Our family recently returned from a six-day trip to Puerto Rico for spring break. Originally, we...
Confession: I grew up in the midwest – in Iowa, to be exact. Compared with somewhere like Florida or California, Iowa is quiet; sleepy, even. There aren’t many geological features of note (with the exception of the Loess Hills and the mighty Mississippi River), Iowa claims no professional sports teams, and nearly 90% of the state is rural and agricultural. Like many places in the midwest, Iowa’s charms are more subtle – it’s in the people, the small-town ice cream parlors, and the preserved 1880s town squares. But the midwest does offer a lot of value for families looking for a simple, quality get-together in the summertime. Family resorts, lakes, and campgrounds abound, and you won’t have to take out a second mortgage for a weeklong trip. Here are four great family resorts in the midwest that you should consider for your next vacation.
Honey Creek Resort, Lake Rathbun, Iowa
Set in the rolling hills of Southern Iowa, Lake Rathbun is an 11,000-acre lake that offers fishing, hunting, hiking, boating, and many more activities. Honey Creek State Park, set on the shores of Lake Rathbun, has a 700-site campground managed by the State of Iowa and the Honey Creek Resort is located adjacent to the state park.
The resort features an indoor water park, an 18-hole golf course, educational programs, on-site food service, and access to the great outdoors. Guests can stay in the Lodge, Cottages, or the RV Park. The Lodge features standard hotel-style rooms with a king or two queen beds, including some with lake views. The Cottages are free-standing small cabins that sleep up to 7, and the RV Park offers full hookup campsites.
Photo Credit: Visit Pella
If boating, swimming, and golf aren’t your thing, the daily resort rate also includes the use of rental bicycles, stand-up paddleboards, fishing equipment, and periodic naturalist programs. Boat owners can even bring their vessel and park it in the marina during their stay.
In summer, the resort even offers live music. Guests can also make day trips to the surrounding area; one fun idea would be to drive up to the Dutch community of Pella, Iowa. This small town celebrates its Dutch heritage with a tulip festival in May, functional windmills, and Jaarsma’s Bakery (famous for its Dutch Letters).
Rough River Dam State Resort Park, Kentucky
Kentucky is an interesting state – part Midwest, part Appalachia. The Eastern part of the state features mountains, but the Western part is rolling hills and farmland just like you’d find in Illinois or Iowa. Rough River Dam State Resort Park is located in the northwestern part of the state, sort of in-between Louisville, Kentucky, and Evansville, Indiana. Rough River Dam creates the 5000 acre Rough River Lake, which offers some of the best fishing in the area.
The Resort Park has both a lodge and cabins, as well as an air camp if you happen to have a private airplane. Grayson’s Landing Restaurant serves meals overlooking the lake.
Besides fishing, activities include boating, hiking, disc golf, swimming, miniature golf, tennis, volleyball, and orienteering. Rough River Dam State Resort Park is also well-positioned for day trips. A few of the easier day trips in the area would include Mammoth Cave National Park for some of the best cave tours in the United States; stamping your Bourbon Trail passport in Elizabethtown, Kentucky; checking out the Louisville Slugger Museum and Churchill Downs in Louisville, and paying a visit to Santa at Holiday World.
Blue Harbor Resort, Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Set on the shores of Lake Michigan, the Blue Harbor Resort & Conference Center has been welcoming guests since 2004. This area, which was once a peninsula for coal storage, has been completely redeveloped. The resort offers both hotel-style rooms and villas, and has an indoor waterpark as well as an outdoor swimming pool. There’s an arcade, a lakefront boardwalk, a spa, multiple restaurants, and a miniature golf course. Beach access, complete with a sandy beachfront, is very close.
Sheboygan itself is a classic midwestern small city, and retains something of its German heritage. There is an authentic local Biergarten as well as a brewery. Kids will enjoy the Above & Beyond Children’s Museum and bibliophiles of all ages should take a look at Bookworm Gardens. There’s a Viking-themed axe-throwing bar, championship-level golf, and minor league baseball in the summer. And if you want to go a bit farther afield, Milwaukee is an hour to the south – and even Chicago is within easy driving distance.
The Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island, Michigan
I’ve saved the best for last; this is the grand-daddy of all Midwestern family resorts. Mackinac Island (pronounced MACK-in-aw) in Michigan has been hosting vacationers for centuries, and the Grand Hotel is about to open for its 136th summer season in 2022. This car-free island in western Lake Superior can only be reached by boat or private/charter plane. Once on the island, guests get around by foot, bike or horse-drawn carriage. The island is famous for its fudge and hosts a Fudge Festival in late August. Other activities include biking, boating, hiking, visiting historical sites, shopping, and other leisure-time favorites.
The Grand Hotel opened its doors for the first time in 1887 and has been welcoming generations of families ever since. Rooms and suites are available and can be booked as room-only or with meals/activities included. Many of the rooms feature lake views or balconies, and some of the accommodations can sleep up to five. Activities at the hotel include afternoon tea in the parlor, croquet and bocce in the courtyard, swimming, horse riding, golf, bicycling, and more. There is even a spa on site.
There are no cars allowed on the island, and the hotel is a 15-20 minute walk from the ferry dock. However, for a small fee, you can take a horse-drawn carriage to the hotel. I can’t think of a better way to start a stay at the Grand.
In Summary: Don’t skip the Midwest!
The midwest is often thought of as “flyover” country, but as I have shown, there are some great family vacation destinations scattered all over the midwest. This post has just scratched the surface, to be sure. A quality, economical, old-fashioned family summer vacation can still be found – you don’t have to look any farther than the Midwest! And have a fried pork tenderloin sandwich for me while you’re there.
