Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by mifold but all thoughts and opinions are my own. I am not a certified car seat expert, pediatrician, or any sort of professional - I'm just a mom, making the best choices I can for my own family and sharing things I love with others! Please do your own research and use your best judgement about the best car seat or booster for your own children :)
You can usually find an Uber with a single carseat, but for families with more children, sorry, you're out of luck. But... you're not out of luck if you have mifold booster seats!! They're so compact, you can throw a few in your suitcase during a flight, stow some in your backpack while traveling, keep them in your stroller's undercarriage, have your child keep one in their backpack so they're ready to be picked up by your sitter or grandparent after school, and keep a spare in your trunk for when you have carpool duty!
Watch my video below for a full demo, notes about the differences between their Original and Comfort designs, and some safety notes. Then read on for more details, and enter to WIN one in my $1,000 value jackpot Spring into Summer Giveaway (ending April 7, 2021) at the bottom of this post!!
10 times smaller than traditional booster seats, mifold is our family's LITTLE secret to traveling with kids, and I'm sure they will also come in handy next year when our kids are back to school and carpooling to activities! Below you can see the original mifold (in yellow) and the new mifold comfort design (in purple). Let me go over a few key features and what sets them apart!
Below you can see the visual guide that is on the new mifold comfort seats - this is probably my favorite change to the design!! On the bottom right, you can see the little slides used to adjust the width of the seat - super easy to use before or after the child is sitting on it!
Below you can see our kids in their regular car seats on the left (high back booster for our 8 year old, and our 5 year old twins still in their 5-point harness convertible car seats) compared to sitting 3 across in their mifold boosters on the right. mifold allows you to fit 3 across more easily into more types of vehicles (see safety note below).
SAFETY NOTES:
While we love mifold for being so compact, lightweight, portable, and budget-friendly there are a few safety points you need to keep in mind:
If used carefully and properly, mifold can be an amazing option for many families - for travel, carpool, or even regular use. Don't forget, you can enter to win a mifold booster seat in our $1,000 value jackpot giveaway running through April 7, 2021!!
Enter to win here!!
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Disclaimer: We were provided our stay free in exchange for sharing our experience with you. However, below are our honest experiences and unbiased opinions - we TRULY love love love Crystal Springs!!
Crystal Springs Resort in New Jersey is one of my all time favorite family-friendly vacation spots in the Tri-State area! I've been there twice before: as a family in the summer of 2019 and as a #momcation with one of my best mom friends in February 2020 (just before Covid came to town). Put simply, this place NEVER disappoints. From the tropical indoor Biosphere pool to the delicious dining options to unique activities like puppy and goat yoga!!
So, when we were invited back recently for a hosted stay in exchange for sharing with you all what it's like to vacation at Crystal Springs during the pandemic, I jumped at the chance! Well, I put on my mask and jumped from a socially safe distance, that is! Ha! Check out our highlights videos from our 1-night mini getaway at Crystal Springs, including our outing to nearby Mountain Creek for Snow Tubing, and keep reading for more details and photos of our time at Crystal Springs and what you can expect regarding pandemic safety!!
Crystal Springs is definitely making safety a priority, while still providing top notch service, activities, and dining experiences! If you've been before, you'll notice subtle changes related to pandemic safety, which are outlined in their COVID-19 Statement, and I'll go over the ones that stood out to me below:
Watch the highlights videos from our previous two vacations at Crystal Springs, pre-pandemic:
Disclaimer: Our stay and activities were provided in exchange for our honest review - all thoughts and opinions are my own and 100% unbiased!
When it comes to family vacation destinations within a 3 hour drive from New York City, your options are plentiful. We've actually reviewed many of them (see our "family friendly day trips and weekend getaways from NYC" list here), but our trip to The Kartrite Resort & Indoor Waterpark this past weekend truly blew us away. It was spectacular, non-stop fun and excitement, beautiful, just AMAZING! A must visit for any family in the Tri-State area, honestly!!! Watch our video here and read on for more about what makes The Kartrite so special!
Located in Monticello, NY, The Kartrite is just a 2 hour drive from NYC, making it the perfect weekend destination! The Kartrite hasn't even celebrated its first birthday yet, so everything is beautiful, new, and utilizing the latest technology. Take your room key for example. It's not a key or even a card. It's a wrist band!! The internal chip acts as both your room key and your water park admission! I mean, HELLO! Could they make it any easier!? At the arcade, you add activities and game tokens to your Playopolis card, and any tickets you win go back onto your card - so it's completely cash and paper free! What's more? You can get a card for each member of your family and then pool all the points to one card when checking out and "buying" your kids' prizes.
There are ski slopes and cute towns nearby, but frankly, don't even bother. We spent our entire 3 days at The Kartrite and had zero desire or need to leave the fabulous facilities. At check-in we received a list of the complimentary daily kids' activities (things like STEAM projects, sand art, marshmallow towers, daily movie night in the lobby), and they even have a 3 hour nightly"Kids' Night Out" drop-off program for $55/child. We ended up spending 10am-5:30pm Saturday at the Waterpark, 10am-2pm Sunday at Indoor Adventures area, and the rest of the time either eating or lounging in the room!
THE WATERPARK
It should go without saying, the waterpark is the main attraction. This is why people come to The Kartrite, and for good reason, it's spectacular!! Touted as New York's biggest indoor waterpark, and covered by the world’s largest texlon transparent roof (I didn't realize this and thankfully we didn't burn, but as per their website, apparently you can tan through it, so don't forget your sunscreen!), they really went above and beyond in every way, and entrance is included with your stay at The Kartrite (even on check in and check out days). To top it off, it was the most physically pleasant indoor waterpark we've been to. We've visited many where either the air or the water wasn't quite warm enough, and left you chilled and needing to leave within 2 hours. We've also experienced some where the air was so thick with chlorine that our eyes stung and lungs burned! We didn't experience any of this at The Kartrite! With the exception of the bathrooms being cold and the lunch line being long, everything else was absolutely perfect!
There's an adorable toddler area with mini slides and splash zones, free life jackets for kids, a basketball pool, a great lazy river (never had to wait long to get a single or double tube to ride on), several kiddie water slides, 5 big kid / adult water slides (with minimum height of 42" or 48"), water adventure areas with a dump bucket, and even a well heated outdoor pool that you can access from inside (it was about 25*F when we went, and we were completely warm in this pool outside, until my kids splashed me and got my face and ears wet, then they started to freeze)!
There's no extra fee for their Flowrider (shown above), where you can do indoor boogie boarding, wake boarding, or surfing. Lines can get long for this because they give each rider ample time to have several tries, but it's totally worth the wait. It was my first time as well as my son's first time. After watching many people wipe out (no tears or injuries though) I was incredibly nervous but it was insanely fun!! The staff were super helpful, taking the time to explain how to do it, and if you are doing well they'll guide you from the front on learning tricks while you're still riding. It was amazing!! My son and I both were able to get up onto our knees and we saw others learning to spin the board around. So cool! You can see us in action on Flowrider in this video!
The most unique item at the waterpark is probably the Nor'easter water slide (see giant blue monstrosity above). I've never seen anything quite like it, but unfortunately we weren't able to ride it. There's a minimum height of 48" (our kids are too short), and you must have 2 or 4 riders (and I felt too shy to ask a stranger to ride with me). We did enjoy watching it though, and our 7 year old will definitely be tall enough if we go back in half a year or so! Can't wait!!
There is a cafeteria style grill in the waterpark as well as a bar. We ended up ordering a whole pizza, for $20, which was good for our family of 5. You can put it charges on your room which makes it nice, no need to bring your wallet. There are lockers, I believe from about $15 per day, but I really recommend leaving valuables in your room and bringing a waterproof pouch for your phone so you can keep it on you for quick photos and videos. You do need to wear coverup and shoes between your room and the waterpark, but we just put ours in a bag and left them on a chair. I guess there is always a risk of theft, but it didn't feel especially risky to me.
You can also splurge by purchasing a cabana for the day, which we were treated to by The Kartrite! The regular lounge chairs really fill up quickly around the waterpark, so having a private reserved section was really nice, plus it comes stocked with fruit, snacks, beverages in a mini fridge, and your own waiter by the push of a button!! Of course our kids were most impressed with the 32" HD TV in our cabana, and I was thrilled it had an outlet to turbo charge my phone after taking a full day's worth of photos and videos it was running out of juice! We got Cabana #11 which was right in front of the kids' adventure area, we were able to sit back and relax while still having a great view of our kids. Score!!
If you're not staying at the hotel, you can purchase a Splash Pash day pass to the waterpark for $79 - $99 (children under 2 are free). Great option if you live nearby or just want to drive up for the day!
INDOOR ADVENTURES:
I actually had no idea these existed at The Kartrite. I'm used to seeing giant arcades, but this was so much more! This massive play center on the first floor consists of:
Basically, you purchase each activity and/or credits, they all go onto your Playopolis card and you scan it for each game or activity. You can buy packages as well, which reduces individual costs. I highly recommend this, so you just go out and have a huge fun day rather them deliberating over individual costs. Just splurge and treat your kids, and yourself!! For example, the "Voyage Pick Four" ($50) package includes 80 arcade credits and you chose 4 of the following: Climbing Wall, XD Theater, Bowling, Laser Tag, Virtual Reality, Rope Course. Family members can share a card too, in case you want each kid to do 2 of those activities.
DINING OPTIONS:
There were several restaurants to choose from and we honestly enjoyed every meal (well, "enjoyed" may be debatable since dining with 3 overtired cranky kids is always a struggle), but the food, service, and atmospheres were great! The kids' menus seemed to be the same at each restaurant though, so not as much variety, but if you have non-picky kids they could share items off of the adult menu perhaps. Then again we have pretty picky eaters. We ate at Bixby's Derby the first night, which had an upscale yet cozy vibe with huge tall-backed booths (besides looking really cool, I think they do well to absorb noise)! We ate at Harvey's Wallbanger the second night for dinner and the third day for lunch. It's very casual American bar/grille type atmosphere, with some booths and many high tables (I was nervous but our kids didn't fall out, thankfully). They all have crayons and coloring placemats with fun activities like dots and boxes and tic tac toe to keep everyone occupied without screens - hooray! For both breakfasts we got the buffet at Eat. Eat. Eat which was delicious!! A huge variety of food from pastries to omelet station, waffles, bacon, you name it, and 3 and under eats free there!
ACCOMMODATIONS:
The rooms are definitely in tune with the stylishly modern design of the rest of the hotel. They have 1, 2, and 3 bedroom suites. We got the "Two Bedroom Grand Corner Suite" which has an 8 guest max occupancy and at 966 square feet it's actually bigger than our own home in Brooklyn, which had its first open house while we were staying at The Kartrite!! The kids got the bedroom with 2 queens (the twins cuddled up in one), and us grownups took the master bedroom with a King and attached bathroom. The living room featured a his and her sink bathroom, sofa bed, Keurig, mini fridge, and balcony. I've seen some suites with bunk beds, too! So definitely search for the set up that'll work best for your family! On our first night, the kids took forever to settle down, not going to sleep until after 9pm, and were up from about 4:30am due to excitement. It was a disaster!!! The next night was much better after an exhausting day at the waterpark, and they slept til 6:30am without waking us up!! Hooray for 2 bedrooms and a living room, plenty of space and doors to block out sound!! Rates very greatly by type of room and day / season, but I've seen as low as $127/night for a family of 4 (don't forget, that includes waterpark passes for every day including check in day and check out day)!!
I'm not even sure who will be making it down here to the end of the post. I'm thinking most of you have already clicked over to The Kartrite's website to book your vacation!! But in case you're still here, thank you for sticking it out til the end!! Would love to hear your thoughts on The Kartrite - have you been there before? Planning to go? Have another family-friendly vacation destination we should review!?!? Comment below and we will love you foreverrrrrrr!!!
Moms, I think we can all agree that we love our kids more than life itself. We'd be lost without them. They're everything! But... sometimes... we need a break. Am I right?! A break from the monotony, from the pressure to be doing everything for everyone, from the whining and fighting. Basically, from being a mom. Needing a break doesn't make you a bad mom. I would argue in fact that taking a break actually can make you a better mom!
This break can come in the form of an hour at the gym, a mani pedi at the salon, or a kid-free lunch with some friends. Maybe you already do this regularly, maybe not, but if you're ready to take it to the next level, taking a full day and night away (or a full weekend, or gasp, a whole week!?), you might just find yourself fully recharged and ready to embrace those kids and your many duties at 100% again. Not just that, but getting away and out of your typical setting can give you a real chance to reconnect with yourself, to remember who you are beyond "mom", "wife", "domestic engineer". Remember when you actually had interests and hobbies, before they were taken over by your duties of meal planner, butt wiper, laundry doer, and booboo kisser. It's time to find and nurture those interests again! Let this blog post serve as your inspiration and motivation, a little nudge to treat yourself and plan your own mom getaway!!
I became a mother just over 7 years ago. It took me 5 years to take my first night away. I know... crazy! Our twins had just turned 2 years old, my husband was alwaysssss working, and I was so overwhelmed and stressed out. I had a mini breakdown (mommy tantrum??), got some amazing advice from my twin mom squad on Facebook (love them!!) and decided to heed that advice by booking a night away!! I went solo, to Atlantic City (weird destination, I know, but Tropicana hosted me and it was amazing - read about that trip and watch the video here).
Fast forward 2 more years and I was more than ready to do this again. Except this time, I didn't want to go alone. I wanted a relaxing but FUN momcation!!! So I reached out to the oh-so-amazing Crystal Springs Resort, because we had visited as a family over the summer and luuuuuurved it (see that blog review & video here), but I was itching to go back without kids! They offered to comp my stay again, in exchange for me covering my wonderful momcation! I invited one of my best mom friends, Rhianon of Brooklyn Boy Mom (together we have SEVEN CHILDREN!!! Me 3 and Rhi 4). See how much fun we had in this video and keep reading for more details!!
Why Crystal Springs for your Momcation?
LOCATION: Just a 90 minute drive from NYC, you'll find yourself in the beautiful northwestern New Jersey foothills at Crystal Springs Resort! It's not a bad drive either - I hadn't driven in over 6 years and was terrified but totally did it - easy peasy!! The hotel and grounds are simply beautiful (no wonder they host countless weddings, reunions, and conventions year round!). ACTIVITIES:
ACCOMODATIONS:
Both times I've stayed at Crystal Springs Grand Cascades Lodge, we've been provided with a Suite, which I highly recommend. Having a full kitchen and living room is so nice and makes lounging around and being lazy at your home away from home a terrific option! Go out to one of their many restaurants when you want, or order pizza or make your own meals when feeling lazy. We stopped at a grocery store on the way up so that we'd have stuff for breakfast and snacks and what not. Our Suite had 1 king bed room, 1 huge bathroom (with L'Occitane toiletries - niiiiiice!!!), a pull out sofa in the living room, a fire place, a balcony, washer and dryer, and a full kitchen (well, minus a microwave - oops, we had to take our popcorn home!!)
DINING:
They have many options to choose from, whether looking for quick and casual or fine dining for a special occasion. Between the visit with my family and this more recent momcation trip, I've eaten at every one of their restaurants except for their seasonal farm-to-table al fresco Chef's Garden (I'll be back next summer for that one, to be sure!!) and they're all outstanding! You can't go wrong! Since we couldn't go to their 4-star Restaurant Latour last time (no kids under age 12 allowed), I wanted to make sure to check it out this time (reservations recommended, so plan ahead). Boy oh boy am I glad we did!! Their head Sommelier led the wine tour we took at 3pm, so we were even more excited to head over that evening and request the wine pairing menu ($55) with our 4-course meal ($115) . They also have 7-course, but despite each course being fairly small, we were stuffed by the end of our 2 hour dining experience!! I'd never done a wine pairing before, and basically know nothing about wine. I actually hadn't a clue that wine choice can either make or break a food. Making the wrong pairing is comparable to drinking orange juice after brushing your teeth - yuck! The sommelier will choose the perfect wine for each of your courses (guests choose courses independently, the table doesn't have to agree), coming over to the table personally to explain about the wine and pour it for you. It was such an incredibly luxurious treat for me, who is more of a 2 slices of pizza and a hard seltzer once a month kinda gal. Because I'm not used to this kind of gourmet dining, I have to be honest that the menu was a wee bit intimidating, but our waitress was the sweetest thing and helped make us feel at ease while handling all of our many questions!
I'm sure the menu options change frequently, but for an idea of what to expect, here's what I ordered and the wines they paired for me (everything tasted as amazing as it looked!!!!):
Course 1: Roasted Crones (gnoccheti, fermented garlic, sunchoke) with Grgich Hills (Fume Blanc, Napa Valley California 2016).
Course 2: Venison (creamed turnip, preserved wild berries, juniper) with Cascina Fontan (Barbera d'Abla, Pieomonte Italy 2017). This was my first time having venison, and you never know what you're going to get with "gamey" meat, but it was absolutely delicious! To my unsophisticated palette it was like an extremely soft and delicious piece of steak.
Course 3: Rohan Duck (chestnut, persimmon, black seed vinaigrette) with Stokes' Ghost (Petite Sirah, Monterey County California, 2015). Talk about a piece of art, how about this plate!?
Course 4: Chocolate Ganache (coffee, buckwheat crumble, hazlenut), with l'Abricot wine and a platter of Turkish Delight! Yum. Just, omg, yum.
Oh, and we can't forget the most amazing and visually pleasing bread basket everrrrrr!!!! Hello activated charcoal bread, like, what!? So neat (and soft and yummy!!), with spreads like beet and garlic - ohmahgerrrrrd y'all!!!!!
We ended up doing 3 days and 2 nights at Crystal Springs on this most amazing Momcation. We stayed up "late" (still asleep before midnight), slept soundly without being pulled out of bed in the middle of the night to escort a little one to the bathroom, binged Netflix in bed, ate amazing food without hearing our kids whine about how disgusting it is, lounged poolside, sweat it out in the sauna and jacuzzi, cuddled with rescue puppies while kinda doing yoga but really just wanting to play with puppies, and even did our first TikTok ha!!!
Arrived home to a shockingly neat and tidy and quiet household - so impressed that my husband got laundry done and got the kids to clean up before I came home!! The kids were so cuddly and sweet, didn't throw a single tantrum for a whole hour after I arrived hahahaha!!! Seriously though, I feel so friggin' refreshed and ready to be the best mom I can be!!!! But I also can't wait to go on my next momcation... So, are you inspired to book your own Momcation yet!?!? You really can't beat Crystal Springs for the destination - no matter what you're looking for, you'll find it there! They have really fun packages too such as "Robes & Rose Girlfriends Getaway", "Mom's Midweek Spa Day" and more! So get on it - gather some friends and get you on a mom getaway!! Be sure to check back in to let me know how it went (better yet, shoot me an email and maybe I can join)!!! The Westgate New York Grand Central hotel chain offers several fantastic spot locations for vacations or business stays in New York City. Each hotel is based near international and local sites. The Westgate NYC hotel located in Midtown East has rooms with balconies overlooking the city with triple-paned windows to ensure a quiet night's rest. Luxe rooms are available for those who prefer a bit of pampering.
Clean, Comfortable, and Convenient
Most rooms are sized for up to two guests with air conditioning and heating, outlets for electronic devices, granite surfaces, an adjustable thermostat, and extra pillows and blankets. Other amenities include an in-room safe, cable TV, MP3 connections, and 24-hour housekeeping. Luxe rooms have herringbone wood flooring, an ergonomic chair at a modern desk, and luxury toiletries. Naturally, there's additional space and beautiful works of art in these upgraded rooms. You can really get a feel for the comfort and beauty of each room by taking a virtual tour. Some of the best reasons to book a room in this beautiful hotel are the views of the city.
Eat In or Eat Out
When you first arrive at the hotel, you may prefer to eat at the hotel and rest up for the rest of your stay in New York. Ask about the daily food and beverage credit available at Tudor city Marketplace and Bar, or you can use the in-room phone to call a local takeout place. Once you've rested and ready to try some of the best eating places in NYC, be sure to visit Katz's Delicatessen, Lombardi's for pizza, Nathan's Famous on Coney Island, and Minetta Tavern in Greenwich Village. If you have a bit more money to spend, you may want to book reservations for Rao's Southern Italian dining or Delmonico's in the Financial District. Take a look at the options on Westgate New York Grand Central Hotel's Official Site for maps and other information.
Easy Access to NYC's Best Sites
Of course, no review of a hotel in New York would be complete without some mention of access to the sites and sounds of the city. From the Westgate NYC Hotel In Midtown East, you can take a short walk to the United Nations building for a guided tour or head to the Murray Hill neighborhood a visit the Scandinavia House cultural center. From the Westgate NYC hotel, you'll be convenient to the Chrysler Building, Grand Central Station, Times Square, Rockefeller Center, and many more of the sites. Don't forget to check out some of the most popular nightlife activities, such as late-night jazz clubs, 24-hour pizza spots, and a sleepover at the American Museum of Natural History.
Overall, when you book a stay at the Westgate NYC Hotel, you can be confident that your room or rooms are safe and comfortable. You'll be within walking distance of many great places to eat and sightsee. Transportation to further locations is convenient. The hotel's amenities and service are great, so make your reservations today.
Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by Vianetic, but all thoughts and opinions are my own and completely unbiased. Additionally, this post includes some affiliate links - we'll receive a small commission from purchases made after clicking.
Of course The Vianetic aka the BEST DIAPER BAG EVER launched after my families' diapering days were over, but that doesn't mean I can't review it for you guys, and of course keep it for my own personal use, because this thing goes way beyond managing diapers!! We're actually giving away one Vianetic diaper bag in my $560 value jackpot Baby Goodies Giveaway, so don't forget to enter to win by November 26!
For the best introduction to this diaper bag, you'll need to watch my Vianetic demo video. As I walk you through each of the 21+ features of this bag, you'll be able to truly appreciate just how amazing it is!! So watch it here and then keep reading for more detailed photos and info:
Unbelievable Storage & Organization:
The biggest thing that sets Vianetic apart from the crowd is its organizational capabilities. It's not your average backpack that opens from the top into a cavernous mess. Oh no. The front panel pulls completely open (via pull tab magnet, no less) to give you a beautifully organized (with velcro panels or fully inclosed zippered container) view of your contents. Attached (but removable) to this front panel is your easy to wipe clean diaper changing pad. So you could sit the backpack in your SUV's trunk or a park bench, open it up and change your baby right there without taking anything apart. It also has a separate compartment on the bottom of the backpack (pictured top right in below image), and another in the back, meant for your laptop (pictured below on bottom right).
Multiple Carrying Options:
While it serves most obviously as a backpack to be carried, well, on your back, it also has a really nifty ability to quickly convert to be carried or stowed in other ways. The straps are detachable so you can use as a standard 2 strap backpack or a cross body bag. The chest clips on each strap actually move up and down the strap, and have magnetic quick release buttons. These allow you to quickly hang or release it from the back of a stroller or the car's headrest, for example! Don't forget, it also has the luggage passthrough section on the back!
21+ Features:
Some of these have been mentioned above, but let's just go ahead and list some of the very cool and unique features you'll find on or in your Vianetic:
So what do you think!? Pretty amazing diaper bag, am I right!? But it'll serve you beyond that - use it for a travel bag, a work bag, or just your daily bag for getting around town!!
Don't forget, you can win one in my $560 value Baby Goodies Giveaway running through November 26! Enter to win here!! If you don't win, don't fret - they'll be having some great Black Friday deals and other deals as well. Right now I'm seeing a code for $40 off the Mini on their website! Don't miss our reviews of the must haves for getting around with babies through big kid:
Searching for a family-friendly vacation spot that was relatively midway between our home in NYC and my sister's home in Montreal, I stumbled upon Greek Peak Mountain Resort in upstate New York, near Cortland. After scoping out their indoor water park and outdoor adventure center online, I knew it would be amazing! I reached out and they were kind enough to provide our accommodation and activities free of charge in exchange for this review, but as always, all thoughts and opinions are my own and completely unbiased!
To get the best feel of Greek Peak, be sure to watch our full YouTube video which features highlights from the hotel and our time there, including the moment my sister's family arrived and totally surprised my son who had no idea they would be coming down to meet us! It was such a beautiful tear-filled moment!!!
The drive wasn't bad, it was about 3.5 hours from Brooklyn. You actually drive through the Poconos, which is the more typical mountainous region New Yorkers escape to, but it was worth the extra time on the road to explore a new area! It was a bit further trek from Montreal, I think it took them about 4.5 hours. Knowing we'd booked the huge Cedar River Suite (with 2 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a living room and full kitchen), we stopped at Walmart to stock up on breakfast, lunch, and snack supplies to save money and sanity. As a family with 3 young children, we find eating out to not be so much of a luxury anymore as it is a very stressful experience most of the time, so being able to have a relaxing breakfast and lunch in the room really makes it an enjoyable home-away-from-home experience in my opinion!! Now cooking dinner is another thing altogether, that's a hard pass for me on vacations, so we always dine out (covered further down in the review).
Hope Lake Lodge is beautiful. A modern rustic lodge vibe, very clean and new feeling or at least very well maintained. Our suite slept 10 with an independent bedroom and bathroom on each side of the living room / kitchen room, so each of our families had our own space that we could escape to for a quieter bedtime routine or getting ready for the pool. But our kids could sneak out into the living room to play in the morning while the parents slept. All without leaving the suite! That was pretty sweet, wink wink! Not only did we have a fully equipped kitchen with fridge, microwave, stove/oven, and dishwasher, but it also came stocked with not-your-average-minibar! We're talking a huge basket of candy, sodas in the fridge, and check out the Greek Peak wine, champaign, and vodka bottle in the picture below! Of course, anything opened is added to your bill, but we couldn't help but pop open a bottle of wine, which was perfection, and at just $25, totally fairly priced!
The lobby was gorgeous! They were actually preparing for a wedding in the lobby when we arrived, that's how stunning it is! They do a lot of weddings at Greek Peak, I'm sure you can imagine, whether indoors or outdoors or even on the top of a mountain, they have people tying the knot all over! Speaking of mountaintops, that's where we headed first!! The Adventure Center is across the street from Hope Lake Lodge (they recommended driving but you could definitely walk) and features lots of seasonal and year-round activities. We hit it at an odd time because summer activities (zip line, eurobungee, high ropes course, bounce house, and slide) were closed and snow tubing winter activity wasn't open yet. Zipline is year round. As is the Mountain Coaster, which is the one we decided to try.
Kids must be a minimum of 3 years old AND 38" tall to ride. Kids between 38-54" must ride with an adult. So, had we gone just my family of 5 we would only have been able to send one parent and child at a time which would have kinda stunk. Luckily, with my sister's family, their son was old enough to go by himself which left us with one adult per child, hooray!! And the Mountain Coaster guys, is FUN FUN FUN and scary but mostly FUN!!! It's a little go cart looking thing, on rails, and you ride it to the top of the mountain and then it releases you and you end up going about 30 miles per hour down the mountain, twists and turns, crazy fast and absolutely thrilling. Don't miss this part of our video guys!!! My son filmed one time forward so you can get the feeling that you are riding along, and my niece filmed another time to show our screaming faces LOL! It is cold though, so bundle up!!!
After screaming our lungs out on the Mountain Coaster, we headed back to the hotel for dinner at Acorn Lodge. The menu and list of specials had some really great options, including Elk burger and kielbasa & pierogi! Kids menu with crayons and coloring as well, which is always welcome!
After a great night's sleep (it was really quiet and the beds were cozy), we woke up refreshed and ready for a full day at Cascades Indoor Waterpark, which was just down the hall from our suite!! Unless you buy a special package, these passes are not included in your stay. And people not staying at the resort can buy day passes as well. Kids under 24 months are free and rates vary but they have some great specials, for example Tuesdays are BOGO!
The waterpark is kept at 84 degrees year round, so it was nice and warm (not quite as warm once wet but better than most other indoor water parks we've been to!). The wave pool was probably my favorite attraction, I haven't been to one in over a decade and it was the first time for my kids. Emi loved jumping in the waves, and Kenzo and Mia loved riding the waves in the water tubes. The water slides were also really great, they had 4 big ones but my girls were too short for those and could only go on the little ones in the baby and toddler areas. My son was not tall enough to ride alone but could ride the double one, which was great fun to do together!
They also had a little pool with basketball hoops in it, an indoor/outdoor jacuzzi but you had to be 6 years old to go in that. And they had a heated pool that you could access from inside. I tried it. Once. The trick is not to do it with wet hair or face, and keep the rest of your body below the water. Then you'll survive. Ha! Seriously though, my kids couldn't get enough of it! It was kind of surreal, being in the pool and seeing the ski slopes and your breath in the air. Brrrr!!!
There was a fast food type of cafe in the pool area, but your wristbands are good all day so we chose to dry off and have lunch back in our room, and we went back for more fun after lunch. Our final activity at the hotel before heading home was a quick trip to the Bear Foot Den, which is their children's center. They have drop-off babysitting by appointment (for a fee), but during their open hours anyone can stop by to play. They had a toy house and kitchen, dolls, and toys for little ones. Board games, Wii, and movies for older kids or teens. Really something for everyone, and a great space for families to come spend some time together!
I can't get over what a good time we had at Greek Peak. It was so great to see my sister's family and let the kids have cousin time, and even greater to be able to do it all at such a wonderful resort! Making unforgettable memories with family, that is what vacation is all about, and Greek Peak is where to do it!!! Whether you go for skiing, snowboarding, and tubing in winter, or go in summer to hike and lay out on their lake's white sandy beach, you will have an amazing time!! To read more about Greek Peak or book your next vacation, head to greekpeak.net!
Sometimes accidental, sometimes part of a tantrum or burst of energy, there's no denying that little kids are prone to messes. But I'm here to share with you a very easy way to cut down on snack time messes, with the help of Munchie Mug, who sponsored this blog post and is part of our huge $400 value jackpot Back to School Giveaway (enter to win here!!).
Munchie Mug snack cups are proudly made in America with FDA food-grade compliant materials, and the plastic parts are #5 recyclable! They are BPA / Phthalate / PVC free and top rack dishwasher safe. They come in 16oz and 12oz (both with 4" diameter), with 2 types of tops. They're really durable too. We got our first 3 two years ago. 2 got lost along the way but 1 is still going strong, and we just added 3 new ones to our arsenal! I simply cannot sing their praises highly enough. We went through a half dozen or so type of snack cups and Munchie Mug is hands down THE BEST!!
The stay-fresh lid will seal it up for snacking later, but the main lid is where the magic is, folks. It's made of overlapping fabric (food grade polypropylene/spandex blend fabric) that makes it spill-proof and SHAKE-PROOF!! Be sure to watch our demo video (with a fun blind-folded game at the end) to see it in action - shake it as hard as you can, upside down, throw it across the room, this baby is NOT going to spill a single snack!! Do note, it's not mischief-proof - my littles eventually learned they can squeeze the fabric open to dump snacks out. But kids will be kids. At least there will be no ACCIDENTAL spills. The fabric also makes them super soft and great for sensitive little hands. Got eczema or sensory issues? No problem!!
The tops come in a rainbow of colors to choose from, and the base cups come in a couple of cute designs, including ABC, 123, and clear, and are recommended for ages 10 months and up. The lids also feature a little cutout that make them easy for little hands to hold onto, easy for a caregiver to carry several at a time (i can hang onto 3+ per hand!), and you can thread a sippy cup leash to attach it securely to a stroller or car seat.
You can buy these for about $18 a piece on their website or Amazon (affiliate link) and don't forget, theres's 1 in our $400 value jackpot Back to School Giveaway!! Open to US residents ages 18 and over, enter to win here by August 29, 2019!!
Whether you're planning a bachelorette weekend with the girls, a destination wedding, a corporate retreat, a golf getaway with your buddies, or a high-end family vacation, Crystal Springs Resort in northwest New Jersey will not disappoint! We were provided a night's accommodation in exchange for our honest review, and we loved it so much we're now looking into purchasing a unit! HA! Watch our YouTube highlights video here and keep reading for more details on their beautiful rooms, delicious dining options, amazing indoor and outdoor pools, and more!
Located on a spectacularly beautiful 4,000 acre piece of land with a mountainous backdrop, just 47 miles from Manhattan, it's no doubt Crystal Springs Resort has been named New Jersey's #1 four-season resort. Featuring 2 hotels, 2 spas, 9 dining options, 6 golf courses, a sports club, indoor and outdoor pools, horseback riding, an adventure center, and meeting & event venues, as well as ski-slopes nearby! So whether you arrive by car or book a private plane with Jettly, you are sure to have a great time here!!
FAMILY-FRIENDLY LUXE:
Upon entering the Grand Cascades Lodge for the first time, as you can see in our video, we were completely overwhelmed with how beautiful and luxurious the Adirondack-inspired facilities were. With three young children, we were a tad intimidated, initially thinking this place must be too nice for our crazy kids, and we would spend the entire stay fretting over their noise and behavior. Thankfully it wasn't the case, and we were happily surprised to see the number of families with young children there! We quickly relaxed with the understanding that guests there for a quiet spa retreat, business meetings, or other kid-free indulgences would find themselves at one of the many places for adults only - such as Latour restaurant (kids must be 12 years or older), the pool hot tub areas, spa, bars, etc. While I would say this isn't a hotel made FOR kids, it is most certainly family-friendly, so don't let their AAA 4-diamond award and grandness of the resort scare you away! They have some family activities here and there, including a nightly fire pit marshmallow roasting, Saturday daytime shows, animal educators, pony rides, summer movies on the lawn, free putting course and evening glow golf, life-size chess, mountaintop adventure experience (approximately $50 per adult, $30 per child; with paddle boarding, archery, fishing, hiking, and a lake with white sand beach), KidSole (learn to fly trapeze & circus ninja warrier training), to name a few!!
THE ACCOMMODATIONS:
Our room was absolutely fabulous, with a full kitchen, grandfather clock, huge balcony, Jacuzzi tub and full shower, indoor and outdoor dining, flat panel TVs, indoor and outdoor gas fireplaces, washer & dryer, it felt more like a beautifully furnished rental home than a hotel room! In fact, both Grand Cascades Lodge and Minerals Hotel are what they call "condo hotel", meaning you can buy a unit (which are shockingly affordable, especially compared to prices here in NYC) and the management company will rent it out on your behalf when you aren't there, leaving you with a full-service luxury vacation home that potentially pays for itself. I'm currently obsessed with this idea and figuring out how to make it happen for my own family!
We were provided a suite and an adjoining room in the Grand Cascades Lodge, where overnight accommodations include complimentary use of the Biosphere Pool Complex as well as facilities at the Minterals Sports Club, just 3 miles away by free shuttle at Minerals Hotel, with 7 indoor/outdoor heated pools, sauna, steam room, indoor running track / tennis / raquetball / basketball, a 6,000 sqft fitness center, and more. Alternatively you can book a (cheaper) room at the Minerals Hotel, but you won't have access to the Biosphere Pool Complex over at Grand Cascades Lodge in that case.
THE POOLS:
The pools at Grand Cascades Lodge (GCL from here on out) and Minerals Hotel (MH) are everything you could ask for and more! Each place has a large amazing indoor pool, so you'll have a splashing good time no matter what time of year. They also have outdoor pools, some were heated to wonderfully warm bath temp and others were cool but not uncomfortably so. GCL's 10,000 square foot indoor Tropical Biosphere was of course, the most impressive, with its massive palm trees, it will certainly be a standout on your Instagram feed! The ambience is magical, you feel you've been transported to the jungle, not northwestern New Jersey! It also features a 140' waterslide (min 48" to ride), grotto-like jacuzzi (age 16+), underground aquarium, and cave-themed sauna & steam room. I didn't realize at the time, but keep in mind the retractable roof is made of "advanced German Foiltec roofing material, allowing nearly 100% light transmission for year-round tanning"... so don't forget the sunblock!
If you take a left out of the Biosphere, less than a 5 minute walk away you'll find two more pools in the Vista 180 Pool Complex. One is very luxurious with infinity pool edges and breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains and valleys. There's a cafe next to it, offering a selection of quick eats and yummy cocktails!
The other pool out that way was my son's favorite, with a water slide and a really unique "rotational current vortex pool" (we dubbed it the washing machine), where the jets cycle swimmers around and around. I've never seen anything like it and it was really fun!! Even our 3 year olds in their puddle jumper floaties were loving it. They have life guards all around, but stay close to little ones or children who aren't strong swimmers because those jets are strong and our toddlers ended up getting dunked quickly a couple of times.
Over at Minerals Hotel Pool Complex, you'll find heated indoor and outdoor pools, a 12 foot cliff jump (don't miss my husband doing this in our video!!), underground aquarium, steam room & sauna, jacuzzis and cold dip, moonshine bar and twisted treat ice cream bar! Unfortunately, neither location had a "kiddy pool" per se, the pools were all 3-4 feet in the shallowest areas, though Minerals does have a large "splash yard" near their outdoor pools.
THE FOOD:
There were 9 dining options to choose from, so whether you wanted a pool-side burger and Frosé, a gourmet pizza and bottle of wine, or an adult-only award-winning fine dining experience, you'll find it all right on the premises! You can find menus (and kids' menus), hours, and locations all on the website, making it easy to plan ahead or research quickly just before each meal. Reservations are recommended at most, but we didn't bother and had no issue (but keep in mind we were there mid-week). We arrived super hungry at around noon on Tuesday and our room wasn't ready for us until 4pm, so we had a quick casual lunch at the Biosphere Cafe, the only thing we could find open. The food was good, a smoked salmon sandwich ($15) for myself, the Gardener sandwich for my husband ($13), and a chicken finger basket ($14) for the kids, however it was uncomfortably warm and humid in there, it's like a greenhouse basically, which is great for swimmers but not so much for hot and sweaty fully-clothed travelers trying to down some food! Still, it got the job done and we were off to the pools!
For dinner, we went to Springs Bistro, cuz the kids had a hankerin' for some pizza and I was intrigued by the authentic Italian cuisine Tuscan-inspired menu. The littles devoured a couple of baskets of complimentary warm bread and rosemary salted butter while hubby and I indulged in some delicious wine ($12/glass), before the main course arrived. We got 2 "personal pizzas" ($13 each) for the kids to share, I had a "pizzetta" topped with prosciutto, fig, red onion, and pecorino romano ($18 and possibly the best pizza I've ever had in my life, opinion only partially influenced by extreme hunger and Riesling-induced buzz), and Ryoji had the tagliatelle ($28, with littleneck clams, pancetta, and crushed tomato - as delicious as it was beautiful). The Bistro is located on the first floor, beyond the lobby and at the exit to the patio, which meant we could take turns bringing the kids outside to get out some energy, leaving the other to enjoy some quiet alone time with their wine! Bonus: they boxed up our leftover pizza which the kids chowed on the next morning while watching TV in the living room, letting us sleep in a bit!
For breakfast, we headed to the Crystal Tavern, a short walk down the corridor to the Clubhouse, where I found a list of SEVEN corporations scheduled to host events at Crystal Springs that day! WHOA! We peaked into a few ballrooms and other spaces, some were decked out for what looked like would be amazing rehearsal dinner or wedding reception venues, others great for business meetings and conferences. The view from Crystal Tavern was beautiful, and we thoroughly enjoyed the breakfast there. My son was begging to order Fruit Loops, and was shocked that he loved what I ordered even more! To share, we got pancakes with whipped vanilla butter and berry capote ($12), açaí bowl ($12), and pork belly lardons and aged cheddar omelet with fried potatoes ($12). Breakfast of champions, if you ask me!
We took our last meal (lunch) at Kite's American Grille, located within Minerals Hotel. It is a great spot to grab a casual meal after spending the day at the pool! My husband got their vegan Beyond Burger ($16), I got the short rib grilled cheese ($16), and the kids shared their kid's pizza ($12) and hot dog ($12). As was the case with the other restaurants - service, food, and ambiance were all on point and we had a great final meal to fill our bellies and allow the kids to sleep the entire drive home (which was 2 hours thanks to heavy rain and rush hour traffic).
Amazing easy relaxing luxurious vacation for New Yorkers, am I right!? It's hard to include the "relaxing" part when you have young kids on vacation, but husband and I both agreed this was the most relaxing hotel stay we've had since having kids, and we really can't wait to go back!!
Head to their website to book your next getaway!! Room rates start from $199/night in Minerals Hotel and $299/night in Grand Cascades Lodge (more for the suites, of course), with special packages and deals popping up from time to time! Family Vacation at Pine Ridge Dude Ranch in the Catskills - Review & 1-Night Stay GIVEAWAY7/27/2019
If you have a city slicker family like mine, you like to get away every once in a while and let your kids experience different environments, am I right!? For your next family vacation, I highly recommend the uber family-friendly Pine Ridge Dude Ranch all-inclusive resort in the foothills of the Catskill Mountains, named one of the top 10 family resorts in the USA, just a quick and easy 2.5 hour drive from NYC! Watch our highlights video and keep reading for more details about what you can expect, and don't forget to enter my GIVEAWAY at the bottom for your chance to win 1 night at Pine Ridge Dude Ranch, named the #1 East Coast Dude Ranch!
Disclaimer: We were provided a complimentary stay in exchange for our review, but as always, all thoughts and opinions are my own and complete unbiased!
THE ACTIVITIES:
Most activities are complimentary, including indoor and outdoor pools with water slides (no kiddie pools unfortunately), bounce pillow (my husband's favorite), playground, petting zoo (my son's favorite), rock wall, archery (watch the video, I was worse than my 3.5 year olds, yikes!!), tractor rides, paddle boats, sports and board games, after-dinner activity (like meeting a new baby animal or feeding horses), marshmallow roasting at the campfire, and nightly entertainment like magicians and comedians (though it starts at 9pm which was just too late for my kiddos), and really fun activities led by the social director throughout the day (things like line dancing, inflatable horse races, and water balloon battles). Most packages also include a trail ride (ages 8+) and daily pony ride for younger kids, and extra experiences can be purchased such as private riding lessons, "own a horse for the day", hands on barn experiences, and more. If you need some kid-free time, they do have a half day camp for kids ages 3-10, which is extra ($35 for 1 kid, $55 for 2 kids, $70 for 3 kids). Other extras include the arcade, lasertag ($10/person), paintball ($35/person), and massage.
THE FACILITIES:
The ranch is well themed - very rustic with Western decor to the max! All staff were outfitted in flannel shirts and cowboy hats (and all were incredibly friendly and helpful!), most guests wore cowboy boots, it was kitsch in the best way! We were provided a large room in the Dakota wing that included a king bed, XL full bed, and bunk bed (which my kids went nuts for!). It was spacious, even with luggage, a stroller, and one of their cribs you still wouldn't feel cramped. It was also nice and quiet, which I find to be hit or miss at hotels - I always bring ear plugs but was pleasantly surprised to not need them at the ranch! The grounds were large with lots of greenery, but never more than a 5 minute walk between activities.
THE FOOD:
The food at Pine Ridge was SO GOOD!!! Check-in is at 2pm so your first included meal is dinner, from 6-7PM, which always includes a salad bar and a few entrees to choose from, as well as dessert (jello, ice cream, and a pie or cake). Breakfast, from 8-9:30AM, is buffet style with delicious hot treats such as eggs, bacon, pancakes with fruit topping, selection of cereals and oatmeal, fruit and yogurt bar, and pastries. Lunch varied, from 12:30-1:30PM, sometimes buffet style in the dining room and sometimes outdoor BBQ, and is your last meal on check-out day. They also have some food and beverage options that aren't included: alcohol in the dining room or at other bars, a Starbucks kiosk, poolside bar, and Chuckwagon Grill & Snackbar (open from 2pm). That said, we found eating their 3 meals a day was plenty and we didn't need to purchase extra.
DEALS & RATES:
Pine Ridge Dude Ranch by nature, as an all-inclusive resort, is not cheap vacation, but it's also not as expensive as you might think. Rates in summer go for as low as $209 per adult per night ($69 - $99 per child), and just $149 per adult per night in September! You can find some great deals on their website here, for example 50% off your 3rd night, 10% off for military and first responders. And don't forget, pretty much everything is included (except for tips), so when you calculate that, as well as not having to pay for air fare to an all-inclusive in the Caribbean let's say, it really is a great bang for your buckaroo!! They also have day passes if you live nearby or are staying elsewhere. These are $40 per adult, $20 per child, and include lunch, a pony ride per child, indoor / outdoor pools, tractor rides, bounce pillow, petting zoo, basketball, tennis, bocce, shuffleboard, and more. An extra $25 per trail ride.
THE GIVEAWAY:
Enter for your chance to win a one-night stay for 4 people in the Rafflecopter box below! Open to US residents ages 18+. The more actions you take, the more chances to win you will accumulate. GOOD LUCK! |
About ME:I'm a NYC metro area mom blogger living in NJ with my Japanese husband & our 3 kids (twins plus 1), focusing on fun and honest product and travel reviews, saving moms time finding the best for their families! Find what you need in the menu bar or search section above! Categories
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