USA: Northeast Secret Family Vacation Places. When family schedules are hectic getting away means everything and we have outlined a few secret spots to consider. Rock scramble in the Catskills of New York State; board a cog railway at Mount Washington; visit Billings Farm & Museum in Woodstock; enjoy music under the stars in the Berkshires or try a few days on a farm in Pennsylvania.    

New York: New Paltz, Rock Scrambles Huguenots and Rip Van Winkle. The Hudson Valley is framed by gray-rock ridges and filled with lush forests, clear lakes, and energizing rivers. Remember Rip Van Winkle, this is his place? The tales of Washington Irving reflect the mid-Hudson Valley and include localized German and Dutch lore as ell as uniquely American tales and legends. In the same area, New Paltz has been the home of Huguenots for more than 300 years. Today Huguenot Street is the place to time-travel among a collection of stone houses with three centuries of stories to tell. Bonus points: The small community is also the location of The Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art with works of art from diverse cultures as well as artists of the Hudson Valley and Catskill regions. The museum website has a delightful art portal created for kids. Pillow spot: Quietly luxurious and welcoming, the grand dame of the region is Mohonk Mountain House, anchored along the shores of a delightful mountain lake. Surrounded by 2,200 thousands of acres of woodlands and fields, the historic Victorian castle transcends the centuries meeting the varied needs of contemporary families. The sleeping arrangements, varied and elegant, also include charming mountaintop cottages. The Resort offers organized activities for kids of all ages and guests may enjoy more than 85 miles well-marked trails that weave around the lake, through the woodlands encompassing a few rock scrambles. (Mohonk Mountain House 1000 Mountain Rest Road, New Paltz, 12561. 1(845) 255-1000, 1-800-772-6646 or www.mohonk.com) 

New Hampshire: Mt. Washington Valley, Rock Climbing, Pony Rides and a Cog Railway. The White Mountains of New Hampshire offer four seasons of family vacation experiences without effort. Ride horse back along secret shaded pathways; relax in a Victorian carriage; swim in Echo Lake; try mountain biking along well-marked trails.  Fly fishing is very popular from the end of May to the middle of October when both brown and rainbow trout are abundant. For families with energetic teens, rock climbing begins in April and continues until the snow falls. Once the snow season arrives White Horse and Cathedral Ledges attract those wishing to attempt ice climbing. Bonus points: This is the location of the Conway Scenic Railroad known for terrific family rail adventures and even Mt. Washington has a cog railway. The shopping is tax free. Pillow stop: Farm By the River Bed and Breakfast rests amid 70 scenic acres along the Saco River. Enjoy horseback riding, carriage, wagon or pony rides onsite. In the warmer seasons river swimming and fly- fishing are available. Sleeping choices are classic New England in style. Each room is uniquely decorated with family heirlooms from seven generations. Two-room family suites are available. (Farm By the River Bed and Breakfast with Stables 2555 West Side Rd, North Conway, NH 03860. Toll-free 1-888-414-8353, (603) 356-2694 or www.farmbytheriver.com) 

Vermont: Woodstock, Cheese Making, Living History and a Squash Game. Like a Currier & Ives picture, the village conveys a sense of New England worthy of experiencing. Framed by history and surrounded by natural beauty, the sensibly arranged shops, galleries, and antique stores, match with the landmark F.H. Gillingham & Sons General Store. Vacation activities include hiking, biking, birding, shopping, antiquing, and plenty of opportunities to enjoy living history. Visit Billings Farm & Museum one of the only working dairy farms which is also one of the premier farm life museums in the country. Enjoy oodles of interactive programs and historical exhibits.  Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park conducts walking tours of Woodstock's Civil War "home front" the Underground Railroad, abolition meetings, the town's free African-American community, and Woodstock's pivotal role in the Union war effort in Vermont. Bonus points:  The Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS) in nearby Quechee is the home to one of North America’s most impressive collection of live birds of prey including owls, hawks and eagles. Through October 31^st seven days a week the institute offers live bird programs. Pillow spot: The Woodstock Inn & Resort is framed by the village setting.  Perfect for active families, this “Vermont chic” 4-Diamond property with 142 guest rooms and suites. They offer world-class amenities such as golf, tennis, skiing (both downhill and cross-country); and superb health and fitness options. Play tennis, squash or racquetball. Enjoy the indoor lap pool and outdoor heated pool and access to spa treatments. (Woodstock Inn & Resort, Fourteen The Green Woodstock, Vermont 05091-1298 or www.woodstockinn.com)

Massachusetts: The Berkshires. The area is known worldwide for its culture, theater, music, and museums. It is an exceptional family destination because of the quality and variety of vacation activity choices including arts and natural adventures. This is the location of Jacob's Pillow Dance Centre, rich with history and alive with art. Jacob’s Pillow was once a family farm and a stop on the Underground Railroad of 1800s. Also in the area Tanglewood, the summer home of the Boston Symphony, providing magical evenings with picnicking on the lawn. Bonus points: Hancock Shaker Village in Pittsfield is exceptional living history museum showcasing Shaker life amid a 1200-acre complex. The highlight for most kids is the chance to try on Shaker clothing and practice chores. Pillow spot: The 1000-acre Eastover Resort complex is an all-inclusive, family friendly place where the seasoned staff pays attention to the details making it easy for guests to relax. Sleeping choices include 130 rooms, with 20 of them on the upper floors of the mansion, the balance located in surrounding motel-like cottages. The accommodations have a home spun comfortable feeling that enhances the stress free atmosphere. There are no televisions or air conditioners in rooms and only a limited number of rooms have telephones. In addition to daily supervised children’s programs families may also enjoy bingo, volleyball, wiffle ball, tennis, archery, golf, shuffleboard, skeet, softball, hayrides, horseshoes, and group dancing or rent mountain bikes, arrange for a massage or go horseback riding. (Eastover Resort 430 East Street P.O. Box 2160 Lenox, 01240. 1-800-VACAFUN (1-800-822-2386) or www.eastover.com)

Pennsylvania: Farm Stays, Bison, Berries and Curious Goats. Rural PA is loaded with family farms and many of them welcome visitors. Some locations offer guestrooms within the main house while others have cabins, cottages or separate house for guests. Unique and family-friendly, they are tucked away along winding country roads making them almost a family secret. Some still actively pursue farming by raising milk cows, beef cattle, sheep or bison while others have poultry, nurture bees or raise herbs. Farm stays often include morning chores like collecting eggs, feeding goats, or picking berries.  Pillow spots: Almost to Ohio, kid-friendly farm Weatherbury Farm is a quiet place where everyone may participate in farm life if they choose. Stay in a guest house at Darrow Bison Range a 1460-acre working bison ranch enjoy bison watching, hiking and bass fishing. At the heart of the state Mountain Dale Farm a 175-acre secret place is surrounded by state forest and game land which makes the cabins delightful. Farm animals include sheep, goats, cattle, horses, geese, ducks, chickens, and a dog. Blue Moon Farm and Forge near Raystown Lake has a working blacksmith shop which provides guests with a sense of history. Guest may help with chores, hike, fish or swim in the pond and roast marshmallows at night. Just minutes from Lancaster or Hershey, Rocky Acre Farm, a 130-acre dairy farm invites guests to milk a cow, feed a calf, gather eggs and ride a train or tractor. The goats, kittens and a miniature horse await each new set of friends and for young children there is a playhouse. (To review the complete list of farms with pillows for guests go to www.pafarmstay.com) 

More family Vacation Ideas

USA: Southeast, Secret Family Vacation Places. Enjoy the beach along North Carolina’s Atlantic Coast; tap your feet to Cajun tunes in Louisiana; navigate secret caverns in Alabama; sing-a-long at a cowboy bonfire in Tennessee; walk across a swinging at Grand Father Mountain in North Carolina. Make the fun happen with your kids. More

USA: Heartland, Secret Family Vacation Places. Looking for a new spot or a new family vacation idea? Imagine riding a magic train in Ohio; singing with the peacocks in Wisconsin; celebrating with a fish boil in Door County; hunting for agates along Lake Superior or petting a bearded lizard in Missouri. This is the fun stuff. More 

USA: Mountains West, Secret Family Vacation Places. The geographic vastness of the American West makes pinpointing excellent family vacation spots slightly challenging. The horizons are broad and the adventure authentic. Follow the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes; visit the ghost town of Bannock in Montana; try fly-fishing with your kids; dig for dinosaurs in Wyoming. Variety is at you finger tips. More

 Garden Gate at Woodstock Inn, Vermont.

Content researched and complied by Travel Communications. Images by Mohonk Resort and Billings Farm & Museum and Woodstock Inn, VT. Copyright 2007.