Top Properties in the Midwest
The Midwest is a vast region that offers everything from downhill snow skiing to summertime kayaking on sprawling lakes that grace gorgeous hillsides. Many timeshares from Minnesota to Missouri are considered all-year-round destinations, with winter activities taking hold during the colder months and summertime activities heating up with the summer sun.
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You'll sometimes find casinos close by the top timeshare resorts, as well as live shows in places like Branson, Missouri, that are known across the world for their country music flair.
Here is a look at a few Midwest timeshares that continually receive high rankings from exchange companies and consumer groups alike.
Big Cedar Lodge, Ridgedale, Missouri
Located in the Show-Me state's famed Ozark Mountains, the Big Cedar Wilderness Club is a Gold Crown Resort in the Resort Condominiums International exchange network. The resort was built on the shore of Table Rock Lake and offers vacationers a chance to go biking, fishing, horseback riding, boating, water-skiing, and more. Nearby Big Cedar Lodge offers additional activities, including heated swimming pools, stables, a marina, a spa, and a fitness center. Also worth noting are the resort's conference facilities and handicapped-accessible units.
About sixty miles from the Springfield-Branson Regional Airport, this resort offers timeshare units in studio, one-, and two-bedroom configurations. The largest timeshares sleep six people privately, or eight people altogether. Some of the units have fireplaces, and all of the units include full or partial kitchens depending on their size.
Fairfield Branson, Branson, Missouri
A Gold Crown Resort in the Resort Condominiums International exchange network, the Fairfield Branson is off the beaten path and offers fishing, horseback riding, tennis, and golf. There are three sections to the resort, each within several miles of one another with shuttle service in between, as well as to Branson's main-strip nightlife. The closest major airport, Springfield/Branson Regional Airport, is about an hour away.
Timeshare units are in demand much of the year, save the coldest months of January and February. There are studios as well as one, two-, and three-bedroom units, with the largest timeshares sleeping eight people privately and ten people in total. All of the units have private laundry facilities, as well as partial or full kitchens depending on the size of the timeshare.
Fairfield Wisconsin Dells at Tamarack, Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin
Located in the town of Wisconsin Dells, this lakeside resort offers golf, downhill skiing, horseback riding, mountain biking, cross-country skiing, boating, hiking, and pretty much anything else you could imagine doing in the great outdoors. It is a previous winner of the Gold Crown Award from Resort Condominiums International, and it is now part of Fairshare Plus, a points-based timeshare exchange system run by Fairfield Resorts.
In addition to units of various sizes — all with kitchens and fireplaces, and some with whirlpool tubs — the resort offers indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a separate children's swimming pool, indoor and outdoor tennis courts, a game room, an indoor basketball court, and more.
Little Sweden, Fish Creek, Wisconsin
Log homes with vaulted ceilings and fieldstone fireplaces make up this Interval International Five Star Award resort, which is located in the heart of scenic Door County, Wisconsin. The décor is Scandinavian, with each two-bedroom timeshare unit sleeping as many as six people (including two on the pullout couch).
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On-site amenities of Little Sweden include bicycling, golf, a fitness room, a playground, a sauna, ice-skating, cross-country skiing, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, tennis, a whirlpool tub, and more. Nearby, you can go boating, fishing, and horseback riding or enjoy the quaint local shops, restaurants, state parks, summer theater, and festivals.
Premiere Vacation Club at Varsity Clubs of America — South Bend Chapter, Indiana
This Interval International Five Star Award resort is designed to reflect the Notre Dame community's history and spirit. It is located within driving distance of Chicago, Indianapolis, and Lake Michigan, as well as casinos, Amish country, and Midwestern vineyards. You also can visit the University of Notre Dame campus — where football rules — as well as the College Football Hall of Fame for a look at some of the teams the Fighting Irish have taken on over the years. The resort itself displays a large collection of college football memorabilia and originally commissioned sports art.
While there is no golf course on site, the resort is part of Interval International's Golf Resort Program — giving members access to greens fee and lesson discounts, advance tee times, and more at local courses. On-site activities include indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a fitness center, a playground, a sauna, and more.
Villas at Giants Ridge, Biwabik, Minnesota
There are no fewer than thirty-five alpine runs on Giants Ridge, along with hundreds of snowmobile trails and cross-country skiing routes. But don't let that fool you into believing this Resort Condominiums International Gold Crown resort is a winter-only destination — its summertime fun includes playing a PGA-designed 18 hole golf course or exploring adjacent Wynne Lake by paddleboat, fishing boat, kayak, or simply in your bathing suit.
The Duluth, Minnesota, airport is closest, about sixty miles away. Timeshare units come in studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom configurations, with the largest units sleeping as many as eight people privately. Some of the units have fireplaces and private laundry facilities, and all of the units have full or partial kitchens, depending on their size.
Top Properties in the South
Many of the top vacation areas in the Southern United States — from Biloxi, Mississippi, to the world-famous city of New Orleans, Louisiana — were ravaged by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the fall of 2005. It is difficult to know when (and in some cases, whether) the timeshare resorts in this region will begin to function at their previous levels, but it is important to keep in mind as these destinations come back to life that resorts with previously high ratings are likely to regain ground faster, and return to top-notch service sooner, than other timeshare resorts. For that reason, resorts from storm-damaged areas are included on the following list of Southern timeshares that continually receive high rankings from exchange companies and consumer groups alike.
Chateau Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana
Located in the historic French Quarter, this timeshare property is within walking distance of Jackson Square, Bourbon Street, and all the other attractions that have made this city of jazz come alive over the course of many decades. Demand is high at this property all year round, but especially during Mardi Gras every February, when the streets fill with revelers who flash their bosoms at the bead-dangling crowds on the balconies above.
Timeshare units at the Chateau Orleans come in studio, one, and two-bedroom configurations, with the largest units sleeping four people privately, or six people total. All of the units have air conditioning, and some, depending on their size, have full kitchens and/ or whirlpool tubs, as well. Public laundry facilities and a swimming pool are among the resort amenities.
Escapes! To the Gulf, Orange Beach, Alabama
This Interval International Five Star Award resort is located on the Gulf of Mexico near multiple golf courses and white sand beaches. There is a boardwalk connecting the resort's courtyard and pool area to the oceanfront, so you need not waste a step in getting to the swimming, snorkeling, and other water sports. Sailing, surfing, and saltwater fishing are among the most popular activities in the area, allowing you to work up an appetite before dinner at one of the many waterfront seafood restaurants nearby.
The timeshare units themselves are in one-, two-, and three-bedroom configurations, with some units offering the same number of bedrooms but different amounts of square footage.
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A typical three-bedroom unit at this resort is 1,660 square feet with two bathrooms, while there are also three-bedroom units in the resort that are 1,720 square feet with three and a half bathrooms. Be sure to ask for the extra space if you think it might be important to you and your family.
Gatlinburg Town Square, Gatlinburg, Tennessee
Nestled in a valley that borders the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, this Interval International Five Star Award resort is minutes from the local theme park attraction, Dollywood. Most of the timeshare units have their own fireplaces and private balconies, while the resort itself has a heated indoor swimming pool, an exercise room, a playground, and a waterfall on site. Nearby, you can also take part in fishing, horseback riding, and — during the colder winter months — ice skating and downhill skiing.
The timeshare units at Gatlinburg Town Square come in efficiency, one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom configurations, with the largest units sleeping eight people. The closest airport is in Knoxville, Tennessee, about forty-five miles away.
Hyatt Wild Oak Ranch, San Antonio, Texas
The indoor/outdoor family pool with two water slides is sure to keep the kids busy while adults enjoy this timeshare resort's Hill Country Golf Club — twenty-seven holes designed by Arthur Hill — and state-of-the-art health spa. There's also an 800-foot-long river pool on site if you'd prefer to float along while taking in the views.
Timeshare units come in studio and one-, two-, and three-bedroom configurations, with the largest units using sleeper sofas to accommodate as many as ten people. Most of the largest units have private balconies, and all of them include full kitchens, private laundry facilities, and whirlpool baths.
Inverness at South Padre, South Padre Island, Texas
Inverness at South Padre is an elegant high-rise resort right on the beach overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. Deep-sea charter fishing is a favorite vacation activity, and other options include golf, tennis, horseback riding, and shuffleboard. Demand is high nearly year-round for timeshare units in this location.
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The nearest public airport is about forty miles from the resort in the town of Harlingen, which itself is about a two-hour drive south of Corpus Christi.
Timeshares are available in studio and one-, two-, and three-bedroom configurations, with the largest units sleeping eight people privately. Only some of the units have full kitchens and air conditioning, but all contain at least a kitchenette and/or a microwave oven.
Silverleaf's Lake O' the Woods, Flint, Texas
This East Texas resort is on the wooded shoreline of Lake Palestine, about 100 miles from Dallas, and offers rustic cabins with access to a lighted tennis court, a fishing pier, nature trails, miniature golf, a playground, and more. Jet Skis are available for rent, and horseback riding is an option, as well.
Each of the timeshare cabins on the property has one bedroom and sleeps four people privately, or six people in total. There is air conditioning in each cabin, as well as a full kitchen. High season is from late April through late October, and again during the Christmas holiday week.
