Hotel Name: The Lodge & Spa at Brush Creek Ranch

Number of Rooms: 41

Location: In south central Wyoming, just over the border from Colorado.

Purchased in 2008 as a family getaway, Bruce White decided his spectacular 30,000-acre hideaway in the middle of Wyoming’s rugged wilderness was too special not to share. Chicago’s Simeone Deary Design Group transformed the property into a luxuriously rustic Lodge & Spa, with beautifully designed guestrooms and residences. The resort offers a host of activities and guests are encouraged to take advantage of the all-inclusive amenities by signing up daily for whatever strikes their interest. You might want to indulge in a spa treatment inside a teepee, or gallop across the Sierra Madre on one of the property's 120 horses. Come back to your cabin at night to read by the fireplace, while sitting in a cowhide leather chair. Real cowboys only wish they had it this good.

What We Loved: Gourmands will be in heaven here, as Brush Creek is one of the few working ranches outside of Japan licensed to raise Wagyu cattle. The 200-head herd is part of their pasture-to-plate program, which will also see meat lovers enjoying signature dishes like venison stew (served around the campfire, natch.) Don’t worry about wine pairing, either – the cellar is stacked to match.

What We Didn’t Love: Check out time is at 9:00 am, so this isn’t a place to keep hitting snooze. However, with the long drive back to Denver, you’ll probably need to hit the road early anyway.

Right For: Parents of Little Wranglers, friends jonesing for a reunion, cowboys and girls (either the bonafide or urban variety).

Wrong For: Travelers looking for pure relaxation – the best part of Brush Creek is that there’s so much to do.

Best Time to Visit: Brush Creek is an ideal summer family destination, but couples may want to visit in the early fall, when kids have gone back to school, the landscape is ablaze with changing leaves, and the vibe is a bit more grown up.

TLF Tip: While many travelers associate ranch life with long, lazy summer days, visit Brush Creek in the winter to take advantage of their private ski mountain, one of only a handful in the country (access is by snowcat, so you’re definitely not going to run into any inter(s)lopers.)