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An all-inclusive, choose your own adventure family resort in the Poconos
by Rebecca Klein
A cruise on land. Family camp. Dirty Dancing meets Disney.
We heard all three snapshot descriptions about Woodloch, a family-owned, four-season, Poconos lakeside resort with around-the-clock activities, sit-down meals in a main dining room overlooking the water and evening entertainment.
What started in 1958 as a small, rustic mountain getaway evolved into an all-inclusive resort. Little Johnny, who delivered fresh spring water each morning to guests at his father’s boarding house, is now the owner. During meals, John Kiesendahl greets guests, sporting his signature slacks dotted with mini Elmo or other character appliqués. Kiesendahl’s four adult sons and brother, Steve, join him in making the rounds and in running the resort.
“They make you feel like you’re a regular even when you’re a stranger… It makes you feel like part of the family,” describes John Korman. He and his wife started coming in 2005 and now make three trips a year from the Westchester, New York area with daughters, Elena and Izabelle, ages 3 and 6 and are often joined by extended family and friends.
“It takes us away from the rush of everyday life,” describes Tammy Korman, whose girls favor the all-you-can-make arts and crafts room and the indoor, interactive splash pool.
The Northeastern Pennsylvania resort, located along Lake Teedyuskung about a five-hour drive from Baltimore, hosted my family for a magical October weekend. Whether the leaves offer a cornucopia of colors and you’re off on a hayride adventure, ‘tis the season to snow tube down the beginner’s or extreme onsite course or hit the nearby ski slopes, the spring blooms provide a backdrop to your hike, or you’re spending a summer afternoon waterskiing, there is a certain constant that plays out, no matter the season.
It can be seen during such events as the mega scavenger hunt, where you’ll likely see several generations of a family huddled, plotting a strategy and in turn nurturing the bonding moments that become treasured memories.
When we first saw the scavenger hunt on the day’s activity list distributed at breakfast, we couldn’t imagine the magnitude of what was to come. Each team races against the clock, exercising mind and muscle to meet as many of the 50-pluschallenges as possible. My 5-year-old son got a kick out of sprinting down to the lakeside with four other teammates to get a group snapshot while my 3-year-old daughter knew just where to find the S’mores Goldfish bag in our room that we needed to score some points.
My husband, admittedly not the most spirited player at first, soon dove into the sports, celebrity and geography trivia worksheets and belted out Bohemian Rhapsody as our team checked off which challenges we would be able to complete. Some seasoned players come armed with laptops and consult “The Edge,” section on the resort’s website for clues.
“I think it was one of the places where I got my love for trivia contests and game shows,” credits Jeopardy winner, Mathew Jacobs, 29. During most of the ‘90s, he and his family spent an annual summer vacation at Woodloch. Last year, he used a portion of his more than $11,000 in prize money to treat his family, who hadn’t visited the resort in years, for a reunion.
We met more “regulars” than first-timers during our stay, including a set of grandparents and grandchildren that leave mom and dad at home and enjoy taking advantage of the 24/7 quality time.
According to marketing director, Laurie McEvoy, three out of four guests are return visitors. Amazingly, she says that more than a hundred families have been coming since the resort’s first years.
“I think it’s a place where kids get to be adults and adults get to be kids,” describes McEvoy. Kids get to help plan out their stay and older ones often get a key to the room. Adults just may wind up covered in slime during the Double Dare games or may have to perform ballet while singing karaoke during the resort’s version of The Amazing Race.
Just as many activities bring family members together, there are also opportunities to branch off such as a visit to the adults-only, Lodge at Woodloch destination spa and hotel. The nearby secluded sister property, which grants privileged access to Woodloch guests, sits along a small private lake and offers tempting treatments, fitness and cooking classes and gourmet spa cuisine.
Woodloch also features a nationally recognized golf course. It snakes its way through the resort’s residential community and is open to guests. My husband found the picturesque, impeccably groomed course to be challenging. According to the website, the 14th hole “requires a dramatic 220-yard carry over ‘Hells Gate Gorge’ which is carved from the rugged mountainside by rushing water some 200 feet below.”
Back at the resort, the kids and I took a relaxing pontoon boat ride, walked along a lakeside path and stumbled upon a beaded jewelry making activity.
We enjoyed returning to the same table for our meals, where our kids became instant pals with the Korman girls at the next table. Some families have returned to the same table for decades — that is once they score their preferred seats. It can take years to get a window table.
Good thing you burn calories all day long. At each meal, there are kids’ choices along with several entrée options for adults along with an appetizer, soup or salad and dessert course at dinner. I could have feasted on the seared ahi tuna salad with wasabi dressing at every meal. Instead of needing to remind someone about my son’s peanut allergy at each meal, we were pleased to see a special note about his dietary needs on our table.
At mealtimes, we often consulted the activity menu to figure out what to try next. Along with several daily group competitions, other options include nature walks and hikes, biking, boating, swimming and much more. We also clocked several visits to the children’s indoor forest playground where kids can climb through an obstacle course and into a knight’s mask. My little ones also loved getting behind the wheel and driving the kiddie cars in a small, enclosed area next to the adult bumper cars. There is also a toy stocked toddler room, an outdoor playground and a weekly petting zoo. The game room and go-carts are hits among the tween and teen crowd. A climbing wall and a new Wii room are in the works.
In addition to the hotel rooms, which feature a large walk-in closet and are great for clutter control, there are also guest homes available, which house up to 14 and have private kitchens.
You don’t want to miss the evening entertainment featuring magic, illusion, comedy, song and dance. On our first night, we saw Roderick Russell, an incredible illusionist and sword swallower, followed by a jaw-dropping magic performance by Jay Mattioli, a quarter finalist on America’s Got Talent.
Saturday’s night’s theme was A Cruise on Land. As we arrived to dinner, the staff stood on a big receiving line and greeted us as if we were boarding a ship. A parade of characters, including Winnie the Pooh, Cookie Monster, Popeye, a princess and Woodloch’s own mascot Boomer, wowed the kids and posed for pictures. The theme for 2010 is A Night on the Town.
Following dinner, one of the resort’s babysitters met us back at our room. After we put in the request to hire a sitter, she thoughtfully dropped by our lunch table earlier in the day to break the ice with our kids. If my little ones weren’t so tuckered out from all of our adventures, she would have taken them to the kids’ magic show. We headed to the Saturday night show. The resort brings in Broadway set designers to help produce a new themed song and dance show each year.
John Kiesendahl speaks fondly of seeing the changes he witnesses from when guests arrive to when they leave. "It's very satisfying," says Kiesendahl. "They arrive stressed from their daily lives and three days later they leave holding hands. Woodloch makes a difference in people's lives. All ages in a family get to reconnect and revitalize in a safe, active environment.”
Tammy Korman says she can one day see her oldest daughter, in particular, wanting to get married here and both of her girls someday returning with their own children. In between visits, little Elena and Izabelle jet away on imaginary Woodloch vacations. “It’s what they pretend when they get home,” shares their mom. “They’ll always have this place to come back to and say ‘This is where I spent my childhood.’”
We heard all three snapshot descriptions about Woodloch, a family-owned, four-season, Poconos lakeside resort with around-the-clock activities, sit-down meals in a main dining room overlooking the water and evening entertainment.
What started in 1958 as a small, rustic mountain getaway evolved into an all-inclusive resort. Little Johnny, who delivered fresh spring water each morning to guests at his father’s boarding house, is now the owner. During meals, John Kiesendahl greets guests, sporting his signature slacks dotted with mini Elmo or other character appliqués. Kiesendahl’s four adult sons and brother, Steve, join him in making the rounds and in running the resort.
“They make you feel like you’re a regular even when you’re a stranger… It makes you feel like part of the family,” describes John Korman. He and his wife started coming in 2005 and now make three trips a year from the Westchester, New York area with daughters, Elena and Izabelle, ages 3 and 6 and are often joined by extended family and friends.
“It takes us away from the rush of everyday life,” describes Tammy Korman, whose girls favor the all-you-can-make arts and crafts room and the indoor, interactive splash pool.
The Northeastern Pennsylvania resort, located along Lake Teedyuskung about a five-hour drive from Baltimore, hosted my family for a magical October weekend. Whether the leaves offer a cornucopia of colors and you’re off on a hayride adventure, ‘tis the season to snow tube down the beginner’s or extreme onsite course or hit the nearby ski slopes, the spring blooms provide a backdrop to your hike, or you’re spending a summer afternoon waterskiing, there is a certain constant that plays out, no matter the season.
It can be seen during such events as the mega scavenger hunt, where you’ll likely see several generations of a family huddled, plotting a strategy and in turn nurturing the bonding moments that become treasured memories.
When we first saw the scavenger hunt on the day’s activity list distributed at breakfast, we couldn’t imagine the magnitude of what was to come. Each team races against the clock, exercising mind and muscle to meet as many of the 50-pluschallenges as possible. My 5-year-old son got a kick out of sprinting down to the lakeside with four other teammates to get a group snapshot while my 3-year-old daughter knew just where to find the S’mores Goldfish bag in our room that we needed to score some points.
My husband, admittedly not the most spirited player at first, soon dove into the sports, celebrity and geography trivia worksheets and belted out Bohemian Rhapsody as our team checked off which challenges we would be able to complete. Some seasoned players come armed with laptops and consult “The Edge,” section on the resort’s website for clues.
“I think it was one of the places where I got my love for trivia contests and game shows,” credits Jeopardy winner, Mathew Jacobs, 29. During most of the ‘90s, he and his family spent an annual summer vacation at Woodloch. Last year, he used a portion of his more than $11,000 in prize money to treat his family, who hadn’t visited the resort in years, for a reunion.
We met more “regulars” than first-timers during our stay, including a set of grandparents and grandchildren that leave mom and dad at home and enjoy taking advantage of the 24/7 quality time.
According to marketing director, Laurie McEvoy, three out of four guests are return visitors. Amazingly, she says that more than a hundred families have been coming since the resort’s first years.
“I think it’s a place where kids get to be adults and adults get to be kids,” describes McEvoy. Kids get to help plan out their stay and older ones often get a key to the room. Adults just may wind up covered in slime during the Double Dare games or may have to perform ballet while singing karaoke during the resort’s version of The Amazing Race.
Just as many activities bring family members together, there are also opportunities to branch off such as a visit to the adults-only, Lodge at Woodloch destination spa and hotel. The nearby secluded sister property, which grants privileged access to Woodloch guests, sits along a small private lake and offers tempting treatments, fitness and cooking classes and gourmet spa cuisine.
Woodloch also features a nationally recognized golf course. It snakes its way through the resort’s residential community and is open to guests. My husband found the picturesque, impeccably groomed course to be challenging. According to the website, the 14th hole “requires a dramatic 220-yard carry over ‘Hells Gate Gorge’ which is carved from the rugged mountainside by rushing water some 200 feet below.”
Back at the resort, the kids and I took a relaxing pontoon boat ride, walked along a lakeside path and stumbled upon a beaded jewelry making activity.
We enjoyed returning to the same table for our meals, where our kids became instant pals with the Korman girls at the next table. Some families have returned to the same table for decades — that is once they score their preferred seats. It can take years to get a window table.
Good thing you burn calories all day long. At each meal, there are kids’ choices along with several entrée options for adults along with an appetizer, soup or salad and dessert course at dinner. I could have feasted on the seared ahi tuna salad with wasabi dressing at every meal. Instead of needing to remind someone about my son’s peanut allergy at each meal, we were pleased to see a special note about his dietary needs on our table.
At mealtimes, we often consulted the activity menu to figure out what to try next. Along with several daily group competitions, other options include nature walks and hikes, biking, boating, swimming and much more. We also clocked several visits to the children’s indoor forest playground where kids can climb through an obstacle course and into a knight’s mask. My little ones also loved getting behind the wheel and driving the kiddie cars in a small, enclosed area next to the adult bumper cars. There is also a toy stocked toddler room, an outdoor playground and a weekly petting zoo. The game room and go-carts are hits among the tween and teen crowd. A climbing wall and a new Wii room are in the works.
In addition to the hotel rooms, which feature a large walk-in closet and are great for clutter control, there are also guest homes available, which house up to 14 and have private kitchens.
You don’t want to miss the evening entertainment featuring magic, illusion, comedy, song and dance. On our first night, we saw Roderick Russell, an incredible illusionist and sword swallower, followed by a jaw-dropping magic performance by Jay Mattioli, a quarter finalist on America’s Got Talent.
Saturday’s night’s theme was A Cruise on Land. As we arrived to dinner, the staff stood on a big receiving line and greeted us as if we were boarding a ship. A parade of characters, including Winnie the Pooh, Cookie Monster, Popeye, a princess and Woodloch’s own mascot Boomer, wowed the kids and posed for pictures. The theme for 2010 is A Night on the Town.
Following dinner, one of the resort’s babysitters met us back at our room. After we put in the request to hire a sitter, she thoughtfully dropped by our lunch table earlier in the day to break the ice with our kids. If my little ones weren’t so tuckered out from all of our adventures, she would have taken them to the kids’ magic show. We headed to the Saturday night show. The resort brings in Broadway set designers to help produce a new themed song and dance show each year.
John Kiesendahl speaks fondly of seeing the changes he witnesses from when guests arrive to when they leave. "It's very satisfying," says Kiesendahl. "They arrive stressed from their daily lives and three days later they leave holding hands. Woodloch makes a difference in people's lives. All ages in a family get to reconnect and revitalize in a safe, active environment.”
Tammy Korman says she can one day see her oldest daughter, in particular, wanting to get married here and both of her girls someday returning with their own children. In between visits, little Elena and Izabelle jet away on imaginary Woodloch vacations. “It’s what they pretend when they get home,” shares their mom. “They’ll always have this place to come back to and say ‘This is where I spent my childhood.’”
Woodloch, a member of the Green Hotel Association, also offers corporate team building events, girlfriend getaways and packages for scout and school groups. Rates for the traditional all-inclusive plan, including lodging, meals and most activities, start at $175 per night per adult and $65 for young children, ages 6 and under. Activities such as golf and the spa have separate fees. There are also à la carte meal plan options. For more information and specials, visit Woodloch.com.
The greater Poconos region offers adventures for many interests. To learn about more about the cultural, entertainment and athletic activities as well as ways to explore nature, visit 800poconos.com.
