813 Best Hotels in USA

This busy campground among tall pines is on the lake, so mosquitoes can be pesky. Groceries, sports rentals, and restaurants are about 4 mi away. Reservations are recommended.

This spacious stone-and-wood lodge in Custer State Park affords fantastic views of pristine Sylvan Lake and Harney Peak, the highest point in the U.S. east of the Rockies. The rooms in the lodge are large and modern, and there are rustic cabins, some with fireplaces, scattered along the cliff and in the forest. The Lakota Dining Room has an exceptional view of the lake; its lovely veranda is the perfect place to sip tea and enjoy an evening cocktail. On the menu are buffalo and rainbow trout. You can canoe, fish, and swim in the lake, and numerous hiking trails make this a great choice for active families.

Tucked away on the edge of the John Muir Wilderness Area, where cross-country ski trails loop through the woods, this 1924 lodge looks like something out of a snow globe. Rooms in the charming main lodge have spartan furnishings, and, in old-fashioned style, some share a bathroom. For more privacy, opt for one of the cabins, which range from rustic to downright cushy; many have fireplaces, full kitchens, or wood-burning stoves. In warm months, fishing, canoeing, hiking, and mountain biking are right outside. The small, romantic Lakefront Restaurant serves outstanding seasonal, locally sourced dinners in a candlelit dining room. Reservations are essential.