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Tyler Place

By Peggy Carlton June 11, 2013
Saturday, my family will be returning to Tyler Place, after missing a year, and we cannot wait.  We first went to Tyler Place in 2009 when my son was 13 months old.  As new parents, we decided to only stay for a short week, as we didn’t know what to expect.  By day two, we were kicking ourselves that we weren’t staying the whole week.  Tyler Place is that good.

Tyler Place is an all-inclusive family resort located on Lake Champlain in Highgate Springs, Vermont.  In essence, it is a summer camp for adults and kids alike.  Each morning kids go off to their camp – divided by age groups -- and go about all of their fun activities: nature walks, pony rides, fishing, “capture the flag,” hayrides, jumping on giant trampolines and the list goes on.

Meanwhile there is plenty to do (or not) for adults with activities ranging from kayaking to yoga to watercolor painting.  My favorite activity became archery, while my husband’s was rock wall climbing.  After lunch, families meet up for an afternoon of fun together.  There are fishing and pontoon excursions, trips to local farms, swimming, bike riding, arts and crafts and much more.  There is something for everyone whether your “something” is lying in a hammock and taking a mid-morning nap, playing tennis or participating in a mini triathlon.

After all of the afternoon activities it’s time to head off to cocktails and dinner.  Here’s the best part – it’s ADULTS ONLY DINING.  Your kids return to their clubhouse for dinner and playtime, movies, puppet shows, etc. and you have a delicious locally-sourced gourmet dinner with the new friends you’ve made during your stay.

After all of the activities and a wonderful dinner - if you still have the energy - there are bonfire, trivia, and dance nights or you can simply have a relaxing drink while listening to live jazz music.  If you decide to stay out for after dinner activities, you can hire one of the many outstanding counselors to babysit.

While the food, accommodations and activities are all important to a perfect stay at Tyler Place, it’s the people that really make it special.  Whether it’s the Tyler Family, their wonderful staff and counselors or the guests themselves, everyone we’ve ever met have been friendly, fun and helpful.

About a half hour away from arrival on our very first visit to Tyler Place, I said to my husband, “I think this is the kind of place where we have to talk to people.”  Happily, I was right.  At the opening evening reception, where we met Ted Tyler for the first time, he introduced us to the couple standing next to us.  “Have you met the Carlton’s? It’s their first time here,” he said to them.  After a few minutes of delightful conversation, he was off making everyone feel welcome and happy to be there.

Tyler Place delivers the best of both worlds for a family vacation.  There is a perfect balance of family and apart time that makes everyone happy.  While the resort isn’t cheap, it gives us – if only for a week -- the stress-free, fun, family time we need.  There are a couple of openings at Tyler Place this summer, but if you are interested in going next year, put your name on their waiting list and start saving your pennies.

When she's not at summer camp, Peggy Carlton is a Senior Vice President of MSLGROUP, a leading global communications and engagement network.  She lives in New Jersey with her husband and five-year-old son.