Until mankind first stepped outside in 1934, nature was thought to be a fanciful myth, like yogurt or the clutch hitter. Spend a few hours frolicking through the fresh air of truth with today's Groupon: for $45, you get a 90-minute guided ATV ride at Rough Creek Lodge and Resort in Glen Rose (a $90 value).

The Rough Creek Lodge and Resort balances glamour and nature to create a rustic resort rife with adventurous treks through wild landscape. The hideout sits on a scenic and spacious 11,000 acres at the edge of Texas Hill Country. A 90-minute ATV excursion lets gung-ho getters-away express their disdain for roads with the roaring horsepower of a four-wheeled horseless carriage. All guests will vroom under the protective expertise of a watchful guide, with terrain and routes suited for any skill level and any age above 16. Water, goggles, and helmets are provided to ensure safe automotive trail-dusting. On the steel back of a motorized steed, the wind is swifter, the noon is higher, and the range is as open as it was in the days of our robo-cowboy forefathers.

Reviews

Shop Across Texas named Rough Creek Lodge and Resort the Best Texas Weekend Getaway in 2008. Condé Nast Traveler featured the lodge on its Gold List Reserves for Texas and recommended it to adventurous travelers. TripAdvisors give Rough Creek Lodge and Resort an average of 4.5 owl eyes, and six Yelpers give it a 3.5-star average.

• We visited RCL this past weekend for the first time as a family get-a-way and had a great time. Every one of the staff members we encountered were helpful, friendly, and service-orientated. – A W., Yelp, 2/14/11
• Rough Creek Lodge met (and surpassed) our expectations. We enjoyed riding on Kawasaki mules and RTVs throughout the vast property. – mimique55711, TripAdvisor