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Escape To Nemacolin Woodlands Resort

By Nancy Schretter, Editor

Family vacations are fantastic. Sometimes parents need their own kind of family travel, though - a romantic escape to relax, recharge, and reconnect with each other. The big question always is where to go.

Some popular family-friendly resorts can be just as perfect for adults-only getaways. Nemacolin Woodlands is one of those spots. Although it's a great experience with kids, this posh resort knows just how to pamper parents who need some time alone. Nemacolin offers something for all ages and interests, making it a top pick for parents craving a romantic getaway. If you only have a few days to kick back and unwind, this resort has it all.

Here are ten reasons why Nemacolin is a great choice for a deliciously decadent romantic escape:

1. Close and Convenient. Transportation hassles are the last thing parents need to worry about on a romantic getaway. Nemacolin Woodlands is set on 2,000 mountain acres in the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania, just 70 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. The resort's central location puts it within an easy 3-4 hour drive from many major cities, including New York City, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C. Nemacolin's website also offers a Stay Planner, making dining and activity bookings quick and convenient.

2. Luxurious Rooms. It's easy to spend the entire weekend curled up together in your room at Nemacolin Woodlands, if that's your choice. Modeled after the Ritz in Paris, rooms at the elegant Chateau Lafayette feature plush beds with high thread count linens, vaulted ceilings, crystal chandeliers, huge bathrooms with double whirlpool tubs, and French doors opening to wrought-iron balconies. Falling Rock, a Forbes Five Star, AAA Five-Diamond boutique hotel within the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, is another excellent seasonally-available option. Lavish amenities abound here, including a 10-option pillow menu and a private butler to draw a candle-lit bath or arrange a private dinner for two. For those on a tighter budget, The Lodge offers the warmth of an English country inn and a great centralized location.

3. Epicurean Delights. Nemacolin Woodlands Resort has dining options that will please even the most dedicated foodie. Lautrec, the Chateau Lafayette's AAA Five Diamond and Forbes Five Star award-winning restaurant, serves the most incredible Sunday Brunch imaginable and dinners here are exquisite. Aqueous, an upscale award-winning steakhouse located at Falling Rock, is a don't miss experience. The Chef's Experience - a private dining room featuring fantastic views - is available for a romantic dinner for two. The restaurant opens and closes with the hotel, so check to see if it's available. The seafood at Autumn, the Lodge's restaurant, is outstanding. For those looking for more casual dining, check out The Tavern, P.J.'s Ice Cream and Pizza Parlor, and The CaddyShack and Sunset Terrace during the summer months. For a romantic night in, just call room service.

4. Something for Everyone. Sometimes it's tough to find a resort that will please partners equally on a romantic getaway, but Nemacolin Woodlands is a spot that both lions and lambs call home. The resort has attractions to suit every interest from A to Z - as in "art" to "zoo." The resort offers a daily tour of the $45 million Hardy Family private art collection housed on property. Wine tastings and Art Cullinaire cooking classes are available, and Nemacolin has its own Wildlife Academy and private zoo which includes numerous wildlife habitats. Guests can also enjoy equestrian facilities, an Olympic-caliber facility for gymnasts, an exceptional shooting academy, tennis, croquet, squash, fly fishing, shopping and winter sports - along with so much more. Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater is located just 20 minutes from the resort.

5. Aaahhh - Spa. Parents seeking serious pampering will be thrilled with Nemacolin's world-class 32,000 square-foot Woodlands Spa. The spa features 40 treatment rooms, a well-equipped fitness center, a mineral pool and Water Path, large indoor and outdoor pools, a squash court, Elements Café with healthy menu items served throughout the day, beauty salon and boutique. A wide selection of treatments is available including massages, body scrubs and wraps, hydrotherapy, Ayurvedic rituals, body kurs, facials and skin care, manicures and pedicures. Plan to spend at least a half-day here.

6. Glorious Golf. It's no wonder that Golf Digest named Nemacolin Woodlands Resort to its list of "The 75 Best Golf Resorts in North America." The resort offers 36 holes of golf on two courses, Mystic Rock and The Links. Designed by Pete Dye, the championship Par 72 Mystic Rock course has received rave reviews from such publications as Golf Magazine, Golf Digest, Golf for Women and Conde Nast Traveler. The Links is the resort's original golf course and has a traditional Scottish design. Guests can also take advantage of the Golf Academy at Nemacolin Woodlands and The Practice Center. There's a lovely 18-hole miniature golf course here as well.

7. Active Adventures. Those who feel the need for speed can fly through the air at up to 60 mph on Nemacolin Woodland's Fatbird Flyer, a 1060' zip line suspended 300' in the air. Adrenaline junkies will also love Nemacolin's Off-Road Driving Academy featuring Jeep Rubicons, 2 ropes courses, two rock climbing walls, mountain biking, and the Fatbird Canopy Tour. Whitewater rafting on the Ohiopyle River is just a short drive away.

8. Whimsical Treats. It's pretty rare to find some of the things you'll see while vacationing at Nemacolin Woodlands. Guests can view white buffalo, the Woodlands Auto Toy Store filled with vintage cars, the Pride and Joy Airplane Hangar displaying vintage planes, and the Peter J. Magerko Gun Museum. There's also the Magical Fashion World of Shells. The WildSide entertainment complex here features 8 lanes of bowling, arcade games, pool tables - and a huge fabricated mountain laden with stuffed animals. Turn any corner while walking the property and you're likely to find something unexpected.

9. Four Seasons of Fun. Many resorts are packed with activities from April through October, but have little going on throughout the rest of the year. Nemacolin Woodlands is one of a select group of thirty or so properties throughout the U.S. that truly offers fun entertainment and attractions year-round. Whether it's hot and sunny or cold and rainy, you won't be bored. There's always something to do here, even for Type A couples.

10. Alone or Together. While parents-only romantic getaways are fantastic, sometimes you can't find a sitter, don't want to leave the kids at home, or Grandma can't come at the last minute. That's why it can important to find a destination that works well for a romantic escape even with the kids in tow. Nemacolin Woodlands' Kidz Klub Program offers both full and half day programs for children ages 4-16. For your romantic night out, the kids can head to Kidz Night Out, a program full of interactive activities from children 4-12. Babysitting services can also be arranged through the Concierge.

If You Go:

For more information on Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, visit their website at http://www.nemacolin.com, call 1-800-422-2736, or contact your favorite travel agent.
Make your dining reservations when you book your room, along with spa appointments and golf tee times. If you can't plan that far ahead, try to make your reservations at least three weeks in advance. If you decide to take a last minute getaway, don't despair. Just check with the concierge or head to the dining room as soon as you arrive. Occasionally they're able to squeeze you in without an advance reservation.
There's a lot going on at the resort on any given weekend. Look over the Bird in the Hand booklet that's given to guests upon check-in to plan your activities.