The Resort at Paws Up, a Luxury Ranch in Montana

This fabulous upscale wilderness retreat is one of my favorites at any time of year, but it really comes into its own when it's under a thick blanket of fresh snow. Surrounded by some of the most majestic scenery in Montana, The Resort at Paws Up is a winter adventure wonderland with activities from backcountry skiing and snowmobiling to dog sledding, ice skating and horseback rides on whisper-quiet trails.

This is Big Sky Country where the air is crisp, clean and fresh, and you feel like you're a million miles from the cares of the world. This working cattle ranch sits on 37,000 acres of pristine wilderness—including over a hundred miles of skiing and hiking trails and a seven-mile stretch of the Blackfoot River—and just next door is the million-acre Bob Marshall Wilderness Preserve. With room for only 80 guests accommodated in 26 two- and three-bedroom classic timber homesteads, Paws Up is a sophisticated hideaway that fuses a luxury resort experience with an untamed wilderness atmosphere. Summer or winter, families will have trouble reaching consensus on what to do, with options ranging from mountain biking, clay target shooting, river rafting, kayaking, golf, water skiing, 4WD tours, and fishing in the Blackfoot River, where A River Runs Through It was filmed. Parents heading to the spa or in need of some alone time can enroll children between ages 5 to 12 in the Kids Corps of Discovery, offering full or half-day programs of craft making, educational activities and outoor excursions. Nanny services are also available. In warmer months, check out the retreat's fabulous Tent City which offers glam camping, or "glamping", with accommodations in luxury tents. Love it!

Cabins from $495 including meals, tents from $595 including meals.