Out + About: Fresh air fancy.

Explore the great outdoors and find the perfect green space to help you connect with nature on your next vacation. Here are a few fun-and-fancy-free options for spending time with Mother Nature near your favorite WorldMark resorts.

Golf.

Shadow Creek
North Las Vegas, Nevada
Sculpted out of the rough Nevada desert, Shadow Creek is a true oasis of green. Ranked among the best golf courses in the U.S., this stunning course is just a short drive from the Las Vegas Strip.
Nearest Resort(s): WorldMark Boulevard, WorldMark Tropicana Avenue, WorldMark Spencer Street

We-Ko-Pa Golf Club
Fort McDowell, Arizona
This award-winning golf resort sits outside Scottsdale, completely surrounded by the rugged beauty of the Sonoran Desert. With no developments of any kind in the visible distance, at We-Ko-Pa it’s just you and nature.
Nearest Resort(s): WorldMark Scottsdale, WorldMark South Mountain Preserve

Chambers Bay
University Place, Washington
The beauty of the Pacific Northwest is front and center at this top-rated waterfront course. Overlooking the blue waters of the Pacific Ocean and the snow-capped Olympic Mountains, you’ll be in golf heaven.
Nearest Resort(s): WorldMark The Camlin

Pronghorn Club
Bend, Oregon
Bend, Oregon, is a haven for golfers, and the Pronghorn Club’s two signature courses are at the top of the list. With views of the Cascade Mountains and a landscape cut from ancient lava rocks, it’s a real stunner.
Nearest Resort(s): WorldMark Eagle Crest, WorldMark Seventh Mountain Resort

Gardens.

Desert Botanical Garden
Phoenix, Arizona
Set into a backdrop of the Sonoran Desert, this garden is home to thousands of species of colorful cacti, trees, and flowers from all over the world. As a bonus, its Butterfly Pavilion is home to countless flying beauties.
Nearest Resort(s): WorldMark Scottsdale, WorldMark South Mountain Preserve

International Rose Test Garden
Portland, Oregon
Located in the City of Roses, this garden is home to more than 10,000 rose bushes in over 600 varieties. The park was created as a testing ground for new rose varieties, and offers stunning views of Mt. Hood.
Nearest Resort(s): WorldMark Portland Waterfront Park

Princeville Botanical Gardens
Princeville, Kauai, Hawaii
Nestled away in the jungles of the Garden Island, Princeville Botanical Gardens is home to diverse and dramatic exotic flora. Bonus: they also make their own chocolate and honey onsite, available for snacking while you explore.
Nearest Resort(s): WorldMark Kapaa Shore

Stanley Park Gardens
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
One of Canada’s largest urban parks is home to several stunning gardens, including a rose garden and a rhododendron garden. It also boasts a Shakespeare Garden, featuring plants mentioned in the Bard’s plays and poetry.
Nearest Resort(s): WorldMark The Canadian

Parks.

City Park
New Orleans, Louisiana
This park’s 1,300 acres make it one of the largest urban parks in the U.S. (larger than Central Park!), and it’s great for fishing on the bayou, birdwatching, or just strolling. It’s also home to a grove of 800-year-old oaks.
Nearest Resort(s): WorldMark Avenue Plaza

Griffith Park
Los Angeles, California
Home to the famous Hollywood Sign and the Los Angeles Zoo, this park is fun for the whole family. Named after a man whose first and last name was Griffith (Col. Griffith J. Griffith), it is full of unique flora and fauna.
Nearest Resort(s): WorldMark Anaheim, WorldMark Dolphin’s Cove

Gas Works Park
Seattle, Washington
Dubbed one of the strangest parks in the world, this park is on the National Register of Historic Places, and was built on the site of a vintage coal gasification plant. Many of the plant’s structures are now part of the park’s landscape.
Nearest Resort(s): WorldMark The Camlin

Zilker Park
Austin, Texas
Austin’s “most-loved park” offers lots of recreational activities. With picnic sites, a playground, disc-golf course, sports courts, gardens, and an outdoor amphitheater, this park offers year-round family fun.
Nearest Resort(s): WorldMark Austin

Trails.

Emerald Lake Hiking Trail
Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
A 4.1-mile out-and-back, this trail offers the chance to see three pristine alpine lakes, plus groves of aspen and ponderosa pine. With an elevation change of 700 feet, this popular hike is categorized as moderate.
Nearest Resort(s): WorldMark Estes Park

Shark Valley Loop Trail
Everglades National Park, Florida
Located outside of Miami, this 15-mile paved trail is often used for walking or bicycling (although there is a tram as well). Keep watch for alligators or turtles, and climb to the top of the 65-foot observation tower for a great view.
Nearest Resort(s): WorldMark Palm-Aire, WorldMark Santa Barbara, WorldMark Sea Gardens

Crater Rim Trail
Whistler Interpretive Forest, British Columbia, Canada
At just under three miles, this trail meanders through the beautiful Whistler Interpretive Forest before looping around Loggers Lake. As the trail’s name implies, the lake is in an extinct volcano, and the trail circles the crater’s rim.
Nearest Resort(s): WorldMark Cascade Lodge, WorldMark Sundance

Lost Horse Mine Loop
Joshua Tree National Park, California
With a 650-foot elevation gain, this 6.5-mile loop is considered challenging. The highlight of this hike is the Lost Horse Mine and mill — a relic of the California Gold Rush and one of the area’s most successful prospecting claims.
Nearest Resort(s): WorldMark Indio, WorldMark Palm Springs, WorldMark Cathedral City, WorldMark Plaza Resort and Spa