Woodloch’s Blog

Keep up-to-date with all things Woodloch on our blog featuring exclusive recipes, heartwarming stories, lifestyle content, contests and more.

Ice Skating in PA: Go for Gold at Woodloch!

So many young Americans dream about being the next Mike Modano or Michelle Kwan within seconds of successfully taking that first stride on a fresh sheet of ice. Upon winter’s arrival, families across North America flood their backyards in hopes of creating a homemade ice rink—one that supplants all others because it’s uniquely yours. Woodloch, America’s number one family resort, employs hundreds of people, many of whom grew up dreaming about donning a Flyers sweater and lighting the lamp at the Wells Fargo Center. Conversely, many kids daydream about landing a quadruple jump at the Winter Olympics. Well, here at Woodloch, we bring the NHL and the Olympics right to you, in the form of an authentic Lake Teedyuskung ice rink and a synthetic, four-season facility.

Synthetic Ice Skating Glory

Thanks to our brilliantly-engineered EZ Glide 500, we have ice year-round at Woodloch. This 9,000-square-foot rink is a covered, semi-open facility that’s a marvelous place for your youngest ones to learn how to skate, shoot, pass, and, of course, score! For those that have “mastered” the art of ice skating, the memory of that first spill-free ice skating session is indelible—much like that first bike ride. Skate rentals start at $5. Although, we suggest guests bring your own blades to save a few bucks.

Skate Circles on Pristine Lake Teedyuskung

Once temperatures dip well before freezing, Lake Teedyuskung gradually transforms into a dreamlike figure skating destination. With the Pocono Mountains as your backdrop, your whole family can glide, spin, and stride on this 5,700-acre frozen pond. Once the lake boasts approximately five inches of ice (we’ll make that call), guests are free to lace up their skates and give Lake Teedyuskung a whirl. As you can imagine, snowfall often plays a role in this process. We meticulously shovel an ice rink-sized (and shaped) surface that plays host to countless skaters for the rest of the winter. Remember: No pucks—just blades.

As always, please keep in mind that some on-site activities and amenities may be affected by COVID-19. Both the lake’s ice rink and the indoor facility may or may not be open, depending on restrictions and seasonality. If that’s the case, trade your skates for a snow tube, or skis!

The Ultimate Family Resort in Pennsylvania

The all-inclusive experience at Woodloch includes all meals, spacious accommodations, nightly live entertainment, and countless daily activities, as noted in our Activity Sheet. Besides winter-based sports, on-site activities include batting cages, paintball, rock climbing, trivia, bingo, silent DJ parties, and so many more incredible, family-focused experiences. Woodloch’s sprawling campus includes so many indoor and outdoor adventures that you’ll naturally forget about work deadlines, social media, and at-home learning.

Please thoroughly read through the Woodloch Wellness Standard before booking directly. Surely, there’s a package that’s tailor-made for your wonderful family!

Filed Under: Activities, Winter Tagged With: family winter vacations, lake, snow

Woodloch’s Blog

Keep up-to-date with all things Woodloch on our blog featuring exclusive recipes, heartwarming stories, lifestyle content, contests and more.

Holiday DeLIGHTS – Illuminating the Season at Woodloch

Clark W. Griswold has always been a spirit animal of sorts to us. That’s why every single holiday, you’ll find our sprawling Nature Trail covered from tree limb to limb with thousands and thousands of vibrant holiday lights.

Throughout the holiday season, Woodloch is proud to offer our illuminated “Festival of Lights” wagon rides. Family and friends alike are encouraged to bundle up and enjoy a half-hour spirited journey through our Nature Trail featuring beautifully shining lights displays celebrating the spirit of the season’s various holidays, as well as our favorite movies and more!

The buildup leading to our “Festival of Lights” Holiday wagon rides is months in the waiting. The process begins in late summer as bulbs are
tested- blinking, dim or dead bulbs are no good for showtime. “While our trail is getting prepped for our Halloween, new lightboards are being
built and painted by our talented staff, and we review literally hundreds of holiday songs, old and new, for the rides,” says Joey Ranner, Social Director.
“There is about a two week grace period between the Halloween’s conclusion and our first Festival- we simply MOVE to get it all done.” The rides traditionally debut Black Friday.

In addition to your favorite traditional holiday scenes, the team at Woodloch thinks outside the box when designing scenes. We’ve seen fluorescent “under the sea” aquariums, patriotic salutes to America, and your favorite characters from a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away all make an appearance.

“It’s a never-rending quest to keep our rides fresh for returning guests. If a response to a ride is ‘we thought it was better last year,’ we consider that a big disappointment on our behalf. Bigger and better is what we always strive for.”

Everything ends with hot chocolate and even a visit from St. Nick himself. Of course, the rides are just part of the seasonal fun at
Woodloch. No December Woodloch visit would be complete without joining in our Yule Log Hunt, Gingerbread Wars, Holiday Scavenger Hunt and more.

Woodloch’s “Festival of Lights” run from Thanksgiving to New Year’s.

Filed Under: holiday, Winter Tagged With: christmas

#WoodlochAtHome: Halloween Costume Contest!

Happy Halloween to everyone out there! This is definitely one of our favorite times of the year, and this year, we thought we’d continue some of the fun of #WoodlochAtHome with our first ever “Virtual Costume Contest!” It’s your chance to showcase your outfits and win some great Woodloch prizes, even if you are unable to visit us this year!

WINNER’S CIRCLE

Woodloch’s Blog

Keep up-to-date with all things Woodloch on our blog featuring exclusive recipes, heartwarming stories, lifestyle content, contests and more.

Discover Pennsylvania’s “North Pole” | Woodloch’s Holiday Rentals

The holiday season is just around the corner. Where did the time go? It seems like only yesterday we were gearing up for spring’s arrival, but 2020 effectively threw us all a head-high curveball. Despite COVID-19, Woodloch remains stronger than ever thanks to its “resort responsibly” wellness standard.

Photo of a Group of Employees at Woodloch, Dressed as Elves. Click Here for Info on Our Holiday Rentals.

In fact, Woodloch’s holiday rentals have never been more enticing for large families in desperate need of a Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s escape into the Pocono Mountains. Today, we’re going to focus solely on Pennsylvania’s “North Pole.” Hint: It’s located along the northeastern banks of Lake Teedyuskung.

Holiday Season Packages and Festivities

While Christmas may look and feel a tad bit different this winter, we’ve never been more excited about welcoming back Santa Claus and re-introducing a bevy of our holiday-themed activities, such as the annual Festival of Lights, yule log hunt, and reindeer races. Combine an extended stay in one of Woodloch’s luxurious holiday rentals with a seasonally-inspired package, including the Christmas Break, late-autumn midweeks, and an “Olde Fashioned Holiday.” Every year, we wholly embrace winter’s arrival by munching on Christmas cookies, sipping on eggnog, and caroling throughout campus. Meanwhile, the whole family can join the “gingerbread wars” and embark on the brand new holiday scavenger hunt before sharing secrets with Santa and observing the dazzling Festival of Lights display.

Woodloch’s Spacious, Modernized Holiday Rentals

Photo of One of Woodloch's Luxurious Holiday Rentals.

Christmas, much like Thanksgiving and Independence Day, is a time for family, fellowship, and generosity. We wholeheartedly understand that many families are going to need ample space for homemade dinners, presents, and long-standing traditions. Thus, we present a bevy of on- and off-campus holiday rentals, all of which are equipped with multiple bedrooms, newly-updated kitchens, spacious living areas, cozy fireplaces, and private acreage (for those who want to build a snowman and create snow angels). These modernized holiday rentals were crafted with special events and outings in mind, including Thanksgiving and Christmas. These homes offer the warm secluded atmosphere that many families are actively seeking this winter.

To book a well-deserved holiday getaway to the number one family resort in the U.S., please check availability online (or call us directly at 800-966-3562). Click the links below to learn more.

Filed Under: holiday, Uncategorized, Winter Tagged With: christmas

Spooktacular Fall Specials, Vibrant Foliage, and More!

Autumn is nearly upon us here in the rolling, densely-forested Pocono Mountains. As summer slowly fades, millions of American families begin planning their long-awaited fall getaways to idyllic destinations, such as award-winning Woodloch. We’re not only proud to be the top-rated family resort in America (according to USA Today), but our 1,200-acre estate remains one of the most beloved fall getaways from New York City. Families can enjoy seemingly endless Halloween-themed programming, vibrant natural beauty, and outrageous, all-inclusive fall specials. The kaleidoscope of sights, sounds, and tastes will leave a lasting, smile-inducing impression on the season.

Spooky Fall Specials and Savings

Before diving into the vast array of homegrown activities that are readily available on any given day, it’s crucial to outline some ways to save a few bucks this autumn. Woodloch’s array of fall specials (which includes up to 30 percent off and free kids stays) are sure to put a smile on your face leading up to another vivid autumn.

On select dates, children under seven stay free. Meanwhile, all “kids” between the ages of seven and 19 are 50 percent off! Our most popular fall specials revolve around midweek getaways, including a 30 percent discount (from early September through mid-December, not including holidays). But, that’s not all. Use the promo code “STAY3” on select three-day weekends to earn up to 15 percent off. These spooky fall specials and savings may not return, so take full advantage of them while you can!

Pocono Mountain Leaf Peeping

Photo of Lake Teedyuskung in Autumn. Click Here for Wacky Fall Specials! Now that you have an idea of how much money you could save this autumn, let’s dive into potential mid-day adventures. Below, we cover many Halloween-themed activities that we typically offer. In this section, however, we want to shine a light on the various outdoorsy pursuits that are particularly enjoyable during autumn’s peak. To gain a better understanding of our nonstop entertainment opportunities, please take a peek at a sample activity sheet. Adventurous families can hike, paddle, climb, trap shoot, fish, go-kart, and golf without a care in the world. Or, embark on a horse-drawn hayride, meet some furry friends at the petting zoo, splash in the indoor pool, and play a tennis match. You could visit the resort a dozen times and still have plenty of new activities to try.

Halloween-Themed Fun

Photo of Three Trick or Treaters. Click Here for Amazing Fall Specials! The best part about holiday seasons at Woodloch is that we take every opportunity to supply a seasonal twist on each activity. During Halloween, for example, everything gets a little spookier, spicier, and more colorful. Kiddos can try pumpkin painting, scarecrow decorating, trick or treating, and everything in between. Other popular activities include the “Boo-Lympics,” Halloween-themed scavenger hunt, the shriek-inducing escape room, Halloween parade, and haunted walks. Scaredy-cats and self-proclaimed ghost hunters alike will discover ample opportunities for autumnal fun.

Please visit us online at Woodloch.com for more information about our fall specials, including the exceedingly popular Spooktacular Weekends. We also want to draw your attention to our ongoing Woodloch Wellness Standard, which includes a Pocono Promise.

Woodloch’s Blog

Keep up-to-date with all things Woodloch on our blog featuring exclusive recipes, heartwarming stories, lifestyle content, contests and more.

Embrace the Outdoors: 10 Nature Activities for Kids

Children, not unlike adults, are complex beings. Each child’s personality is unique, like a snowflake. Much of our programming here at Woodloch Resort is geared toward family bonding, team-building, competition, and group collaboration, which suits social butterflies. However, we fully understand that some kids would rather meander through the wilderness and explore the region’s distinct flora rather than splash about with dozens of other giggling youngsters. It is only natural that we focus on Mother Earth in a time like this, as millions of Americans begin to rediscover the unique allure of this great land. To ensure that your next visit is nothing short of spectacular for the entire family, we’ve compiled 10 fun nature activities for kids (as seen below).

10 Fun Nature Activities for Kids

Some children naturally gravitate toward the outdoors. However, helping your child strike a balance between outdoor exploration and social interaction is vital. That’s why we simultaneously promote nature while also fostering healthy group interplay. These 10 on-site nature activities for kids are available nearly every day of the week:

Guided nature hike: There’s nothing more soothing for the soul than meandering into the densely forested Pocono Mountains, with nothing but the soothing sounds of nature as your mid-summer playlist.
Fishing: Throw a line into Lake Teedyuskung to snag a prized walleye or a feisty largemouth bass.
Geocaching: Using the Geocaching app, let your kids explore the woodlands in search of hidden treasures. There are dozens of caches in the area.
Birdwatching: Blue jays, cardinals, red-billed woodpeckers, and cedar waxwings frequent our sprawling 1,200-acre property.
Nature scavenger hunt: After a couple hours of water skiing, swimming, and rowing, hide some fun prizes in the forest. Unlike most nature activities for kids, a scavenger hunt takes a lot of planning.
Collect rocks: Each rock has a story. Thus, each shiny or jagged stone has potential to be a lasting keepsake.
Insect hunting: Keep your eyes peeled for colorful butterflies, legions of ants, curious ladybugs, diligent bees, limber leafhoppers, and stoic dragonflies.
Build a bonfire: Gather around Woodloch’s fire pit well before dusk to learn how to build a proper, well-constructed bonfire. There’s nothing more rewarding than roasting marshmallows above a fire that you helped build.
Nature journaling: Many of us grew up loving to write. Why not take that passion and focus it on nature’s beauty? Making note of the five senses is always a rewarding challenge for adolescents.
Photography: Capture the Poconos’ serene beauty without barely moving a muscle. Nature photography often harbors vital skills, such as patience, creativity, and attention to detail.

A Well-Deserved Poconos Family Getaway

Hopefully, these 10 nature activities for kids gives you a “taste” of what we can offer here at Woodloch, America’s top-rated family resort. All-inclusive family programming includes meals, lodging, and, of course, countless on-site activities, ranging from bumper boats to Summer Olympics. And, as one of the premier all-inclusive resorts in Pennsylvania, we saw a recent opportunity to add “Home Programming” to our repertoire. To learn more about a potential summertime escape into the Poconos, please visit us online at Woodloch.com.

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