When you picture yourself escaping to an all-inclusive resort, you likely imagine flying to Cancún, Jamaica, or maybe even the Maldives. And, of course, retreating to a far-flung destination where the swim-up bar drinks are included and your daily itinerary is created for you is pretty delightful. But here’s the thing: you can find all of those perks right here in the U.S. — perhaps even within driving distance of your home.
When you take an all-inclusive vacation, meals, accommodations, and many activities are included, and the advertised rates often extend to alcoholic beverages. While private sessions like spa treatments are rarely included, it’s easier to factor in extras because you know exactly how much you’re spending upfront. With that in mind, here are 16 of the best all-inclusive resorts in the U.S.
The Lodge on Little St. Simons Island, Georgia
This lodge, which can be reached only by boat and hosts a maximum of 32 guests, feels like a true hideaway. Built in 1917 as a private hunting lodge, it opened to the public in the late 1970s. You’re in for VIP service, fresh seafood meals, and animal encounters. The property is located within an 11,000-acre sanctuary full of roaming wildlife, including more than 250 species of birds. Rates include meals, non-alcoholic beverages, naturalist-guided excursions, boat transfers to and from the island, and unlimited access to island activities and recreation gear.
“When we visited this most secreted away of Georgia’s Golden Islands, Little St. Simons, with our then-toddler son, my husband and I remarked that it felt almost like staying at a national park,” said T+L contributor Terry Ward. “Indeed, the privately owned Little St. Simons Island is managed as a conservation property. Historic cottages surround a 1917 hunting lodge and are your basecamp for eco-adventures into the surrounding oak forests and along seven miles of pristine beaches. Rates are all-inclusive, wrapping in boat transfers to the island, garden-to-table meals with lots of fresh seafood from the surrounding waters and bikes, kayaks and fishing supplies to get you out into nature and enjoying. We towed our little son in the resort’s loaner bike trailer along the island’s golden beaches, stopping for photos together at sunset that I’ll always cherish.”
Vista Verde Guest Ranch, Colorado
Located in the backwoods of Colorado, Vista Verde Guest Ranch offers everything you could ever want on a luxury ranch vacation. Here, rates include meals and all beverages; horseback riding; guided hiking, biking, and fly-fishing; kids’ and teens’ programs; evening barn dances and rodeos; and shuttle service to and from Steamboat Springs. After an activity-filled day, enjoy dinner on the ranch (some meals are upscale multi-course affairs, while others are served in a backyard-BBQ style). Then, retreat to your cozy log cabin, wrap yourself in the provided spa robes, and slip between the Italian linen sheets.
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Castle Hot Springs, Arizona
At the Sonoran Desert retreat that is Castle Hot Springs, you can expect the ultimate in relaxation thanks to the resort’s three luxurious soaking pools. You’ll also find an on-site farm and greenhouse, and a wealth of activities for guests ages 16 and older including yoga, meditation, farm tours, and guided nature hikes. Dine at the resort’s in-house restaurant, Harvest, or sip on a farm-fresh craft cocktail at Bar 1896. “The all-inclusive menu is great — think extravagant, five-course meals every night, with ingredients plucked from the on-site farm,” Maya Kachroo-Levine, T+L senior editor, said after a 2021 visit. “The grounds are unreal — the three-tiered hot spring pools are some of the hottest in the world. And perhaps the most exciting part of this World’s Best Award–winning hotel is the via ferrata course, which can help even the heights-averse traveler summit an Arizona mountain.”
The 34-room boutique property is set on 1,100 stunning acres in Arizona, with an all-inclusive rate covering your daily meals, a $25 beverage credit per person per night, accommodations, most activities, access to the hot springs, and gratuities. Note that alcoholic beverages, massage services, and certain activities such as horseback riding as well as the gratuities you’d pay for such services, will cost you extra.
Bungalows Key Largo, Florida
Courtesy of Bungalows Key Largo
One of the best all-inclusive resorts in Florida, this adults-only property is located within a lush botanical garden by the beach, offering private bungalows that come with your own veranda and an outdoor shower or soaking tub. Rates at Bungalows Key Largo include access to several pools and Jacuzzis, poolside cabanas, daily yoga classes, cruiser bikes, a courtesy car to take into town (based on availability), a fitness center featuring Peloton bikes, and most on-property dining (reservations at Bogie & Bacall’s, its fine dining restaurant, require an extra fee).
“When the first-ever all-inclusive resort in the Keys opened in 2018, this Florida girl knew she had to be one of its first guests,” said Skye Sherman, a T+L contributor and Florida native. I arrived by seaplane (and you can, too, via Tropic Ocean Airways) and was blown away by how chic and elegant the 12-acre boutique property was. Since all 135 rooms are standalone private bungalows with outdoor verandas, oversized soaking tubs, and garden showers, there’s no bad room on the property. Spend your days at the spa, between two pools, exploring on Huffy cruisers, relaxing on the 1,000 feet of shoreline (a rarity in the Keys), taking advantage of all the aquatic activities on offer (including boozy tours on the floating tiki boats), and sweating in the fitness tiki hut.”
Alila Ventana Big Sur, California
Courtesy of Alila Ventana Big Sur
About three hours from San Francisco (or 5.5 hours from Los Angeles), adults-only Alila Ventana Big Sur is a destination in itself. The toughest part will be choosing your accommodations, which range from plush guest rooms featuring fireplaces to suites sporting outdoor showers and hot tubs to super-luxe private cottages. The inclusive rate covers all your meals, amenities like keepsake water bottles and snacks, concierge services, and access to free picnic and hiking supplies at the Excursion Outpost, so you can make the most of your Pacific Coast getaway.
“I’ve been to all three Alila hotels in California, and overall, this one was my favorite because of the incredible natural setting,” Nina Ruggiero, T+L digital editorial director, reported after an August 2022 stay. “You’re wedged between redwood forest and ocean — the perfect example of California’s diverse beauty. My room had a hot tub and hammock on its deck, overlooking the forest. The Sur House restaurant really makes the most of the view, and it’s worth going for that alone, but the food is also fresh and local and it has a nice wine selection. There’s great wellness programming (yoga, hikes) and Japanese baths which are an incredible place to stargaze.”
Fair Hills Resort, Minnesota
This affordable old-fashioned summer camp, built in 1906 on Minnesota’s Pelican Lake, earns rave reviews from families who return year after year, generation after generation. The no-frills resort is decidedly unpretentious — and that’s exactly what devotees love about it. Guests stay in rustic lake cabins and come together for a wide array of activities, from fishing and scavenger hunts to swimming, tennis, and golf.
Skytop Lodge, Pennsylvania
Sprawled across 5,500 acres, this historic mountain resort has been luring guests high into the Poconos since 1928. Book a room in the grand stone lodge or at the inn that opens right onto the championship golf course. As for all-inclusive plans, Skytop Lodge offers a Modified American Plan for the whole family, which includes breakfast and dinner at the lodge’s eateries.
The Tyler Place Family Resort, Vermont
At the northeast corner of Lake Champlain, this all-inclusive resort has accommodated guests on its 165 acres of private shore each summer for five generations. Here, you’ll find a mix of cottages and suites, as well as a slew of amenities geared toward family vacations, such as a pool complex, field house, sports fields, art workshops, hiking trails, and bike rentals. Intimate dinners are for adults only and include bistro-style meals with ingredients sourced from 75 New England farms and food vendors; kids’ programming is provided during dinner.
Miraval Resorts & Spas in Arizona, Texas, and Massachusetts
Courtesy of Miraval Arizona / Hyatt Hotels
Miraval Resorts & Spas now has three U.S. locations — Austin, Texas; Tucson, Arizona; and Lenox, Massachusetts — plus a luxury spa experience at the Park Hyatt Aviara in Carlsbad, California. The brand offers an immersive wellness experience with a program that focuses on healthy elevated eating. Guests can attend cooking classes to take these good habits back home, and there are plenty of included yoga and cardio classes. Miraval also gives guests nightly credits as part of its all-inclusive package to be used toward a host of treatments and packages, including facials, massages, and Reiki sessions.
Of Miraval in Tucson, T+L contributor Devorah Lev-Tov reported, “Set an hour outside Tucson in Arizona’s Sonoran Desert, Miraval Arizona is a U.S. pioneer in wellness retreats, first opening in 1995 and joining the Hyatt portfolio in 2017. The 118 rooms are housed in adobe buildings and feature a modern design with wood furnishings and private patios, with thoughtful touches like a labyrinth-inspired circular shower stall and a cozy fireplace.”
Lev-Tov said that the Miraval experience offers “holistic and immersive wellness retreats that go far beyond fitness classes (although they have plenty of those to choose from daily).”
Blackberry Farm, Tennessee
About 45 minutes from Knoxville, Blackberry Farm is picturesque with ribbons of white fences, a pond stocked with fish, and houses constructed from Tennessee fieldstone. Set on 4,200 acres in the Great Smoky Mountains, Blackberry’s 68 rooms are spread throughout the main house, one-bedroom cottages, and six guesthouses. The all-inclusive package includes lodging, snacks, and three meals a day. A plethora of activities are also available to be added on to your stay.
“I had high expectations when arriving at Blackberry Farm for the first time, fully aware that it was a sprawling estate scattered across 4,200 acres, at the foot of the Great Smoky Mountains,” Brad Japhe, a T+L contributor, recalled. “But the actual experience here exceeded anything I could have imagined. From the outside it’s pure rustic charm: barns, horse stables, country cottages. Hidden within is all the trappings of cosmopolitan luxury. Spacious guesthouses are appointed with plush bedding, fireplaces, antique furniture, and patios positioned toward scenic vistas. It’s also a gastronomic wonderland, featuring a James Beard Award-winning restaurant, relying heavily on estate-sourced produce, one of the largest wine cellars in the country, and its own working brewery. The five star property doesn’t merely pay lip service to farm-to-table; it owns the farm, the table, and everything in between.”
Grand Hotel, Michigan
Courtesy of Grand Hotel
This colonnaded 19th-century summer resort, complete with lawn games and after-dinner dancing, is majestically set on a bluff on Mackinac Island overlooking Lake Huron. Every couple of years, the legendary 1887 Grand Hotel unveils an addition, such as the Gate House restaurant, where gentlemen can finally dine sans coat and tie. Each room is unique, creating a custom experience for every guest who walks through the door. There are a variety of packages to select from depending on when you visit and which events (such as jazz, murder mystery, or wine appreciation weekends, among other themes) are taking place. Choose one with a full American plan to include daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner, or a modified American plan to include daily breakfast and dinner (but not lunch).
“Since the island doesn’t allow cars, I was greeted at the airport by a special kind of taxi: a horse and buggy,” raved Katy Spratte Joyce, a T+L contributor. “After a slow, beautiful jaunt through dense woods and a cute town, one of the best small towns in Michigan, my carriage neared the sprawling Grand Hotel and its famed porch, said to be the longest in the world. I notice the architecture first. The hotel is a registered National Historic Landmark and one of just 12 properties nationwide to earn the title of ‘Distinctive Destination’ from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. With roots dating back to 1887, the Grand has a strong sense of history and place. There are 388 signature rooms and suites, none of which are alike. Aim for a room with a private balcony, if possible. The views are worth the splurge.”
Mohonk Mountain House, New York
Courtesy of Mohonk Mountain House
Mohonk Mountain House is a 251-room Victorian castle in New Paltz with a well-planned kids’ program and 21st-century perks like high-speed Wi-Fi, an indoor pool, and plush in-room toiletries by Gilchrist & Soames. Your nightly room rate also covers three farm-to-table meals, curated by the hotel’s executive chef and culinary team and made with locally sourced ingredients. The outdoor fun includes hiking in the surrounding Shawangunk Ridge (a.k.a. the Gunks, a famous rock-climbing locale) and, in the winter, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and ice-skating on the resort’s own rink.
“There are seemingly limitless activities to fill your day at Mohonk,” said Stefanie Waldek, a T+L contributor and upstate New York resident. “My personal favorites included tomahawk throwing, hiking some of the property’s 85 miles of wooded trails, and soothing my sore muscles with a massage in the newly refurbished spa. If I had visited during the summer, I’d have loved to have gone for a swim in Lake Mohonk off the sandy beach. The specialty culinary experiences are also worth mentioning: breakfast and lunch are buffet-style and dinner is à la carte in the main dining room, but don’t miss the monthly wine-pairing dinners or twice-weekly Chef’s Table for an elevated meal. And, of course, one must always stop for tea and cookies in the afternoon — and an egg cream at the old-fashioned soda fountain in the gift shop.”
Twin Farms, Vermont
Just north of Woodstock in southeast Vermont, Twin Farms is an all-inclusive resort set on the former estate of Sinclair Lewis and his wife, journalist Dorothy Thompson. Surrounded by woodlands and wildflower meadows, the 300-acre resort has 10 suites — most of which feature American folk art and wood-burning fireplaces — and 10 private freestanding cottages. The cottages are individually decorated and may include stone terraces, 18th-century limestone floors, and living rooms with fireside hot tubs. Twin Farms also provides customized meals with wine pairings, as well as a wide range of outdoor activities such as hiking, fishing, and downhill skiing on private trails.
“When my husband and I had a rare two nights away from our children, any semi-romantic hotel would have done the trick of providing quality alone time. But when we arrived at Twin Farms, an idyllic, luxurious hideaway set on 300 sprawling acres of woodlands in Barnard, Vermont, we knew we were in for something extra-special,” said Devorah Lev-Tov after a recent stay. “The 30-year-old adults-only luxury hotel has 20 distinctively designed cottages with details like wood-burning fireplaces and private stone hot tubs, and they are adding eight new cantilevered treehouses. It’s easy to huddle up in your cottage, but if you venture out, days here are never boring, no matter the season. A multitude of nature-focused activities await, like canoeing and fishing on the pond, hiking to a dreamy picnic set up in a secluded location, skiing and sledding in winter, and soaking in the Japanese furo tub with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the forest. Guests of the all-inclusive Relais & Châteaux property dine at Twiggs, the Farm’s new a la carte concept, and in the main dining room, where they’re treated to an elaborate tasting menu by chef Nathan Rich — even the property’s extensive alcohol collection is included in the rate. You can even get an ultra-rare Heady Topper beer anytime you want.”
The Ranch at Rock Creek, Montana
It’s a 100-mile drive from Missoula International Airport to this 6,600-acre property in Philipsburg, but the posh high-mountain pampering is worth it. At The Ranch at Rock Creek, the water is full of trout, each of the 29 rooms comes with well-stocked fridges, and spa treatments are tailor-made for two. The ranch also offers farm-to-table meals and a selection of outdoor activities to take in the Montana scenery.
Triple Creek Ranch, Montana
Triple Creek Ranch, just 90 minutes from Missoula, is a stunning Relais & Châteaux property that seamlessly blends the luxury ranch lifestyle with the resort’s rustic surroundings. Dining is a big draw here, with ever-changing dinner menus that focus on fresh, local ingredients. Breakfast, lunch, and snacks are also included in the rate, as are handcrafted cocktails at the rooftop lounge, and house wine, spirits, and beer. Guests have access to a range of activities like horseback riding, fly fishing, yoga, meditation, guided forest hikes, geocaching, and artisanal soap and candle making, among others, so you’ll have plenty to keep you busy.
C Lazy U Ranch, Colorado
Courtesy of C Lazy U Ranch
Two hours from Denver, C Lazy U Ranch offers an all-inclusive escape for the whole family, designed to help everyone from the tiniest toddlers to their parents and grandparents embrace the dude ranch life. Open year-round since 1919, the ranch has everything from horseback riding (for kids and adults), cattle pushing clinics, and a weekly rodeo to archery, hatchet throwing, fly fishing, hiking, yoga, and paddle boating, among a ton of other seasonal activities. Guests also gain access to the game room, tennis courts, a 24/7 fitness center, swimming pool, and hot tub. After a big day out, retire to one of 38 luxury cabins, which sleep anywhere from two to eight people depending on the style.
“During my May 2022 trip to C Lazy U Ranch in Colorado, I was celebrating motherhood. I was celebrating my own mother, who has loved and supported me for over 35 years, and also myself; the trip marked both my first mother’s day and my first night away from my baby. It turned out we were in good hands. Family is the root of C Lazy U’s mission and offerings — and has been since it was first established in 1919,” said Evie Carrick, a T+L contributor and Colorado resident. “The ranch boasts the oldest kids’ program in the state — dating back to the 1950s — and provides kids with the space to run free and be wild. There are plenty of ranch activities — including archery and mountain biking in the summer and sleigh rides and tubing in the winter — but the real heart of the C Lazy U is their horse program, which runs year round for both adults and kids. The property is all-inclusive, with private cabin accommodations and three hearty meals. The day starts with cowboy coffee and hot chocolate around the campfire and ends with a boisterous family-style meal served on communal tables.”
