Vacations can be boring if you never try something new! Which is why I’m suggesting to everyone to go to The Resort at Paws Up in Montana!
I live in LA. AKa; concrete jungle filled with cars and humans. Flying into Montana the houses have so much green grass surrounding them I began to fantasize what it would be like to roll around in it! Green Grass. Green trees. Fresh air. Ahhh. I arrived.
The Resort at Paws Up Ranch was just a 30 minute drive from the airport and as soon as we pulled in, they took us to our tent.
You have the choice to stay in a tent or a house. A Tent is good because you have a bathroom (either connected to your tent or up a hill but still your private bathroom) (and it’s a LUXURY one – complete with a shower, tub and heated floors, too!). The tens have a huge four-poster bed(complete with Paws Up’s own original heated comforters) and a Butler.
Let me explain this way: Paws Up has “Tent Camps” There are four “Tent Camps.” Each “Camp” has six tents. All six tents share one butler and a dining area. The butler is there to serve your meals, offer assistance in getting to your activities, help with packing or anything you need. He is there all day and night but is off from 11 to 3pm daily.
At night, my butler (that sounds sooo nice, huh?) built a campfire and brought out the most decadent tray of S’mores I’ve ever seen. Tea and coffee was also served. Every night I’d literally melt into my chair in front of a fire I didn’t have to build or clean up watching my kids run around getting dirty (that’s a good thing when you live on concrete).
Another option to stay is in a Luxury Home. They are available all year. Tents are only available in the summer…or you’d freeze to death.
The benefits of staying in the luxury house?
TV; All houses have flat screen TV’s in almost every room.
Cool Car; All homes have either an electric car or a golf car that comes with the rental.
Hot Tub; All homes come with a hot tub. That sit on a back deck and a lovely big front porch…making you feel like you live on a ranch. And all of the homes are separated by acres! So no worry of anyone seeing you naked in the shower….unless you left the door open and one of your kids (or neighbors) wander in.
Other Highlights I liked about Paws Up:
1) The huge Equestrian Center at The Resort at Paws Up is a working cattle ranch. One of the best in the country. Remember Billy Crystal in “City Slickers”? The Paws Up Ranchers can put together a trip like that for you and some friends or you can even spend the day corralling cattle in their daily cattle drive. I didn’t do that because I’m a chicken. Course I’m regretting that now. The ranchers there train horses, teach lessons and can even house a banquet or if you have a outdoorsy bride, a wedding!
2) As you ride around The Resort at Paws Up Ranch, you will notice the lack of stables. Paws Up doesn’t have any!! After the horses are finished working with guests, training and activities, the horses are led back into their acreage of freedom to run and play until the following day! How amazing it is to see a dozen horses running wild like dogs do at a dog park. Like I saw with children: Happy horses equals happy times.
3) The choices of activities at the Activity Center: Yes all guides everywhere are good. But the guides at Paws Up are the best….living and breathing the outdoors. Our guide took us to a lake to canoe but after a few minutes of him staring at the lake, he suddenly pulled out of the parking lot! Why? He thought this lake was too crowded and we wouldn’t see the wildlife he thought we should see. So…he took us to another lake…then when that lake didn’t feel right, he took us to anther (they have many in Montana). Our guide found the perfect spot and we saw a bunch of deer, bear and flying fish. Don’t you worry…member I talked about choices? If you don’t like to canoe….you can do: Fly Fishing…whitewater rafting….tube floating…boating….kayaking. And that’s just what they have to do on the lakes and rivers!
4) All four of the Paws Up campsites sit near The Blackfoot River. After a day of play, when you are happily exhausted and ready to cuddle into bed, the purr of the Blackfoot River, will lull you to sleep for your best rest ever.
5) At the Resort at Paws Up, all your meals are included. In the houses, even though you have a kitchen in your home, you eat at the restaurant. In the tents, you eat at your camps’ food pavilion (a gigantic open tent with fireplace, tables and chairs, so beautiful and sturdy you’ll need two people to lift a single chair). At the food pavilions, a chef comes each morning and evening to make breakfast and dinner. Lunches for the Tents/camps are prepared at the restaurant or on your activity.
Bottom Line: They call this type of camping experience; “Glamping.” I bought my dressy sequins and grungy boots and fit right in. Don’t worry about bringing too many clothes…..laundry is free in houses and tents….so pack light and save that painful baggage fee!
Also – do not bring anyone younger than 5. There is not much to do for that young child and the parent that has to stay home with that kid will be sad. So if you have kids on the cusp, wait a year and come next year! The kids club is for kids 5-12 and will be THE best kids club experience your kids will ever have. Why? See this video I did on their Kids Camp: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3cX1-vYxl4
This video is the best one to see: