Give the kids what they want out of a vacation, and they won’t be the only ones smiling.
By Chris Wright—Read the article on the United Hemispheres’ website. 
It’s funny how idealism trumps practicality when it comes to family vacations. Determined to do right by our children, we haul them around the Louvre or stuff them into lumpy sleeping bags, wondering what went wrong when the inevitable wailing starts. Well, Mom and Dad, here’s what went wrong: Kids don’t want to build character when they go on holiday. They want to have fun. The trick is finding a resort that provides so much of what kids want that they don’t even realize they’re getting what they need.
The Rocking Horse Ranch in Highland, N.Y., has miles of riding trails that allow kids to get in touch with their inner Wyatt Earp (or Calamity Jane) and catch up on the fresh air and exercise they’ve missed while hunched over their computers “doing homework.” Other outdoorsy activities at this family-run dude ranch include rock climbing, horseshoe pitching and marshmallow roasting. Oh, and there’s the Red Ryder BB Gun Shooting Gallery, too.