5. Lake Austin Spa Resort
Situated only 30 minutes from the city, Lake Austin is home to a spa resort right in the middle of nature. Being rated the second-best spa resort in the world last year, it is a perfect getaway for any couple looking for a luxurious weekend. The resort hosts a variety of facilities and activities, such as water sports on the lake, free fitness facilities, and an all-inclusive spa to keep entertained and outright relaxed.
The lake itself is also home to a variety of fish including largemouth bass, sunfish, and catfish. However, not far from the resort is the Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch. This ranch is less than a mile away from the resort and is home to 40 species and around 500 animals. Some of the exotic wildlife you can spot here include zebras, rhinos, and even giraffes. The ranch itself is also a great day out with plenty of fun activities for the whole family.
4. The Swag
The Swag is rated as the best mountain resort in the south and boasts some prestigious rewards. It’s located in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and is only a 40-minute drive from Asheville, North Carolina.
The Swag describes itself as a romantic hideaway, being perfect for a couples’ escape. And being buried in the heart of the Smoky Mountains, it is host to quite a few exotic animals. The resort hosts many events that you can experience during your stay, with one of the most interesting being ‘Black Bears & Unhuggables’. In this event, there is a presentation on insects, bats, snakes, and black bears.
Being a mountain, the resort runs a lot of hikes. You have the option to go by yourself or with an expert in hiking. Whichever you choose you will have a good chance at meeting the wildlife of the mountain, which include salamanders, coyotes, deer, black bears, bobcats, and elk. So if you’re looking to relax in the thick of nature, this resort is definitely for you.
3. State Game Lodge
In the Black Hills of South Dakota lies the State Game Lodge, a wildlife sanctuary, and a breath-taking resort. The lodge sits on over 70,000 acres so there is no shortage of wilderness to explore. Being only a 30-minute drive from Rapid City, it is also not difficult to find.
The Game State Lodge is listed as a historic place on the national register and has also been visited by multiple presidents, even serving as President Calvin Coolidge’s summer White House in the 1920s. If that doesn’t show it’s magnitude then I don’t know what does.
The lodge is a sanctuary for bison and over 1,300 of them roam the land freely. A popular and well-known feature of the lodge is it’s safari Jeep tours, giving guests the opportunity to stop and even get up close to many of the resident bison and buffalo. Other animals that can be spotted on your stay include mountain goats, elk, bighorn sheep, and birds (remember to be careful of bird droppings).
2. Park Shore Resort
The Park Shore Resort is a tropical hideaway in Naples Island, Florida. The resort is surrounded by serene waterways and lavish greenery, being the best little nature stop in town. The resort hosts a variety of recreational facilities for you to enjoy on your stay such as a heated outdoor pool, spa, fitness center, on property dining, and much more.
The best thing about this resort is how close it is the Everglades which are home to a plethora of exotic wildlife, and all at a cheap price too. Not even a 5-minute drive from the resort is Corey Billie’s airboat rides, one of the best airboat tours of the Everglades in Florida. The tours are just under an hour and explore a large area of the Everglades giving you a chance to see some of the common exotic animals in the south and Florida, like leatherback turtles, Florida panthers, West Indian manatees, and of course alligators. The tour also includes the chance to get up close with alligators and even hold baby alligators too!
1. Wildwood Resort
Discover this hidden gem of natural beauty in the heart of Louisiana. Wildwood Resort is only 20 minutes from the highway but is in the middle of nowhere and right in the middle of nature. The resort overlooks the Toledo Bend Reservoir and is an absolutely beautiful place to stay. Cozy cabins and lodges are where you will be staying and they all come complete with a fully equipped kitchen, cable TV, Wi-Fi, and some even have hot tubs!
The resort has lots of activities and is a fisherman’s paradise having 6 vast ponds, 3 of which you can freely fish in. Some of the amenities of the resort include swimming, BBQ pits, a basketball court, playgrounds, paddle boats, and a honeymoon suite. All of this makes the resort the perfect place for a romantic or a family getaway.
Both the ponds and the reservoir are home to fish such as largemouth, white, and striped bass, catfish, and crappies. If you were to explore just outside the resort it wouldn’t be uncommon to see animals such as swamp and cottontail rabbits, otters, coyotes, white-tail deer, and snapping turtles.
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