Dallas Moms Blog has partnered with Long Cove at Cedar Creek Lake for this sponsored post. All opinions are 100% our own!
Two weeks ago my family and I made the 11 hour 14 hour drive to the Gulf Shores of Florida. It was my first trip to venture further east than New Orleans (crazy!), but it was also my first real beach vacation with my children (and all of my husband’s extended family).
Florida was great! White sand beaches, pools with a lazy river and splash pad, and beautiful views of the ocean and fireworks from our 3 bedroom condo. But was it a vacation? I wouldn’t call it that!
As Heather recently shared, a family vacation with littles isn’t exactly the relaxing time you’d imagine. There were weeks of planning and prepping prior to the trip. Suitcases full of diapers, swim gear and bottles of sunscreen. Movies (lots of movies), games, and crafts were needed for the car rides to and from, plus supplemental activities for downtime or rainy day weather. We also had to think in advance about providing our own beach chairs and umbrellas (and as Texans, these are things we don’t own). We even had an entire bag dedicated just to beach toys. . . because you can’t go to a beach and just sit there. I mean, I can…but my kids can’t! Then there was the preparations for the condo — bringing sleeping bags for our boys, pillows, food and snacks (plus grocery shopping when we arrived).
I think you get the point!
On the drive home, my husband and I had time (lots of time) to reflect back on the trip. While we LOVED experiencing the beach with our children and family, we’ve come to think that there’s probably a better time and place for these types of vacations in our lives. Maybe our boys don’t need to drive 14 hours to see a white sand beach or experience a lazy river at their ages, but instead maybe we can focus on creating memories closer to home and save those types of trips for later on in life. After all, it’s not the destination, but the time that you spend together!
At our stage of family life, we’d love to “escape” the city, unplug, and enjoy our time together without having to pack up our house and prepare for every type of scenario. That’s why when Long Cove reached out to Dallas Moms Blog with an opportunity to experience all that their property has to offer, we jumped on the chance!
Where is Long Cove?
One hour southeast of Downtown Dallas (or an hour and a half from the Frisco, McKinney, & Allen areas), you’ll find Texas’s fourth largest lake near the cities of Mabank and Gun Barrel City. Cedar Creek Lake is home to over 320 miles of shoreline, and Long Cove sits on 1,200 acres (or 6.5 miles) of that shoreline. 
Designed by the Dallas developer of City Place and West Village, Don McNamara created Long Cove after owning property on Cedar Creek for over 20 years to be a “premier, family-friendly second home destination” for residents of the Dallas metroplex and surrounding areas.
What Does Long Cove Offer?
Long Cove strives to make their privately-owned community a desirable location throughout the year that’s easily accessible for families who are looking for a home away from home. Long Cove provides everything a growing family would need for an incredible weekend by the water or holiday weekend away, plus so much more! Long Cove offers special homesites for waterside cottages, lakefront homes and family compounds, which can all be built-to-suit, accommodating the unique needs of each resident.
Features and Amenities for property owners include (meaning no “club” to join):
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Access to their tiered pool, hot tub, and 125′ water slide
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Access to the Club Room with large screen TV & fireplace for family game nights or private parties
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A state of the art fitness room
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Access to the Family Game Room with big screen TV’s, pool table and table tennis (all visible to the pool)
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Use of the Outdoor Kitchen for BBQ’s
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And of course, Long Cove’s PRIVATE, personal beach
Activities to take advantage of on-site for property owners include:
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Long Cove’s Toy Barn where families can check out everything from sports equipment to bicycles to fishing poles
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A Golf “Proving Grounds” Practice and Short Course that appeals to both family games and serious golfers
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500 acres of hiking trails
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A lakeview Amphitheater for special live performances and activities like movies under the stars
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Access to Tennis & Sports courts, plus football-sized fields for playing!
In addition to all that the community has to offer, they also provide concierge-type services that make it extremely convenient to just pack up and head out for the weekend. Want a stocked fridge? Need a pool float? Whatever it is, they can probably have it ready and waiting for you. If you’re a boat owner (or looking to be!), their boat valet and concierge are community favorites, which take the headache out of boat ownership by providing delivery from dry storage to your dock, fueling, cleaning and maintenance services. Don’t own a boat? No problem! They can rent them!
As our family continues to grow and our boys go in and out of different stages, the idea of having a location so close to Dallas where we can go and just be a family is extremely appealing. No long drives. No packing up an entire house and wondering how our boys will entertain themselves. Long Cove is the ideal destination for families looking to own their own second home or even going in together on a property as a multi-generational investment that can be used all year long.
If you’d like to know more information about Long Cove’s luxury waterside cottages or lakefront homesites that are now available, contact Josh Ellis at 214-220-9992 or [email protected]. You can also visit their website or find us on Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter. Then make sure to stay connected to Dallas Moms Blog during the next few weeks as we share more photographs and information about our personal experiences at Long Cove!
Does your family have a personal destination to escape the city life? Is this something you’ve thought about for your family?
Disclaimer: Dallas Moms Blog has partnered with Long Cove at CedarCreek Lake for a contributor get-together, and we’re excited to share this sponsored information with our readers. All opinions are 100% our own!
