The Best Place to Stay in the Pocono Mountains

So, I thought I was a beach girl. But I’ve been wrong this entire time. Maybe I did, in fact, used to be a beach girl, but Woodloch Resort in the Pocono Mountains has converted me to a mountain girl. It’s a pretty big deal for me to say that, since I grew up 35 minutes from Ocean City, NJ and have made countless day trips to the beach. I spent my teenage years in surf-inspired clothing and too many hours sun-bathing by the waves.

But Woodloch is SO GOOD that I would choose to visit the resort in the Poconos in the summer in lieu of a week at the Jersey Shore. This. Is. BIG.

My husband, twin 5.5 year old daughters, and I spent this past fall weekend at Woodloch Resort in Hawley, Pennsylvania, and we loved it so much that one of my daughters cried when we had to leave. Heck, I almost cried. I need an entire week at this little piece of heaven. In fact, I am going to try to convince my husband that we need to visit Woodloch once per season!

It’s the perfect spot for families, couples, and friends, as Woodloch encompasses the ideal balance of relaxation, excitement, and nature.

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Woodloch Resort

This resort is all-inclusive, which makes the trip super relaxing and easy! All we had to do was show up, eat, and have fun. As you know, we went as a family, as the resort is very family-friendly, but I would also enjoy it as a couple’s retreat or a girls’ weekend! Heck, I’d even go by myself! Find out more basics about the resort in this blog post.

Woodloch originated in 1958 as a 12-room boarding house and has become one of the leading family resorts and vacation spots in America! It’s family-owned, and the third generation of the Kiesendahl family is extremely dedicated to Woodloch’s original mission: Treat all guests as if they were company in their own homes.

A Springbrook Suite at Woodloch Pines

We stayed in one Woodloch’s Edgewater Suites at Woodloch Pines. It made the most sense for my family’s sleeping arrangements and it was in the same building as the indoor pool complex! (We didn’t even have to put shoes on to get to the pool and water slides.) Suuuuper convenient!

Woodloch has many other room and house options, and you can read more about them all here! I am going to get into more detail about the suite we enjoyed.

While I have no experience in the other types of rooms, villas or houses at Woodloch, it would be pretty hard to top my opinion of this suite in Woodloch Pines. I cannot stress enough how comfortable it was for my family of 4!! It has TWO bathrooms (one with a tub and one with a standup shower). Here’s what else I loved:

• kitchenette with mini fridge, sink, coffee maker
• 2 televisions (We never even them turned on. Ha! Woodloch is so gorgeous and has so many activities – more on those below- that none of us even thought about watching TV.)
• spacious living room and bedroom
• 2 big closets to store suitcases and hang clothes
• beautiful views
• private balcony
• extremely clean
• access to washers and dryers in the building
• You don’t have to go outside to get to the indoor pool facility!!
• close proximity to the main dining room
• quiet

It is obvious that the owners and personnel take great pride in this resort. In additional to the impeccable nature of our suite, the grounds were extremely well-kept, with beautiful fall gardens, lots of places to take a sit and take in the scenery, and charming lamp posts (just to name a few!).

The Activities and Amenities at Woodloch

Once you arrive at Woodloch, all activities are included! At check-in, the friendly work staff provides you with a band to wear, which signifies that you’re a guest at the resort. Simply wear it, and start having fun and/or relaxing!

Woodloch offers an EXTENSIVE list of activities EACH DAY, which are suitable to guests of ANY age! There is something for everyone!

When you settle in at your breakfast table in the main dining room each morning, there sits a detailed list of activities just for that day! Here is what we found on our table on Sunday:

Let me reiterate: This is for ONE DAY! How amazing is that?! You can pick and choose what you want, and if you want a spa day, you can totally hunker down at the Woodloch Lodge for a day of relaxation and rejuvenation. There is something for everyone.

Our stay at Woodloch was certainly too short. (We booked Friday and Saturday nights, but things came up, and we didn’t arrive until Saturday around lunchtime.) I would like to stay at Woodloch for an entire week! Hopefully, someday I will.

Here is what we did during our short stay:

• go carts (little to no line… There are so many activities to choose from that no one activity is ever overcrowded, which is a MAJOR plus for us!)
• indoor pool and water slides
• pedal boating
• hang out by the lakeshore
• petting zoo and pony rides
• nature walks

The Dining at Woodloch

You will not go hungry at Woodloch. I repeat: You will NOT go hungry at Woodloch. The dining plan is amazing!

The amount of food offered was astonishing, and so was the quality! Breakfast was my favorite, because the waitstaff greeted us with a warm, home-baked apple crumb cake loaf upon sitting. On a normal day, that is all I would need for breakfast!

In addition, we had our choice of cold cereal, fruits, bagels, and the like BEFORE our main course but AFTER the crumb cake. (And there was no shortage of coffee, orange juice, and other beverages.) We then chose from their EXTENSIVE hot breakfast menu.

My husband and I enjoyed scrambled eggs with cheese, home fries, and delicious sausage. My daughters had huge waffles! Also: One of my daughters has a tree nut allergy, and the cooks and waitstaff paid extreme mindful attention to that, providing us with a special list of tree nut-free foods. They also made sure to serve her food with fresh utensils and open brand-new containers of ice cream for her to avoid cross-contamination. The mission “Treat all guests as if they were company in their own homes” was in full effect.

Plus, guests were greeted with kid-friendly characters at each meal. My daughter got a kick out of Pikachu!

And if you would like to enjoy an a la carte meal, Woodloch has restaurants (with beautiful views, of course) to choose from as well.

Note: I was too busy enjoying meals with my family that I forgot to take any photos during dining. However, the views were stunning and the food and service was impeccable.

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The Takeaway

You need a getaway now, don’t you?! I am thoroughly envious of anyone who is enjoying Woodloch on this beautiful fall day. I wish I were still there!

This place is worth the trip to the Pocono Mountains, no matter where you live! We are within 3 hours of driving distance, but we would drive further or fly to get there if we had to!

*Special thanks to Woodloch for allowing my family and I to enjoy this weekend getaway! All opinions and photos are my own!