The Tyler Place Family Resort, Highgate Springs, Vermont
Since its opening in 1933, Tyler Place Family Resort has been considered one of the best all-inclusive family resorts around. It truly delivers for families, offering award winning infant, kid and teen programs. Kids will love spending time at camp, while parents enjoy a little fine dining. Tyler Place is a foodie heaven, letting guests choose between vegetarian and organic options. 70 different accommodations fit families both large and small. Private cottages, inns and guesthouse suites mean that families can pick a housing option that fits their personal taste and budget. The lakeshore property is filled with simple, New England charm, giving families that much desired country comfort. With green grass, hammocks hanging in the trees, peaceful fishing, biking and hiking opportunities Tyler Place Resort delivers it all.
Suzanne Kelleher (verified owner) –
Amazing Summer Vacation Memories Guaranteed
This is my family’s happy place. We’ve visited the Tyler Place every summer for six years in a row and have racked up countless wonderful summer memories here. Even among all-inclusive resorts, there’s an exceptional spirit of generosity. Nearly every activity is included in the rates, and every guest, no matter what age, gets his or her own bike for the entire week. The kids’ program is exceptional, staffed by the most wonderful counselors, with an incredible variety of activities that gets more thrilling and challenging as your kids get older. For instance: little kids go for banana boat rides on the lake, older kids get to try bumper tubing and waterskiing. By the time kids are teens, they are biking to the nearest town for bowling and pizza and having much more daring fun. I love that there are plenty of wonderful, old-school activities like playing Capture the Flag, making homemade ice cream, and poling across the bay Huck Finn-style on log rafts. My kids have had so many first experiences at Tyler Place and learn something new every summer. Meanwhile, Tyler Place is also nirvana for adults. There are extraordinary outings (canoeing, kayaking, mountain biking, etc) to beautiful locations, terrific workshops and classes (wine-tasting, yoga, pottery, and so on), as well as a dock full of Hobie Cats, stand-up paddleboards, and kayaks that you can take out whenever you like. There is a pre-dinner cocktail hour every evening, and a lot of adult-only excursions such as champagne cruises and a bonfire night at Raake’s Point, where guests are shuttled on a pontoon. One of the best things about a week at Tyler Place is that it offers an ideal mix of kid time, alone time, adult time, and family time. Everyone gets plenty of opportunity to do what they like, and kids get to roam and explore and have fun with friends without being on a tight leash. We can take bike rides together, go out as a family for an afternoon of bumper tubing, or flop in a hammock and read a book. The last day of our visit to the Tyler Place, we start counting down to our next visit. It’s a very, very special place.
Tips for Families
You sign-up for the next day’s activities just before dinner the night before; it’s also when you sign up for the next day’s family afternoon activities at the boat dock. Be sure to try some things you haven’t tried since you were a kid, like archery or the low-ropes course. The instructors are all local experts and, in our experience, always phenomenal.
Roberta Hefferman (verified owner) –
We keep coming back…
We love Tyler Place so much we come back year after year. Mom, Dad, The Tall One (older son) and Small One have been doing a yearly pilgrimage since the Small One was 16 months and the Tall One was 6…now ten years! Everyone loves Tyler Place and it lives up to its reputation as the gold standard for family vacations. Everyone gets a break — including mom and dad who have a wonderful sans responsibility. No cooking or cleaning and the only tough decisions are between an Adirondack chair and a good book overlooking the lake or one of the ultra-fun grown up activities while the kiddies are at “group.” Each age has its own activities and separate counselors and there are special things for each group that the kids look forward to. (“When I’m a teen, I’ll get to…) And the grownup activities are pretty awesome too — crafts, yoga, spa services or hiking, biking, canoes, kayaks, and water skiing. Golf, tennis…I could go on forever and probably still miss something. The food is amazing — don’t think buffet food. Think absolutely screamingly fresh veggies from local farms. Mushrooms and greens and tomatoes from the property.
Tips for Families
Grownups – don’t ignore the I-did-it-as-a-kid activities like wall climbing and archery. Arrange a babysitter early so you can go back to the Inn for activities after the kids are in bed. You’ll love the campfire, dance night, casino night, etc.