There is no better way to relax and reconnect with your loved ones than by spending time in the great outdoors. A vacation centered around outdoor activities like hiking, fishing, and exploring Mother Nature’s backyard is a great way to unplug from the daily grind and take a deep breath of fresh air. Camping is a great option for an outdoors vacation, but why not upgrade your accommodations? Skip the tent or camper and book a cabin through RCI instead. A cabin in the mountains, on a lake, or by a river can be the perfect home base for your next outdoorsy getaway. There are many cabins available through RCI, and they all offer peace and quiet, privacy and space, and beautiful surroundings so that you and your travel companions can focus less on pitching a tent and gathering firewood and more on connecting with nature and one another. If you’re looking to get away from the hustle and noise of the city, consider a cabin through RCI for your next vacation. There are many out-of-doors destinations with RCI resorts that offer cabins, and each of them is surrounded by more trees than people. All you have to do is choose one, pack up your hiking boots, and go!
Horseshoe Bend, Arkansas — Crown Point Resort
Tranquil waters abound in Horseshoe Bend, a small town in northern Arkansas, with the peaceful waters of Crown Lake and Diamond Lake both within the city limits, and the lazy Strawberry River nearby. Situated right on the shore of Crown Lake is the Crown Point Resort, offering some of the best water views in Arkansas. Offering one- and two-bedroom multi-story cabins with full kitchens and views of the lake, it’s hard to imagine a more tranquil environment for your next off-the-beaten-path getaway. Birdwatching is a popular activity, as the lake is home to a multitude of bald eagles and other birds. The lake’s sandy shoreline is perfect for swimming and water sports, and the glassy surface is ideal for kayaking or boating. The resort itself has everything you need for fun — an indoor and an outdoor pool and hot tub, sport courts, plus canoes, boats, and kayaks, and even a playground for the kids.
Accommodations: Crown Point Resort #4044
Sevierville, Tennessee — Hideaway Hills Resort
Quietly nestled at the foot of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is Sevierville — a popular vacation spot for those interested in exploring the nation’s most-visited national park. Featuring over 900 miles of hiking trails, an abundance of wildlife, and all-season activities, the Great Smokies is an outdoor lover’s paradise. The Hideaway Hills Resort puts you at the heart of it all. Offering two- and three-bedroom custom-built log cabins, each with expansive wrap-around porches, barbecues, and a private hot tub, you’ll be in heaven when you visit this resort. The resort’s outdoor pool, hot tub, and game room will keep your party entertained, and the view and surrounding natural environment will help you relax and embrace the fresh air and quietude. The nearby towns of Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg (not to mention Dollywood) offer diversion when you’ve had your fill of Mother Nature.
Accommodations: Hideaway Hills Resort #5387
Summit County, Utah — Bear River Lodge
Near Park City, nestled within the wilderness of Utah’s Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest is Bear River Lodge — a place where luxury and Mother Nature join forces to create a rugged vacation valhalla. Offering one- and two-bedroom luxury cabins, the luxe furnishings and deluxe amenities like oversized jetted tubs and big screen TVs make for a comfortable stay. The resort is surrounded by hundreds of miles of trails, perfect for hiking in the summer and snowmobiling or cross-country skiing in the winter. The resort has a fleet of snowmobiles, side-by-sides, and ATVs available for rent, plus an onsite restaurant and general store, swimming pool, hot tub, and two privately-stocked fishing ponds — it’s one of the best outdoor vacations ever. You’ll be surrounded by the rugged beauty of the national forest, and no matter which season you visit, you’ll have a whole host of activities to choose from. In the winter, your whole party will love sliding down the resort’s tubing hill.
Accommodations: The Cabins at Bear River Lodge #8604
Angel Fire, New Mexico — Angel Fire Cabin Share
Angel Fire is a small resort town tucked away in New Mexico’s Sangre de Cristo Mountains, and is bordered by the Carson National Forest and the Wheeler Peak Wilderness Area. Angel Fire is known for skiing and snow activities, thanks to its annual 140” of snow, and the 400-acre ski resort offers 79 different trails and slopes of varying difficulties. Angel Fire isn’t just a winter destination, though. An 18-hole championship golf course is a perfect place to spend a sunny day, and the Angel Fire Mountain Bike Park will get your adrenaline pumping. From hiking and fishing to white-water rafting and off-roading (and much more), you’ll never be bored in Angel Fire. The Angel Fire Cabin Share offers two phases of cozy three-bedroom cabins, each sleeping up to eight people, and including a full kitchen, two full baths, and a fireplace. The resort offers an indoor pool and hot tub, game room, playground, and fitness center.
Accommodations: Angel Fire Cabin Share Phase I #1539, Angel Fire Cabin Share Phase II #C292
Ridgedale, Missouri — Branson Cedars Resort
The Branson Cedars Resort is a self-contained vacation haven, offering two- and three-bedroom log cabins, treehouses, and bungalows. The resort has many activities and amenities onsite, including a cafe, disc golf course, children’s play areas, putting green, swimming pools, sports courts, and a whole lot more. There is so much to do onsite you may never leave, but if you do, Branson is just nine miles away, with a multitude of amazing activities. Branson’s three area lakes offer a wide array of water activities, and the Ozark Mountains offer hiking, biking, and zip-lining. There are several championship golf courses nearby, not to mention mini-golf courses for the kids. Branson’s mild winter temperatures make year-round outdoor activities possible, and in point of fact, Branson is known for having some of the best winter trout-fishing in the country.
Accommodations: Branson Cedars Resort #D590
Spotsylvania County, Virginia — Wilderness Presidential Resort
Less than 40 miles from our nation’s capital, in the wilderness of Northern Virginia, you’ll find the historic area known as Spotsylvania County — full of Civil War history and the site of several historic battlefields. Quietly tucked away amidst the trees and wildlife is the Wilderness Presidential Resort, a 600-acre campground on a lake with private cabins, organized activities, and a whole lot of family-friendly fun. The cabins offer full kitchens, private hot tubs, and a fireplace — there’s even a rocking chair on the front porch! The list of onsite activities is never-ending: rock-climbing, a ropes course, mini-golf, swimming pools, playgrounds, kayaking, fishing, archery, disc golf, and paddle boats — plus scheduled events like luaus, bonfires, craft groups, live music, and more. If you can tear yourself away from the resort, you’ll find plenty of outdoor activities in the nearby Shenandoah National Park. Think best outdoor vacation ever.
Accommodations: Presidential Resort At Chancellorsville #1932
Huntsville, Texas — Wildwood Shores Resort
Just an hour’s drive north of Houston, you’ll find the city of Huntsville, the original home of the most famous Texan of all time — Sam Houston. The area outside Huntsville is also home to the Wildwood Shores Resort, a group of wilderness cabins surrounded by the warm waters of Lake Conroe and the tall pines of the Sam Houston National Forest. The resort’s two- and three-bedroom cabins offer full kitchens and woodsy furnishings, and the resort offers two pools, sports courts, children’s play area, splash pad, picnic area with barbecues, and a boat launch. Outside the resort, the national forest is home to several hundred miles of hiking trails, plus recreation areas, lakes, and creeks. Rent a canoe or paddle boat and fish on Double Lake, or rent a mountain bike or dirt bike and take to the countless trails. Watch for wildlife in the form of deer, quail, bald eagles, or the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker.
Accommodations: Wildwood Shores Resort #6143
Sallatunturi, Finland — Holiday Club Kelorinne
In Finland’s northernmost province of Lapland you’ll find the rustic outpost of Sallatunturi, home to thick pine forests, pristine lakes, and rolling hills. It’s close enough to the Arctic Circle that world-class skiing is an almost year-round activity, and you can see the famed aurora borealis nine months out of the year. It’s here that you’ll find the Holiday Club Kelorinne, consisting of studio log cabins, each with a partial kitchen, fireplace, and traditional Finnish sauna. Each cabin is perfectly positioned on the mountainside, enabling you to ski down to the chairlift from your cabin’s front door. The resort has an onsite restaurant, bar, and indoor swimming pool, perfect for relaxing after a long day spent out of doors. There are ski instructors onsite, offering lessons in downhill and cross-country skiing. Holiday Club Kelorinne is less than four miles from the Russian border, so you may want to find time for a sightseeing excursion.
Accommodations: Holiday Club Kelorinne #3498
Kihniö, Finland — Holiday Club Pyhäniemi
Western Finland’s Pirkanmaa region is known as the sauna capital of the world, and for good reason. The area is home to more than 50 public saunas, which originated in Finland and are a part of traditional Finnish culture. On the shores of Lake Kankarinjärvi in the town of Kihniö is Holiday Club Pyhäniemi, surrounded by all the natural landscape Finland has to offer. Choose from studio, one-, two-, three-, and even four-bedroom cabins, complete with cozy furnishings, fireplace, full kitchen, and a traditional Finnish sauna. In the warmer months, the lake’s pure, clean water is wonderful for swimming and other water sports, and its abundance of fish makes it perfect for anglers. Hiking and biking are also widespread warm-weather activities, and during the colder months, cross-country skiing is popular in this area. The resort has onsite tennis courts, mini-golf, a children’s playground, and snack bar as well.
Accommodations: Holiday Club Pyhaniemi #3552
Kuusamo, Finland — Holiday Club Ruka
The town of Kuusamo lies in the snowiest region of Finland, and is covered with snow for an average of more than 200 days per year. This is why Kuusamo is home to one of Finland’s largest ski resorts — Ruka, a northern snow sports paradise. Choose from downhill or cross-country skiing, or rent a snowmobile and enjoy the more than 300 miles of snowy trails. Warmth and sunshine are minimal in this part of the world, but in the limited summer season hiking and fishing are popular outdoor activities. Holiday Club Ruka is perfectly positioned to help you enjoy all that this region has to offer. Featuring studio, three-, and four-bedroom cabins, there is plenty of room for the whole family to come along. Each cabin is fully equipped with kitchen facilities, a cozy fireplace, and a traditional Finnish sauna. Make sure to try ice fishing or snowshoeing, and go for a ride on a reindeer sleigh or dog sled while you’re there.
Accommodations: Holiday Club Ruka #3551
Äkäslompolo, Finland — Holiday Club Yllas
Äkäslompolo is a village with a population of less than 500 permanent residents in Finland’s Lapland province.The town may be small but the mountain is big — the mountain known as Yllästunturi (Yllas for short), with a ski resort of the same name, is the tallest mountain with a ski lift in Finland. Naturally, downhill and cross-country skiing are the most popular activities in this area. Winter is a way of life in Finland’s north, and the town itself is nearly 100 miles north of the Arctic Circle. In the limited warmer months of the year, hiking is a popular activity, as the nearby Yllästunturi National Park has an expansive network of forest trails. Holiday Club Yllas offers one- and two-bedroom cabins, equipped with a full kitchen, stone fireplace, and traditional Finnish sauna. The resort has an onsite restaurant and a small grocery store, perfect for making sure you’re well-fed and have access to a variety of snacks after a long day spent on the slopes.
Accommodations: Holiday Club Yllas 2 #2425
