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A Winter Getaway to Nemacolin Woodlands Resort & Spa in Pennsylvania

This past January, my sister and I gifted our mom a stay at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in for her 60th birthday. It was the only time the 3 of us girls have ever gone away together, and it was the perfect trip for us to connect as adults! Life gets so busy after a certain age, and it’s hard to set aside time for everyone to get together, but in the end that’s what’s important, right?! Spending time with friends, family, and loved ones! So we made it happen and I’m definitely glad we did!

 

Pulling up to the resort, I was immediately blown away by the sheer size of it all! The entire property is about 2,000 acres in the middle of a remote and quiet part of southwestern Pennsylvania (Farmington). It was originally purchased at auction in 1987 by Joseph Hardy III (founder of the 84 Lumber Company), and is now owned by his daughter, Maggie Hardy Magerko, and is open year round as an upscale family resort.

There are multiple lodging options on the property (you can even stay in townhouses on site) and almost endless activities to where literally everyone could find something to do! From spa activities, to golfing, off-roading, snowshoeing, bowling, wildlife tours (they have an actual zoo on site!), white water rafting, ropes courses, art classes, pools, a casino, and multiple restaurants, I’m pretty sure you could never get bored! We stayed at the Lodge, which was originally used as a hunting retreat and has more of a cozy, upscale cabin-like feel with darker decor, crackling fireplaces, and fur blankets (keep scrolling to see the Lodge). The photos immediately above and below are of the Chateau Lafayette, which has more of a fancy European style with marble floors, crystal chandeliers, and high tea served in a Victorian style room with floor to ceiling windows. The Chateau was actually closed for much of the time we were there because Mr. Hardy had his birthday party there one of the nights!

 

Since this was a personal trip, I tried to take limited photos so I could focus on enjoying the experience, rather than taking photos constantly. So most of these photos are just of the two main lodging areas and a few amenities close to where we stayed. Check out their website and Instagram account for more photos of the property, and keep scrolling to the end for more thoughts on the Spa and when to visit!

Below is the Lodge, which has the spa across the street, as well as a fun kids area and 1950s style pizza and ice cream parlor, among other amenities!

Since we visited in the middle of winter (and during the week), we had somewhat limited outdoor activities and some of the attractions closed early, but I think the point of going in the winter is really to enjoy the quiet (much fewer people) and take advantage of the spa and exercise facilities (which we definitely did)! The room where you relax immediately before and after your spa treatments was exceptionally comfortable and the pool and hot tub were both extremely quiet. We were even the only people in the morning exercise class and we were able to use the shuttles that take you around for a personal tour of the entire property (whereas in the summer they would be too busy for that). I can imagine the place being a completely different experience in the summer with lots more families and hustle and bustle. But whatever you’re looking for, I bet you can find it here, and I’m sure you’ll have a great experience whichever season you decide to visit!

 

Want to see more of my personal adventures? Read about my trip to Charleston or my fall road trip through Utah, Wyoming, and Montana!

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i'm sarah (she/her) , your new quirky, color-loving friend!

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My goal with every client is to cultivate a fun, creative, and approachable vibe. All types of people, all types of bodies, and all types of love are welcome here.

Color and creativity fuel my soul, and whimsical details make my heart happy! I believe in finding joy in the everyday, that real emotions are better than perfectly posed, and that building real connections with my clients is what allows me to create honest photos and capture genuine moments.

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