This past weekend, my family left lower Manhattan on a snowy, winter Friday night to drive to the Pocono Mountains to one of our favorite places! Woodloch Pines Resort is a family friendly year around resort that offers hospitality and excellance beyond measure.

Once we arrived and saw the picturesque holiday lights and snow on the grounds I knew we were in for a treat. The Olde Fashioned Holiday weekend filled our lives with vivid memories we will have for a very long time and we are already looking forward to our next trip to Woodloch.

Woodloch resort is nestled in the Pocono Mountains in Hawley, PA. It sits on a beautiful mountain lake vacation setting and I literally felt as if I was in the middle of a Hallmark movie the entire time! Woodloch Pines Resort  was voted “BEST HOTEL FOR FAMILIES- #1 in the US and #6 in the world by the renown travel site, Trip Advisor!

On Saturday morning we hit the ground running by starting our busy fun filled day with breakfast in the grand dining area. We were greeted each morning with the friendliest staff and characters and escorted to our table. We would have this table for our entire stay as well as our awesome waitress who tended to our every need. As a family of 5, our requests can sometimes get a little out of control but she handled everything with ease and laughter. We became good friends by the end of our stay and we hope to see Lexi again!

The all inclusive option includes a meal plan that will not disappoint anyone…even a picky eater such as my middle daughter. There are so many options and special requests can even be accommodated. I felt completely spoiled and my son was literally on cloud 9 having special treats like hot chocolate for breakfast and ice cream at lunch.

With all the delicious food at Woodloch, there are just as many activities in between to work off those extra calories. Each morning at breakfast families are given an activity sheet to look over and plan the day. Because everything is weather dependent it’s available each morning and not the night before. There is also a Woodloch App that is super helpful and easy to use. My 9 year old son looked forward to the activity sheet each morning and we circled activities that fit our needs. However, with so many options available there is no way we could possibly do everything so we looked for age appropriate things and went from there.

There is truly something for everyone at Woodloch. My children range in age from 2-9 and everyone had a blast the entire time. There were many things that we could all do together and other times my husband and I split up to take my son to Bumper cars or I took the older kids sledding down a hill. Activities are broken up into morning, afternoon and late afternoon. Just to name a few, activities range from paintball games, bingo, bowling, horse racing, movies, magic shows, and an escape room! One of our own fun activities was simply walking around the resort in the snow. My kids had so much fun making snowballs and just being outside!

Buses are also available to drop off and pick up all around the resort at all times. You never have to wait long if you don’t feel like walking in the cold. We were lucky our room was close to the main activity center but for those staying a little farther away, the bus is a perfect option!

As I mentioned we visited on the special holiday weekend and we enjoyed activities such a Gingerbread Wars, a traditional Yule Log Hunt followed by caroling and a visit from Santa, as well as the best activity I’ve ever experienced at a resort …. the “Holiday Lights Tour”.

During the Gingerbread Wars, each family was given a large tray with enough ingredients to create a masterpiece. Additional items could be used in exchange for tickets. My son really had a vision of his favorite Woodloch activity which is snow tubing and designed our Gingerbread House after this. Sadly, we were not the winner because the competition was fierce! We did have a super fun time and that’s all that matters!

One of the most magical moments of the weekend was the traditional Yule Log Hunt. Woodloch has been a family owned and operated resort since 1958. The grandson of one of the original owners, who now works at Woodloch, spoke about the history and family pride of this pristine resort and happily posed for a photo with my son. He also explained the Scandanavian history of the Yule log and how they will always keep this tradition alive at Woodloch. My son took off running to find the Yule Log and once we heard the bell ring we all gathered back at the flag pole. Next up was some delicious Christmas cookies and eggnog, followed by some festive Christmas caroling as the snow was coming down. My holiday spirit was about to burst in this winter wonderland moment.

Woodloch resort can host as many as 2000 people at a time. Although it was a very full weekend, we never felt crowded, rushed, or inconvenienced in any way. The accommodating and friendly staff is always ready and waiting to help answer any questions help in any way. We did need to sign up for the Holiday Lights Tour which was very easy and before dinner on Saturday night our family loaded up in a wagon that was fillled with cozy blankets and holiday music. We had the best time as we drove through the nature trail during this special Festival of Lights tour.

During a special dinner Saturday night once again we were greeted at the door by staff and welcomed into the dining area. Holiday drinks were available for both adults and children with cute packages attached to the glass. My daughter was so excited and lit up with joy. At home, we are usually too busy and going in different directions to sit down together for dinner so moments like these are even more special!

Because this was the first snow of the season, the resort wasn’t quite ready for snow tubing, however, I was able to purchase a snow disc for the kids (and me!) to sled down one of the many hills. We went down the hill over and over and I’m so thankful the gift shop had this item available for purchase! It truly made our trip complete!

We spent our last night in the arcade, indoor forest playground, and a last round of bumper cars. There was even a kiddie car for my 2 year old and she had the best time! I was prepared with bathing suits for my kids, but unfortunately we did not even have time to experience the new Indoor pool & splash zone. I’m sure they would have loved it!

Before leaving on Sunday, my son was able to drive a go-cart and my daughter rode a horse. These are such memorable activities for my “city kids” and I know they will always remember what a good time they had. Woodloch is all about bringing the family together and they do it so well. There were many families celebrating a birthday or a special milestone. It’s no surprise that people enjoy their time at Woodloch and come back often.

The Woodloch Pines resort is not limited to Winter activities. There is always something exciting in every season. There is a world class spa, a championship golf course and abundant amenities to keep everyone entertained.  While we were in the elevator I pointed out the photo to my son of what the lake looks like in the summer. His eyes grew three sizes in amazement because he only knows what it looks like in the winter.

There is a reason why Woodloch is the best family resort in the Pocono Mountains. The staff is really warm and friendly and we look forward to our next adventure in any season to create more lasting memories. For more information and details about the various getaway packages visit www.woodloch.com

Happy Holidays!

Suzanne