Swim and Ski! Camelback Lodge and Camelback Mountain! #MyCamelback

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Camelback Lodge and Camelback Mountain- Swim and Ski- A Perfect Winter Getaway For The Family

PicMonkey CollagePack your Ski Googles and your Swim Googles! Tube in the water and tube on the snow!  This winter has been a real challenge for our family. The snow has been hiding from us, but it is here now and we love to play in it! The boys love skiing, snowboarding and tubing. Emily is obsessed with skiing and snowtubing! We love winter just as much as summer. Every winter there is one place our family loves to go- Camelback Mountain. This year is more amazing than ever because of the newly opened Camelback Lodge Resort.

CBLfamilyIf you are looking for a place to visit during the winter Camelback Lodge is a great choice. Our family loves to swim and our family loves all things snow! Visiting Camelback Lodge was a perfect choice for us. Let me tell you about our weekend! We arrived Saturday morning and checked in at about noon. Although our room would not be ready until check in time at 4 pm, once we had our wristbands we headed to the indoor waterpark, Aquatopia! What a perk. 84 degrees and loaded with a range of choices for everyone in the family. My personal favorite at Aquatopia was the Lost River that takes you on a journey through an underground river complete with iguanas! Don’t miss it when you visit. My boys headed for the thrill waterslides. My daughter and I spent a while in the wave pool. We even rented the latest addition, the Luma Tube that lights up in different colors. It’s a must do for anyone that loves things that light up. Before leaving the waterpark everyone hit the Flowrider! No complaints! 

 

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After drying off we headed out the lodge to go snowtubing. You can take a shuttle down the hill to the snowtubing, or drive your own car. Both are easy choices. We took a 4 hours slot which was plenty of time to snowtube to our hearts content! They also have a warm up section that sells hot cocoa, churros, sweets and more. There are also photographers on hand to capture your fun time!

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cbldessertshemiBy the time we finished snowtubinng our room was ready. The room we had was the basic suite which included two queen sized beds and a pull out couch. We had a gorgeous mountain view. I would suggest asking for the mountain view but just so you know, it’s a long walk from the lobby. It’s worth the view!! Before we hit the room we stopped at Hemispheres, the buffet restaurant for dinner. A lot of choices and the food was delish. There was everything from a pizza bar to personal choices created by a chef in front of your eyes. The desserts are also incredible, so save some room. My daughter was obsessed with the make it yourself ice cream toppings bar. We were lucky enough to be seated at a table by the windows that overlooked the snowtubing. Nice view, Good food- made for a perfect dinner. There are quite a few dining areas at Camelback Lodge. Please check out our Ski In-Ski Out Dining Experience at Trails End Pub and Grille here.cblroom

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cblsnowtubeemilyThen it was up to the room for a little R&R. The room was roomy so no was got into each other’s space. That’s always a good thing. Next day was check out at 11am. We had a skiing reservation and lift tickets for later in the afternoon. We also had reservations on the Mountain Coaster, a fun filled ride that rolls in any time of year. First up was the arcade, then mini golf! There were quite a few activity choices. While my kids took on a lazer challenge, hubby and I hit the indoor/outdoor hottub! Loved it! There was even a light snow falling as we enjoyed the mountain view from the outside! The outdoor hottub is a must do! It’s located in the way back left hand side of Aquatopia. So our trip was a definite success. We swam, snowtubed and skied. Everyone was happy, but we definitely were wiped out by the end! Congrats Camelback! You are doing something right! How do I know? My family is already asking when we can go back- a true sign that it really was an awesome time. See you soon Camelback Lodge! Check out more about Camelback Lodge resort, Aquatopia, and Ski Camelback here. 

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Disclosure: Diane Sullivan/3decades3kids is a Camelback Lodge Resort Partner Blog. All opinions are that of Diane Sullivan and in no way reflect the opinions of Camelback Lodge resort. No compensation was given for this post.   Hotel resort room, dining, and snow activities were provided by Camelback Lodge in order to facilitate this review. This post is part of our #Roadtrip2fun series. Contact me at Diane@3decades3kids.net and @3decades3kids across social media. Thank you, Camelback Lodge. 

Ski In Ski Out Dining! Trails End Pub and Grille at @CamelbackLodge #MyCamelback

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Ski In Ski Out Dining! Trails End Pub and Grille at Camelback Lodge Resort-A Must Do! 

CBLTrailsendKidsAt the end of the trail and at the bottom of the mountain you can find this delightful new addition to Camelback Lodge resort, Trails End Grille and Pub. This is a must do and skis are welcome! You can ski right up to the outdoor tables and dine! What a perk. As for us, we were already done with our snow fun, so we entered from the resort and dined inside. What a beautiful view and what delicious food! The food was reasonable in price and very tasty. From steaks to burgers there was something for everyone.CBLTrailsEnd

cblfriesThey also had a great kids’ menu! We went in for some desserts but could not resist the tempting burgers the menu had to offer. There is nothing better for this family than a “choose your own” burger menu. We had the freedom of choice from type of burger, fixins, bun type and more. The burgers are served with homemade waffle chips. We decided to test out one of the many fancy fry dishes. Our favorite was the Philly Cheesesteak fries! They had a variety of fancy fries, including Disco fries. When you do visit, please keep in mind the fry dishes are more than enough for two people, even if you are a big fry eater.CBLsmores

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The desserts were incredible, too!  There were only three choices, but all three were incredible! The S’mores comes in an cast iron pan so be careful, it is very very hot! There was also apple pie tart with ice cream and Jack Daniel’s chocolate whisky cake. We tried all three and I believe that the S’mores was definitely a family favorite! Check out the pics. This is a must do dining spot if you are visiting Camelback Lodge! Yum! If you have the coupon book from check in, there is also a coupon in there to use at Trail’s End!
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P.S. Trails End-We’ll be back on skis to try out the outside dining very soon! Our family has definitely been chatting about skiing in and enjoying those S’mores outdoors while we warm up around the fire pits! We are so there. You can check out all of the dining choices at Camelback Lodge here: http://www.camelbackresort.com/eat-play-shop/dining/restaurants/
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Disclosure: Diane Sullivan/3decades3kids is a Camelback Lodge Resort Partner Blog. All opinions are that of Diane Sullivan and in no way reflect the opinions of Camelback Lodge resort. No compensation was given for this post. Dining was provided by Camelback Lodge in order to facilitate this review. This post is part of our #Roadtrip2fun series. Contact me at Diane@3decades3kids.net and @3decades3kids across social media. Thank you, Camelback Lodge. 

Snowland At Great Wolf Lodge: A Magical Experience #GWLhowlidays

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Snowland At Great Wolf Lodge: A Magical Experience

GWLsnow3This past weekend our family visited one of our favorite getaway spots in the Poconos,  Great Wolf Lodge.  Saturday was the kick off of their winter holiday season,  Snowland. There is no time more magical to visit Great Wolf. Just entering the lobby will take your breath away between the floor to ceiling tree, lifesize Gingerbread House,  grand fireplace and the array of  glistening snowflakes that make you feel like you just stepped into a winter wonderland.

GWLsnow2Visiting during Snowland is different than visiting at any other time of year. Yes, you still get to hang out in the 84 degree waterpark no matter how much snow is outside, there’s MagiQuest and many other activities, but something is very different – it’s just a feeling of happiness that glows through the lodge. There are also special activities you will want to check out when you stay during Snowland. Santa will be on hand on the weekends for pictures and to listen to all of his little friends’ requests. A red mailbox is in the lobby that will deliver your message directly to the North Pole. You can stop by Great Wolf Kids where they will provide you with themed paper to write your Dear Santa letter on. So adorable!  We happen to be there the night Santa arrived via flashing lit fire truck, marching band and a bunch of characters. What a night!

GWLsnow4One of our favorite parts of Snowland is seeing the life sized Gingerbread House.  The house is made from gingerbread baked right inside the local GWL. It is adorned by cookies, candies, and over fifty pounds of Peeps!  Your family can even dine inside by making a reservation for one of the many seating. The is a ten dollar fee that you can feel good about. It goes right to the Ronald McDonald House. We have dined there a few times and it is just a beautiful experience. Your family will definitely be talking about it for years to come.

GWLsnow1gwlsnow7GWLsnow8Now for the ultimate in a magical experience. This year Great Wolf Lodge has added a new add on to your room. For $40 you can add a Snowland package on. If you are reserving a family suite you definitely want to request this. There are a limited amount so check it out fast. The Snowland package transforms your room into an incredible snowland complete with a decorated light up tree, the beds and other places adorned with light up pine swags, snowland themed blankets and shower curtain. As if that is not wonderful enough there are also take home prizes including a full size hard cover book to read over and over again and a snowland embroidered blanket. Our favorite part of the Snowland package was the cookies & milk delivered to our room by a GWL character. Our delivery was by Oliver, but any of them could have shown up. It was totally fun for everyone in the room! So, if you are heading the GWL this Snowland season, definitely give a call and check this out. https://www.greatwolf.com/

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Disclosure: Diane Sullivan is a Great Wolf Media Partner. All opinions are that of Diane Sullivan and honest. No compensation was given for this post. A deeply discounted room rate was provided and other on site perks. Contact me at Diane@3decades3kids.net and @3decades3kids everywhere else. Don’t forget to follow our #Roadtrip2fun tag for all of our travel stories. Happy Holidays! Very special thanks to the incredible staff and management at Great Wolf Lodge Poconos. 

Giveaway: Kalahari Resorts Opening In Less Than One Hundred Days! #LoveKalahari

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Giveaway: Kalahari Resorts Opening In Less Than One Hundred Days- In Celebration They Are Having Some Awesome Prizes Up For Grabs!

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In less than a hundred days, today would be eighty-eight to be exact, you will find my family creating some amazing new memories in the Poconos! Less than two hours from NYC there will be a new resort opening its doors to us to come and enjoy. Now, I have never been to a Kalahari Resort before, so my family and I are beyond pumped to check it out! This will be their third resort and first one on the east coast! Woot! Woot! We are pretty much waterpark obsessed so this is going to be a win for us!

Kalahari Resort will include an indoor waterpark and convention center. Boasting an authentic African theme, Kalahari will be a one of a kind resort in the Poconos area. It will be a “have all” resort! Looks to me like you will not have to leave for anything. There will be plenty of dining choices, shopping, gaming and more. Did I mention there will be a Spa Kalahari!?

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By the way, there is something unique to Kalahari- DAY Passes!! You can come to Kalahari and play for the day! That is a total perk for friends and family that do not want to do an overnight. As for me, I’m a total “Play and Stay” kind of person and cannot wait to check out all of the room themes and choices. Kalahari looks amazing and our family is getting more excited as the days go by and get closer to opening day! Kalahari- Here we come!

In the meantime, I had to share this wonderful news. Kalahari is already starting up their celebration. You can win one of many many prizes and you will not want to miss out!

#LoveKalahari & Win

So, here are ALL the details about how to enter! Good Luck! See you at Kalahari this summer…and fall….and winter…well, you get it- We already #LoveKalahari To celebrate the opening of the newest Authentically-African Waterpark Resort this summer – Kalahari Resorts Pocono Mountains, we need your help for a little inspiration. In return, we’re giving away free stuff. Lots of free stuff. That’s what the #WorldsCoolestIndoorWaterpark would do.

ENTER (Check it out by clicking here)

Pick one of the many Authentically-African inspired pieces around the resort & snap your best photo.

OR

Take a selfie, showing your excitement for our newest resort.( This is for US EastCoasters who are waiting for the Grand Opening!)

THEN

Upload here: Enter Link or use #LoveKalahari on Instagram, Twitter, Vine, Tumblr and Facebook.

WINNING

Runs March 16 – April 30. Random weekly winners chosen for a multitude of prizes, including overnight stays (that’s rights, plural).

Disclosure: All opinions are that of Diane Sullivan and honest. This post is part of our #RoadTrip2fun series. No compensation was given for this post. The giveaways are hosted by Kalahari Resorts. Contact me at 3decades3kids@gmail.com and everywhere else at @3decades3kids.

Warm Up This Winter At Great Wolf Lodge @greatwolflodge

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Winter At Great Wolf Lodge- A Perfect Place To Warm Up

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The winter freeze is definitely upon us. Although we do enjoy the snowy outdoor activities, we are also always in search of a cozy winter retreat. Luckily for us, Great Wolf Lodge in the Poconos- less than two hours away from NYC is always there for us. Imagine enjoying an indoor water park with a view of the snowy mountains. It’s yours for the taking. One of our favorite family fun resorts is definitely Great Wolf. No matter that age of your children, from infants to adults, even the grandparents will have a blast. If you do visit, make sure you pack your swimsuit. Well, if you do forget, there is always one available at one of the shoppes.

 

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Ten Things Our Family Loves About Great Wolf Lodge

1. You can choose your own activity level from reading a book in front of the fireplace in the Grand Lobby to swimming and water slides. It’s your call.

2. Magiquest and Shadowquest: What a fun game for all ages. The kids will love solving quests and moving on to different levels. Good Luck at the end if you go up against the dragon. He’s a tough one to beat, but there is always someone on hand from the Magiquest team to help you out, so don’t worry.

3. The Water park! Okay, so this one is definitely is my family’s favorite. We all love the wave pool, water slides and whirlpools. 84 degrees. Yes, please!

4. There are plenty of places to dine at the lodge. You do not have to leave to fill up the bellies. There are choices from buffets, Wolf It Down pizza, and more. Did I mention there is a Starbucks?

 

 

 

 

 

 

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5. Story Hour is my daughter’s favorite. She loves watching the Clock Tower show followed by story time and then a character meet and greet. It is simply adorable. If you visit, don’t miss it.

6. The rooms are a world onto themselves. There is a huge variety of room styles to choose from. We love the loft with two floors of fun, and an in room fireplace and balcony. There are also rooms that tout bunk beds and their own kids’ cabin within the room.

7. There is a SPA within the lodge. One for adults and one for kids- Scooops Kids Spa. Enough said?

8. The Northern Lights arcade is a family fun spot for all of us. Everyone in our family has a blast between air hockey, skee ball, Deal or No Deal, and so many more choices.

 

9. The Staff! They are amazing. We visit the Poconos location and they are just top notch. No matter where you are in the lodge you can find a smiling face and someone to help or just brighten up your day. They are knowledgeable and willing to lend an extra hand.

10. Family time! With everyone on a different schedule it’s nice to get away, even for one night and just be together. The laughs are many and the memories we are making will last forever. Great Wolf Lodge cannot be beat for close to home family fun!


If your family is ready to warm up this winter, you should definitely check out Great Wolf Lodge.

See you there! Great Wolf Lodge

Disclosure: No compensation was given for this post. A greatly reduced media rate is provided in order to facilitate this post. All opinions are that of Diane Sullivan. This post is part of our #Roadtrip2fun Series. Contact me at 3decades3kid@gmail.com and everywhere else as @3decades3kids.