28644
(336) 372-4499
foreverlodging.com
Cataloochee Ranch
The Cataloochee Ranch is the perfect place for a truly adventurous family vacation in North Carolina. Instead of a single hotel on the ranch, lodging includes rooms and suites at the Silverbell Lodge, the main ranch house rooms and individual cabins on the property. Many of the suites and all of the cabins have stone fireplaces.
Ranch guests can participate in either half-day or all-day horseback riding through the Great Smokey Mountains National Park for a low price of $45 to $100 per person. For a more frugal adventure, several miles of hiking trails start at the ranch and wind through forests, streams and hills. Other activities include fishing, square dancing, bonfires, wagon rides and local whitewater rafting. As of October 2009, rooms at the Cataloochee Ranch started at $152 per night.
Cataloochee Ranch
119 Ranch Drive
Maggie Valley, NC 28751
(828) 926-1401
cataloocheeranch.com
Great Wolf Lodge
For those who are looking for a family adventure hotel that is suitable for all ages, the Great Wolf Lodge in Concord, North Carolina, provides an indoor alternative to your family's vacation escapades. The most striking activity at this hotel is the large indoor family water park reserved for hotel guests only at no additional charge. A hotel spa is available for parents who want to unwind after a long day, as is a full service fitness room. The youngest of lodge guests can enjoy special story times and performances, and older kids can attend the arcade or the chaperoned teen-only club.
For families who want to venture outdoors, the NASCAR Speed Park is nearby for racing, mini-golf and wall climbing. The US National Whitewater Rafting Center is a quick drive from Great Wolf Lodge and has kayaking, whitewater rafting, ropes courses, zip lines and hiking. As of October 2009, rooms at the Great Wolf Lodge were $269 per night.
Great Wolf Lodge
10175 Weddington Road
Concord, NC 28027
(704) 549-8206
greatwolf.com
