Enjoy All-Inclusives for What You'd Spend at Home

By Victor Block

Last winter, Ben Keenan packed a suitcase, told friends he was departing and left Seattle, Washington, for a warmer destination. His goal: to learn whether he could live for a month at an all-inclusive resort for what it cost him at home.

On a monthly basis, Ben spent about $4,000 for rent, utilities, food and other basics. He wondered if he could have someone else clean and cook for him, provide entertainment and offer other amenities for about the same outlay. At the end of his month away, he learned that he could.

That is what all-inclusives do. For a set price, they provide accommodations, meals, beverages, activities and (usually) gratuities for one up-front payment. What sets each apart is the choice of pastimes the property provides. While room, board and other necessary costs are covered, the list of possibilities varies. From cooking classes to cattle drives, bird-watching to hot air balloon rides, the choice includes something-for-everyone options.

Given the name, it seems natural that favorite features at the Lake Austin Spa Resort in the Texas Hill Country include yoga classes, skin and body treatments and healthy culinary demonstrations. And that's just for starters. Guests can take to the lake on kayaks and peddleboards -- yes, that's spelled correctly --- learn to play mahjong, make s'mores by the shore and more.

Water sports are also on the agenda at the Snowbird Mountain Lodge, which provides commanding views of the Great Smoky Mountains in North Carolina. They include canoeing and kayaking on Santeetlah Lake and fly-fishing in gentle creeks that wind through the hillsides. Back on land, visitors have a choice of mountain biking, taking guided hikes and doing their best to spot some of the more than 50 mammals and 200 bird species that frequent the area. Themed weekends are devoted to wellness and the cultures and culinary treasures of regions of the United States and other countries.

While fly-fishing also attracts some people to Dunton Hot Springs, perched 8,600 feet high in Colorado's San Juan Mountains, it's just one among many things that do so. This resort occupies the site of a community that twice during its past -- in 1919 and again in 1990 -- became a ghost town.

The thermal mineral springs are a major point of interest, and people have a choice of five ways to experience them: at their source, in the restored 19th-century bathhouse, the Well House Cabin and two outdoor pools. Add hiking and biking, horseback riding and river-panning, rock climbing and rock hounding to the list of other to-dos. No wonder Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid once dropped by, as their initials carved into the original bar attest.

Hints of the Old West also survive at the Resort at Paws Up in the mountains of western Montana. It occupies a working cattle ranch, and guests can alternate horseback rides with joining in a livestock drive. Available for self-described city slickers are riflery, sporting clays, ATV tours, go-karts and hot air balloon rides. Comfortable tents and an elevated two-story tree house are serviced by attentive "camping butlers."

Another cattle spread in California's Santa Ynez Valley traces its roots back to 1810, when the area was occupied by Chumash Native Americans. Settlers who followed them called the region Alisal, meaning sycamore grove, and that's the name given to a luxury dude spread.

When they're not riding a horse or enjoying ranch-style meals, guests at the Alisal Ranch can choose from an activity menu that includes air rifles and archery, golf and tennis, gathering freshly laid eggs and getting up close and personal with farm animals. Those who venture off the ranch have a choice of more than 120 nearby vineyards to visit along with the charming village of Solvang, which is known for its Danish heritage and architecture.

While archery, tomahawk-throwing and music around a campfire might suggest a rustic setting, they're part of the program at a very un-rustic all-inclusive resort. Mohonk Mountain House is a sprawling Victorian castle nestled in 40,000 acres of forest overlooking a gleaming glacial lake in New York's magnificent Hudson Valley with sweeping views of the Catskill Mountains.

Founded in 1869, this National Historic Landmark combines many of the offerings expected at a first-class getaway -- golf on a Scottish-inspired course, tennis, an indoor swimming pool, award-winning spa, farm-to-table cuisine -- with some welcome surprises. Warm weather means live musicians performing on the boat dock, outdoor movies and entertainment ranging from magicians to campfires to a Kids' Club.

Guided hikes and nature mindfulness carry through the fall splendor. Come winter, ice skating, snow tubing and other snow sport activities take over. They're complemented by the warmth of a wide variety of indoor entertainment options and themes at this iconic castle and the heat of nearly 140 working fireplaces.

Before considering an all-inclusive vacation, it's wise to get some information about the resort you're thinking of visiting. Find out exactly what the up-front cost covers. If you'd like to stretch your travel dollars, consider going in their off season. Ask if there's a dress code and pack accordingly.

Get dinner reservations shortly after you check in to make sure you get the time and -- if there's a choice -- restaurant you prefer. Consider leaving the resort at least once. Interesting close-by sites might be ones you'd like to visit.

WHEN YOU GO

www.lakeaustin.com

www.snowbirdlodge.com

www.duntondestinations.com

www.pawsup.com

www.alisalranch.com

www.mohonk.com

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Victor Block is a freelance writer. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.