When you need to take a little time away from it all, pastoral peace and quiet are ideal. Whether you’re looking for the mist-kissed hills of Tennessee or the wide-open skies of Montana, many farms and ranches now host visitors for placid, relaxing experiences. Plus, there’s always the option to further your adventures out in the fields and meadows and forests. Here are five of the best locations for an activity-filled vacation stay.
Blackberry Farm (Walland, Tenn.)
Cradled in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, this farm provides a kind of intimate hospitality that makes you feel like you’re coming home. Now a premiere Relais & Châteaux property, it’s still family-owned, and it maintains the charm of the original six-bedroom inn. You could just sit by the big, beautiful pool, but so many activities beckon across the farm’s own private wilderness. There are also a number of national parks nearby. Fly-fish in pristine, rushing rivers, paddleboard on ponds and lakes, or hike and cycle the network of trails. And if you’re not outdoorsy? Take part in an artisanal cooking demonstration, with local recipes and ingredients.
The Resort at Paws Up Montana (Greenough, Mont.)
A two-Michelin Key property that’s been ranked within the top 10 resorts in the world, Paws Up Montana can provide the ultimate upscale family vacation. This working cattle ranch spans 37,000 acres, including 10 whole miles of the Blackfoot River. Spend the day in a raft or canoe—or, of course, riding on the back of a horse. Shoot an arrow, or ride an ATV into the backcountry. Then, take your pick of where to bed down for the night, whether in a luxury cabin or glamping tent.
Wildflower Farms (Gardiner, N.Y.)
Once you arrive at this former tree nursery in upstate New York, Manhattan will feel a million miles away. Just 90 minutes north of the city, Wildflower Farms has dozens of cabins and cottages sitting in the shadows of the Shawangunk Ridge. Visitors can enjoy the spa or sit by a crackling fire. But this place specializes in connecting its guests to the soil. Signature experiences include botanical baking and cooking classes, as well as an opportunity to help harvest some of the 14,000 pounds of fresh produce grown here every year. Then, consume it at Clay, the fabulous on-site restaurant.
White Stallion Ranch (Tucson, Ariz.)
Set amidst the saguaro cacti and red rocks of southern Arizona, this historic, family-owned dude ranch has been hosting guests since the 1940s. If you’re a fan of Westerns and country music, you may even recognize the scenery that’s been featured in hundreds of movies, TV shows, and music videos. Today, you can ramble across 3,000 acres on horseback (the ranch has more than 150 horses), or learn to wrangle cattle like a real cowboy or cowgirl. Then, return for a cookout dinner featuring fresh, sustainable, local ingredients.
The Inn at Newport Ranch (Fort Bragg, Calif.)
Below the ranch, the Pacific Ocean stretches out to the horizon, its mighty waves crashing into the sea cliffs girding the Mendocino Coast. Above, there’s so much fun to fill your sun-drenched days. Guests can hike, bike, and horseback-ride along 25 miles of trails, or take guided bird-watching tours. But this place? It’s mostly about the fine dining. Some 80 percent of the food served at the restaurant is sourced from on-site organic gardens. Tour the beehives, taste the edible flowers, and—perhaps the best part—put on a pair of gum boots to tromp through various microclimates in search of tasty wild mushrooms.
This article was originally published in American Essence magazine.
