Take a Family Fitness Adventure for Lifelong Memories

Back-to-school means the end of a busy family travel season for many of us. But while kids are returning to school routines, the fall is a perfect time to start planning future family adventures with a fitness twist.

While there's always something to be said for a week of pool and beach, resorts everywhere are creating specialized programs and activities that combine both fitness and adventure for active families. Imagine a place where you can not just explore new lands, but combine a love of fitness and the outdoors alongside your family. Here are five of the best resorts to make all that happen:

1. The Lodge at Glendorn in Bradford, Pennsylvania

Created as a family retreat in the late 1920s, the Lodge at Glendorn caters to active families across the 1,500 acre property in northwestern Pennsylvania. The surrounding forest and nearby Allegheny National Forest are a playground for this all-season resort. The choice of activities is limited only by time and season -- with warm-weather offerings like fly fishing, skeet shooting, hiking and water sports on Bondieu Lake. Never tried fly-fishing (or skeet shooting)? No problem. Expert activity guides offer individualized lessons that will make everyone feel like a pro. In the winter, snow transforms the lodge with cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, ice fishing, ice skating, snowmobiling and curling on Skipper Lake. Families can try any of the activities with top-of-the line equipment provided by Glendorn. After a day of adrenaline-raising adventures, guests can pamper themselves at the Forest Spa (children over 12 can partake in Bunny Patch services) and delight over gourmet foodie experiences curated by executive chef Joe Schafer.

[Read: 7 Family Fitness Ideas for Winter .]

2. Four Seasons Resort and Residences in Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Although Jackson Hole, Wyoming boasts breathtaking winter vistas and formidable skiing -- the area comes alive in the summer months with fitness and outdoor activities for every age and level. Located in Teton Village at the base of the mountain, the Four Seasons Resort and Residences Jackson Hole acts as a base camp to the outdoors for families in search of adventure. Parents and children can get a taste of the Old West with the resort's Wild West Academy -- Intro to rodeo program where the whole family can learn rodeo skills like barrel racing and roping on horseback. In the evening, families can get cozy with a stargazing program with the help of a Celestron professional-grade telescope. With Grand Teton National Park just steps away, the options for hiking, kayaking and paddle boarding in this natural wonderland are endless. The Kids' Ranch at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort provides families the option of splitting up in case the adults want to hike higher than the little legs of young children might venture.

[See: Best Family Vacations in the USA .]

3. Rancho La Puerta in Tecate, Mexico

You may not think that a spa and wellness retreat would appeal to the whole family, but each year, the destination spa Rancho La Puerta turns its focus to families during Family Week. Designed to create laughter, learning and togetherness, this annual program invites guests of all ages to explore nature, family fitness and even family cooking for families with children aged 6 to 17. Guests choose from among a menu of activities each day -- like "Noodle Water Polo," hiking, Brazilian drumming, pool bingo and cooking classes to create an unforgettable week.

4. Big Sky Resort in Big Sky, Montana

Known as a base camp to Yellowstone, Big Sky Resort welcomes families all year for fitness adventures. The resort offers a host of warm weather activities in the summer that include zip lines, mountain biking, rock climbing and archery -- as well as special events like the Kids Adventure Games or Vine and Dine Festival (for parents). The Lone Peak Expedition takes families to the 11,166 foot summit in an aerial tram for views, while the hiking trails in the resort and Yellowstone National Park offer some of the best trails in the country. In the winter, the wide mountain trails create 5,800 skiable acres empowering beginner and expert skiers of all ages to get up close and personal with daily fresh powder. An expert ski school and kids' program gives parents the option of getting in a few runs on their own or savoring a few moments of après-ski relaxation with Lone Peak in the distance, while children are having fun and learning.

5. Royal Caribbean Cruise

Most people think of cruise vacations for the stops in exotic ports of call (and the buffet dining). But on a cruise on the Royal Caribbean Quantum of the Seas (cruising for the first time in November 2014), families will not have to wait for the ship to anchor to take part in fitness and adventure activities. Dhani Jones, sports and fitness advisor for the Quantum fleet, helped create adventures that include rock climbing, basketball, roller skating, dance parties and surfing on a FlowRider wave simulator. Families can participate in the Quantum Family Challenge, competing in fun fitness activities while at sea, or more adventurous types can try the one-of-a-kind RipCord skydiving simulator that recreates the feeling of soaring 10,000 feet in the air.

[See: Best Places to Cruise This Fall .]

Elena Sonnino is a writer, public speaker, strategist, traveler, runner, cancer survivor and chaser of dreams. Her inspirational wellness, travel and social good stories have been published in the National Wildlife Federation's e-book, Be Out There, at the Huffington Post, TravelingMom.com, HiltonMomVoyage.com, ThisGirlTravels.com and BlogHer. Elena is passionate about fostering self-sufficiency and empowering others on her website, LiveDoGrow.com.