TAKEAWAY
Sometimes
kids forget that adults
were once young too. This
tripwill remind them—
and you— that you know
how to have fun.
BY LORI STACY
C
ANOEING
and kayaking?Check. S’moresby the
campfire?Check. Picturesque, lakeside setting?
Check. Luxury accommodations?Oh, yeah, now
we’re talking.When it comes tohavinga camp-style va-
cationwith the kids, wegrown-upswant all theactivities,
but let’s face it—we’dprefer to landour tiredheads on
agoose-downpillowand400-thread-count sheetswhen
it’s lights-out time. So in selectingaplace to spend some
seriousplaytimewithmy family,
TheRitz-Carlton Lodge,
Reynolds Plantation
beckoned. Located
on the LakeOconeewaterfront 75miles
outsideof Atlanta, the resort is a30-acre
playground for kids andadults alike.
Everycampneeds agoodmascot to
makeyou feelwelcomeuponarrival; this
Ritz-CarltonhasDooley.Dooley, a lovable
chocolateLabrador retriever, gaveus
welcomewags asweentered the stunning
resort. From the lobbywindows, our chil-
drenquickly spiedwhatwouldbeour first
activity: the seated rope swings. The three
kids took turns rocketing into theair, their
feet kickingupas if to reach theneedlesof the towering
Georgiapines.When theywerefinished, they started to
runoff toexploremoreof thegrounds, thinking, nodoubt,
thatwewouldbe right behind them. But not so fast; I, too,
wanted to try soaring into the trees,which left thechildren
pleasantlyperplexed. Familycampwasofficially in session.
Itdidn’t takeus long toget acquaintedwithLake
Oconee, andmanyof the resort’sactivitiesare indeed lake-
based.We tookapontoon tour, racedaroundonJetSkis,
and tooledaround the lake inacanoe.Atday’send,when
theadultswere ready for abreak and the kids’ never-
endingenergy requiredanewchallenge,we retreated to
thebeach,where thechildren splashed in thewater and
made sandcreationsasmyhusbandand I loungednearby.
Nights, wedined lakesideatGaby’sby the Lakeor
Georgia’sBistro, wherewe took in theSunday-night
pig roast. Afterwards, weheaded to thefirepit to roast
marshmallows for s’mores, thenplayedgames likebas-
ketball andhorseshoesbefore, happilyexhausted, we
retreated toour room.
Tooquickly, our family camp vacationwas ending.
Wehadn’t taken advantageof even nineof the99
holes of golf, nor hadwe utilizedRitz Kids so that the
children could have fun, sans parents, andmy husband
and I couldhave time together, sans kids. Ultimately,
though, this getawaywas about bonding as a family
throughoutdoor activities. And, of course, getting a
really goodnight’s sleep inbetween.
SummerCamp(FamilyStyle)
TRAVEL
10 Epic Family Trips
37
celebratedliving.com
SUMMER2013
TIP
On an action-packed
vacation, you’ll want amulti-
tasking camera. I used the
compact-but-powerful
Sony
NEX-3N
, with interchangeable
lens capability and an expan-
sive lineup of features and
effects. $499, store.sony.com
TheRitz-Carlton
Lodge, ReynoldsPlantation,
(706)467-0600, ritzcarlton.com
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