Calling the big city home offers so many opportunities that enrich the lives of families, but it is often at the expense of hectic schedules and overworked family members. Some families are choosing to escape urban life on a one-of-a-kind “haycation.” Haycations offer visitors an opportunity to experience the inner workings of a typical American farm. Ready for your country getaway? Head to the Hill Country for a horse-riding adventure in Bandera, Texas, or travel to the organic Kinnikinnick Farm in Caledonia, Illinois.
By Plane: Caledonia, Illinois
What to Do
Kinnikinnick Farm is only 85 miles northwest of Chicago in Caledonia, Illinois, but it feels like another world and another time. Guests can roll up their sleeves and pitch in with farm chores or sit back and enjoy the rhythm of the farm. Kids will find every opportunity to stretch their legs and their imaginations, from exploring the woods and conquering the hay mountain to building forts and searching for clues in the weekly treasure hunt. Parents will want to be on their guard, though, as the farm has an arsenal of loaded squirt guns. There are plenty of animal encounters available too, from gathering eggs in the hen house to leading the goats by a leash to the milking parlor.
716/226-6323; featherdown.com
Where to Stay
A 484-square-foot luxury safari tent with three bedrooms and room to sleep six will be your home on the farm during your stay. Don’t worry about roughing it, though; with a raised wooden floor and a fully stocked kitchen, you’ll feel right at home. There is no electricity or running water, but you won’t miss them when you snuggle into the luxurious linens in your bedroom lit by twinkling oil lamps and candlelight. The canvas walls are thick enough to protect you from the elements but still offer the sounds of nature as you drift to sleep.
Where to Eat
There’s no need to leave when it’s time to eat; the farm has everything to fill your appetite and nourish your soul. Imagine the satisfaction of eating blue speckled eggs gathered by your family early in the morning and cooked over a fire you built yourself. For lunch, treat yourself to a farm-fresh salad with sun-warmed tomatoes, picked by your very own hand. Any ingredients that aren’t grown on the farm can be purchased in the fully stocked Honesty Shop, and by purchasing here you can be sure you’re getting the freshest ingredients while helping local farmers. Evening meals offer an opportunity to take it easy, so join the farmers and the other guests at the wood-fired oven, where kids will love rolling their own pizza dough, topping it with fresh ingredients and watching them bake to a golden brown.
815/292-3288; kinnikinnickfarm.com
By Car: Bandera, Texas
What to Do
Cultivating an atmosphere that’s worthy of the friendship motto of Texas, the Running R Ranch in Bandera, Texas, is the perfect place for a relaxed family getaway. A herd of 35 horses is at the heart of the ranch, and your daily rides onto the 5,500-acre natural park will assure that you leave the ranch with some new four-legged friends and great riding memories. If you’d really like to test your cowboy skills, join the daily cattle drives. After your ride, you can relax in the sparkling pool or serve up some fun with horseshoes, badminton, pool or ping-pong.
830/796-3984; rrranch.com
Where to Stay
A variety of lodging choices are available at the Ranch to ensure you’ll have the perfect place to hit the hay after a full day in the saddle. Whether you choose a family cabin that sleeps four or the larger bunkhouse for a family of six, you’ll enjoy the handmade cedar furniture, cozy Indian throw blankets and amenities such as a microwave and refrigerator. But the best part of your room is the view. Fields of wildflowers dotting the rolling Texas Hill Country will beckon you to relax outside on your private porch, where you can watch the sunset and the stars light up the night sky.
Where to Eat
Running R Ranch provides cowboy breakfasts and filling BBQ lunches, but for dinner you’ll want to head into the heart of downtown Bandera and fill up at The OST. Named for the Old Spanish Trail, the authentic Western café has been dishing up down-home cooking since 1921. A variety of home-style and Tex-Mex dishes are available from the menu, or guests can sample the generous buffet served from the chuck wagon in the center of the restaurant. Kids will love to take a turn on the Western saddles that serve as barstools, and parents won’t want to miss the John Wayne room, where you can see pictures and memorabilia donated by the Duke during his regular visits to the restaurant while filming The Alamo.
830/796-3836
