Planning the Ultimate Getaway!

My have the years flown by. I remember when I was a kid and my Mom turned forty. I had just gotten my first horse and my Mom was a competitive sailor. For her birthday, my Dad got her a small plaque that said "Forty is Fast". All I could think of was how 'old' forty seemed.


Now that I am staring it in the face, all I can think is that I am too young to be FORTY!


With my Mom turning 65 two weeks before I turn 40, we decided that we needed to have a BIG vacation to properly celebrate our respecitive ages. With a world of options to choose from, my most important criteria was that it had to be very 'kid-friendly'.


Some of the contenders:


Blackberry Farm, TN - (http://www.blackberryfarm.com/) although it looks beautiful, it just didn't seem to cater too much to kids and my son is allergic to just about every animal on the planet!


Dafuskie Island, SC - (http://www.daufuskieislandresort.com/) looks like a very nice resort, but again, I just could not see too much excitement for a 7 year old. This place looks great for a long weekend over Labor Day or Memorial Day, not a place to say good-bye to your 30's.


Enchantment Resort,AZ (http://www.enchantmentresort.com/index.aspx) this resort did have a kid's club and lots of activities, but they did not have a room to hold all of us. I was also a little skeptical of the fact that they really didn't have many pictures of their pool.


L'Auberge de Sedona, AZ (http://www.lauberge.com/ourresort_index.php) - this resort looks like a perfect romantic weekend, but not a good 'family resort'


I was REALLY getting depressed. Whenever I would do a search on 'great family vacations', the number one answer was Disney World. Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE Disney World, but I go there all the time and being there for my 40th, would have just felt like another weekend at the Parks. Someone then suggested Colorado. I had been a bunch of times as a kid and teenager, but my husband has never seen 'REAL' mountains and my son has never seen anything bigger than an ant hill. Now, I am intrigued! Again, my biggest criteria was a Kids Camp and really family friendly.


The Peaks Resort, CO (http://www.thepeaksresort.com/) - Oh my goodness, it is PERFECT. Beautiful resort, KIDS CLUB, very nice rooms, great restaurants, what more could I want?! Wait a minute, it is over a 4 hour drive from Denver International? A four hour flight followed by a four hour drive just was not going to cut it.


Beaver Creek Lodge, CO (http://www.beavercreeklodge.net/) - So pretty. Umm, hello is this the Concierge? Do you have a Kid's Club on site? I can hear snickering in the background while she recommends Disney World to me! Still, it is a pretty resort.


Arrabelle at Vail Square, CO (http://arrabelle.rockresorts.com/info/htl.asp) - I didn't even bother calling about a kid's club. This resort may be where we go to celebrate an anniversary. It just looks beautiful.


Wait a minute, what is this? Ultimate luxury, KIDS CLUB, not too far from the airport??


Ritz Carlton, Bachelor Gulch, CO (http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/BachelorGulch/Default.htm) - WOW! It has EVERYTHING! They LOVE kids, it has a SPA, a Kids Club, beautiful rooms, lots of adventures, not too far from the airport. Let's see what a room costs. Oh my goodness, is that the price per NIGHT?! But this is my DREAM vacation! Oh no, I just realized that price has to be DOUBLED because we need TWO rooms. Heart stopping, must get oxygen.


Now I am in REAL trouble. What am I going to do now? How can I have found the PERFECT resort and yet I would have to sell a kidney to take my entire family there for a week. I searched and searched the internet and finally found the answer to my prayers. There is a site on the internet called VRBO. It is basically a way for people who buy beautiful homes around the world to rent them out when they are not in use. Sure enough, I was able to find this!


http://www.residentialsuitesatbachelorgulch.com/residential_suites.php


They were PERFECT! We got a 2 bedroom condo with a kitchen, dining room and living room at the Ritz Carlton for half of the cost of renting a room. This will be great since we can make some of the meals in the room, it will save us a bunch so we can spend it at the SPA!


If anyone has stayed at this resort, or any of the ones mentioned above, I would love to hear about it!