Idyllic Idaho Lakeside Retreat

Last year, the Sun Valley Lodge was being renovated, so, deprived of our customary summer retreat, we decided to take our extended family to another Idaho resort. From Boise, a scenic two-hour drive along the Payette River brought us to McCall, a remote town with around 3,000 inhabitants set at the edge of snow-fed Payette Lake. (It is also possible to fly there via private or chartered jet.)

Joe Scott wanted to modernize the lodge while maintaining the charm and family-friendly appeal that he remembered from his childhood.

A resort since 1948, Shore Lodge, as its name suggests, is situated lakeside and offers 77 rooms and suites, 62 of which have water views. In 2008, the resort, along with the nearby Whitetail Club residential community, was a sentimental purchase by Joe Scott, grandson of grocery magnate Joe Albertson. He wanted to modernize the lodge while maintaining the charm and family-friendly appeal that he remembered from his childhood. An investment of more than $10 million has resulted in comprehensively upgraded rooms and an excellent spa.

The property offers accommodations on three levels, with the lower level opening onto groomed sandy beaches — a nice feature for younger children. We stayed in a spacious Lake View Suite on the third floor. A living room featured large bay windows and a small terrace overlooking a marina. The dining room had a mini-kitchen area with a Keurig coffee machine and a large wooden table. The bedroom was windowless, which was disappointing. The bath came with a walk-in shower and tub, but was very dark, owing to its green marble and brown wallpaper. Executive Suites are worth the upgrade alone for their larger, nicer baths done in cream-colored tile.

The lodge has three restaurants, all with spectacular lake views. The marina-side Lake Grill is the place to enjoy breakfast or lunch. Here, the food is good, if unremarkable, but the service can be slow. At The Narrows, a changing dinner menu features Northwest cuisine with dishes such as elk chop with smoked mushrooms and huckleberry sauce. After dinner, we wandered over to the Narrows Grill, a popular bar, for a “huckle-tini.” Huckleberries grow generously in the summer around McCall, attracting large numbers of black bears.

Family amenities at Shore Lodge include an in-house movie theater, game room, indoor basketball court and outdoor pool area with hot tub. However, the most fun can be had on the lake itself. Payette Lake covers 5,330 acres and, being in the shape of a horseshoe, is larger than it appears from the lodge. The water is pristine, cool and perfect for an invigorating swim. We took out kayaks and paddled right by a moose and her calf. Another highlight was renting a Manitou pontoon boat, a well-equipped floating living room with enough power for water sports. For adults, the principal amenity is The Cove spa, where we thoroughly enjoyed soaking in the indoor and outdoor saltwater immersion pools. Guests at Shore Lodge have the privilege of playing at the acclaimed Whitetail Club golf course, with a beautiful layout woven through the forested residential area. The driving range itself is a joy, so head over at least an hour before your tee time. In general, the course is uncrowded — we had the links to ourselves on a Saturday.

Downtown McCall, with its quaint shops and beach, is less than a mile from the resort. On more than one evening, we took the entire family to Steamers. Run for the past 10 years by local chef Darren Strandell and his wife, Lauri, the restaurant offers hearty portions of fresh seafood and beef. Highlights included tuna tartare with avocado and capers, manila clams from Puget Sound, and a lamb and trout dinner served with Idaho Yukon Gold mashed potatoes.

AT A GLANCE

LIKE: The lakeside setting; the abundance of activities; the large, comfortable rooms.

DISLIKE: Slow service; our windowless bedroom.

GOOD TO KNOW: Only lakeview rooms should be considered. Book well in advance, as summer is extremely popular. Fall is a nice time to go without the children. Internet is not reliable or fast in McCall.

The Shore Lodge 90 Lake View King Suite, $260; Executive Lake View King Suite, $410. 501 West Lake Street, McCall, Idaho. Tel. (208) 634-2244.