Choose a new resort for your next getaway with the kids

If there's anything that can be as gratifying as that new-car smell (and it's your new vehicle), it's knowing that you're one of the first human beings to consecrate the bed, bath, pool and powder room in a new hotel.

No clouds of flowery deodorizer to mask last night's events, no missing coffee packets or broken telephones to tell you that a raucous family just departed. Slip into a fresh, new family resort this winter or plan your spring break getaway now.

If you're planning to visit the Dallas-Fort Worth area, you'll be happy to know that Great Wolf Lodge unveils yet another of its family resort properties in Grapevine, Texas. Set to open Dec. 7, the resort boasts an immense 80,000-square-foot indoor water park, an arcade, children's craft and activity room, restaurants, fitness center, an Aveda Concept Spa and an array of suite configurations. Take a look at some growlingly good grand opening rates at www.greatwolf.com/Locations/Grapevine/index.aspx.

Great Wolf Lodge and Grapevine are nearly dead center in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and the airport is just minutes away. Grapevine offers sights such as a National Register Grapevine Historic District, nine wineries, the Grapevine Vintage Railroad steam excursion train and boating or fishing on Lake Grapevine.

If Mom or Dad has business in either Dallas or Fort Worth (each about 30 minutes away), the kids will be thrilled to play the day away at Great Wolf. Take a look at www.grapevine texasusa.com.

A favorite Southern family retreat for more than five decades, Callaway Gardens unwrapped the new Lodge & Spa at Callaway Gardens less than a year ago. Located in Pine Mountain, Ga., an hour southwest of Atlanta, the Lodge & Spa offers families a vacation in the woods with a mix of five-star-style resort amenities. Golf on Mountain View course, bike the 10-mile Discovery Trail, go fly fishing on Mountain Creek Lake, skeet and trap shoot, practice at the Tennis Center and explore the Butterfly Center, Birds of Prey show and Callaway Gardens.

For reservations and details on seasonal events, go to www.callawaygardens.com or call (800) 225-5292.

Mix some luxury with your snow sports this winter at the Arrabelle at Vail Square, a RockResort set to open Jan. 5. The first luxury resort to open in Vail in more than 25 years, the property has 36 rooms and 50 condos and is set right at the foot of Vail Mountain for spectacular views.

Each floor will feature its own concierge who contacts families prior to arrival to arrange activities. He or she can also arrange for your skis and boots to be shipped to and from the hotel so that you needn't lug around extra gear. A ski nanny is also available to watch kids on the mountain and pick them up from ski school while parents ski more advanced trails.

In winter, guests appreciate Vail Square's ice rink and fire pit; in the warmer months, there are fountains and a summer plaza for concerts and movie nights on an outdoor screen. Lodge rooms include cool amenities, such as flat-panel TVs, DVD players, Bose MP3/CD alarm-clock radios, complimentary high-speed wireless Internet access, canopy beds, work desk, fireplace, minibar, in-room safe and humidifier. Families might want to look into junior suites and deluxe king suites. For the summer months, the resort offers a rooftop pool, too. Call (866) 639-8245 or visit arrabelle.rockresorts.com.

Make your winter or spring-break plans to enjoy the new Bay Gardens Plantation Style Beach Resort, a luxury all-suite hotel on St. Lucia and the shores of the Caribbean Sea. Open just a few short months, the resort has only 72 guest rooms, two- and one-bedroom suites in three-story buildings that are integrated into the beautiful tropical landscape. Suites are complete with full kitchens and living and dining areas and furnished with cable TVs, DVDs and CD players, hi-speed Internet access and WiFi.

Kids and teens will welcome the lagoon-style swimming pool, water sports and dive operations. The children's club is slated to open at the end of the year. Bring books to browse on your timbered balcony, verandah or on famous Reduit Beach. On-site eateries feature international and Caribbean cuisine with plenty of snacks for the kids. Meal plans vary, so check the Web site.

Start dreaming at www.baygardensbeachresort.com, then call (758) 457 8500 for reservations.