Founded in 1955 as a community ski area, Crystal Mountain Resort and Spa in Thompsonville (28 miles south of Traverse City) has evolved into a family-run resort that uses green business practices to serve guests eager for a healthful, refreshing getaway. Whether guests go to ski, golf, hike or hit the new 11,000-square-foot Crystal Spa, they'll find ways to nourish body and spirit here. Crystal has a variety of lodgings, from basic hotel rooms to lovely three-bedroom cottages along the golf course to mountaintop homes where you can ski out your back door. Basic hotel rooms start at about $175; one-bedroom condos along the golf course start at $267 a night; five-bedroom mountaintop townhomes run $618 a night. To squeeze more value out of your visit, visitors should probably troll the website for packages, which bundle some of the extras -- equipment rental, skiing, golf, spa credits and alpine slide admission -- for cheaper prices. But don't go home before you've soaked in some pampering at the luxurious we've-thought-of-everything spa and tried some of the dishes on the Peak Performance menu at the on-site Thistle Pub and Grille, where seasonal, regional ingredients flavor healthful high-end cuisine. Those extras made visits enjoyable for parents, but kids also will love all of the on-site activities that foster a love of the outdoors and seasonal play.