Enjoy a rustic retreat without having to rough it. Located about an hour from Fort Worth and 90 minutes from Dallas, this bucolic destination offers plenty of outdoorsy fun along with accommodations that feature all the comforts of home … and then some.
For the kiddos: In addition to now-standard swimming pools and video games, Rough Creek Lodge offers such less-common, family-friendly activities as guided fossil hunting, bird watching and hayrides. Elsewhere in Glen Rose — just a short drive away — are Dinosaur Valley State Park, home of some of the best preserved dinosaur tracks in the world (and two life-sized dino replicas), and Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, where you can keep your windows rolled down throughout a nine-mile scenic drive surrounded by a host of exotic and endangered animals. Kids will also love the Kids Ranch Play Area with enough games and activities to satisfy young travelers of all ages (Wii, anyone?).
For ‘tweens and teens: Tell your kids to step away from the Xbox and try their hands at some old-school games. Archery, volleyball, croquet and horseshoes are just a few of the recreational activities to test their mettle. If that’s not their bag, they can avail themselves of the softball field, basketball court or hard-surface tennis court, all located on the resort grounds.
For moms and dads: There’s no on-site course, though the 36-hole public Squaw Valley Golf Course is 15 minutes away, and nearby Granbury is home to six additional championship courses. Still, golfers can stay in the swing of things at Rough Creek’s 300-yard driving range.
Those who prefer the great indoors can enjoy some R&R in the resort spa with a signature margarita pedicure or specialty treatments such as the rhythmic Hawaiian Lomi-Lomi massage and the ancient healing technique known as cupping.
For the whole family: If the family that plays together stays together, your clan should be pretty much inseparable after some time spent on any of the following available activities: paintball, ATV riding, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, pontoon boating and fishing. But don’t think it’s all go, go, go; more mellow pursuits include star gazing or simply winding down at night, s’mores in hand, around the fire pit. New additions include a separate family pool with a lazy river and a 60-foot slide, bungee trampolines and a climbing wall.
Did we forget to mention? The lodge may be best known for its dining and hunting opportunities. Chef Gerard Thompson’s upscale Texan cuisine consistently lands atop critics’ best-of lists, and the resort’s restaurant has amassed awards and kudos from organizations from the North American Restaurant Association to Zagat Restaurant Survey. Though game often makes an appearance on Chef Thompson’s daily-changing menu, do-it-yourselfers can take matters into their own hands on a hunt for quail, pheasant, turkey, whitetail deer or exotics such as blackbuck, buffalo and wild boar. Non-game target shooting is also offered for the whole family.
