YMCA Trout Lodge, Day 1

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We checked into the YMCA Trout Lodge last night. It's beautiful, and it's set in the perfect location for activities with a lot of forested areas and a lake. It's in a fairly secluded area of eastern Missouri. I found when I was looking for a camp experience for families. There is a family camp experience offered in Iowa through the Y that looks fun, but it's really expensive. I found this experience in Missouri, and it's also expensive, but looked like it might be worth it with all of the activities offered. The cost of our loft room is $367/night, but it includes three meals a day. We decided to try it as part of our family vacation!

We arrived yesterday at 4pm. Our room is very spacious and offers incredible views of the lake. Before dinner, we walked around to see where all of the activities were located and asked questions about the swim test they offer so that kids can do the bigger water activities. After we checked the place out, we returned for dinner. Dinner was served buffet style, and half of it was vegetarian or vegan. We all got something different. I enjoyed lentil stew with a roll and butter plus a side of carrots. Andrew got toasted cheese ravioli (a St. Louis specialty, I believe) and a salad. Oliver made a chicken breast sandwich and had a side of carrots. Joanna made a BBQ pulled pork sandwich. Everyone was happy with their choices.

Most of the activities are free at the Y, but there are some special activities where you pay extra. We went through the activity list with the kids before our trip, and both kids wanted to go horseback riding. I called and booked the mountain horseback riding experience for today at 9am.

Our breakfast shift was at 8:15am. I have often have digestion issues after I eat (IBS-D), and knowing I'd be on a horseback riding tour, I opted for just coffee and a small handful of dried cereal. Andrew and the kids enjoyed waffles, breakfast potatoes, and scrambled eggs. After breakfast, we set out for the Triangle Y ranch. It's about a 15-20 minute walk from the lodge. There is no parking at the ranch. Worried about time, we decided to move our car from its spot by the lodge down to the basketball courts. It cut the walk time to about 10 minutes. We probably didn't need to do that because we arrived at 8:45.

We got signed in, picked out helmets, and then met our horses. Andrew rode Einstein, Joanna rode Chigger, Oliver rode Dallas, and I rode Hawk. Our ride went up into the Ozark mountains (we had giggled about the idea of "Missouri mountains," but they were lovely). The lush, green forest was beautiful! My horse liked to snack a lot and was very quick. I had to give him direction to stop a lot so that he didn't try passing the other horses. We really enjoyed our experience horseback riding, and I think it's the highlight of our trip so far!

After our tour, we walked back to the lodge to cool off for a bit and then opted for a round of mini golf. I won again! That's right, I'm the mini golf champion. We got our lunch at the lodge after mini golf. They had build-your-own-tacos with soft tortillas. We could make veggie ones with black beans, fajita vegetables, cheese, and salsa. We enjoyed it a lot.

Then we headed to the swim beach for the kids to take their swim test. They both passed and got a special wrist band that allows them to do more water activities. Joanna wanted to stay at the swim beach. She made a friend, and they had fun finding mussel shells together. Andrew and Oliver went and rented a Jon boat and explored the lake that way.

When we were done with lake time, we got cleaned up at the cabin and then decided to do some tie-dye before dinner. I had brought two white shirts with us because I'd read that you needed to bring your own stuff to tie-dye. As it turns out, you could also purchase some items at the store. Since we brought our own, we only had to pay $5 for the dye. The kids had fun making their designs, and their shirts came out pretty cute. By the end of the activity, Joanna was asking when we'd get to come back to the Trout Lodge. So, I think they're enjoying the trip!

Dinner at the buffet was mostly Chinese style tonight. They had vegetable Lo Mein and vegetable fried rice. You could add broccoli, tilapia, or fried chicken to your dish. There's also a nice salad bar with lunch and dinner.

After dinner, Andrew and Jo drove to town to stop at a grocery store for more shampoo and to pick up some yogurt for Oliver. Then Andrew and the kids went on a walk along the lake to find animals. They saw turtles and snakes, including a water snake that was swimming in the lake!

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Photos

YMCA Trout Lodge
Polosi, Missouri

Triangle Y Ranch
We're going on a horseback ride at the YMCA Trout Lodge and getting matched with a horse.

Andrew and Oliver on a Jon Boat
Joanna is enjoying the swim beach.