Family Fun in the Midwest

The Ozarker Lodge

Branson, MO

Carved from a former roadside property with creekside soaking tubs and a mercantile on site. A heated pool and the kind of thoughtful design that changes what Branson means to whoever finds it.

Vintage Block Inn & Suites

Okoboji, IA

Rooms take their names and color schemes from vintage candy brands, with exterior doors in blue, yellow, orange, and green. The furniture inside is built from dock lumber reclaimed from the lake half a block away.

Al & Sally's Motel

Michigan City, IN

Renovated in 2021 by local owners and set right at the park edge, with a fire pit and s'mores kits at the center of it. The vintage bones were worth keeping.

Badlands Motel

Medora, ND

Set at the edge of a small town people return to every summer, with the national park just beyond. Reliable hospitality run by a foundation dedicated to this specific place.

Black Hawk Motel & Suites

Wisconsin Dells, WI

A family-run Dells motor court that has kept its 1950s soul since 1945, from the neon office sign to the chairs set outside every door. The rooms are plain and spotless, but the twin pools, two playgrounds, grills, and old-fashioned hospitality are why families come back year after year.

Coastal Suites Resort

Beulah, MI

A renovated mid-century building in the walkable village of Beulah puts the sandy Crystal Lake beach a short stroll away and an outdoor fire table under the northern stars. Continental breakfast and a slow village pace make it a comfortable base for Sleeping Bear Dunes and the quiet Benzie shore.

Crest Country Inn

Williamsburg, IA

Sixteen acres on a 1966 hilltop with thirty individually themed rooms and a family in hospitality since the late 1800s. Rolling countryside views from wherever you stand.

Lake Point Motel

Marblehead, OH

A family-run motel on its own Lake Erie pebble beach, where a community fire pit, grills, and outdoor seating make the shore a genuine gathering spot. Simple rooms, kitchenette suites, and full mobile homes sit a short walk from the historic Marblehead Lighthouse.