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Summer Time: When B&B Equals Family & Fun
Who says B&Bs are just for romance? Now that the
school year is ending, it's time for family getaways. BedandBreakfast.com
members have put together a host of wonderful packages, sure to appeal to
families looking for summer fun. The Travel Industry Association of America
(TIA) predicts that both family travel and grandparents-grandchildren travel
are on the rise; where better to take the kids than a family-friendly B&B?
Visit
www.BedandBreakfast.com, click on Advanced Search, and B&B Specials, and
you'll come to a drop down box where you can select family fun. You can also
go to
http://www.bedandbreakfast.com/search/quicklist.aspx and select
"children welcome" or "family travel" to find kid-friendly B&Bs. For great
advice on finding the best B&B for your whole family to enjoy, go to
http://www.bedandbreakfast.com/report/Jul-Aug-01/tips.htm.
This summer, pack up the family car and try a "kids welcome"
BedandBreakfast.com adventure, listed alphabetically by state. Unless
otherwise stated, all rates listed are for double occupancy, service and tax
excluded.
1. Wildflower B&B-On the Square, Mountain View, AR: Several family
suites offer spacious, private accommodations. Enjoy the mountain music this
town is famous for, then explore Blanchard Springs Caverns, one of America's
top ten caves, plus hiking trails and swimming areas. The Caverns Package
includes two nights lodging, breakfast each morning and afternoon snacks,
music at John Taylors Barn and dinner at an area restaurant, Cavern
admissions, and two Wildflower mugs. Starts at $259, plus $55 for each
additional person. Info: 870-269-4383 or
www.wildflowerbb.com.
2. Turtle Beach Resort, Siesta Key, FL: Bring your family to the
Travel Channel's #1 beach. Family-friendly cottages welcome you to a world
of swimming, fishing, boating and water sports at this bayside resort.
Explore the mangrove islands, paddle next to dolphins and manatees, or visit
a private beach only accessible by boat. Use of the swimming pool, kayaks,
paddleboats, canoes, bikes and fishing poles is included free with your
stay, Pets welcome, too. Rates start at $205 for a one-bedroom fully
equipped cottage. Info: 941-349-4554 or
www.turtlebeachresort.com.
3. Lodge on Little St. Simon's Island, Little St. Simons Island, GA:
A summer vacation on Little St. Simons Island is like taking the basic beach
trip and adding a pinch of Robinson Crusoe, a dash of "Fantasy Island" and a
big slice of National Geographic. Ten thousand acres and seven miles of
deserted beaches await just 30 lucky guests. From the Loggerhead Sea Turtle
Monitoring & Protection program to a Salt Marsh Adventure in search of
fiddler crabs, periwinkle snails and other inhabitants of the sea, families
will enjoy experiencing and learning about this barrier island's secluded
ecosystem. The Lodge on Little St. Simons Island is open year-round,
welcoming all children in the summer, and kids eight and up year-round.
Accessible only by boat, rates are all-inclusive including three meals, all
activities, and all recreational equipment and gear. All-inclusive rates
start at $375. Info: 888-733-5774 or
www.LittleStSimonsIsland.com.
4. The Roosevelt, Coeur d'Alene, ID: While school may be out for the
summer, this former school house named after President Theodore Roosevelt
still offers the three R's - Relaxing, Re-connecting and Rose - the inn's
themes. Two-bedroom family suites, perfect for children six and up, offer
the ideal accommodations. The Hiawatha bike trail, along with kayaking and
cruises on beautiful Lake Coeur d"Alene are just minutes from the inn. Treat
the kids with discount tickets to Silverwood Theme Park/Boulders Water
Park. Rates start at $175 per family per night, including breakfast for all
and beverages and snacks throughout the day. Info: 800-290-3358 or
www.therooseveltinn.com.
5. Christopher's Bed and Breakfast , Bellevue, KY: Adventure awaits
you at Ohio's largest water park with over 40 rides and attractions! Spend
the day at the Beach Waterpark, a 35-acre tropical paradise with live palm
trees and real sand, then relax at family-friendly Christopher's B&B. The
package price for two is $125 (includes tickets to the park, one night's
lodging and breakfast); additional nights are $89. Up to two children can
stay free in their parents' room, but kid's admission tickets ($7 each) are
extra. Newport Aquarium and Paramount King's Island family packages are also
available. Info: 888-585-7085 or
www.christophersbb.com.
6. Stone Mill Suites, Lanesboro, MN: Explore the beauty and bluffs of
historic Lanesboro, including the 60-mile paved bicycle trail, followed by a
trip down the scenic Root River via canoe or inner tube. Historic Lanesboro
packages are available through the fall, and include a one night's stay, a
$30 dinner coupon for a fine local restaurant, and your choice of either an
Amish tour or a mini-golf and kayak package. The family rate of $239 covers
a family of four people. Info: 866-897-8663 or
www.stonemillsuites.com.
7. WindDancers Lodging and Llama Treks, Clyde, NC: This summer, let
WindDancers' guides take your family on a fabulous llama-led outdoor
adventure. Combine a stay at the comfortable lodge with a trek to the Far
Camp, at the top of a mountain ridge. Meals, s'mores, campfires, and even
the tents are all set up by experienced guides. The two-night package for a
family of four with children 8 and over is $760 including all meals, a night
in the lodge, camping equipment, guiding services. Children under 8 pay $125
each. Info: 877-627-3330 or
http://www.winddancersnc.com/home.htm.
8. Franconia Inn, Franconia, NH: Vacationing families can't go wrong
with the White Mountain Adventure package, including four nights
accommodations, full country breakfasts and casually elegant dinners each
day, a horseback ride through the scenic Easton Valley, and two tickets per
person to any two of the area's attractions including Attitash Alpine Slide,
Heritage-NH Interactive Museum, Conway Scenic RR, and many more, starting at
$760 double through September 24, 2003. Info: 800-473-5299 or
www.FranconiaInn.com.
9. Inn the Gardens B&B, Ocean City, NJ: In June and September,
home-schooled families can enjoy an incredibly affordable week of vacation
school at the Jersey shore. Take a nature tour by kayak, stroll the walkways
in a beautiful zoo, see how water is treated at a plant, learn about
recycling at the landfill, take a tour and learn how a local newspaper is
printed, or learn how taffy is pulled and pastries are made at the local
bakery. Rates for five-night home-school weeks in June and September begin
at $371 for a family of two adults, two children under 12. Info:
609-399-0800 or
http://www.nvo.com/innthegardens/homeschool/.
10. The Gallets House Bed & Breakfast, Allegany, NY: Hike, bike,
roller-blade or stroll with the whole family on the many trails at nearby
Allegheny State Park. Families enjoy accommodations in the three-bedroom
Carriage House suite. The two-night midweek family package is $425, the
three-night midweek family package is $575, including accommodations,
breakfast foods and snacks each morning, and a $50 certificate for dinner on
one night - valid through October 31, 2003. Weekends add $100 per family.
Info: 716-373-7493 or
www.galletshouse.com.
11. Heartland Country Resort, Fredericktown, OH: Welcome to Heartland
Country Resort, a luxury bed and breakfast with horseback riding in a
serene, scenic country setting of rolling hills, pastures, fields, and
woodlands, just an hour from Columbus, Ohio. The Heartland Country Resort
offers luxury accommodations and is proud of its three diamond rating from
AAA, its people's choice award of 2002 Best Horse Lovers Inn by Arrington's
Bed and Breakfast Journal, and its A+ rating from the American Bed and
Breakfast Association. Daily
all-inclusive prices are $170/night/adult (do), Youth (ages 10 -15):
110/night/person, Children (ages 6 - 9): $90/night/person, Tots under age 6:
$50/night/person. 800-230-7030 or
www.heartlandcountryresort.com.
12. Crystalwood Lodge, Klamath Falls, OR: Families will enjoy
outdoor adventure here all summer long, choosing from hiking, mountain
biking, mushroom hunting, road bicycling, and more in nearby Crater Lake
National Park, the Fremont-Winema National Forest and Sky Lakes Wilderness
Area. Whether it's horseback riding with the whole family, watching Civil
War re-enactments, or the Northwest Cutting Horse show - summer and fall are
busy times at Crystalwood Lodge. Children are welcome and rates for kids
under 16 are just $30 per night. Rooms start at $105, and rooms with
multiple beds for families are $230 - $245. Most rooms have dog crates, and
are named for elements of Alaska's famous Iditarod Dog Race. Info: 866
-381-2322 or
www.crystalwoodlodge.com.
13. Terralak B&B On Lake Texoma, Plano, TX: Located on the largest
lake in Texas, this kid-friendly B&B offers just about any kind of family
friendly recreation you can imagine. From a trampoline to sand volleyball
and tetherball, families will enjoy playing together here. On the lake, you
can rent a jetski or picnic in a rented pontoon boat. Room rates start at
$65 per night. Info: 903-786-6335 or
www.terralak.com.
14. Tree Streets Inn, Waynesboro, VA: Located in the scenic Shenandoah
Valley where the Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway meet, this outdoor
paradise offers a wide variety of scenic terrain for hiking, cycling,
fishing, canoeing, and caving in and around the George Washington National
Forest and the Shenandoah Nation Park. Tree Streets Inn offers a midweek
(Sunday - Thursday) package including a three-night stay, breakfast each
morning, a box lunch for the outdoorsman or two tickets for touring Grand
Caverns (voted #2 caverns in the country by Parade Magazine) for $275 for a
family of four (children over 8) in the family suite. Info: 877-378-0456 or
www.treestreetsinn.com.
15. Mountain Top Inn & Resort, Chittenden, VT: The longer you stay,
the more you save on family fun and endless activities at the 345-acre
Mountain Top Inn & Resort. The 20% savings package includes three-nights
lodging, breakfast and dinner daily, a guided horseback trail or pony ride,
and use of the resort's facilities including pools, a lake-front beach,
kayaks, canoes, pitch & putt golf, croquet, tennis and hiking trails. The
three-night package starts at $825 per couple; add $99 per night for
children over six; available through September 25, 2003. Info: 800-445-2100
or
www.mountaintopinn.com.
16. Weekwood Farm B&B, Troy (Hamilton) Ontario, Canada: This B&B
offers the perfect mid-point for exploring Ontario's Historic Grand River,
which meanders for over 200 miles through woodlands, meadows, Indian
settlements, and historic villages. A two-night river adventure package
offers an ideal getaway for families who'd like to spend some time together
on the water. Available through October 31, the package include two nights
lodging, a full country breakfast each morning, and one day of rafting,
canoeing or kayaking, starting at U.S. $250 (U.S.) for a family of four.
Info: 519-647-3343 or
www.http://home.primus.ca/~vweeks.
BedandBreakfast.comŪ is the leading online bed & breakfast reservation
network, listing over 27,000 bed & breakfasts and inns throughout the United
States and internationally. A wide variety of search functions and extensive
maps enable inngoers to find the perfect B&B. Travelers can make
reservations online, purchase gift certificates accepted at over 2,700 U.S.
bed & breakfast inns, subscribe to a free newsletter, and post questions on
expert hosted message boards. Founded in 1995, by Eric Goldreyer,
BedandBreakfast.com's goal is to provide the best possible experience for
innkeepers and inngoers alike.
Edited by Dave Shultz
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