A few weeks ago my family spent a few days at the Running Y Ranch Resort near Klamath Falls, Oregon. Located on 3,600 acres alongside Upper Klamath Lake (the largest lake by surface area in the state) just to the east of the Cascade Range in far southern Oregon, the resort offers a wide range of outdoor activities on and around its grounds. Its location also makes it a great jumping-off point for daytrips to regional attractions such as Crater Lake, Lava Beds National Monument, Tule Lake Segregation Center (site of a WWII Japanese internment camp) and the Klamath Basin Wildlife refuges (the Basin draws birders with its more than 200 species of birds).

Several units are owned and operated by WorldMark by Wyndham, offering a wide range of accommodations including 1- to 4-bedroom condominiums and two- or three-bedroom stand-alone “chalets,” all offering all the comforts of home. The resort also boasts a hotel/lodge and conference center (with more than 7,000 square feet of meeting space, catering and an events team) and a 10-bedroom mansion with a professional chef for special group getaways.

Other features include a spa; two restaurants; a deli, market and liquor store; a fitness center with a variety of classes offered; an indoor pool with hot tub, children’s wading pool and saunas; an outdoor playground for the little ones; and outdoor basketball, tennis and pickle ball courts.  More than 10 miles of walking and hiking trails, horseback riding, on-site outfitters and a seasonal covered ice arena ensure visitors get their exercise, no matter the time of year. At the heart of the resort lies Oregon’s only Arnold Palmer-designed golf course, including an 18-hole, family-friendly putting course.

I would love to report that we enjoyed all of the amenities, but we realistically didn’t have that much time to do so, especially as we had two young boys in tow. They loved running and playing on the expansive lawns, climbing on the play structure and, especially, swimming in the pool. Our home-away-from-home featured three bedrooms, two full baths, a fully stocked kitchen, stackable washer and dryer, and a balcony with a gas grill.

I’m more than ready to return to the resort. It’s just over an hour’s drive from my home and would be appealing at any time of year (cross-country skiing and skating in the winter, birding in spring and fall). I’m not a golfer, but that putting course looks like a lot of fun, and there is so much terrain to explore.

— Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor