Wisconsin USA

Ah...summer Up North. Pine scent hangs in the fresh air, the woods beckon and diamond light dances across clear, deep lakes where fish are plentiful. These delightful lodgings make great vacation bases in that third of the state that calls so many of us, year after year, to venture north and get away from it all.

What do you get when you mingle the crisp smells of a grove of white pine with the lip-smacking aroma of fresh-cooked barbecue? Some clues: Tall pines. Clusters of dark brown split-log cabins. A nearby scenic lake...

Cabins are furnished in similarly woodsy antique themes, with aged tools and toys from logging and fur trading days. Most cabins offer three bedrooms, and all but two include a whirlpool bath; the two-story versions have a second fireplace in the loft master bedroom.