Starting to plan your next family vacation? Consider a resort that the whole family will enjoy. When parents think of the word vacation visions of lounge chairs, frozen drinks, and sparkling blue Caribbean waters dance through their heads. For kids, it’s loud, exciting rides, cotton candy, and life-sized characters from their favorite television show. Think there’s no happy medium?
Think again.
The best way to describe Tyler Place Family Resort in Highgate Springs, VT on Lake Champlain is a summer camp not only for the kids, but for the parents, too. Truly. Let’s look at a typical day on a family’s vacation at Tyler Place:
Mom, Dad, and the kids wake up, walk out of their quaint cottage and hop on their bikes they’ve been given for the week. The parents drop the kids off with their “group”, designated by age, where they’ll convene for breakfast with their friends, some new and some they see year after year during the same week. Mom and Dad will enjoy a quiet breakfast together, leisurely reading a paper, sipping on coffee, and waving “good morning” to other parents as they go to and from the buffet.
Mom might then head off to a yoga class while Dad joins a guided mountain-biking trip for the morning. Meanwhile, the kids are having the times of their lives exploring the Children’s Garden, learning how to kayak, or sliding down the water slide at the pool. After the morning’s activities, the groups all eat lunch together while the parents lunch with friends and enjoy some uninterrupted adult conversation.
The afternoon options are endless but this is the time of day designated for families spending time together. Perhaps a fishing trip is in order, or a game of miniature golf, maybe some bouncing on one of trampolines and a pass at the zip line. Some families with younger kids take advantage of the afternoon for nap time…parents included, of course!
After their choice of an active or lazy (or a little bit of both!) afternoon, the kids head back to group for dinner and continued activities while the parents convene for cocktail hour followed by another delicious dinner. After dinner, the parents either head back to their accommodations with their kids or let a caring and capable babysitter take over while they partake in the evening entertainment. At the end of their long, fulfilling day, there’s no trouble going to sleep, resting up for another fun day.
Now for those whose idea of vacation means doing nothing but getting lost in a good book and relaxing, Tyler Place is perfect. Why? While offering a wealth of activities that will guarantee guests never get bored, nothing is mandatory. Meaning you can drop your kids off in the morning and put that head back on the pillow!
Time for specifics:
Accommodations
There are a wide variety of accommodations to choose from at the Tyler Place. First, there is the Inn which is connected to the building that houses the dining room, the lounge and the sun room. Rooms in the Inn most closely resemble those you’d find at a typical hotel. Second, there are cottages scattered about the property that can accommodate a 3-person to a 10-person family and are priced accordingly. Finally, there are farm houses and a carriage house that accommodate multiple families at one time, therefore, better for the budget conscious. Don’t worry though. Each accommodation allows for privacy and has its own bathroom and living area, most also have a kitchenette complete with refrigerator, stovetop, and coffee maker. One important thing to keep in mind: there are no phones in the majority of accommodations. The whole idea is that you are on vacation and will not want to be contacted. So for those who feel naked without a phone, bring your cellular. Rest assured, most service providers have great reception. There is also internet access available at the Inn for the most technologically-needy.
Food
The Tyler Place Family Resort is surrounded by dairy farms and farmland so it comes as no surprise that food is fresh, wholesome, and delicious. The chef, while creative, creates dishes served buffet-style that are meant to appeal to those with both a basic and adventurous palate. One night of the week is designated as lobster night, a special treat! Since this is, for the most part an all-inclusive resort, all the meals are included in the room price. This paired with the high quality and fantastic food should make even the pickiest of gourmands happy.
Daytime Activities
We touched on some of the activities above, however, that just scratches the surface. Activities for the kids include: a playhouse for the younger set complete with playground, water play, Children’s Garden, scavenger hunts, nature walks, songs and movement, arts & crafts, boating, fishing, bike rides, swimming in the lake and the pool, water sports, hikes, trampoline and sports like tennis, soccer, capture the flag and more. Activities for the adults include a lot of the same plus yoga, pottery, wine tasting excursions, ropes course, mountain biking and golfing at nearby local golf courses.
Nighttime Activities
A few nights during the week special cocktail hours are hosted by the Tyler Family and staff. Enjoy Punch Bowl hour on the lawn of the Tyler Cottage one night and Newcomer Welcome another. No matter what night it is tasty hors d’oeuvres are served and friendships forged. After dinner, the fun doesn’t end for the kids or the adults! The kids enjoy singing songs, special guest performances and bonfires (for the older ones). Meanwhile the adults enjoy nightly entertainment featuring DJ Dance Party, Jazz Night, Bonfire Sing A Long, Karaoke Surprise, and Game Night. Keep in mind that while the Tylers treat their guests to free drink at some cocktail hours, alcoholic beverages are not included but are very reasonably priced. And don’t worry about carrying cash, the bartenders make it easy by keeping a running tab for you all week.
Final Authors Note
As a child I begged my parents to let me go to sleep-a-way camp every year. Never realizing my childhood dream, when my husband and his family told me about spending a week every summer there, I saw a glimmer of hope that my dreams could be realized. Immediately after hearing of their fond memories, I booked a week about eight months in advance and with each month I built up my expectations more and more. I am certain that my husband was afraid that I would be disappointed since not only was I getting my hopes up, I was putting all the weight of my idyllic expectations of what camp was from my youth. Let me tell you, not only did The Tyler Place meet my expectations, they exceeded them! My husband, son and I all had a terrific time and can’t wait to go again, for opening week, next year. If you are looking for a ritzy resort with a pretentious feel don’t go to The Tyler Place. If you and your family are after good old fashioned fun with other families looking for the same, then you’ve found the perfect spot for a summer vacation. For more information about The Tyler Place resort visit www.tylerplace.com
