5 Reasons Why Families Need To Visit Woodloch Resort
Winter is coming! Actually it’s HERE! That’s why parents are scrambling to find fun ways to keep their kids entertained and happy cuz baby it’s cold outside! And with multiple winter breaks like: the holidays, MLK day, Presidents Day weekend and school’s official winter and spring breaks, the pressure is on to find ways to pass the time with kids! Woodloch Resort saves the day (and the weekend!). It’s just 90 minutes outside of Manhattan in the Poconos area of Pennsylvania and it takes care of all of your family needs while ensuring a fun-filled winter getaway! Below are 5 reasons you too must try it out!
- It’s rated as the #1 family resort in the U.S! You heard that right! Both USA Today and Traveler’s Choice singled out Woodloch Resort as the best place for families to vacation! And to further reinforce those rave reviews, infamously critical Yelp reviewers averaged a 4.5 star (out of 5) rating! It clearly is a people pleaser! And I can see why! With the most abundant list of activities, delicious food, spacious accommodations, and the most welcoming staff, you really feel like you’ve come home (if home was a cozy spot with maids, housekeepers, nightly entertainment and non-stop fun! haha
- FUN FUN FUN! You cannot be bored here. There is something for everyone, at really, every age! The indoor / outdoor list of play options (of 30+ daily activities) will blow your mind. Here, parents don’t have to worry about how to pass the long days, weekends, or breaks! Woodloch has it all figured out! Toddlers will enjoy the splash zone, 1′ wading pool, outdoor playground, indoor toddler play gym, petting zoo, pony rides, magic shows and baby bumper cars.
Little kids will enjoy the pool’s slide and indoor pool, driving their own bumper car and gokarting on their own (if 48″ or taller), the kids club, ice skating for the first time with balance beams, the arts and crafts room, and 3-level climbing gym. 
Older kids will love the: go karting, silent disco dance nights, archery, trivia, wiffle ball, bocce ball, the escape room and paintballing. This isn’t even mentioning the fun-for-all ages: snow tubing, scavenger hunts, minute-to-win-it games, arcade, kareoke, bowling, putt putt, and family-friendly contests. (phew that was a lot, right?) 
When the weather warms up, they also offer: water-skiing, fishing, kayaking, clay shooting, boating, hiking, summer Olympics, ziplining and MORE! Imagine trying to check off all those activities in one weekend. You’d be hustling around town non-stop whereas here, everything is walkable or just a short shuttle bus ride away. Trust me, your kids will never want to leave. And nobody will believe how much fun you managed to pack into each day! 
- The food is delicious! The yummy meals had us all leaving 5 lbs heavier I think. Who could resist when the 3 course meals felt so homemade with love? The selection was well -received even amongst us two families at the table with picky little eaters. And the desserts and baked goods were to die for! AHHHh.. We ate SO much at every meal that we started realizing we could have easily gotten away with the 2 meal-a-day plan. Surely we would have reached our daily allowance for calories even with just 2 meals but it was the weekend and we were on vaca…(vaca calories don’t count, right??) With 4 restaurants and 3 additional spots for a quick snack or drink, you and the kids will always be able to find something!
- The service is incredibly warm, welcoming and genuine. Us Manhattanites have gotten somewhat used to poor service, rude strangers and pushing and shoving in the subway trains. So it is always with great pleasure and gratitude that we receive such nice service! Everyone at Woodloch from the front desk staff to the waiters and greeters were so friendly and smile-y you felt like you were immediately welcomed into the Woodloch family!
Speaking of welcomes, did you know that costumed characters surprise you at every meal? The kids loved seeing the likes of Paw Patrol and other familiar faces greeting them at the dining room. Woodloch’s resort is a family-owned and operated resort (since 1958), something they are proud to highlight. And everything from the family-style meals, family-oriented games and contests serve to emphasize their value on family time. It’s no wonder families repeatedly visit, each time adding more families and friends to their stay. Generations have been making Woodloch Resort their vacation destination of choice and their family reunion spot for years! The decor even has the nostalgic feel of visiting grandma and grandpa’s house. It definitely has its own hospitable charm!
- The grounds are vast and beautiful. We stayed in the Springbrook suite overlooking the lake and gorgeous grounds. It had a terrace and amazing light would shine through our room. Having just come from the concrete jungle of Manhattan, I really appreciated my vast view. I saw that there was a walking trail around the lake and imagined how beautiful it would be when warmer- especially when the fall foliage bloomed in vibrant colors. (I’ll have to return in the fall!) With their outdoor rock climbing wall, championship golf course, and endless water sports, there are various ways to enjoy the view! If nature and peace are what you’re looking for in a getaway, this Poconos destination can give you that peaceful pristine mountain / lake vacation you want!
I’m always the one researching and planning out fun activities for friends and family so it was with great pleasure that I finally got to sit back and let Woodloch take care of all the entertainment and planning. We had so much fun as a family and got to bond with another special family that we traveled with too. Woodloch Resort really is an amazing destination to make memories with those you cherish! They’re currently having a 30% off sale so book your next vaca today!
Tell me in the comments below what you’d most look forward to!
And to read another review of Woodloch Resort, check out my friend Melissa’s blog (she traveled with us) and you’ll want to hear her perspective as a mom of a boy and a girl.
Click here to read all about Pennsylvania’s Koziar’s Christmas Village and for everything you need to know before you go!
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What do you think of when you think of Woodstock? Most people remember the world-renowned, rock ‘n roll music festival and see it as a defining moment in the hippie, 60’s counter-culture. But did you know that the Woodstock site in Bethel, New York also continues to entertain through its Cultural Arts Center, its various concert stages and halls as well as its Museum at Bethel Woods? We were recently invited to explore the area, stay locally, and enjoy the Center For The Arts immersion program for children. Here’s what we learned.
What a breath of fresh air this place was! Located just 90 miles from NYC, the expansive grounds, vibrant greenery, and lovely landscape had us city folk rejoicing in the countryside. I’m pretty sure I heard the Sound of Music’s, “the hills are alive” song playing in the background everywhere I went.
Think quaint restaurants, bed and breakfasts, antique shopping, farmer’s markets and friendly, down-to-earth people. It’s a relaxing lifestyle and a much needed getaway for Manhattanites like us. Additionally, the Catskills and Monticello are neighboring cities, so if you wanted, you could also visit a local casino, 
The day that we participated, the older kids group that Juliet was in, practiced watercolor painting techniques, learned about how to create depth and dimension by sketching with perspective, and focused on landscape drawing, intricately detailing sunsets and incorporating the use of shadows. I was really impressed at the depth of art education they imparted onto these budding artists. It was NOT simply a free-for-all, art class. They each grew their artistic vocabulary and became more skilled artisans in the process.
Unbelievably, their 1 week program which daily runs from 9am – 4pm is just $250 per week. Read that again. I said per week, NOT daily like we are used to in Manhattan. What a freaking deal. With all the money saved on camp, you’ll be able to splurge on a hotel getaway & spa here haha!]
I’m far from being a history buff so I was pleasantly surprised at how much I truly enjoyed learning about the history of Woodstock, the 60s, and hippie culture. If all my history classes had been so interactive, and instructional through multi-media systems, I certainly would have enjoyed the subject more! We were scheduled to visit for an hour but because I really got into it and also wanted to stay to watch the Woodstock documentary, we were there for 2 hours.
We were in Bethel during the most perfect weather weekend so it was with great delight that I explored the Bindy Bazaar trail and grounds around Woodstock! Nothing beats the smell of fresh air and sunshine on a summer day! The grounds were just beautiful to stroll through. I highly recommend doing so AFTER you’ve visited the museum to fully appreciate the rich history.
The Bindy Bazaar was a vibrant, fun little trail that combined textural tapestries with trees. Seeing artsy rainbow glimpses in the path ahead motivated me to walk further into this enchanted forest and it was a hike I will never forget. I highly recommend this!
Bethel Woods Center for the Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit cultural organization that inspires, educates, and empowers individuals through the arts and humanities. You’ll see from their calendar of events and activities that they provide great sources of family fun entertainment ranging from seasonal festivals to musical concerts, to artsy camps for kids. For more information and to plan your visit, click 
