Last weekend my family and I headed to Woodloch Resort in the Poconos (Pennsylvania) for a long overdue fall getaway. If you have been a subscriber to Pearls & Paris for a while, or follow me on Instagram, then you know we love our travels so staying put for the last 7 months hasn’t been easy. This was the perfect road trip from NJ (only a 2 hr drive!) and we knew we would catch the beautiful Fall foliage so we were very excited.
Upon arrival you get your temperature checked at the Wellness Station and then you proceed to check in. Check in was quick and easy and they had great precautionary measures in place. You must wear your mask in all indoor public spaces and outdoors when a social distance of a minimum of 6 feet cannot be achieved, except for when eating & drinking. They also had hand sanitizing stations across the property. Click HERE to see Woodloch’s Wellness Standard. After we were all settled in our room, it was time to explore.
Myself along with the other mama bloggers invited on this trip got a quick golf cart tour of the property before dinner. The property itself is much bigger than I expected and it made me super excited to plan my activities for the next day with my family.
The dining area has fantastic views looking out over Lake Teedyuskung. The staff was super attentive and the food… ah, the food!! SO DELICIOUS. We were pleasantly surprised by how tasty all of our meals were during our stay, but especially dinner. Two of my favorite items had to be the shrimp pot stickers and the BLT Grilled Chicken with Cavatelli in pesto. After dinner we kept it low key and checked out the fire pit and then headed back to the room so the kids could sleep and we could enjoy some wine on the balcony.
The next morning we opted to get our breakfast to go so we could eat in the room, this is actually what we did our whole stay for breakfast and lunch. It was a very convenient option since traveling with the kids as their schedule varies per day. My husband also picked up coffee for us every morning from Gigi’s. The Pumpkin Pie and Maple Pecan coffee were my favorite.
After breakfast we headed out as we wanted to check out as many activities as we could. Woodloch has an app that has a ton of information on it along with the daily food menus and daily activities. Some of the activities require a reservation which you can do directly on the app or you can opt to call the activity help desk. Our day consisted of paintballing, bumper cars, go karts, basketball, bowling, the playground arts & crafts, a boat tour around the lake and the arcade. (Yes, I need a nap after thinking about all of that too lol) With the exception of paint-balling, all of the activities were complimentary.
After dinner we headed to the indoor splash zone! Victor & Ryan actually went earlier in the day while Celine napped and they loved it. It was the perfect way to end our last night at Woodloch.
We were so sad to pack up the next morning and head home but we first made sure to fill up on a delicious breakfast, pick up some homemade pastries to bring home (trying the baked goods from Woodloch is a MUST! All of them are out of this world), some Gigi’s coffee and of course Victor needed another round of go carts and bumper cars. We also did one more walk around the lake. The views, especially during the Fall, are everything!
Our time at Woodloch Resort was perfect. While I know this may be a scary time to think about traveling, the resort is doing everything possible to keep you and your family safe. They are currently only occupying 40-50% of the resort so social distancing is not an issue at all. They also are implementing contactless exchange of room amenities and have removed items such as coffee pots, decorative pillows etc. that are easily contaminated. We also were able to check out right from our room before leaving. If you live in the tri-state area, you need to check out Woodloch Resort for a weekend getaway. You won’t be disappointed.
…until next time!
[ Thank you to Sherri Schubert Events + Woodloch for hosting my family for the weekend and for Children’s Place for the super cute outfits. All opinions, as always, are my own]
Most people spend so much time planning out their Spring and Summer vacations that they tend to forget the best season to travel – Winter! What’s better than heading off for some fun in the sun while it’s snowing back at home or indulging in cold but fun winter activities? Here’s 5 destinations that you should check out this winter season.
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With an average temperature in January of 85 degrees, Puerto Rico is a fantastic destination to head to this winter if you’re looking to escape the cold. This little island is rich in culture and offers a variety of activities for everyone to enjoy. Puerto Rico is also a foodie’s paradise! (Tip: Make sure to order the mofongo at least once during your visit and don’t leave the island without having a piraqua) Walking tours, rum tastings, ziplining, snorkeling or just relaxing on a beach chair with a pina colada in hand… the possibilities are endless.
Quebec City is one of my favorite winter destinations. Is it cold? Yes – very. But nothing layers and a warm drink can’t help. If visiting between the end of November and December they have a small Christmas Market set up as well as Santa Claus outside meeting with the children which is super cute if traveling with little ones. Some other great things to do is stay overnight at the Ice Hotel, go down the Toboggan slide, celebrate the Quebec Winter Carnival and make a visit to the Siberia Spa.
The Bahamas are made up of 700 islands. With the devastation that has occurred due to Hurricane Dorian to Abaco and the Grand Bahama Island – they need our tourism dollars more now than ever. The Bahamas are still OPEN and the best thing you can do to help is to visit. The winter months happen to be some of the best to visit the Bahamas. You will be exchanging the cold and white snow for white sand and sunshine. Adult only or some family fun – there is something for everyone to enjoy. You can take advantage of eco tours, fine dining, fishing or simply sinking your toes in the sand. Some other fun events that place during the winter are Junkanoo and Marathon Bahamas.
Iceland is the perfect destination year round, but during winter – it is pure magic. Get ready for a winter adventure as you can chase the Northern Lights, snorkel between tectonic plates, check out numerous waterfalls, visit a black sand beach, relax in the Blue Lagoon and so much more.
It’s often said that the Florida Keys are America’s Caribbean Islands. Key West is busy during the winter months and for good reason. This is the perfect destination if you want to stay within the US but feel like you’re on a remote island. Duval Street has endless options to keep you busy! Join a bar crawl, go on a ghost tour, catch a drag queen show or watch the stunning sunset at Mallory Square – there is something for everyone. Some other activities you can do is visit the Dry Tortugas and catch a charter boat and spend the day fishing. (Tip: Visit Cuban Coffee Queen for a Cafe con Leche, Blue Heaven for Brunch and Better than Sex for dessert)