If you're like my family, you've been pretty much locked down staying at home for a good part of the last 8 months. Cooking wayyyyyy more than I was used to, researching endlessly to find safe places to take the kids on the weekend or to dine outdoors. Worried about illness, about school, about our SANITY! When Woodloch Resort (voted the #1 Family Resort in the United States) invited us on a weekend getaway I was a little nervous to be honest. We'd been there twice before and it is one of my all time favorite family vacation spots. But during a pandemic!? Turns out I had no need to worry, and it was just what the doctor ordered!! Sanity restored. Beautiful memories made. It was Heaven on Earth. Watch our video for as close to an in-person experience as I can give you, and read on for details!!
Pandemic Protocols - Safety First!!
Woodloch is on top of the game when it comes to pandemic protocols and covid safety. You're asked to take everyone's temperatures before heading to the resort, and upon arrival your car is directed to their station where you are greeted cheerfully with a masked and gloved staff member who takes everyone's temperatures (still in the car) without contact via one of those temporal thermometers. Once everyone passes, you're provided bracelets which prove you passed the temperature scan and have free rein of the seemingly endless amenities on their 1500 acre property with beautiful forest and a lake! Signs are everywhere asking you to wear a mask, at the front desk they have baskets with clean pens and used pens, in the kid's arts & crafts room they have bins for used items to be cleaned, heck, even in our guest room the remotes were in plastic baggies! They opened back up in June and are currently limited to half capacity, with the option to dine in or grab a to-go bag from the dining room. They are using a very handy app for menus and to schedule reservations for many activities so they can limit capacity, meaning you no longer have to deal with lines and you feel like a total VIP with private sessions of things like go carts and bumper cars! 
Outdoor Fun!!
No matter what you're into, you'll find PLENTY to do at Woodloch! My family's personal outdoor favorites are the go carts (min 58" to drive, but kids 36"+ can ride with an adult), junior go carts (48"-58" to drive), scenic boat tour, mini golf, paddle boats, bumper boats, 2 playgrounds including one that was brand new for us with simply massive slides, and just walking around the property and exploring the beautiful nature. 
If you keep your eyes peeled you'll be entertained by speedy chipmunks, curious squirrels, meandering deer, robins, Koi fish, and more! There are signs to watch out for bear but we've yet to come across any... On Sundays they also have animals brought over for pony rides and petting. During our stay they had bunnies, a 3 day old lamb, 2 month old calf, and 4 week old twin goats (all with their mamas, of course)!!
Indoor Fun!!
Our first stop, every time, is the Woodloch Forest Indoor Playground. It's a massive jungle gym structure that my kids are just bonkers for. They also have a cute baby/toddler area for ages 5 and under. Socks and masks required, no reservations needed but the hours are limited so check the app and schedule your day accordingly! We like to give our kids 30 minutes there at least daily! My personal favorite indoor activity this year was the bumper cars, because it was the first year every person in my family was tall enough to drive their own car (min 40"), AND due to the pandemic, you have to make a reservation and get a private session!!! Screaming. Laughing. Racing. Spinning. Crashing. So so so so so much fun!!! Other indoor favorites are the arts & crafts room (no reservations needed and you could use any supplies you want or use their pre-made kits for that day's suggested craft), the indoor pool (with kiddy splash zone, baby pool, family-friendly jacuzzi, adult-only jacuzzi and sauna, and big slide and splash zone - my kids were old enough for the slide but not able to do it yet since they can't swim independently without floatation devices yet). 
Fabulous Food!!
When staying at the all-inclusive Woodloch Resort, you have the option of the 2 or 3 meal plan. We always go for the 3-meals a day because, quite honestly, they have the best food of any of the hotels and resorts we have been to! SO GOOD!!! As mentioned above, you currently have the option of dining in the dining room (some lunches are outdoor BBQ's) or having them pack up your meal to go (if worried about indoor dining). But, they did have the dining room at half capacity with tables spread out so we decided to keep it simple and eat in the dining room. Our table was right by the windows facing the lake, so, how could we pass that up!? They always have a couple of appetizers and several main entrees to choose from, family style sides for the table, and a couple of desserts to choose from. Food comes out really fast, and portions are HUGE but if you need to order more or something else, no worries, go for it! 
Nightly Entertainment!!
It wouldn't be an all-inclusive resort without offering entertainment every night, now would it!? And they have got some great stuff going on!! They do require you get tickets, so they can make sure they stay under the safe capacity max, and we went to the 7pm show both nights and it was nearly empty. Sad for the performers but pretty awesome for us!! The first night we saw a band called Nowhere Slow and they did a medley of top songs from each decade, from 60's to to today. It was SO fun, our girls danced their booties off. Heads up though, it's VERY loud at the front of the house. We realized if you move to the back it was much better for our kids' sensitive ears. The second night was a comedy act which we didn't stay the whole time for, the content was definitely G-rated and kid-friendly but was just kind of above holding our young kids' attention. They were exhausted anyway, so calling it an early night was smart. In past stays, our kids were just too young to stay up for the nightly entertainment though we did make a splurge for a magician show last time and it was awesome. They even had my son up on the stage! 
The Room!!
We were provided with an Edgewater Suite in the Springbrook Section of the resort, which is very convenient as you don't have to go outside to reach the indoor pool! It's just a short walk to the main lodge dining area and all activities! 2 bathrooms (1 with a shower, 1 with a tub), 2 queens in the bedroom and a pull out sofa in the living room, a microwave and mini fridge, and large closet / luggage room. It was the perfect size for our family! It did seem like musical chairs the first night with the kids figuring out where they would sleep. They finally settled with the girls sharing the sofa bed in the living room, my son taking a queen to himself, and my husband and I sharing the other queen. It had a balcony with a gorgeous view of the property and lake. 
Special Occasions!!
It happened to be the weekend before our twins' 5th birthday so I mentioned it at check in and they said they'd do something special! And they did!! At dinner they announced their birthday (along with several other birthdays and anniversaries) and the girls lit up hearing their names!!! Then, they brought over two cupcakes the size of their heads while singing happy birthday! Such a fun way to celebrate!! 
Home Away from Home!!
Once you visit Woodloch for the first time, during a pandemic or not, you'll understand why families go back again and again and again. Some decide to buy a vacation home on the property, others simply book their family vacation there annually. Because, it really does feel like a home away from home. A much more fun and relaxing home, that is! Every single staff member you run across is friendly and goes above and beyond helping you in whatever way they can. On the last morning, after checkout, my husband lost his wallet. They sent someone back to the room with me to check, and then offered to drive me to all the spots we had been to that morning. Eventually we gave up looking and continued on with our day. A couple of hours later I got a phone call that the go cart staff member had found the wallet, and they brought it to us at the indoor playground. We really lucked out that they found it before we left, and were so incredibly grateful!! Friendly and helpful staff can really make or break a resort, and at Woodloch, they are everything!! Of course the grounds are spectacularly beautiful, the food is amazing, the activities are endless. No wonder they've been voted the Best Family Resort in America. You just have to go see for yourself!!! Located in Hawley, Pennsylvania, it's just a quick drive from NYC (they also have a shuttle from the bus stop if you don't have a car)!. 
Don't miss our videos from our previous stays at Woodloch!! Summer 2016 and Winter 2018 (boy oh boy have our kids grown!!!):
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We were just hosted for a long weekend at the family-friendly all-inclusive Woodloch Resort in The Poconos and had THE BEST TIME!! Not being a cold weather kinda girl, I was a bit nervous, but it was just as awesome as when we went in summer (see that review here). For a taste of what activities and food to expect, keep reading, and don't forget to watch our highlights video on our YouTube channel!
OUR RIDE THERE:
Last time we journeyed to Woodloch, we took the bus and got a complimentary shuttle from the station to the resort. This time, we rode in style!! We were provided a beautiful 2018 Toyota Highlander Hybrid LE from Toyota for the weekend. With seating for 8 passengers and producing a 280 hybrid system net horsepower with 30 city mpg and 28 highway mpg, the Highlander was just what we needed for our familiy of 5. Using the LATCH system for our twins' Combi Coccoro car seats (affiliate link) and our 5 year old sandwiched between them in his Mifold booster (my blog review here), we were able to easily fit all 3 in the center row. This meant I was able to hand them snacks and screens, and it was extremely helpful when my son got super car sick on the way home. Thankfully mama had thought ahead and brought some metal bowls just in case the Dramamine didn't do its job! 
The 2018 Highlander has great cargo space, especially with the back row folded down (or you can utilize the back row's 60/40 split). It earned the "Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle" (SULEV) rating, which is surprising for a SUV, and its electric on-demand all wheel drive with intelligence (AWD-i) made driving on curvy mountain roads a dream (except for aforementioned carsickness...). With a MSRP starting at $36,670 it's a great option for families needing safety and space!
OUTDOOR WINTER ACTIVITIES:
There was a lot of snow, but we didn't cross a single slippery step. They do such an amazing job of clearing paths and roads, even the go carts were safe to race around the track! My kiddos loved simply playing in the snow, but we all had a blast on their complimentary Snow Tubing run!! It's a hike up the hill lugging the tube (especially with a toddler bumming a ride) but a great way to burn off that morning's breakfast LOL! We didn't partake in their "Winter Olympics" but watched others for a bit and it looked like a lot of fun! 
Some of their outdoor activities are seasonal and thus closed during winter (such as lake and outdoor pool activities, horse-drawn wagon rides, and snow covered play grounds) but others are year round, weather permitting. We had a blast driving the go carts, even our twins got to ride along this time!! They also have a new outdoor covered 9,000 square foot synthetic ice skating rink, with skate rental ($5 per 2 hours) and walkers for little ones to learn to skate with.
INDOOR YEAR ROUND FUN:
Our go-to indoor activities at Woodloch are the bumper cars (1 rider per car, 40" and up can drive - this was the first time our son was tall enough and he looooooooved it!!!), Woodloch Forest Indoor Playground (a multi level climbing structure for ages 3+ though our 2.5 year olds did ok with our help, with zip line, slides, rolling barrels, you name it - SO fun for the kids and parents, you'll have to watch our video to get a better feel of it; they also have a 5 and under section for the littlest ones), and the Toddler Room (a small play room with TONS of toys, and parents can kinda sit back and relax). Our kids love the "kiddie cars" (electric kid-sized SUVs) but to be honest they make me really anxious since the kids are HORRIBLE drivers and crash into each other and parents as they try to supervise. It's hilarious, but nerve wracking haha! 
And of course, the indoor pool complex!!!! Be sure to set aside at least 2 hours for this on the daily. There's a huge room with a big pool, a few hot tub options for various ages (one is adults only because it's so hot, one is 1' deep wading/infant pool), and one is an all ages not-too-hot hot tub LOL). In another section is a decent sized kid's area with lots of little water jet activities, and 2 teeny water slides. In a completely separate room, and not to be missed, is the Splash Zone with a huge double cork screw water slide (you must be 42"+) and 300 gallon bucket that tips over every couple of minutes!! They have a rack of PuddleJumpers and life vests to borrow (though I didn't notice any for under 30 pounds, so you may want to bring your own baby float or be prepared to carry babies and smaller toddlers)!
There were some new activities we didn't get a chance to do, but definitely worth mentioning!!! They have a new Escape Room (ages 13+) and mini bowling (extra charge for both).
MEAL TIME:
You don't have to get a meal plan at Woodloch, but I highly recommend splurging for it (you can get a 2 meal or 3 meal plan). The food is phenomenal and meals are a highlight of our trips there!! A different character greets your children at the entrance for each meal, 2 of our 3 kids were over the moon about this, I loved seeing their faces light up as they run over and give hugs and high fives to them (our more reserved child was terrified of all except the "human" characters i.e. Minion was a no-no, but Captain America was great!). 
Breakfast doesn't start til 8:30AM though, and if you have early 5-6AM risers like we do, it's pure torture waiting for food, and none of the activities open til 8-10AM, so consider bringing snacks to munch on and activities to kill time in the early morning - or make use of their cable TV and free wifi.
I can't even go into all the yummy food we had, so I'm including a slide show of some of the meals below. You're given a table that will be yours for the entirety of your visit, which is cool because you don't have to figure out seating and where to put the high chairs and all that, and the kids enjoy being the leaders and taking the family to your table each day!! Each breakfast you'll have a HUGE crumb cake waiting for you on your table. Lunch and dinner have a selection of entrees to choose from, but each meal is all you can eat, so you can select multiple entrees or custom order such as a half size of 2 different ones. Some side items are family style, and Sunday lunch is a buffet. They also have a selection of kid-friendly staples such as pizza, chicken tenders, PB&J, and grilled cheese. They have crayons and coloring booklets if you ask, and their high chairs are really great, escape proof for my little Houdinis!!
OUR ROOM:
We were provided 2 nights in an Edgewater Suite in Springbrook on the main Woodloch Pines property. It was the perfect location in winter because we could get to the pool complex without going outside! And it was just a 5-10 minute walk to the dining area, indoor playground, and bumper cars, and a 10-15 minute walk to the go carts and ice skating area. They do have a shuttle that goes around the property every 20 minutes or so, but mostly we walked because we were lucky with beautiful, albeit cold, weather and enjoyed walking around the property. Last time, we had our double stroller with us and found it doable, though some of the paths are quite steep! The room was spotless, with gorgeous lake views from the living room (with balcony) and bedroom! A sleeper sofa and matching love seat, and they installed bedrails on both of our queen beds so we could co-sleep with our kids without worrying about anyone falling out! Every plug not in use had a baby proof cover on it - they really think of everything! The room also had 2 bathrooms (one with a shower, one with a tub) which was a treat since our own home only has one bathroom!! 
So, pretty ahhhhmayzing, am I right!? It should go without saying that Woodloch is by no means considered a "budget" vacation. But you get what you pay for, and you get a LOT at Woodloch! You could spend well over a week here without doing all of the free activities they offer! With a 3 meal plan for a family of 4 during peak vacation times, you could easily spend over $1K for 2 nights (but don't forget, that covers your room, food, and activities!). That said, there are certainly ways to score a better deal, so check out the "exclusive offers" page on their website occasionally - off peak rates start at $159 per adult per night (plus tax and 15% gratuity that gets divided by all the staff).
Some offers they currently have going on include: Have you been to Woodloch or any other family-friendly resorts or destinations? Leave a comment below and let us know!! And don't forget to check out our fun highlights video of our trip below (be sure to subscribe!)
DISCLAIMER: While we were provided complimentary room & board by Woodloch and a complimentary vehicle by Toyota in exchange for our reviews, all thoughts and opinions are our own - completely honest and unbiased - we're no sellouts!! We only share what we truly loooooove!!
Looking for an all-inclusive family-friendly resort with amazing and engaging activities for all ages, food for every palate, set in a beautiful landscape a mere 2-3 hours by car/bus/train from New York City!? Look no further than Woodloch Resort, ranked America's #1 Family Resort by Tripadvisor!!
After spending 2 nights / 3 days there with my family of five I can tell you one thing, it was not nearly long enough time in this city-escape paradise!! Sitting here typing my review is bitter sweet because it reminds me of the wonderful memories we made as a family there, but makes me want to turn off the computer and catch the first bus back!! Alas, I will stifle that urge for the greater good, because I just have to share with everyone all of the fun stuff we did and why Woodloch is such a fabulous place!
The Facilities
When we walked into the Main Lodge to check-in, I have to admit my first impression was "Hmmm... a bit out dated?". A mish-mosh of rustic plaids and patterns, a large (real) stuffed bear (which my toddler became obsessed with), several comfy sofas and chairs filled with happy guests chatting away. I generally prefer modern and sleek design, but you know what? It grew on me, and eventually I started to contemplate whether it was needing an update or if it was on purpose - nothing was actually old or dingy - it kind of adds to the charm of the place, it feels like visiting gramma's mountain house!
The grounds are enormous (1200 acres that can accommodate over 1,000 guests!!), kind of overwhelming at first but once walking from end to end (less than half a mile, and they have a free shuttle running every 15 minutes if you prefer) you start to get your bearings of where everything is. The lake is huge and pristine, absolutely beautiful!! The walking paths are a mixture of paved and gravel, and wind you through the property which is covered in beautiful trees and is just breath-taking. As you get further away from the lake, and cross the street you get deeper into the heavily forested area and find signs reminding you that you are actually in real-life nature and need to beware of bears! Yikes! We never saw any, thankfully, but did meet plenty of deer and chipmunks.
The buildings and grounds are meticulously maintained. Beautiful, clean, just spectacular! We were there in the middle of summer, outside at various points in the day from sunrise past sunset, and you know what? We didn't run across a single mosquito or bee. That was a very happy surprise!! Not sure how they manage it, but THANK YOU (I hate bugs, can you tell?)!!
The Activities
At breakfast each morning, you'll find on the table the day's schedule, which includes everything going on for the entire day - things that are daily as well as events specific for that day only. Almost everything is included with your stay - water skiing, go carts, bumper cars, boat tours, climbing wall, indoor and outdoor pools, horse-drawn hay rides, bumper boats, kayaking, paddle boating, row boats, sailboats, lake beach and waterslide, volleyball, outdoor and indoor playgrounds (socks required at indoor playgrounds for kids and adults!), horse shoes, arts & crafts, bicycles (with helmets and baby seats), shuffleboard, bocce, mini-golf, trivia, scavenger hunts, and tons of games and contests (with award ceremonies) for the whole family!! There are some activities that cost extra, but are pretty cheap when compared to what you would pay elsewhere - an hour long segway tour for $50, 12 balls at the batting cage for $1, $30 for 250 paintballs, $20 for 1 hour zip lining, etc.
They also have daily evening entertainment for kids and adults (and an adults-only nightclub!), but with start times of 8 to 9pm it was simply too late for my family to enjoy. We opted instead to take a sunset walk after dinner each night and hit the hay early, since our twins wake me up 3+ times a night and our toddler is up by 6am *yawn*!
The Food
It's hard to know what to expect of the food at an all-inclusive resort... will the food be marginal or exceptional? Will they serve enough to fill me up? Will I need to bring or purchase snacks to get me through the day? Well, I can tell you, the meals are huge and delicious. Expect to gain a couple of pounds!
Each meal has a 1-hour seating window for all guests to arrive (and stay until they finish, no pressure). The dining room is HUGE and has a great view of the lake. The seating times vary but are around 8:30-9:30 for breakfast (which I found to be WAY too late for our family, with the kids up by 5:30 or 6 I was STARVING by breakfast and had to pound a pre-breakfast snack bar from home), lunch at 12:30-1:30, and dinner at 6:30-7:30pm. Breakfast and dinner were usually a mixture of la carte and family style (but you can get as much as you want), with lunch being buffet style. I was very impressed with the food, stuffed myself silly at each and every meal and don't regret it one bit!! It's vacation! The French Crumb Cake greets you each morning and you can even order it (and other baked goods) to take home with you. They are extremely accommodating making special requests, and the service is FAST and friendly. It's amazing how they can serve so many guests at the same time, but they've worked out an impressive system and everything arrived piping hot and YUMMMMMO! Alcohol is not included, nor are the super cute kids' cocktails which all come with some sort of toy or gadget. 
A dozen or so staff line up at the restaurant entrance to greet you at each meal, and the owner (or another manager) makes a public announcement at each dinner - announcing each and every celebration going on that day - every birthday, anniversary, graduation, you name it. They also have some sing-alongs and similar quick activities that are lots of fun and just another way they are able to make all the guests feel like one big family. Someone mentioned to me Woodloch is like a real life Kellerman's (you know, the lodge in Dirty Dancing), and I have to agree. All of the little touches add up to make such a difference and give such a friendly and home-like atmosphere!!
The Family-Friendly Aspects
They seriously thought of everything, down to the nitty gritty details. Our hotel room had child-proof plugs in every single outlet. The cribs? Not pack 'n plays but ACTUAL CRIBS!! I've never encountered this in over 3 years of hotel stays with babies. I was thrilled my babies could sleep on comfy mattresses in metal cribs that could be cleaned properly rather than fabric pack 'n plays that get dingy with mats that are so uncomfortable!
Every public bathroom, both men's and women's, had changing tables and built-in step stools for kids to wash hands. High chairs in the dining room, a pretty decent kid's menu for every meal (though no baby food or offer to make purees, which was a bit disappointing). Activities for all ages, several play areas for babies and toddlers (including a huge indoor jungle gym that is seriously like a kids' version of American Ninja Warrier - SO fun!!!), a huge rack of various sizes of life jackets and puddle jumpers for kids to borrow at the pools, several 1' deep heated pool areas for the babies/toddlers, and lifeguards at every indoor and outdoor water area.
Overall I would say it was quite stroller-friendly, though there are a few places (such as the Woodloch Forrest indoor play gym) that have stairs and no elevator, and the grounds are quite hilly. We didn't have much trouble getting around with our double-wide stroller (it's a great glutes workout!), but opted to wear the babies and leave the stroller in our room or in the coat room near the restaurant much of the time.
Another really cool thing they have is a character greeting families as they enter the restaurant at breakfast, lunch, and dinner! It was so fun to chat with our son on our way to each meal about which character he thought might be there, and to see his face light up in delight when he discovered who it was - running into their arms for a big hug (and photo of course)! During our stay he got to meet Cookie Monster, Elmo, Mike from Monster's Inc, Belle from Beauty and the Beast, and Winnie the Pooh!
Woodloch highly encourages families to spend their vacation together making memories, but understands sometimes parents need some time alone. They have amazingly affordable babysitting services, provided by local sitters as well as Woodloch staff during their off-hours. They charge $10 per hour for 1 child, and $1 per hour for each additional child. We were about to jump on this until we saw the fine print - they may require another sitter for more than one infant or toddler, and the minimum for each sitter is $40. So for our family with 3 under 4 years old, it wasn't such a great a deal anymore, but still a nice option if you want to enjoy the spa or night club or just take a much needed nap! In the end we decided not to get a sitter, but maybe next time...
The Customer Service
Yet another thing that completely blew me away at Woodloch? The customer service and staff. The most friendly bunch I have ever come across. Every single employee, whether at the front desk or walking past you on a path in the woods, smiles and waves and says hello, and will stop what they're doing to take you where you need to go. Many of the guests are there for family reunions (all wearing matching t-shirts of course), and many others come back year after year. Guests and staff alike will stop and talk to you about their past experiences and recommendations. You start to get the feeling that you have been welcomed into the big happy Woodloch family with open arms.
At every meal, at least 3 different non-server staff stop by to chat and ask you how you're stay is going and if you have any questions. Even the owner came by at each dinner, dressed festively each day in a different pair of pants and tie featuring various cartoons and characters. So fun!
The Journey There
Of course if you have a car, that is the way to go (directions here), but it's also pretty easy to get to Woodloch via public transportation!! We took the Short Line bus (Coach USA) bus from NYC's Port Authority to Hawley (3-4 hours) where they had a complementary shuttle waiting to pick us up! They have complementary car seats as well, though for liability reasons the guests are required to strap them in (which literally took us 20 minutes the first time since all 3 car seats were different styles and we were clueless - a bit of a nightmare but it was nice to have car seats for the 15 minute ride). You can also take the train to Port Jervis where they have a shuttle (for a fee), and they'll even come pick you up at AVP airport or beyond.
The Rates
Woodloch is not a low-budget vacation, but that's not to say it isn't totally doable for just about any family! Depending on your budget, you can go without a meal plan or get the 2 or 3 meals a day plan. You can get a small room, a large suite, or even a whole house! You can go peak (July/August/Christmas/New Year) or off-season - for example you can book mid-week in October or November for as low as $108 per adult! Now that is a great deal! And don't forget there are tons of indoor options, including pools for kids and adults, so whether you go in the middle of summer, for fall foliage, or in the winter wonderland, there will be plenty of fun to be had! Check out their booking options here, and see their accommodation options here.
And finally, don't miss my video montage - check out our family in action enjoying all that Woodloch has to offer, including a tour of the property and our suite!
So what do you think? Have you ever been to Woodloch or are you planning to go? Share in a comment below!!
Disclaimer: Although I was provided a complimentary stay in exchange for my review, all thoughts and opinions are my own - I'm no sell out! Woodloch is truly a magical place and I can't recommend it highly enough for a fabulous family vacation!
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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! 
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