Directory

Wood-floored safari tents in a coastal canyon 20 miles north of downtown Santa Barbara. Go for: Fluffy down comforters and queen-size beds; chuck-wagon dinners; s'mores and barbecue kits at the Canyon Market; the 10-minute bike ride (you can rent them here) to the Pacific Ocean; cappuccinos and homemade muffins for breakfast.
From $115 a night in low season to $135 in high season, (866) 352-2729.

A smartly designed eco-resort with canvas tents on wood platforms set in the lush green hills of the Virgin Islands National Park. Go for: Experiencing the Caribbean on a dime; the calm, gorgeous beach; walks under the stars; snorkeling; lessons on conservation that you can take home with you.
From $75 a person in low season to $130 in high season (kids under 16 stay free from May to December 14; $15 each other times), (800) 392-9004.

Canvas "tentalows" lined up along a sleepy Molokai beach. Go for: Sitting in a hammock on your deck while watching your kids splash in the warm water; well-stocked coolers (replenished daily) in every tent; your own bathroom; family privacy (the staff will arrange two tents side by side); the activity center with its snorkel gear, beach toys, and boogie boards; beachside dining in the tented pavilion.
From $288 a night for a standard unit to $378 for a beachfront one (plus $25 each for a third and fourth person), (808) 660-2824.

This mining-town-turned-luxury-compound offers stylish cabins and a giant tepee with a California king-size bed. (You can get a cot on request.) Go for: Three hot springs (all are mild enough for children); picnic lunches that are packed for you; hot stone massages in the spa.
From $250 a person for the tepee (available May through October) to $425 a person for a six-person cabin in high season (kids 12 and under can stay at half-price), (970) 882-4800.

Environmentalist John Willard turned this resort into a sport-and-fishing camp 36 years ago. Tents and yurts (large round fabric tents) are spartan but clean and efficient. Go for: Riding the rapids on the Penobscot and Kennebec rivers; lakeside dining at the nearby lodge; moose-watching from a pontoon boat.
$40 a person ($25 each for kids ages 4 to 12), (800) 825-9453.

Four of 16 yurts on this hillside campground are big enough for families of four. Go for: The epic views of the Pacific Ocean from your redwood deck; going to Whale Watch Rock; homemade waffles for breakfast every morning.
Recommended for children ages 10 and up. $189 for four people (plus $30 a person for additional guests), (877) 424-4787.

Ten acres of tent cabins surrounded by pecan trees on a working ranch along the Brazos River, about 90 minutes from Dallas. Cabins are stocked with all the supplies you'll need. Go for: Long walks along sandy beaches; spotting fish in the pools next to the waterfall; hanging out with real cowboys; fishing or rock skipping in the river; the fresh pot of coffee delivered to your tent every morning.
$100 a night, (254) 898-2825.

This package (organized by the Sierra Club) for families with kids 10 and up includes a week in tent cabins, food, and organized group activities. Go for: Beachcombing along Alaska's coastline; tasty campfire-cooked meals; kayaking in Kachemak Bay; spotting black bears, mountain goats, and killer whales in their natural environment.
$1,295 per child and $1,395 per adult, all-inclusive; (415) 977-5522.

Open since 1899, this is the granddaddy of tent-cabin sites—427 wood-floored units are spread throughout Yosemite Valley. Go for: Some of the most beautiful backcountry in the U.S.; dining on smoked trout cakes at the Curry Village Pavilion restaurant after a hike up Mist Trail; a supermarket with biodegradable goods. You must book one year in advance.
From $64 a night for an unheated tent in low season (each child $4 extra) to $71 for a heated one in high season, (209) 372-1445.

This spare, Japanese-inspired resort is located on the outskirts of a proper city and offers accommodations in an Airstream trailer. Go for: Efficient, modern accommodations; chlorine-free soaking baths in Japanese tubs; day trips into Santa Fe; the nightingale facial, a centuries-old geisha treatment; an opportunity to stay at a world-class spa that doesn't turn away kids, for a fraction of the price of a regular hotel room.
From $99 a night on weekdays to $109 on weekends, (505) 992-9304.