Good news, everyone: Summer golf is right around the corner, and our summer trips package has you covered. Over the next week, our experts will name their favorite courses and resorts, we’ll look at the newest style trends, help you plan your next buddies’ trip, introduce you to people who can help you plan your golf getaways and more. The goal here? To educate and motivate you for your next golf trip. So read up, then grab your clubs and bags.
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8 amazing family-friendly golf resorts worth visiting this summer
Omni Mount Washington Resort, Bretton Woods, N.H. — A historic hotel with a classic golf course. Tough to beat, right? Omni Mount Washington — originally dubbed Mount Washington Hotel — opened in 1902 and still boasts the meticulous and elegant craftsmanship as it did 100-plus years ago. In 1986 it was declared a National Historic Landmark, and in 1999 it began welcoming guests for the winter. Now it’s a skiing destination as well as a family and golf getaway. Omni started managing the property in 2009 (before buying in 2015), invested significantly to improve the hotel while also keeping its old-world charm and also built a massive spa and conference center. Mount Washington Golf Course is a 1915 Donald Ross design and is one of the best public courses in New Hampshire, but there’s also a more family-friendly 9-hole track. If some of the family doesn’t like golf, don’t sweat it — there’s hiking, biking, carriage ridges and, yes, skyway gondola rides. [Book here]
Wilderness Hotel and Golf Resort, Wisconsin Dells, Wis. — If you are from the Midwest, you know of the Wisconsin Dells. And if you don’t, get ready to be introduced to a colossal watery haven your kids will fall in love with. All the action might stress you out, or maybe you’ll turn into a kid again and love it too. Wilderness Resort is just one of the several resorts in this vacation town, but it’s the only one that dubs itself America’s Largest Waterpark Resort and boasts four indoor and four outdoor water parks. But we love it because it also has a golf course, Wild Rock Golf Club, and a short course called The Woods. If you want even more golf, there’s lots in the area. But don’t kid yourself: this specific trip might be waterpark-heavy on your itinerary. [Book here]
Big Cedar Lodge, Ridgedale, Mo. — No surprise here. When GOLF launched its inaugural list of the best 100 resorts in the United States, Big Cedar Lodge was ranked first for families. And you know what? It’s only gotten better since. Tiger Woods’ first public design, Payne’s Valley, opened in 2020 to give the mega-resort its third 18-hole course (Payne’s Valley also boats an unreal 19th bonus hole) to go with its par-3 course and short course. Besides golf, the fishing, the boat cruises, kayaking and other countless water activities, there’s also a 50,000-square-foot area literally called Fun Mountain that has everything — bowling, laser tag, go-carts, a ropes course, an arcade, massive play area and more. Hungry? No sweat. There are a dozen restaurants on site. [Book here]
The Sagamore Resort, Bolton Landing, N.Y. — This Lake George getaway has lured New York City residents during the summer months for years, but it’s worth considering for anyone outside of the city (or state), too. The golf course is a 1928 Donald Ross design and one of the best public options in the state. As for the kids, they’ll never want to leave The Rec Center, a 10,000-square-foot indoor entertainment area loaded with activities like Ping-Pong, video games, Whiffle Ball, mini golf and more. There’s plenty more to do outside, too. [Book here]
The Hotel Hershey, Hershey, Penn. — Yes, the golf is good, but if you want a place where kids can have their fun too, just check out the outdoor pool complex, which is cool enough for adults to get jealous (that is if they didn’t have their own infinity-edge adult pool). But some of the real fun is just a mile down the road at Hersheypark, an iconic amusement park with rides, rollercoasters, a water park and, well, everything else you’d want in an amusement park, including a Hershey’s Chocolate Tour. Oh, we almost forgot about the golf. There are two 18-hole courses (the East and West; the latter hosted the 1940 PGA and an LPGA event for years) plus a nine-holer designed for juniors and an 18-hole putting course. This is a high-end hotel, though, so you won’t want to skip the restaurants, either. Luckily for you there are a ton. [Book here]
Sun Valley Resort, Sun Valley, Idaho — A superb winter spot? Yes. Still great for Sun Valley’s warmest months of the year? Absolutely. There are a pair of Robert Trent Jones, Jr. golf courses (RTJ Sr. collaborated on one of them) and a family-friendly 9-hole course. There’s lots to do outside beyond golf, too, like exploring the 400-plus miles of bike trails, sport shooting, horseback riding, bowling and plenty of water fun. Also, the views. [Book here]
Omni Homestead Resort, Hot Springs, Va. — U.S. presidents — 23 of them, to be exact — vacationed here. Why can’t you? The Virginia mountain resort, which first opened in 1766, has quickly expanded since, most recently after Omni purchased it in 2013 and spent millions in renovating and restoring. There’s also a half-dozen restaurants, other grab-and-go food options and even a Virginia wine tasting experience. Its state-of-the-art spa facility is at the site of the largest hot springs in Virginia, but if you want something more kid-friendly then check out the pools (indoor and outdoor) and epic water-slide setup, or look into zip-lining or adventure days, the latter consisting of a full itinerary of crafts, games, scavenger hunts and more. Staying inside? There’s a game room and movie theater. The golf’s good, too. There are two courses, the Old Course and the Cascades, the latter designed by William S. Flynn (also the architect of Shinnecock Hills) that’s celebrating its centennial this summer. It was also recently announced as the host of the 2025 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur and the 2029 U.S. Senior Amateur, which will be the ninth and 10th USGA championships contested here. [Book here]
The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, Colo. — You’ve probably heard of this one before. It ranked first for general excellence in GOLF’s Top 100 Resorts in the U.S. list from 2019, and for good reason: there’s something for everyone. The Broadmoor Golf Club has two 18-hole courses, the East and West, designed by Donald Ross and Robert Trent Jones. (Jones added 18 holes in the 60s, and holes from both architects make up the current East and West routings.) The courses have hosted several USGA championships, the most recent the 2018 U.S. Senior Open, won by David Toms. With the elevation, the views are spectacular, but so is virtually everything else at this luxury getaway nestled in the Colorado mountains. There’s loads of dining options, outdoor activities, a bowling alley and an epic movie theater the kids will love. [Book here]
