Boomeresque:Definition
1. Adj.: Describing a person born between 1 Jan. 1946 and 31 Dec. 1964
2. Adj.: Description of a person, place or thing possessing Baby Boomer je ne sais quoi
3. See also, Boomer, Esq.: A Baby Boomer who is also a licensed attorney (See, e.g., About).

Woodloch Pines Resort in the Pennsylvania Pocono Mountains – A Boomeresque Review

by Suzanne Fluhr on October 9, 2015 · 19 comments

Teedyuskung Lake at the Woodloch Pines Resort, Hawley, Pennsylvania

Teedyuskung Lake at the Woodloch Pines Resort, Hawley, Pennsylvania

Teedyuskung Lake provides a beautiful setting for the Woodloch Pines Resort.

Thanks to an invitation from the Woodloch Pines Resort outside Hawley, Pennsylvania, in the northeastern Poconos, Mr. Excitement and I had the chance to escape from our real life for a two night autumn weekday escape. Woodloch is an approximately three hour drive from our Center City Philadelphia apartment. We managed to get ourselves a little lost at the end of the trip by not really understanding that the resort is actually comprised of three different properties, Woodloch Springs, a residential golf community and resort; The Lodge at Woodloch, a high end spa resort; and Woodloch Pines, a lakeside family recreation resort.

If you’re a Baby Boomer grandparent, you should definitely keep Woodloch Pines Resort in mind for a multigenerational, all inclusive, family vacation. Some years ago, we used an Alaskan cruise as an opportunity to spend a holiday with ten family members ranging in age from 13 to 90. A family vacation at Woodloch provides some of the enjoyable aspects of that trip — minus the expense of a 4,333 mile slog to get there.

During our drive home to Philadelphia, our 28 year old travel blogger son happened to call from Mexico. After I told him about our experience at Woodloch, he wanted to know why we never took him and his brother there. The Kiesendahl family has been hosting families at their Lake Teedyuskung property since 1958, so I couldn’t use as an excuse “It wasn’t there then.” I had to go with, “We didn’t know about it.” Read on so you will know about Woodloch when it’s time for your escape.

A Woodloch Pines family vacation is a great way for family members to enjoy age appropriate activities throughout the day and to meet up for the included family style meals, all in a beautiful lakeside setting. Our sons would have been thrilled to take advantage of such activities as miniature golf, Go Carts; a climbing wall; paint ball; archery; bumper cars; a zip-line and all manner of water sports, including swimming, paddle boats, row boats, kayaks and sailboats. They might have initially balked at arts and crafts, but if experience is a guide, they would have enjoyed that too—in spite of themselves.

Woodloch Pines Resort, Hawley Pennsylvania

If you can’t find something to do at the Woodloch Pines Resort, you’re definitely not trying hard enough.

Woodloch is a four season resort. For cooler weather there is an indoor pool complex, a gymnasium, an indoor forest playground and a game room. During the winter months, there are fun in the snow options such as snow tubing and snowshoe hikes. Although the trees are still mostly green in the Philadelphia area in early October, we walked the paved Woodloch Pines nature trail where the leaves had already started to acquire their fall colors and ventured onto the unpaved snowshoe/hiking trail. There are warning signs about how to deal with any bears, deer or timber rattlesnakes, but our nature encounters were happily limited to chipmunks.

bear sign

Bears, deer and etceteras, Oh My!

Although we were registered at the Woodloch Pines Resort, if we were golfers or even golfer wannabes, we could have used the golf facilities at the nearby Woodloch Springs Resort, including golf lessons. The high end Lodge at Woodloch is also just a few minute drive from The Pines and we could have purchased day spa services there. We took a drive over and were impressed by the woodsy elegance.

Woodloch roomAt the Woodloch Pines Resort, we stayed in a very comfortable, spotless two room suite complete with a separate living room, dining room and kitchen area and a large bedroom with two very comfortable queen size beds. The bathroom had double sinks. Although it was just the two of us, this set up would be perfect for a family of up to six people. Our suite had sliding doors to a nice size balcony overlooking Lake Teedyuscung. There living roomwas excellent high speed wifi and regrettably, we both succumbed and did some work. There are accommodations of various sizes and at various price points throughout the three resorts.

Each evening there is live entertainment after dinner, but after sharing a half carafe of wine with dinner, Mr. and Mrs. Pathetic Excitement couldn’t manage to make it to the nightclub.

The fresh country air had a strange effect on Mr. Excitement. ;-)

The fresh country air had a strange effect on Mr. Excitement. 😉

During our drive to Woodloch, we stopped for lunch at a Friendly’s restaurant–a nostalgic favorite from our 40 years ago college days. In a “good news/bad news” moment, we learned we were eligible for free small senior sundaes with our meal despite not yet being eligible for Medicare.  Not surprisingly, during our weekday October stay at Woodloch, our fellow guests consisted mostly of those even more senior than we who arrived by the bus full and couples with not yet school age toddlers. Woodloch is accessible for those with mobility problems and although we enjoyed walking everywhere, shuttle buses circulate regularly.  I suspect the toddlers explain why we were greeted at dinner by Cookie Monster and by Chip (or was it Dale?).

Woodloch is reaching out to empty nester Baby Boomers with additional programming such as art classes, wine and chocolate tastings, mixology classes, and organized guided hikes and bike rides. However, if you are interested in these activities, I suggest you call ahead to preregister for them and to make sure they are available on the days you intend to be there. You should also understand that the included meals are served during set times which means presenting yourself for the very filling breakfast between 8:30 and 9:30 a.m. and between 6:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. for dinner. (Lunch is also included, but the ample breakfast was sufficient to tide us over until dinner time.) There are more flexible dining options within the Woodloch resorts for an additional cost.

Woodloch is still run by the children and grandchildren of the couple who started the enterprise in 1958. They are very hands on and walked around to meet and greet guests during meal times. They are also committed to providing a good working environment and have an enviable staff retention rate with many long-time employees. The staff members with whom we interacted were unfailingly good natured and helpful.

We enjoyed our fall respite at the Woodloch Pines Resort, a place to definitely consider when you need to get away.

Day is done, gone the sun, From the hills, from the lake, From the skies. All is well, safely rest, God is nigh.

Teedyuskung Lake – after sunset. “Day is done, gone the sun, From the hills, from the lake, From the skies. All is well, safely rest, God is nigh.”

[Mr. Excitement and I were guests of Woodloch; however, opinions are always my own.]

{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }

Jacqueline Gum October 10, 2015 at 7:46 am

Even though I grew up in Pittsburgh, my family never made it to the Pocono Mountains. Woodloch Pines Resort really looks and sounds like a great place to host a family get-together. Personally, I find it appealing that the resort has been in the family for so many years and is still operated by the children/grandchildren of the original owners.

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nan @ lbddiaries October 10, 2015 at 12:16 pm

This sounds like my kind of place – something for both Alpha Hubby and me to do! Tea House Dock? Batting Cages? Indoor Pool? Check! Alpha Hubby can find his own stuff (smile). This sounds like an amazing place and one I’m going to put down as a future destination when we want to get away to something special. Thanks for sharing this special place!

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Irene S. Levine October 12, 2015 at 9:16 am

We visited Woodloch country just about the same time of year as you, last year. I’ve added a link to this post on my review of The Lodge at Woodloch: http://www.moretimetotravel.com/lodge-woodloch-destination-spa-poconos/

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Suzanne Fluhr October 12, 2015 at 6:08 pm

I notice they invited you to the higher end property—the Lodge and Spa at Woodloch. 😉

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Irene S. Levine October 15, 2015 at 6:16 pm

I think one is family-oriented (the one you visited) and the other is a destination spa, which may well be higher end:-)

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Haralee October 12, 2015 at 9:35 am

There certainly is something for everyone there! Sounds like a great option like you mention for a multigenerational retreat.

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Suzanne Fluhr October 12, 2015 at 6:41 pm

Yep. I recommend borrowing some little ones to take them along to the Woodloch Pines Resort, so you can have fun watching them have fun.

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Donna Janke October 12, 2015 at 10:04 am

Woodloch Pines sounds like a great place for a family vacation. It would work well for extended family get-togethers as well. Lots for everyone to do in a beautiful setting without a lot of stress to plan, arrange, and organize activities.

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Suzanne Fluhr October 12, 2015 at 6:44 pm

Exactly—no one has to cook or clean.

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Roz Warren October 12, 2015 at 10:12 am

My sister and I have been treating ourselves to terrific spa vacations at the Lodge At Woodloch for many years and I’ve always wondered what the other properties were like, so I really enjoyed your review. (And I highly recommend the Lodge if you want a perfect spa vacation.)

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Suzanne Fluhr October 13, 2015 at 12:59 pm

Unfortunately, I’m not a spa person. The though of being massaged by a stranger gives me the heebie jeebies. When I was a first year student in college, my nickname was “The Prude from Philadelphia”—great confidence builder for a 17 year old coming from an all girls high school. (I showed them—but, I digress). However, the non-“treatment” options at the Lodge could certainly keep me entertained.

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Paula McInerney October 12, 2015 at 5:20 pm

Woodloch Pines Resort sounds an ideal place to visit for a multi generational gathering. It is never too late to take your son.

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Suzanne Fluhr October 12, 2015 at 6:09 pm

I’ll wait until he has a kid. 🙂

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Julie McCool October 12, 2015 at 10:01 pm

I enjoyed reading about the Woodloch as I’ve never heard of it before and we’ve been considering a Poconos trip in the spring. Sounds fun for a group, but we wouldn’t have kids along so we might consider the higher-end spa property. Either way, thanks for the info!

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Betsy Wuebker | PassingThru October 13, 2015 at 12:57 am

There’s a reason the Poconos have such an enduring reputation, not only for honeymooners but for family getaways. Woodloch Pines Resort looks to be a wonderful “sleep away camp” for kids of all ages. 🙂

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The GypsyNesters October 13, 2015 at 10:12 pm

Great to see your story on Woodloch Pines Resort. They have asked us to visit sometime this Fall or next Spring so it was a nice primer for us. Thanks.

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Kay Dougherty October 15, 2015 at 11:26 pm

Woodloch Pines Resort sounds like a nicer version of a place for a ’50s family vacation. The fact that it’s still family owned, the early diners, the wholesome activities, all sound like a bygone era and I’m glad that at least there it isn’t bygone!

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