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First things first: I am not a gambler. But when my husband and I were in need of a one-night getaway, Resorts World Catskills seemed like a good choice for a quick escape. Located in the Hudson Valley in Monticello, New York, it was just a little over an hour drive from northern Westchester County to the resort. I was looking for a location where, once we parked the car, we wouldn’t have to drive anywhere else. With several onsite restaurants, a pool and (of course) the casino, Resorts World Catskills checked all of the boxes.
However there are some things I wish we knew prior to our visit:
We booked a room in The Alder at Resorts World Catskills. We were unaware that this “boutique lifestyle hotel” is a completely and totally separate building from the main hotel and casino. Staying here grants guests access to the amenities at the main hotel including the indoor pool and fitness center. However, these are located in an entirely different building.
There is no indoor connector between The Alder and the main hotel and casino. To get from one building to the other, you must exit and walk a good 150 feet on the sidewalk outside. In three out of the four seasons, this isn’t a problem. When we visited during the winter and it was a brisk 32 degrees out it was quite uncomfortable. It does get colder than that in the Catskills too.
If you plan to visit the indoor pool, bring a beach bag (this bag would have been perfect!) to transport your things. We had only brought our large overnight bags for the single night stay. When we realized that we would need to walk outside to be able to access the pool, we had to wear our bathing suits under our clothing. We also had to carry our books. In warmer weather, a bathing suit cover up and flip flops may be worn, depending on how comfortable you are walking through The Alder hotel lobby and past several restaurants in the main hotel. Otherwise, there is a changing room and restrooms in the pool area.
On the few trips that we’ve made to Foxwoods (another resort casino located in Connecticut), I’ve seen every themed slot machine you can think of. Monopoly, Sex and the City, Deal or No Deal….they have them all. At Resorts World Catskills, there were no licensed slot machines. With 1,600 slot machines, there wasn’t a lack of machines. However, if you are expecting or enjoy playing a specific branded game, you will likely not find it here. For those who enjoy table games, there are plenty of Blackjack, Craps and Roulette Tables along with a variety of Poker Tables.
There are only two sit-down, full table-service restaurants at Resorts World Catskills. If you want a special night out to celebrate you can dine at the Italian-inspired steakhouse Cellaio or the Chinese restaurant, Lotus. If there is a specific time you are looking to dine, I recommend making a reservation on OpenTable. Although it wasn’t super crowded during our visit, we made a 7 PM reservation at Lotus. When we arrived for dinner, despite all of the other tables being occupied, we were seated immediately. Be sure to check the restaurant days and hours, since these restaurants are closed on certain days of the week.
Although check-in is at 4 PM, we arrived at the hotel a little earlier. Fortunately, the check-in desk had no wait, and our room was ready to go. When we walked by the check-in desk a bit later that afternoon the line was very long! The Alder has its own amenities; Dos Gatos Restaurant, a cantina-style Mexican eatery as well as a bar. There are pool tables in the lobby and Topgolf Swing Suite is also located in this building.
The main hotel and casino has two indoor pools; one is strictly for adults 21+. There is also a small fitness center and an 8,000 square foot spa. The Awana Spa has six treatment rooms, steam rooms, saunas and a relaxation lounge. I need to make sure to include a stop here on my next visit!
We only stayed one night at The Alder at Resorts World Catskills. We enjoyed twenty-four hours of quality time together, which was our main goal of the trip. For those who enjoy gambling, and want a quick getaway, Resorts World is an appealing option.
The Details: Resorts World Casino 888 Resorts World Drive Monticello, NY 12701 Website Phone: 1-833-586-9358
Imagine a street lined with bookstores that are filled with books and treasures of all kinds from the floors to the ceilings. This dream for book lovers is a reality in the Catskills. Readers of every age will enjoy a visit to Hobart Book Village, where the Main Street of Hobart, New York is filled with eight independent book shops.
This book village is the brain child of Don Dales. This local entrepreneur established the Hobart Book Village in 2005, where it has since grown to become a travel stop famous on social media. Even the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile has made a stop in this tiny village. Two major book sales are held during the Memorial Day and Thanksgiving weekends. While you can still score some great book bargains, these are also the most popular times to visit, with hundreds of book lovers descending on Hobart. Each of the eight shops is unique in its own way. See a short description of each below.
Book Shops in Hobart Book Village:
William H. Adams’ Antiquarian Books (602 Main Street) – The antiquarian bookstore sells “uncommon books at reasonable prices.” The three floors of the bookshop contain tons of books, many of which were printed prior to 1850! They have books on all different subjects, including a large collection of history, art, poetry and biographies.
Blenheim Hill Books (698 Main Street Suite A) – Blenheim Hill Books has the largest selection of children’s and young adult books. Many of these books are brand new and recently published. They specialize in poetry, women’s history and women’s studies. There are a handful of chairs throughout the shop to sit and relax in.
Creative Corner Books (607 Main Street) – If you have any interest in cookbooks and/or crafts, this is the store for you! Creative Corner Books has a large room filled with shelves of cookbooks, including vintage cookbooks, and craft books. Handmade gifts and housewares can also be purchased here.
Liberty Rock Books (698 Main Street) – This bookstore is the largest of them all, encompassing over 5,000 square feet. If you are a first time visitor, the shopkeeper at the front register will give you a quick overview of the space when you arrive. Beside the hundreds of used and rare books filling the store’s shelves, you can also peruse their consignment room.
LionEyesBooks (722 Main Street) – LionEyesBooks houses an eclectic collection of new and used art, philosophy, spirituality and psychology books. You’ll also find general fiction, children’s books and more among the shelves.
More Good Books (645 Main Street) – More Good Books has a small collection of fiction books. Many of their books are focused on railroads, automobiles, games and sports. Most of the books in this shop are overflows from Blenheim Hill Books and Williams H. Adams.
New York Books & Ephemera (615 Main Street) – Connected to Creative Corner Books, New York Books & Ephemera, as the name suggests, carries books all about New York. They sell new, used and vintage books on a variety of topics including history, geography, travel, memoirs and more. They also sell food products, gifts and other NY made products.
Quarry Books (645 Main Street) – This tiny, two room bookshop specializes in mysteries and science fiction books. The shop is not staffed and purchases are based on the honor system, with a money box and change box available.
Unfortunately, the only café in town, “The Coffee Pot”, was closed on the day of our visit. If you are looking to eat, you will have to travel to neighboring towns. Please check each store’s website for the most up-to-date hours. Most of the book shops are open on the weekends only from 11 AM to 5 PM until Memorial Day, when they start daily operating hours.
We stopped at Hobart Book Village before our stay at the Roxbury Motel in Roxbury, NY, which is a 25 minute drive away.
Thank you to Visit Rochester for hosting NY Foodie Family. As always, all opinions are our own.
Located in the north west region of New York state, Rochester is approximately a 5 hour drive from Westchester County or a one hour flight from NYC. We recently enjoyed a winter weekend in Rochester and can say there’s plenty to do! Even though it’s the fourth largest city in the state, Rochester has different neighborhoods that give it a small-town feel. Be sure to check out our Instagram page to see lots more pictures from our visit!
WHERE TO STAY:
We stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn Rochester University & Medical Center (30 Celebration Drive, Rochester, NY 14620). As the name suggests, this hotel is located next to the Medical Center and Rochester University. Almost all major attractions are less than a 15 minute drive away. Located in College Town, there are many restaurants and shops within walking distance.
The rooms are typical for a mainstream hotel and either have a King bed or 2 Queens. There are a couple of one bedroom suites that have a King bed and a small separate living room area with a pullout couch. Our room had two queen beds with a mini fridge, microwave and Keurig. The hotel has a pool and fitness center onsite. If you like Italian food, Grappa restaurant is located on the hotel ground floor. Parking at the hotel is free, even though you’re technically in the middle of a large city.
WHAT TO DO IN ROCHESTER:
Winters in Rochester can be cold and snowy. If you are not a fan of either, don’t despair! The city is full of fun indoor and outdoor places that are worth visiting in the winter.
The George Eastman Museum is the world’s oldest photography museum. It is located on George Eastman’s estate and visitors can tour both the museum and his mansion. Eastman invented the Kodak camera, helping to make photography more accessible to the public. The museum collection has more than 400,000 photographs and photography-related objects. There are always three photography exhibits on display in the museum and currently you can view Joshua Rashaad McFadden: I Believe I’ll Run On (through June 19, 2022), James Tylor: From an Untouched Landscape (through June 5, 2022) and Selections from the Collection. There are also digitized films from the George Eastman collection playing in the Multipurpose Hall (through March 27, 2022) and an exhibit of George Eastman in 1922 in the historic mansion.
From mid-February to the beginning of March, Dutch Connection takes place. Eastman loved flowers and, during this annual event, the mansion is decorated with the kinds of flowers that he enjoyed. The colorful display includes different varieties of tulips, daffodils, hyacinth and more.
There are not many cities that have a waterfall running through its center. This 96-foot waterfall is one of three that spills from the Genesee River. The pedestrian bridge, Pont de Rennes bridge, provides the perfect viewing platform of the falls and makes it easy for cyclists and pedestrians to access different parts of the city.
Mendon Ponds Park Wild Wings Bird of Prey Facility and Nature Center Fairy Trail and Birdsong Trail 27 Pond Road Honeoye Falls, NY 14472
Mendon Ponds Park is Monroe County’s largest park, consisting of 2,500 acres. Rochester gets a lot of snow in the winter and you can take advantage of it at this park. There are two designated sledding hills, more than 20 miles of groomed cross country skiing trails and snowshoe rentals. These are available for $5/an hour at the Wild Wings, Inc. shop. Every visit to Rochester should include a stop at the Wild Wings, Inc. Bird of Prey Facility and Nature Center. Meet rescued animals and birds of prey that, due to a variety of injuries, would not be able to survive out in the wild.
Make sure you leave time for a walk down the Fairy Trail! Look high and low for two dozen fairy houses, located both up on tree branches and down on tree stumps. They are colorful, inspirational and add a bit of whimsy and fun to the great outdoors!
Bring a bag of birdseed with you (or buy a bag for $1 and support the Wild Wings, Inc. facility) and head to Birdsong Trail. The birds, including black-capped chickadees, nuthatches and titmice, will fly down and eat the birdseed right out of your hand! This was such an unexpected and fun experience!
If you happen to visit in January, you can experience the park’s annual Winterfest, an all-day festival filled with fun activities and learning opportunities.
The Memorial Art Gallery (MAG) is the University of Rochester’s art museum. The MAG holds a collection of over 12,000 objects in their permanent collection. They also host many temporary exhibitions, concerts and family-friendly programs.
The collection spans over 5,000 years and you can see everything from an Egyptian mummy and Greek pottery to works by Monet, Cezanne and they even have a Kusama. There is a small sculpture park on the grounds of the museum worth checking out as well.
Current temporary exhibits include Kota Ezawa’s National Anthem (through August 14, 2022) and Chitra Ganesh: Sultana’s Dream (through June 5, 2022).
Radio Social is a great attraction to visit with teens. This entertainment venue has 34 bowling lanes, indoor games including shuffleboard and ping pong, and video games. There are two eateries: Ophira, a sit-down Middle Eastern restaurant located at the entrance of the space, and Shortwave, a counter-service-only snack bar. There are also two bar areas.
Every bowling lane has either a high top table with stools or sofas. Food can be ordered and delivered right to your lane. We visited on a Saturday evening and the place was hopping! This is a popular place for locals to celebrate birthdays, as there were several taking place during our visit. Lanes are rented by the hour and start at $39.95. Friday and Saturdays have a higher rate of $45.95/hour. If you want to rent a lane during your visit, I highly recommend making a reservation since, as I mentioned, this is a very popular venue!
We had dinner while we bowled and were impressed with the food we tried here. We enjoyed the “Just” brick oven pizza with tomato, fresh mozzarella and basil and the veggie burger, made with black beans, poblano and feta. The seasonal veggie, olive oil and fresh herb hummus served with cucumber and pita was tasty as well. My son enjoyed a bacon cheeseburger which is topped with a tomato shallot jam and aged cheddar. The curly fries are served with a black garlic mayo and spicy ketchup for dipping. This is not your typical bowling alley food!
The Rochester Museum and Science Center is a great museum for kids of all ages. Their current temporary exhibition is Expedition: Dinosaur, which is on display through May 1, 2022. The RMSC holds three floors of hands-on science with exhibits on energy, sound, illumination, Native Peoples of the Americas, and lots more! I personally found the Fight to Freedom: Rochester’s Underground Railroad and Objectively Racist: How Objects and Images Perpetuate Racism particularly enlightening. While the museum was filled with younger kids, I enjoyed that my older teens were knowledgeable about the science behind many of the exhibits, as they have or are learning about the concepts.
The Strasenburgh Planetarium, adjacent to the museum has three different shows, including its newest, “Dinosaurs at Dusk”. This approximately 45 minute show compliments the museum’s current Dinosaur exhibit. Young dinosaur fans will enjoy seeing this movie on a big screen. Please note: it’s a movie about a father and daughter who travel through time to see dinosaurs. It is not a planetarium show focused on stars and space.
If you have young kids, the Strong Museum of Play is a must-visit when in Rochester. This is a one-of-a-kind museum with 100,000 square feet of interactive exhibits focused on toys and play. Kids can visit Sesame Street, shop at the Wegman’s Super Kids Market, visit the Toy Hall of Fame and more. Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood is a temporary exhibit through April 24, 2022.
Our family had fun in Pinball Playfields, where we got to play all kinds of different pinball machines. Pinball games and video games cost 25 cents per play. While there is plenty to see and do with a general admission, there are also attractions available for an additional cost. These include the butterfly garden, the Skyline climb, a train ride and a ride on the carousel.
Be warned, we visited during the winter break when schools were closed. Even though we arrived early, it was packed! In our opinion, children between the ages of 4 and 10 will likely have the most fun and enjoyment at this museum.
Visit Colleges
Having two teenagers, we’ve recently been visiting colleges on our travels. Rochester is home to several colleges including the University of Rochester and the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). The University of Rochester is minutes away from the Hilton Garden Inn Rochester/University & Medical Center. We took a drive through the campus to get a cursory glimpse of the school. However, you can schedule a visit to Rochester around an official college visit and tour.
WHERE TO EAT IN ROCHESTER:
A visit to Rochester is not complete without sampling it’s most iconic dish, the garbage plate. Trademarked by the historic restaurant where it originated called Nick Tahou Hots in 1992, almost every restaurant offers some variation. Garbage plate traditionally begin with a layer of either French fries or home fries, and either macaroni salad or baked beans. This layer is then topped with a protein which often is either hot dogs or hamburgers. However, some restaurants offer ground meat, sausage, chicken or even fried fish.
A city like Rochester is full of restaurants. From burgers and fast food to vegan restaurants and fine dining, there is something for everyone. You can dine at a different restaurant every day and still not visit them all. Below are the restaurants that we visited and can recommend.
The Genesee Brew House was established in 2012. However, the brewery itself dates back to 1878. The Brew House sits adjacent to the Genesee River and from the balcony or rooftop, offers spectacular views of High Falls. The first floor of the Brew House has a gift shop, a collection of brewery memorabilia and the Pilot Brewery.
The second floor of the brewery has a large bar and both indoor and outdoor seating. Whenever we are at a brewery, my husband has to sample a flight! The brewery had 14 brews on tap for him to choose from. We also enjoyed dinner here. The menu has some interesting items like Buffalo Chicken Pierogis and Potato Chip Tenders appetizers. My son enjoyed the ChicKing sandwich, which he devoured. However, my daughter and husband are vegetarians and I’m a pescatarian.
The three of us shared Bavarian pretzels, the Blush Beer Raviolis and a Goat Cheese Burger, minus the bacon. We were impressed that we could order any of their three burgers and substitute an Impossible burger for the beef patty. Although the menu had a limited selection of items that we could eat, everything we ordered was really good!
Jines is a family-owned restaurant that has been operating since 1971. It is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We visited for breakfast and were impressed with their offerings. They have an extensive omelette menu and serve eight variations of eggs Benedict!
The Wild Mushroom and Crumbled Blue Cheese was delicious, as was the Fresh Mozzarella, Fresh Basil and Tomato Omelette. My kids enjoyed the Belgian waffle with strawberries and the bagel with lox and cream cheese. If eggs aren’t your thing, Jines serves a variety of different waffles and pancakes, cereal, pastries, bagels and more.
Open Face George Eastman House 900 East Avenue Rochester, NY 14607
If you are visiting the George Eastman House, I recommend stopping by Open Face, the museum’s onsite café for lunch or a snack. The restaurant offers a variety of beverages, including a Tea Pharmacy that serves 18 different varieties. We were impressed with the selection of sandwiches on the menu and liked that there is an option to do a tasting and sample two different sandwich halves. We sampled three sandwiches, the Toasted Brie (with warm apricot preserves and tart cherry butter), the open-faced Corn Mash and the Chickpea, and can highly recommend all three! Many of the sandwiches are vegetarian and can be made vegan for an additional charge.
The Red Fern 283 Oxford Street Rochester, NY 14607
The Red Fern is located in the Neighborhood of the Arts. It is a 100% vegan restaurant and bakery and also has gluten-free and allergy-friendly food options. As vegetarians, and former vegans, we love being able to go into a restaurant and know that we can order anything on the menu. And they have a dessert case filled with vegan treats! The restaurant and dining space is small, so I highly recommend making reservations or ordering takeout. We ended up doing takeout on our visit since the dining room wait list was long!
We had to try the Compost Plate, The Red Fern’s version of the Garbage Plate, that I described above. Their version has a layer of macaroni salad and sweet potatoes topped with a spicy ‘meat’ sauce and choice of protein (we chose Italian ‘sausage’) and served with field greens and focaccia toast. It may not look appetizing, but this was one of my favorite dishes! We also shared a Steak Bomb sandwich and ABLT sandwich. We couldn’t leave without sampling a dessert and tried the cherry chocolate brownie.
The Rochester Public Market has been a city staple since 1905. It operates every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, all year long. We arrived at the market on a Saturday morning around 8:15 AM to get some breakfast. It was snowing and freezing cold when we arrived. While there are many food options at the Market, we started at the closest to our parked car. The Flour City Bread Company uses only organic grains and flours in their bread. Their selection is vast and, besides bread, they sell bagels, pretzels, hamburger or hotdog rolls, croissants, granola, danish and more. We chose to share a pretzel, chocolate croissant, potato focaccia and blueberry cronut. It was very difficult deciding on what to get and everything we tried was so good!
We then went next door to Best Coffee at The Market for some hot beverages. The kids enjoyed hot cocoas while I had a regular coffee and my husband ordered an Americano. This place was packed at 8:30 AM! They roast their coffee beans onsite, which is done right inside the entrance. You can also buy bags of their roasted beans.
Despite the frigid cold weather, there were many outdoor vendors set up. Most were farms selling produce. However, we also saw syrup, eggs and other goods being sold. There was also one food vendor braving the cold, selling empanadas, burritos and other Mexican dishes from inside a small food cart.
We made a stop at Juan and Maria’s Empanadas. This family business is housed in an indoor/ outdoor pavilion and has been operating for 21 years! We shared a cheese empanada and a vegetable breakfast empanada. They were both so good! Don’t forget to grab some sauces to enjoy with your empanadas. The Spanish mayo and the green & gold sauces were our favorite.
After warming up with our empanadas, we went into the indoor public market in building B. Here, vendors are selling everything from produce and seafood to freshly pressed juices, baked items and vegan food items. You can spend hours at this market, enjoying a meal and snacks and shopping from the vendors.
Simply Crepes has three locations in the upstate New York area. The restaurant serves separate breakfast and lunch/dinner menus. We visited for breakfast and ordered a mix of sweet and savory items. Since it’s part of the restaurant’s name, of course we had to sample the crepes! I ordered savory with the Vegetarian Scramble Crepe, while my daughter ordered the Nutella Fruit Crepe. Nutella, fresh strawberries, chocolate sauce and whipped cream are served inside the crepe, along with a side of vanilla bean ice cream. Yes, she had ice cream for breakfast!
My husband went with the Rumchata Banana French Toast (French toast with burnt sugar custard, bananas and Rumchata caramel) and my son ordered the Maple Sausage Stackers (two crepes piled with scrambled eggs, maple sausage, cheddar and topped with an apple wood bacon cream). The restaurant serves a lot more than crepes and it is all amazing!
There is so much to see, eat and do on a winter weekend in Rochester. This is only a sampling of some of the fun and delicious bites you can enjoy in this great city in New York. As you plan your next winter weekend getaway, consider visiting Rochester!
Saugerties is a small town in Ulster County. It has been on my “to visit” list for ages and our family finally got the chance to see this Hudson Valley town. Saugerties is a weekend touristy town. Visitors beware: many of the town’s restaurants and shops are closed during the week, so plan accordingly! There’s enough to see and do for a weekend stay. However, it’s also close enough to Westchester County that you can visit for just the day.
Where to Stay:
Thank you to the Diamond Mills Hotel for hosting NY Foodie Family. As always, all opinions are our own.
The Diamond Mills Hotel (25 S. Partition St.) – We stayed at the Diamond Mills Hotel for one night. This is a 30 room luxury boutique hotel located conveniently within walking distance to many shops and restaurants.
We stayed in a room with two Queen beds. We all commented on how soft the beds were. The room was light and bright and the hotel provided bathrobes for you to wear, if you wish. I didn’t realize that I absolutely need a bathroom with heated floors until I got to experience it firsthand in our hotel bathroom!
The highlight of this hotel is being able to walk out on your balcony to this view! The in-room Keurig was appreciated, since I got to enjoy an early morning cup of coffee out on the balcony, while everyone else was still sleeping.
What to Do:
Falling Water Preserve (996 Dominican Lane, Glasco, NY) – This is a Scenic Hudson Valley park that has two small waterfalls. There are three different trails, all of which are super easy and very scenic. There are plenty of benches along the trails for hikers to sit and enjoy the views.
Kayaking – We booked a last minute kayak rental with Gail from I Paddle NY. She rents out kayaks, tandem kayaks, and Stand Up Paddleboards as well as offers a variety of kayak tours. Rentals and tours are available spring through fall.
Opus 40 (50 Fite Road) – I’d be remiss not to mention Opus 40, as this is THE attraction that I think Saugerties is most well-known for. I had waited until the last minute to purchase tickets, since the weather during our visit was looking iffy. By the time I went to purchase tickets, they were no longer available for Sunday. I hope to visit Opus 40, possibly in the spring, with just my husband, as my children have already expressed their lack of interest.
Saugerties Lighthouse (168 Lighthouse Drive) – During our visit, the Saugerties Lighthouse and the adjacent areas were unfortunately closed to visitors. We drove by hoping to at least take some pictures, but had no luck. During non-Covid times, there are two guest bedrooms in the lighthouse that can be rented out! Visitors can hike to the lighthouse, accessible by a half-mile nature trail. Tours are scheduled on Sundays, by appointment only (during non-Covid times).
Seamon Park (5 Malden Avenue) – Owned by the Village of Saugerties, this park is free and open to the public. Fall is a great time to visit Seamon Park, when the mums are in bloom. In non-COVID times, there is a mum festival on the first Sunday in October. (Open daily 9 AM – dusk)
Shop – Partition Street is filled with lots of shops. From bookstores, to home decor, antiques, and clothing, there are plenty of stores for you to shop ’til you drop.
Where to Eat:
Alleyway Ice Cream (135 Partition Street) – Alleyway Ice Cream is literally located down an alleyway off Partition Street. I had been drooling over Alleyway Ice Cream’s Instagram pics for ages and was so happy to finally get to try their ice cream. I was disappointed that they were out of “Thai Tea Cookies & Cream” flavor during our visit. I was really looking forward to it. But I enjoyed both the “Honeycomb Chocolate Swirl” and “Ube Heath Bar”. (Open Wednesday – Sunday)
Thank you to the Diamond Mills Tavern for hosting NY Foodie Family. As always, all opinions are our own.
Diamond Mills Tavern(25 South Partition Street) – The Diamond Mills Tavern sits adjacent to the Diamond Mills Hotel. The restaurant just debuted its new fall menu and has both indoor and outdoor seating. They have a varied menu that offers some vegetarian options. The Sticky Tofu appetizer, pictured above, was a favorite and the appetizer portion was huge!
I enjoyed the tofu with the Butternut Squash Carpaccio Salad.
My meat-eating son enjoyed the Carnivore pizza that has prosciutto, bacon, salami, pepperoni AND sausage! My husband had the Beet (yes, beet) Wellington and my daughter enjoyed the Impossible Burger. I’m just disappointed that we were too full to try some of their new fall desserts! (Open Wednesday – Sunday for lunch and dinner and brunch on weekends)
Josie’s Coffee Shoppe (174 Partition Street) – Stop by Josie’s for your morning caffeine fix. There are also a variety of pastries to get your sugar fix as well!
Love Bites Cafe (69 Partition Street) – This cafe’s menu features locally sourced ingredients and offers vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options. My son devoured the Chicken and Waffles. The Bohemian Club was tasty, but a bit messy, as is often the case with foods featuring portobello mushrooms. But our favorite were these Sweet Chili Cauliflower Wings! (Open Friday – Sunday)
Slices of Saugerties (71 Partition Street) – No joke, their Grandma style Tomato, Basil, Mozzarella slice was so good, we had to go back for another slice on our second day! There’s a reason this is a “Best of Hudson Valley” winner! (Open 7 days a week)
Brine Barrel (237 Partition Street) – We stopped at Brine Barrel before we headed back home to get some pickles to go. We got a combo of half-sour, dill, and sour dill pickles to bring home. They did not last long in our house before we devoured them!
As you can see, there is lots for visitors to enjoy during a weekend in Saugerties! It is close enough to home that we can’t wait to go back and visit the restaurants and attractions that we didn’t have time to enjoy on this trip!
Now that school has started, it’s not as easy to go away with the kids. Plus, COVID is making travel even more difficult. Fortunately, there are many fall weekend getaways close to Westchester County that are perfect for both families or couples looking to rest, recharge and have some fun! I am sharing 7 weekend getaways that we think families will enjoy.
Corning– This is the furthest destination that we are sharing, but it’s definitely doable for a weekend visit. There are some unique experiences to enjoy in the area including the Corning Museum of Glass, Watkins Glen State Park and more.
Crystal Spring Resort – This is the only New Jersey weekend destination that we have traveled to so far, but it’s a good one! Your family may never want to leave the biosphere pool. They offer both complimentary activities and those that have an additional cost. There are several onsite restaurants to choose from.
Emerson Resort – The Emerson Resort is located in the Catskills and is perfectly situated for some fall foliage viewing. This resort is also dog friendly if you want to bring your pet with you. Here you can find the world’s largest kaleidoscope. They offer several onsite activities and also have a spa. The Catskill Rail Explorers and plenty of fall hikes will keep you busy when you’re not enjoying the resort.
Kalahari Resort – If you don’t want to have to worry about the weather, take a visit to Kalahari. You can enjoy the indoor water park, arcade, mini golf and more. With several onsite restaurants, you won’t have to leave the resort. And if the weather is nice, they also have an outdoor treetop adventure course.
Lancaster, Pennsylvania – Only three hours from most of Westchester County, Lancaster, Pennsylvania is a great weekend getaway. Experience “Pennsylvania Dutch Country” for an educational and fun experience.
Pine Ridge Dude Ranch – Pine Ridge Dude Ranch is great if your family enjoys horseback riding. This is an all-inclusive dude ranch experience with both outdoor and indoor activities to keep the family occupied.
Villa Roma Resort– Villa Roma Resort offers a variety of activities for families with kids of all ages including go karts, a bowling alley, a zip line and more. Dinner and breakfast are included in the price of your stay.
Thank you Villa Roma Resort for hosting NY Foodie Family. As always, all opinions are our own.
School is starting again and calendars are getting busy. Fall is the perfect time to go for a weekend getaway to the Catskills. Villa Roma Resort is an all-inclusive family resort in Sullivan County. A little over an hour and a half drive from northern Westchester County, Villa Roma Resort has everything you need for a relaxing vacation.
This year, the Callicoon, NY resort is celebrating its 50th anniversary. What started as a small boarding boarding house with a pool and 2 bocce courts has since expanded into an 430 acre property. Besides the resort area, Villa Roma also has an 18 hole PGA Golf Course and a downhill ski area and Chalet.
I first heard about Villa Roma from a colleague who would visit every summer with her family. With COVID, we have been wanting to travel while staying in New York State. I thought a visit here would be a perfect way to end our summer.
The Room
As you can tell from both the name and the décor, Villa Roma is an Italian-themed resort. Villa Roma includes timeshare condo units, with 140 guest rooms in the main building. There is a variety of guest rooms from traditional rooms to two bedroom suites.
We stayed in a 2 bedroom efficiency room that had a sitting area, kitchen, two bedrooms (one with a king size bed and one with a queen) and a bathroom with a separate tub and shower.
I have to admit that the bathroom was one of the best features of the room! With a teen daughter who loves to spend a lot of time in the bathroom, it was nice that there was enough space and privacy that multiple could use the bathroom at the same time
Activities & Entertainment:
Villa Roma dubs their entertainment as a “Cruise on Land” with Doc Holiday. Each day they have a schedule of activities that includes arts and crafts, Bingo, Horse or Turtle Racing and various types of competitions (Corn Hole, Bocce Ball, Ping Pong and more).
While we didn’t participate in any of the scheduled activities, we did watch a couple of rounds of horse racing. Guests can bet $1 on a horse. Special dice are rolled and the horses move up positions based on the dice roll. Winning bets earn money, with payouts based on the number of bets per horse.
If scheduled group fun isn’t your thing, there are many other activities to keep you busy. It’s important to check the weekly information sheet, as the times of the below activities vary by day. They also close certain attractions for cleaning during select hours.
Guests can purchase an unlimited fun package when they book their reservations. The band is not available for purchase once you arrive at the resort. The activities marked with an asterisk below are included in the unlimited fun package. Otherwise, these activities do have additional fees fee. Tickets are $2 each and most activities require at least 3 tickets per person to participate.
Go Karts* – This was the first time that the kids and I ever drove a go kart. While I’m happy to be able to cross that off my bucket list, once was enough for me. However, the kids loved driving the go karts. There are six single go karts and two doubles. I recommend getting to the go karts early. When we arrived at 12 PM we waited almost an hour to ride. The next day we arrived a little after the 10 AM opening and waited less than 10 minutes. Closed-toe shoes are required to ride the Go Karts and guests must be 56 inches to drive in a single car. Children have to be at least 44 inches to ride in a double car with an adult.
Bowling* – The resort has an 8 lane bowling alley in the Sports Complex. To maintain a safe environment during COVID, they are only running 4 lanes at a time. They do not take reservations and are running on a first come, first serve basis. They give you bowling shoes and have paper and pencil scoring.
Indoor Fun Park* – There are a variety of bounce houses for younger kids.
Bumper Boats* – During our visit, only three of the four bumper boats were in operation. Each bumper boat can hold three people, so my daughter and I rode together.
Zip Line* – This is one activity that we did not try. Some activities, like the zip line are only available during select times. When we arrived, the line was long and we wanted to head out.
Game Room & Arcade – The game room has ping pong tables, pickleball courts, pool tables and more. Plus, there’s an arcade with a variety of games.
Sports Courts – Inside the Sports Complex, one racquet ball court had a volleyball net set up and one had a basketball hoop. My son requested that we all play volleyball.
Pools – There are three outdoor pools. One is a zero entry with play features and a water bucket.
One pool has a water slide and the other is a swimming pool.
There is also an adults only jacuzzi hot tub with a waterfall which is where I hung out! When we arrived at the pool area at 11 AM, almost every lounge chair was “taken” with a towel. However, there was hardly anyone in the pool area at that time. We were fortunate to find a table and chairs where I could sit to keep an eye on my son, who went swimming. There are lifeguards supervising all pool areas, including the hot tub.
Due to COVID, the gym and indoor pool were closed during our visit. For an additional cost, visitors can enjoy horseback riding and paintball.
Nightly Entertainment:
Every night there is some type of evening entertainment. There may be bonfires, dance parties, and, on the night of our visit, a lip sync battle. The event was hosted by Mama Villa Roma, a Villa Roma favorite. Due to the inclement weather, the entertainment was held in the Forum Night Club.
Food:
When you stay at Villa Roma, depending on the meal package you select, dinner and breakfast are included in the price of your stay. You are assigned a table in the main dining room and eat dinner and breakfast at the same table, with the same wait staff, the duration of your visit.
Dinner is served 6:30 PM – 8 PM and reservations are required. Menus may change based on the season and day of the week, but offer an appetizer, choice of soup or pasta, salad, entree and dessert. Thursday evenings feature a special Caesar’s Night seven course menu. Since we have two vegans, a vegetarian and a meat eater in our family, I made sure to notify them when I made our 6:30 PM dinner reservations.
My son enjoyed the seven course feast that included a variety of appetizers (fried calamari, sausage and peppers and spare ribs), plus ravioli, a Caesar salad and his entree, the Dill Butter Salmon Fillet.
Meanwhile, the kitchen was able to make a tofu and vegetable stir fry with rice for the three of us, which was delicious!
And look at this platter of Italian pastries that they served. My son is now a fan of Italian rainbow cookies!
Breakfast is served 8:30 AM – 10:00 AM daily. They offer a variety of different dishes including eggs, french toast, pancakes, cereal, bagels, fruit and more.
There are several other food options for lunch, snacks and breakfast and dinner, if you choose not to participate in the dining plan. I enjoyed a strawberry milkshake at the Cappo Dolce Coffee & Ice Cream Parlor.
COVID and Safety Measures:
Villa Roma is doing a great job with their safety measures. They have signs up throughout the resort noting that masks must be worn. During all activities that we visited, mask wearing was enforced, even when go karting. Hand sanitizer stations are located throughout the resort and throughout our stay we saw staff in the public common areas cleaning.
We walked by the pool area the first afternoon of our visit and were surprised at the number of people in the pool area and that few, if any were wearing masks. Obviously masks cannot be worn while swimming. But the number of people not wearing them while sitting in the chairs around the pool area made us uncomfortable. So, we visited the pool earlier the next day when it was less crowded and we were more comfortable.
Villa Roma caters to all types of visitors. We saw many families during our visit as well as couples of all ages. Many of these couples and families have been visiting Villa Roma for years! A couple of days at Villa Roma Resort was just what our family needed. It was nice to disconnect and enjoy some quality family time. There was enough to do to keep our 14 and 12 year-old entertained over our two day stay.
If you are looking for a family getaway, close to home, check out Villa Roma Resort in the Catskills!
The Details:
Villa Roma Resort 356 Villa Roma Road Callicoon, NY 12723 1-800-533-6767
*Be sure to check the website for promotions and special offers
*If you are staying in a room with a refrigerator/kitchen, stock up on snacks and drinks.
*Get to attractions with limited hours like the Go Karts, bowling and the zipline before or close to opening, to avoid long waits.
*Semi-casual attire is recommended for dinner and men are requested to wear collared shirts. However, a dress code is not enforced and we saw people wearing everything from tank tops and jeans to men in collared button down shirts and slacks and women in sun dresses.
The kids are back in school and busy schedules are the new norm. So when the kids had a couple of days off from school, we decided to enjoy some fall family fun at the Emerson Resort & Spa in Mount Tremper, NY. The Emerson is an easy drive from northern Westchester County, less than two hours away.
The Emerson is conveniently situated for visiting the nearby towns of Phoenicia and Woodstock to the East or Belleayre and Hunter Mountain to the West. However, if you’re looking to simply enjoy some rest and relaxation, it’s perfect for that as well!
The History of the Emerson Resort and Spa
The Emerson Resort is located in Ulster County, in the Eastern part of the Catskills, and borders the Esopus Creek. Once you arrive at the resort, you will quickly discover who it was named after. Every room has books of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s poems, and quotes from these poems decorate the walls of the Resort.
The Resort sits on what was originally an 1840 dairy farm owned by the Riseley family. Part of the original building was transported onto the current property. Over a century later, it was developed into tourist destination Clinton Corners, which included a variety of shops, a restaurant and the World’s Largest Kaleidoscope. After a move and various renovations, it is now the Emerson Resort & Spa as we know it.
The Rooms
There are two different lodging options when visiting the Emerson Resort. You can stay in the Lodge buildings, which are more rustic, Adirondack-style rooms.
The second lodging option is the Inn, which features more contemporary, Catskill chic type accommodations. We stayed in room 502 of the Inn which was perfect for our family of four. This Royal Suite room has two queen beds.
I enjoyed a soak in the large whirlpool tub and we all enjoyed the waterfall shower with adjustable side sprays. Although we did question the window looking into the bedroom! Luckily, the blinds close for privacy.
During the afternoon, our balcony was a perfect place to enjoy some reading time, while listening to the tranquil sounds of the Esopus Creek. And in the morning, my husband and I enjoyed our coffee with a beautiful view!
Fall evenings in the Catskills can get chilly. We enjoyed sitting nearby our room’s gas fireplace in the evening. On the second night, we enjoyed a family game night in front of the fireplace as well. The kids really enjoyed the complimentary snacks (peanut trail mix and granola bars) and water available in the room. The water came in handy on our outings. It’s important to know that there is no cell phone service in the area. Thank goodness the Emerson has complementary wi-fi!
Amenities
The Emerson Resort is very family-friendly . Although it is a resort and spa, we noticed many families with children visiting. For dog owners, the Resort is also pet-friendly! It was fun seeing guests walking the property with their dogs.
The spa at The Emerson Resort is spread over 6,000 square feet and is only for adults. Reservations are recommended prior to arrival if you wish to enjoy a massage, facial or one of the other treatments they offer. All overnight adult guests can enjoy the fitness room, sauna, steam room and outdoor salt water hot tub. The entrance to the spa is one of the few decorative pieces that remains after a major renovation in 2016. The hand-carved imported doorway was too fantastic to change .
The day of our arrival we enjoyed participating in a kaleidoscope making class. While you can purchase the same kits in the gift shop, it was nice to be guided through the process. After making our kaleidoscopes, our instructor, Jonas had us walk around the property to look for objects in nature that we could add to the kaleidoscope. It was fun to see how the different items looked while viewed through our kaleidoscopes. If you aren’t interested in making a kaleidoscope, the Resort also offers watercolor postcard painting or design your own t-shirt classes ($20 per shirt). Check the schedule to see which days the classes are offered.
The Catskills are truly beautiful. The Emerson really wants guests to explore and take in all the beauty of their surroundings. The grounds of the Emerson include 1.2 miles of trails and a small pond. There are several cruiser bicycles available (adults sized only, they do not have children’s bikes) and you can get helmets from the front desk. If you are interested in doing some bird watching around the property, you can also borrow binoculars at the front desk.
Twice a day, guided nature walks depart from the lobby. We enjoyed participating in one of these walks that takes you down to the Esopus Creek and along the property. The creek’s water comes from the mountain and leads to the Ashokan Reservoir. Weather permitting, swimming is allowed in the creek. The Emerson has partnered with the Ashokan Watershed and offers fresh water snorkeling on select dates during the summer! The resort even had its moment of fame as the recent movie The Dead Don’t Die, starring Bill Murray and Adam Driver, was partly filmed on the property!
In the warmer months guests can enjoy a variety of outdoor activities. There are outdoor games including volleyball, horseshoes and corn hole. There’s a playground for younger kids and even a dog park for all of the four-legged visitors. And, of course, there’s a pool open during the summer.
All guests are invited to enjoy the Family Room in the Black Bear building at the lodge. We walked over one evening and enjoyed several games of intense and competitive family ping pong. There are also several fire pits throughout the property and s’mores kits are available for purchase at the front desk for guests to enjoy.
The World’s Largest Kaleidoscope
The Emerson Resort is probably most well known for housing the World’s Largest Kaleidoscope. The Kaleidoscope sits in the former silo of the Riseley Farm. It has a 50-foot virtual sphere that can reflect 254 images, which creates an illusion of over 3,000 images! Overnight guests are able to view a complimentary showing of Star Dust, a 10 minute experience that will dazzle your senses. Seating is available, but we all enjoyed laying down on the floor to view the show.
There are a variety of shops in the Emerson, including a toy shop, housewares and souvenir and clothing shops. However, you must take a visit through the Kaleidostore. There are a couple of fun, interactive exhibits to see. But the showstopper is the large collection of kaleidoscopes for sale at the Kaleidobar. Children are asked not to touch these and even I was afraid to touch some (most?) of them. There’s a kaleidoscope that costs $1,850! They are truly works of art!
The Food
The Emerson Resort has two restaurants onsite. Ralph’s Cafe is open from 9 AM to 5 PM (except Sundays when it’s open until 6 PM). Here you can pick up pastries, soup, sandwiches, salads and more. There is seating both inside and out where you can enjoy your food, or you can take it to go.
Woodnotes Grille is the sit down restaurant that serves breakfast and dinner. Locally sourced ingredients are used to create delicious meals in what they like to call “Catskill Creative Cooking.”
We enjoyed dinner there one evening and some of the highlight dishes included this Black Angus Beef Brisket with Parmesan Twice Baked Potatoes and Wilted Swiss Chard…
…as well as the Pan Seared Beaverkill Trout with Lyonnaise potatoes and French beans. Most entrees are priced between $22-$26.
We enjoyed breakfast one morning at Woodnotes as well. The restaurant serves everything from Eggs Benedict and House Made Corned Beef Hash to Quinoa Granola and Avocado Toast.
Our second morning, we stopped at Ralph’s Cafe. Overnight guests can enjoy a free cup of coffee or tea each day of their stay. We purchased a variety of breakfast goodies to share before we headed out that morning. Everything is reasonably priced, including breakfast sandwiches.
We had a great stay at the Emerson Resort & Spa. Our weekend had a mix of relaxation, fun and exploration. With an eleven and thirteen year-old, there was enough to see and do during our stay to make it an enjoyable visit for the entire family. If you are looking for a quick weekend getaway to the Catskills, we highly recommend a visit to the Emerson Resort & Spa in Mount Tremper!
The Details: Emerson Resort & Spa 5340 Route 28 Mount Tremper, NY 12457 (845) 688-2828
Room Prices: Rates start at $224/night, depending on date and room type
*Be sure to check out the Emerson website for specials and packages.
*This is a dog friendly resort! You can bring your pet with you!
*There is a full service spa onsite as well as fitness classes (for a fee).
(Thank you to the Emerson Resort & Spa for hosting NY Foodie Family. As always, all opinions are our own.)
Dana and I are fairly new to the bed and breakfast scene. Besides our recent visit to Cranberry Manor, the only other bed and breakfast that we visited was a couple of years ago when he turned 40. When my 40th arrived last month, I decided that I also wanted to go to a B&B to celebrate my birthday. After a little research, we decided to stay at the Cranberry Manor Bed and Breakfast in the Poconos. It’s roughly a two hour drive from northern Westchester County, a perfect distance for a one night stay. Plus, all of the reviews I read were very positive.
Why a bed and breakfast?
Bed and breakfasts are small and intimate. They are usually old houses that have been renovated and restored to accommodate guests. A big plus is the “breakfast” part of a bed and breakfast. Not only is the home cooked meal included in the price of your stay, but it’s usually delicious and filling. But most importantly, bed and breakfasts cater to adults. All of the B&Bs that I’ve looked into do not allow children to stay.
Cranberry Manor Bed and Breakfast
The Cranberry Manor Bed and Breakfast is a house that dates back to the 1880’s when it was a boarding house. Its most recent owners Sharon and Ric Anderson have been running the bed and breakfast since 2007. Sharon formerly had a career in IT support. She and her husband moved up to Pennsylvania from the South for what she thought would be a tech job. But when that fell through, they ended up purchasing the bed and breakfast.
Cranberry Manor has a cozy, homey feel. I love the holiday tree that Sharon made out of grape vines and decorates for the different seasons.
There’s a community sitting room that has books, games and lots of brochures for local attractions and restaurants. The walls are decorated with antique Collier’s magazine pages that were discovered in the walls during a renovation! There’s a large dining room where guests dine for breakfast.
The dining room also has a billiards table that visitors are welcome to enjoy. Unfortunately, we didn’t get a chance to play during our short stay.
There’s a Butler’s Pantry in the dining room as well. It includes a refrigerator stocked with sodas and bottles of water, and tea and hot cocoa can also be made at anytime. It was nice that, after returning from dinner, Dana was able to walk downstairs and make me a hot mug of tea. Sharon asked him what time we were planning to be downstairs the following morning; a fresh pot of coffee waiting for us when we came down.
Cranberry Manor has five different rooms, each uniquely decorated with a Victorian feel. My husband and I just happened to stay in the “Victorian Room”. It has a queen bed with a half-canopy.
There is a small seating area and a gas fire place. Although space is a bit tight for modern amenities, I would have enjoyed a larger television in the room. It was hiding with the cable box in the little nook above the fireplace.
Each room has its own private bathroom with both a shower and large soaking tub.
One of my favorite parts of Cranberry Manor is the large wraparound porch. There are a variety of seating arrangements, including a bench swing, several rocking chairs and cushioned seating areas. It was nice to be able to sit out there before breakfast and read, while we enjoyed a cup of coffee.
Breakfast
On Sunday mornings Sharon serves breakfast at 9 AM. Look at how pretty the place settings are!
Our breakfast started with sliced bananas drizzled with homemade caramel sauce.
We then enjoyed blueberry peach french toast, scrambled eggs and sausage. I was stuffed by the time breakfast was over. We were the only guests that night during our stay in September. So Sharon asked if she could join us for breakfast and we had a lovely time chatting with her.
Guests are given two keys when they arrive. One opens the front door and one that opens their bedroom. While Sharon and Ric live on property, they live in the space beyond the kitchen, separate from where guests stay. If you are in need of ideas of things to do or places to eat, Sharon is full of recommendations and information.
If you have never been to a bed and breakfast, I highly recommend giving Cranberry Manor Bed and Breakfast a try. It’s not too far away from Westchester County and is conveniently located to various Pocono attractions and restaurants.
The Details: Cranberry Manor Bed and Breakfast 406 Cherry Lane Road East Stroudsburg, PA 18301 (570) 620-2246
Price: $145 – $175 a night, depending on which room you choose and when you visit.
*Although some weekends require a two night stay, give Sharon a call. Depending on the date(s) of your visit, you may be able to stay for one night like we did.
*There is plenty to see and do in the area. But if you just want to relax and hang out at the bed and breakfast, you are more than welcome to do that as well.
Crossing the state line into Pennsylvania, it’s as if the sign knew what my trip’s purpose was: “Welcome to Pennsylvania- Pursue Your Happiness” This solo mom escape was my very abbreviated, but much needed, respite from everyday life – my job, my kids and my husband. This was my time to focus on myself. For months, I’d been expressing to my husband that I needed to get away. “Go,” he said, supportive of my needs.
And so, after some research, I decided to visit the Lodge at Woodloch. The Lodge fit all of my requirements – a short driving distance from home, adults only, and a focus on health and wellness.
The Property: The Lodge at Woodloch is located in Hawley, PA, less than a two hour drive from northern Westchester County. It is one of the three family-owned and operated Woodloch properties (the family-friendly, Woodloch Resort and the golf course community at Woodloch Springs are the other two) located on over 500 private acres.
The property consists of the main Lodge as well as Little Lake Teedyuskung, a Cranberry Bog and lots of wooded forest. Blackmore Farm is walking distance from the Lodge and supplies some of the produce used in the restaurant.
There are also functioning hives, with bees that help pollinate the garden and will eventually provide honey for spa treatments and the restaurant.
As I pulled up to the front gate, Robert was there with a huge smile and a warm and welcoming greeting. He checked my name off a list of incoming guests and directed me to the Lodge entrance. Once I arrived, the valet was there ready to take my bags and park my car. When I approached the front desk to check in, they greeted me by name and welcomed me with a complimentary refillable water bottle, labeled with my name to avoid confusion with the other guests, and a tote bag. Every employee who I encountered during my visit was always friendly, helpful and had a warm smile.
Activities: The Lodge at Woodloch is an all-inclusive resort with meals and activities included. However, some of the art classes do have fees. What drew me to the Lodge was the variety of activities they offered. With a focus on mind, body and soul, there is something for everyone. The daily activity schedule is conspicuously posted all throughout the Lodge. However, I’m the personality type who printed out the activity schedules for each day of my stay and highlighted all of the activities that I wanted to do!
The third floor of the Lodge contains the three exercise studios (Oak, Linden and Willow) as well as a cardio gym, rowing room and sitting area with a snack and hydration station. One thing I noticed is that there is no shortage of quiet sitting areas. They are everywhere throughout the Lodge and Spa.
I wanted to take advantage of all of the different fitness classes they offered. The first day, I enjoyed Drums Alive with Ashley ,where we drummed to upbeat music using exercise balls placed in step risers. This was such a fun and energetic class. I took a Splash Dance class with Christy using weighted poles in the water and basically pole danced in the pool. I’ve never taken a pole dancing class, so I don’t have anything to compare it to. It was, needless to say, another fun class. Later in the day, I took a Journaling for Self-Discovery Class with Susan, where I was given inspiration and resources to help me journal. I ended my evening with an after-dinner evening kayak ride with Ryan.
I started the second day with an 8 AM Chakra Meditation class with Alicia. One of my goals this year was to start meditating. I’m hoping this class helps inspire me to start my journey. Next, I took a Barre class with Retta. I’ve taken barre classes before so knew what I was getting myself into! Right after that, I took a Tower Power Class with Alicia. This is a Pilates class using a Tower (an apparatus attached to the wall). While I’ve taken Pilates classes before, I had never taken a Tower class. I really liked it and felt movements were more controlled using the resistance springs. Immediately after, I took my final fitness class of the day: the Great Wall of Yoga, again with Alicia. I really enjoy yoga and have taken classes at my local gym and have practiced at home. Using adjustable straps in this class took it to the next level, as I was practicing yoga while literally hanging off the wall! In the afternoon, I took The Ritual of Tea class, as I’ve started drinking more tea, especially in the evening.
I didn’t take any of the “Creative Discovery” classes during my stay. It’s not because I didn’t want to. I just didn’t have enough time. Many of the classes they offered were two hours. During my visit, classes included Zendoodle, terrarium building, Dot Mandala Stones, Pebble Art, Patchwork Painting, Basic Calligraphy and Decorative Lettering, Decorative Birdhouses and more. Most art classes had a nominal $10 fee.
For those drawn to nature, there are many outdoor activities including guided hikes, Bog Talk, Basics of Birding, Forest Bathing, Basics of Mountain Biking, Forest Yoga, Garden Tour, Tenkara (a Japanese style of fly fishing) and more. As you can see, there is plenty of wildlife in the woods. On a short walk around the property I saw three deer and was able to get pretty close to them! There is also an archery range and an outdoor exploration center called The Lily Pad that has kayaks, stand-up paddle boards and more.
There is also a Lotus Labyrinth on the property. This is a peaceful place for meditation and quiet reflection.
Every instructor was friendly, encouraging and patient, whether there were two people in the class or 15. They were also all very punctual: starting class on time and ending promptly so you had enough time to get to your next activity.
The Spa:
The spa has separate women’s and men’s retreats that include showers and changing rooms, saunas, steam rooms and whirlpools. There are also a couple of different sitting areas in the spa as well.
The Aqua Garden has an indoor pool where the aqua fitness classes are held. However, the most remarkable features of the Aqua Garden are the two heated soaking pools with HydroMassage Waterwalls. I might have spent the majority of my spa time here! There is also an outdoor whirlpool which is open year-round. The changing room has walls of digital lockers. Inside each locker is a fluffy spa robe. At the spa desk you can request a pair of sandals. It was nice to be able to store my things while I was at my spa treatment and the Aqua Gardens and not have to worry about carrying a key.
The treatment rooms are in the downstairs area of the spa, as well as the co-ed Whisper Lounge which includes an outdoor porch and rocking chairs. Relaxation and comfortable seating are the big focus here!
Prior to my visit, I booked the Rosemary Awakening, the spa’s signature treatment. The treatment starts with a rosemary and mint body polish (exfoliating scrub). A quick shower is followed by a full body massage with shea butter and essential oils. The treatment ends with a scalp massage and a foot massage. Amy, my massage therapist was great. She explained each step of the treatment and checked in to make sure I was enjoying myself. Even though I was completely unclothed for the treatment, she was so adept in draping the towels and sheets that I was never exposed or uncomfortable. Needless to say, this treatment was AMAZING and left me feeling so relaxed.
If full body treatments aren’t your thing, the spa offers facials, massages, sleep treatments, FLOAT therapy and more. You can also visit the Lotus Salon for hair cuts and styling, or to get a manicure or pedicure.
The Accommodations:
I stayed in room 322 during my visit. The room is a Veranda Classic Standard with a King bed. There is a large flat-panel TV and a mini refrigerator. There is also a comfy chair and a rocking chair in the room (again, plenty of cozy seating!). The room also has a desk with a salt lamp on it, which I thought was a nice touch. The bathroom has double sinks, a marble walk-in shower and a private toilet.
The best thing about this room was the private veranda with this view! During the day I kept the veranda doors open and enjoyed listening to the rock garden waterfalls. I woke early and enjoyed drinking my morning coffee on the veranda while I read my book. This was extra special quiet mom time!
The Food:
Executive Chef Josh Tomson, graduate of the French Culinary Institute in NYC, leads the dining team. He incorporates farm-to-table dining into the menus and tries to use local products, including produce from the onsite Blackmore Farm, whenever possible. All meals are served in Tree, the onsite restaurant.
Three meals are included in the price for each night of your stay, (dinner on the day of your arrival and breakfast and lunch the next day). There are menus for each meal where you can choose from several different options. Each selection is labeled as to whether it is vegan, vegetarian, gluten-friendly or contains nuts. Many of the items can also be made gluten-friendly or vegan upon request. They have daily specials at each meal as well. Dinner starts with an amuse bouche and then includes an appetizer, salad, main course and dessert. My dinner started with a chilled strawberry soup amuse bouche, then I chose the Colossal Crab and Shrimp Cocktail, the Signature Salad and the Seared Scallops with a Green Pea Puree. For dessert, I had that night’s special: a Skillet Cookie topped with Vanilla Gelato and Chocolate Sauce.
For breakfast the next day, I enjoyed an Open Faced Mushroom Omelet and some fresh fruit from the buffet. The buffet also had a yogurt and oatmeal bar, as well as a variety of baked goods and even a frittata. For lunch, I ordered the Lobster & Crab Roll, which, according to my waitress, is one of their most popular dishes. I had a small bowl of Potato Leek Soup and made a salad from the salad bar.
As a self-proclaimed foodie, I thought the food was quite good. The presentation was beautiful. Portions aren’t huge, but they are satisfying. All of my seafood dishes were excellent. At lunch and dinner there were several options that looked good and I wished my husband was there so we could share dishes! I found dessert and the sweets offered at the snack bar to be so-so.
I have to admit, eating was the only time during my stay that I felt awkward visiting by myself. I don’t think that I’ve ever previously dined alone in a restaurant setting. I brought my notebook to take notes of my visit and a book and I was okay, but it did feel a little uncomfortable. If you prefer, room-service is available for a small fee.
During my stay, the majority of the guests were women; either groups of friends or mothers and daughters. My daughter is still a couple of years short of being old enough to visit, but I can see us visiting the Lodge together. In the meantime, my husband will hopefully accompany me on my next trip here!
If you are looking for a mom escape, I highly recommend visiting the Lodge at Woodloch. Whether you choose to visit solo, like I did, or with a group of friends, your stay here will be super relaxing and fun…everything you need to rest and rejuvenate yourself before returning to reality.
(To see lots more pictures of my visit, please check out my Lodge @ Woodloch Instastories! I received a media rate for my stay as well as a complimentary spa service to facilitate my review. As always, all opinions are my own.)
The Details: The Lodge at Woodloch 109 River Birch Lane Hawley, PA 18428 (570) 685-8500
Check-In Time: 4:00 PM Check-Out Time: 12 Noon However, you can participate in the classes and activities and/or make spa appointments earlier/later than the check-in and check-out times. Luggage can be stored in the bell hop closet until your room is ready or you are ready to leave.
*This resort is for individuals ages 16 and older.
*It is recommended that spa treatments be booked in advance. They do book up quickly.
*Activities on the schedule marked with an asterisk (*) have limited space and require guests to sign up in advance with the spa concierge. Please be courteous and call the spa concierge to cancel an activity or class that you signed up for but are unable to attend.
* Dinner is served from 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM but reservations are required. Casual dress is recommended. While resort bathrobes and/or workout attire can be worn in the dining room for breakfast and lunch, it is not permitted at dinner.
*Alcohol is available during meals at an additional cost.
*The Lodge encourages guests to unplug. Cell phone use is not allowed in public areas.
*Gratuities are included in your package rate. However, I did leave a cash tip for housekeeping and the valet.
I’m not a huge fan of water parks. I have flashbacks of growing up visiting Water Country USA with my family. Not wearing contacts at the time, I just remember not being able to see anything and water constantly splashing in my face. Fast forward to today, where I am a parent of two kids, ages 10 and 13, who really like water parks. Our winter trip to Pine Ridge Dude Resort wasn’t as much of a hit as I had anticipated. So, during the kids February break we decided to take them to Kalahari Resort.
Kalahari Resort is located in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. In the area is also Great Wolf Lodge and Camelback Resort, both of which we have never visited. My sister has visited both Great Wolf Lodge and Kalahari with her two children and recommended Kalahari over Great Wolf Lodge, given the age of my kids.
As the name implies, the Kalahari is an African themed resort. This theme is carried out throughout the whole resort, from the names of the attractions to the decor.
We booked a one night stay at Kalahari, arriving on a Monday and leaving Tuesday. We surprised the kids and didn’t tell them where we were going until we arrived. While room check-in isn’t until 4 PM, you can arrive at Kalahari as early as 9:30 AM, when the water park opens, and enjoy a full day at the waterpark. The resort is approximately a two hour drive from our home in northern Westchester County. I didn’t think it was necessary for us to get up at the crack of dawn, but we aimed to leave our house by 10 AM. We stopped on the road for lunch before we arrived at Kalahari. But when we pulled up to the resort around 1 PM and saw the line of cars……we wished we had left super early.
I thought arriving on the Monday of February break wouldn’t be too bad. However, I stood in line for thirty minutes, waiting to check in. At check in we all received wristbands that were both our admission into the water park as well as our room keys. You can opt to have the ability to link a credit card to the wristband so you don’t have to carry around cash or a credit card, but we chose not do this. Our room wasn’t ready but I was told that I would receive a text when it was. In the meantime, we were free to enjoy the water park.
We had packed a bag with our swimsuits knowing that we could enjoy the water park before getting to our room. But first we had to drop our luggage off in the storage room. That also had a line and a bit of a wait. When we finally got the luggage dropped off and changed into our suits there were no large lockers available to store our bag and my pocketbook. I volunteered to stay and sit with the bags while my husband and kids went off to enjoy the water park. Unfortunately, we had to walk around the park for several minutes before finding an available chair!
The water park itself is humongous! It occupies over 220,000 square feet with more than twenty attractions. There’s a large play area for little kids, a basketball pool, and lots of water slides!
My husband and kids had a great time enjoying all the thrill slides. I think they rode ALL the slides, even the Tanzanian Twister, (the second to last photo on the right), that they dubbed “The Toilet Bowl.” Some of the extreme tube rides, like the Barrelling Baboon, required two or four riders, so I had to go. And just to note, these slides are a bit scarier at night in the dark!
The lazy river wasn’t quite so “lazy” when you’re packed in and pushed by kids trying to race by. When I finally was able to enjoy the water park my own kids enjoyed pushing me under the waterfalls!
There’s a large wave pool, an indoor-outdoor heated spa, a Flowrider wave simulator and more. If you’re hungry while at the waterpark, you don’t have to leave, as there are six different dining venues where you can purchase food or drinks. This includes two swim-up bars for adults 21 and over.
During the afternoon I kept checking my phone waiting for the text that our room was ready. After spending several hours at the water park we decided to ask if the rooms were ready. The check in line was just as long as it was when we arrived, if not longer. Luckily, there was a staff member standing in the lobby who told us that if we didn’t get the text, our room wasn’t ready. She gave the kids complimentary arcade cards to help keep them entertained.
The arcade at Kalahari Resorts is also huge. And it’s conveniently situated, so that you can’t get to the water park without walking through it. The kids enjoyed playing in the arcade on several different occasions, as there is almost any game there that you can think of!
By 6 PM we were getting hungry. Kalahari has several restaurant choices onsite. We opted to go to B-Lux, their most recent addition, which specializes in burgers, shakes and fries. I ordered the Mushroom Swiss Burger, my husband had The Cheese Head Burger (beer battered cheese curds, bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion and Wisconsin cheddar), my daughter the BBQ Pulled Pork Mac & Cheese and my son had the pepperoni pizza from the children’s menu. We all agreed that the mac & cheese was the best dish of the night. Service was good and the food was actually decent. We just wish that our room had been ready so we could have showered and changed before dinner.
After we ate dinner we got our bags from the luggage storage room. We made our way to our room to discover that our bands hadn’t been keyed properly and we couldn’t get into our room! My husband made the trek back down to the lobby and got his band fixed so we could get into our room. We stayed in a Desert room. The room was large with two queen beds and a sleeper sofa. It has a microwave and mini refrigerator in the room. We didn’t spend very much time in the room.
Besides the water park and arcade, there is a lot to do at Kalahari. There is an Escape Room, mini-bowling, Virtual Reality and 7-D Motion Theater and more. Before we left the next day we played a round of Black Light Mini Golf. There’s also a spa and salon and fitness center, which we didn’t try during this visit.
We visited the Great Karoo Marketplace Buffet for breakfast. There was a bit of a wait to get a table. Our server though, again, was super friendly and attentive, even with the crowds. The food at the breakfast buffet wasn’t impressive but they have something for everyone.
For lunch we shared a pepperoni pizza from Cafe Mirage. Again, not super impressed, but we reminded ourselves that we were at a waterpark. Double Cut, a steak house, and Sortino’s Italian Kitchen looked promising though. Hopefully, we will get to try those on a possible future visit.
We visited Kalahari in the winter. When the weather is nicer, there is a smaller outdoor waterpark and Gorilla Grove Treetop Adventures which includes a ropes course, zipline, 36-hole miniature golf course and a Gorilla Express mini train ride.
As I mentioned, my kids really enjoyed our visit. There is a lot to do for their tween/teen age group. We are thinking of giving Kalahari another try, possibly in the spring or fall…..and NOT during a holiday weekend! We’d like to visit Gorilla Grove Treetop Adventures and enjoy the waterpark when it’s still not outdoor pool weather.
I hope my review of Kalahari Resorts in the Poconos wasn’t too negative. My kids had a great time and loved our visit. As parents, after investing our time and money, we expected to have a good experience. Almost all of the online reviews that I had read about Kalahari prior to our visit were reviews by bloggers who had hosted stays. Our stay was not hosted and I hope I gave you a realistic review of the resort, especially during a holiday break.
The Details: Kalahari Resorts & Conventions 250 Kalahari Blvd. Pocono Manor, PA 18349
Rates: Room rates vary by date. They include waterpark admission as well as complimentary access to the fitness center.
Tips: *Try to avoid going during school and holiday vacations.
*Check the website for deals and specials.
*Bring your own beverages (water bottles, juice boxes, etc.) and snacks to save money.
*Free towels can be picked up at a kiosk. However, they are small. We saw many people in the park who brought their own beach towels.
*Remember a waterproof phone case if you want to keep your phone with you.
*There are a limited number of cabanas and bungalows for rent, if you’d like a reserved area for your family to be able to relax in.
*When budgeting for your trip, keep in mind that all food and drinks and activities (minus the waterpark) have additional costs. The price of your trip can add up quickly!
*There are several shops where you can purchase souvenirs as well as water shoes and waterproof phone cases. Of course, these are priced much higher than if you purchased your own outside the resort.
