holiday

Thanksgiving in NYC Alternative: Woodloch Resort in Hawley, PA

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Get Spooked at our Pennsylvania Resort

Woodloch: A Family-First Alternative to Thanksgiving in NYC

Every Thanksgiving, 44 million Americans travel via car, plane, train, or bus to be with their family. So, it should come as no surprise that Thanksgiving is the busiest holiday of the year for most. A growing trend in the travel industry is a destination Thanksgiving gathering where mom and dad can gleefully ditch their aprons, oven mitts, and turkey baster.

With 20.3 million people in the New York metropolitan area, Thanksgiving break should serve as a time to relax, unwind, and rejuvenate with your kids. Instead, parents often labor inside cramped kitchens only to watch their kids scamper off after dinner to surf the web on their smartphones. We do things a bit differently here at Woodloch Resort, a family-centric respite that is happy to serve as your alternative to Thanksgiving in NYC.

A Family-Focused Alternative to Thanksgiving in NYC

The holidays are a special time of year for most families as well as for Woodloch’s family of over 1,200 employees. Our family-owned and operated resort has been hosting well-deserved Thanksgiving getaways from NYC for over six decades. This year, say “sayonara” to messy kitchens, hectic Black Friday shopping, and spiritless holiday games by choosing a unique, family-first alternative to a timeworn Thanksgiving in NYC tradition. Your family will be blown away by our entire staff’s commitment to excellence. After experiencing Woodloch’s annual Thanksgiving extravaganza, you’ll return home uplifted, rejuvenated, and ready once again for the real world.

Top 10 Thanksgiving Activities for Kids

In late November, guests can partake in over 30 homegrown Thanksgiving activities for toddlers, kids, teens, and adults. If you take a peek at last year’s festivities, you’ll quickly notice that there isn’t enough time in the day to try everything! Yes, planning another Thanksgiving in NYC is easy peasy if it’s become your family’s go-to, but perhaps this is the year that you think outside of the box. We recommend starting your Thanksgiving countdown by browsing through some of the most festive family-friendly things to do in the Poconos, including these ten on-site activities:

The “Walnut Hunt”
Gobble gobble: Thanksgiving-themed arts and crafts
The Festival of Lights’ debut
Seasonally-inspired bakery wars
Greet a giant turkey during the “Turkey Trot”
Petting zoo and pony rides
Turkey Day Jackpot Bingo
Watch all of the NFL action in the Keystone Room
Trapshooting, archery, and go-carting
The feast

The All-Important Thanksgiving Feast—Family Style

We’d be remiss if we didn’t cover arguably the most enjoyable aspect of Thanksgiving: the feast. Believe it or not, a lot of New Yorkers search for “Thanksgiving catering” to avoid the preparation, cooking, and cleaning. That’s going to cost a fortune. Let our talented culinary team treat you and your family to one-of-a-kind, family-style Thanksgiving dinner. While our menu evolves each year, you can expect the essentials: perfectly roasted turkey, creamy mashed potatoes, gravy, homemade stuffing, cranberry sauce, green beans, and some of the yummiest pie in the Pocono Mountains.

If you’re aiming to discover an alternative to Thanksgiving in NYC this year, please give us a call today at 1-800-966-3562. Or feel free to browse through our extensive packages.

Filed Under: fall, holiday Tagged With: Thanksgiving Activities for Kids, Thanksgiving Break, Thanksgiving Buffet, Thanksgiving Catering, Thanksgiving Getaways from NYC, Thanksgiving in NYC

Halloween Vacations in the Poconos | Woodloch Resort

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Spooky Halloween Vacations in the Poconos

While we just flipped the calendar to September, families are already daydreaming about the spookiest holiday of the year: Halloween. From early October well into November, Woodloch Resort (the top-rated family resort in the U.S.) celebrates All Hallows’ Eve in style alongside hundreds of families from across the Northeast. Little superheroes, skeletons, and princesses can partake in a wide variety of playful, festive activities ranging from spine-chilling haunted hayrides to stimulating scarecrow-building contests. We’ve quickly evolved into one of the premier Halloween vacations on the East Coast since the emergence of our haunted hayride, but don’t forget about all of our crowd-pleasing amenities, such as the Broadway-style theme shows and our indoor splash zone.

The Haunted Hayride

Our haunted hayride improves each year as we continue to hire ultra-talented actors, add high-tech props, and insert new hip characters into our “monster lineup.” Unlike most Halloween vacations in the region, we feature a slew of brand new characters each year. These hayrides aren’t recommended for “little ghouls” as they can be scary for children (and even some adults). You never know who you’re going to encounter on this backwoods trail—witches, chainsaw-wielding maniacs, killer clowns, and deranged doctors have been sighted in the past.

Top 10 On-Site Activities

Not all of our Halloween-themed activities are as frightening as the haunted hayride. In fact, most of these activities, adventures, and events are geared toward guests of all ages, especially children. For decades, we’ve hosted thousands of first-class Halloween vacations for families—so, we’ve seen what works for the whole family and what doesn’t. To ensure that your autumn excursion to Hawley, PA is nothing short of flawless, we’ve compiled ten of our favorite autumn activities.

Trick or treating
Pumpkin painting
Costume party
“Halloween Wars” – a creative bakery-themed competition
“Boo-Lympics” – Halloween-themed Olympic games
Halloween scavenger hunt
Halloween parade
Scarecrow decorating
Halloween arts and crafts
Escape rooms (for an additional nominal fee)

Spooktacular Packages | Halloween Vacations

For decades, families have been escaping to the Pocono Mountains for great Halloween vacations because we have a passion for pumpkins, candy, and playful scares. We wouldn’t be one of the top-rated Halloween getaways near New York City without our all-inclusive Spooktacular Weekend and Midweek packages. Each package includes overnight accommodations, family-style meals, and a seemingly endless array of Halloween-themed activities. If you take a glance at last year’s itinerary, you’ll notice that you and your family can partake in upwards of 30 on-site activities in one weekend.

To learn more about one of the best vacation spots for Halloween in the U.S., please visit us online at Woodloch.com, or call us today at 800-966-3562.

Rest of Blog Here

Filed Under: fall, holiday Tagged With: autumn, halloween, haunted hayrides

Seasons of Change | Woodloch Resort

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Seasons of CHANGE at Woodloch!

There’s something rather bittersweet about the end of summer.

The days get ever so slightly shorter, the nights just a smidge cooler, and at Woodloch, we bid adieu to many friends- seasonal workers and summer guests alike – until next year. However, along with the sunsets and the accompanying golden hue that paints the Pocono canopy, there is much to be anticipated as we transition into FALL at Woodloch!

Every year, we always hope for a little bit of a “slow burn” fall- after all, water skiing, swimming and sailing on our lake go straight through Columbus Day Weekend. That’s when the true fun of FALL begins!

October nights are famous, or should we say, INFAMOUS for our creepy crawly HAUNTED WALKS. The fun begins at the top of our trail- your 20 minutes of terror will snake through a dozen terrifying scenes from some of your favorite Halloween movies and lore. Costumed characters, blinding lights, booming pyrotechnics and more all add to the charm. You’ll laugh, maybe cry and scream on this rollercoaster of terror. Woodloch’s “Hallo-Weekends” bring our Boo-Lympic Family Games, Trick-Or-Treating, costume parties and more!

Crisp and cool days are just about perfect for that long-awaited corporate retreat. Get the team together for old fashioned team building, with “only at Woodloch” features like Boat Building, Minit-2-Win-It, Woodloch Feud and “The Ultimate Woodloch Games.” Autumn is also simply a superb time for late season golf at Woodloch Springs– not to mention the beauty of The Lodge at Woodloch!

Just like the season itself, the arrival of the holidays at Woodloch is just about as MAGICAL as it comes. Every year, just as the Thanksgiving leftovers are boxed up and the wishbones are cracked, Woodloch starts its (literally) overnight transition to Christmas. Our “elves” transform the resort’s indoor and outdoor décor to a full-on holly jolly spectacular. Black Friday culminates with our first heartwarming “Festival of Lights” illuminated wagon rides, which continue straight through New Years!

As the air grows ever colder, Woodloch fires up their famous red snow cannons to create a “Winter Wonderland” of our own! Over the course of a few weeks, we will shape tens of thousands of gallons of water into frosted peaks for use in our Winter Olympics and TWO snow tubing hills!

And thus, a new year of fun and adventure begins at our resort… enjoy it in all four seasons!

Filed Under: fall, holiday, Uncategorized, Winter

Get Spooked at our Pennsylvania Resort | Woodloch Resort

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Get Spooked at our Pennsylvania Resort

The fog is creeping up over the Poconos mountains, spider webs hang from the trees and wrap around the cabins, and you’ll want to be here this October for the spookiest time of the year. As one of the leading Pennsylvania resorts, the Woodloch Resort is chock-full of family fun when it comes to fall, October, Halloween, and everything SPOOKTACULAR.

A Haunted Night

If you’re looking for a frightful evening, head out on our haunted hayride which is sure to get your heart racing! When October hits our Pennsylvania resorts property turns into a scare-fest! We recommend that you hop aboard our nightly hayride, but only if you dare… our annual ride is ideal for those who like to be spooked during this time of the year. Our woods are dotted with monsters, ghosts, ghouls; you might even see a few explosions along the way.

We do have to say that this activity at Woodloch Resorts is not suited for the littlest ghouls in your group or anyone who can’t handle the intense nature of this scary adventure.

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Frighten quickly? No worries, take a look at our daytime hayrides fit for the whole family, and the best part, it’s minus all the scary stuff so you won’t have to cover your eyes on this trip through our nature trail.

Need even more Halloween fun? You’ve come to the right resort! This year we’re teaming up to bring you the best Halloween crafts and an amazing scarecrow building contest! A game of Olympics might be what your family needs but you’ll want to try our Halloween wars this season along with bringing your favorite costume to show off during our Halloween parade!

Spooky Specials

When you stay with us in October, you’ll be in for more than just trick or treating, and we can promise there will be lots of that! Our rates change to include our Halloween weekday and weekend events, so we hope you’ll join us for some fall fun this season. Don’t forget to look at our Spooktacular mid-week or our weekend stays that will fit every budget and family wanting to enjoy a trip to the Poconos mountains.

However, you want to enjoy the October and autumn season make sure you book a vacation at Woodloch Resort, one of the best Pennsylvania resorts. Your family will be in enjoy all the festivities and more with over 30+ activities for you to choose from, and our list keeps growing! So check out all that you can do on-site, then book your trip today and we’ll see you soon on the haunted hayride!

Filed Under: fall, holiday Tagged With: Best Family Resort, Best Places to Stay in the Poconos, family vacations in pa, PA vacations, Pennsylvania Resorts, Pocono mountains resort, Pocono resorts

GETTING READY FOR THE HOLIDAYS | Woodloch Resort

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Getting Ready For The Holidays!

Deck the halls, string the garland and get ready for the most festive season when you vacation with Woodloch Resort. Our Poconos resort is nestled lakeside right in the heart of the mountains. You’ll find all the holiday activities you could ever want right here on our property. Here are some of our favorite things to do this December!

Yule Log

If you’re up for some competition, you’ll love searching for the Yule Log this season. Grab the family or a bunch of friends and embark on a journey of Woodloch’s 135-acre property. Located deep within our stunning landscape, you’ll find this unique Yule Log. We’ve heard that if you collect it first, you’ll be blessed with good tidings for the New Year! Plus,listen to the lovely sounds of caroling, sample yummy cookies, and enjoy a visit from a jolly man from the North Pole.

Sleigh Rides

Our hayrides are one of our favorite activities for families, but during the winter you can expect more of a winter wonderland effect. Sleigh bells help to make these treks through the snow festive! You’ll get to experience the natural surroundings of the Poconos Mountains when you hop aboard. Our hayrides go throughout the year, but as the weather moves into our winter season, trail conditions and weather may have an impact.

Festival of Lights

When December arrives, decorations go up and festive moods abound! If you’re going to be traveling this year, you might miss out on finding the most intricately decorated house. No need to worry when you vacation atWoodloch! We’ve got our Festival of Lights to keep you busy and merry! Our holiday ride will take you through our Nature Trail while you get to experience a stunning illuminated light display.

No matter what you choose to do during your stay here at Woodloch Resort, we know you’ll be in for a festive time! You’ll enjoy our all-inclusive package complete with outdoor winter recreation, delicious meals, and a cozy place to sleep. Book your vacation at our fantastic Poconos resort, and you’ll be in for a treat this December!

Filed Under: holiday Tagged With: christmas

A Special Woodloch Christmas “TREE-dition”| Woodloch Resort

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A Special Christmas “Tree-dition”

Cookies and cocoa. The infamous “Elf of a Shelf.” Fabulous interior and exterior lighting. Reindeer horns on the dog and Rudolph’s nose on your cat. Mistletoe and office party hijinx. Yup, it’s safe to say that the words “Christmas” and “tradition” are about as synonymous as Santa and reindeer.

I’m as old-fashioned as they come. Some might even say I am an 80 year old man trapped in the body of a 32 year old. So needless to say, I’m a stickler for tradition in almost all facets of my life. Which is probably why my employment at Woodloch has worked out so well so far. As a resort, we are BIG on traditions. Whether it’s us singing “Congratulations to ALL” during dinner or enjoying our annual Yule Log Hunt, there are some things that will (hopefully) never change here, because life is just a little bit fuller because of them.

Recently, one of our guests, Janet Savage, visited us for her yearly getaway. Janet has been visiting our resort since the early 90’s, having been introduced to us through her mom that traveled with a midweek Motorcoach group. After her first visit, she was hooked and made Woodloch a tradition of her own and visited us each year.

About 7 years ago, she took her love for our resort to the next level. A match made in heaven, she decided to incorporate the tradition of Woodloch with the spirit of the holidays and started crafting a Woodloch Christmas tree. At first, she purchased souvenir ornaments in our gift shops and adorned the small tree. When she bought every design we had, she ended up making her own decorations!

Pieces include:

Customized ornaments recycled from Woodloch pool bar cups
Keychains, toys and Mardis Gras beads from our Theme Night drinks
The coveted Woodloch GOLD medals
Room Keys, matchboxes and miniature golf pencils
Boomer the Bear plush animals
Photos from past holiday cards
Woodloch ribbon gathered from gift baskets she has received during her stay
A custom built Woodloch “Ring Toss” ornament
A wooden star atop the tree created from branches found at – you guessed it – our resort

“Every year I get the tree out, the tree just brings back wonderful memories,” says Janet. “I look at the tree and I’m just flooded with recollections of happiness- I look at the tree and like you say when we’re greeted at dinner, we’re “HOME.”

No matter what your holiday, this season is a time to celebrate those traditions. Whether it’s goofy, heartwarming or maybe even a little sad, this is the time of the year to bring them front and center and enjoy them.