If you have a birthday, anniversary, wedding, or something else that warrants a special occasion and are looking for a safe way to render it incredibly memorable, head to the Grand Cascades Lodge, which is located within easy driving distance of NYC in Hamburg, NJ, and part of the larger Crystal Springs Resort. The resort is noted for its golf courses, fine cuisine, and spa treatments and has nearby skiing, tubing, and horseback riding, year-round swimming in its Biosphere pool, axe-throwing, ice skating, various sports, an awesome cabaret show, and much more — all while maintaining strict social distancing codes, required masking, and meticulous cleaning. This is a fantastic place to ring in 2021 or slate a Valentine’s Day getaway.
The Grand Cascades Lodge offers Studio Suites, and 1- and 2-bedroom suites with kitchens, dining tables, fireplaces, king-sized beds, jacuzzis and a lovely view of mountains, as well as smaller suites with fireplaces. Peruse all of the resort’s various suite offerings HERE.
Its Biosphere pool is sparsely populated so as to ensure safety, and offers a 140-foot water slide, tropical aquarium, refreshing indoor and outdoor snow pools, spectacular views of the surrounding mountains, a mesmerizing underground aquarium, a grotto-like jacuzzi, and a Biosphere Café with fresh gelato, sandwiches, salads and tropical drinks. There are two other pools at the resort and heated outdoor swimming for frosty winter nights.
Dining is equally distanced — and delectable, offering an array of cuisines and restaurants to suit every palate. We highly recommend the Crystal Tavern,, which incorporates fresh market ingredients into its artful dishes. If you have young children, the Minerals portion of the Crystal Springs resort may be more suitable, as there are even more child-friendly options there, and the two are not sharing activities during the pandemic. There’s a Christmas Corner with Santa on the premises, which kids will love (read more HERE).
For holiday cheer, the resort features open-air sleigh rides, caroling, outdoor hot drinks, some good old-fashioned axe throwing at an outdoor shed, and ice skating on Glice, and eco-friendly version of ice.
After dinner, revel in the resort’s cabaret (where everyone is required to wear masks) for live music and singers, and excellent comedy, such as Leighann Lord (check her out at http://www.veryfunnylady.com/). The cabaret also features an open bar and appetizers, and a room full of friendly people who are more than willing to sing Happy Birthday to your special person or applaud your wedding.
The Reflections Spa is renowned for its wide range of pampering treatments, and is also practicing with safe protocols. The spa’s 8,000 quartz crystal ceiling contains healing powers from the earth to create a dazzling entrance. Reflections delivers a heightened sensory experience, including an exfoliating salt bath followed by a foot soak in your own personal reflecting pool. The resort offers two spas, the other being the Elements spa. Read more HERE.
There is a safe, clean, social-distanced fitness room on the property, too. Hike outside if the weather permits, since a nearby three-mile hiking trail wends through lovely, serene woods. Sometimes the resort even offers cute Goat Yoga sessions (weather permitting) for the intrepid and flexible. If wine delights you, savor a Wine Cellar Tour, or lounge cozily outside next to fire pit with a hot drink in tow and watch the ice-skaters wobble and glide.
This is truly a fantastic weekend getaway or stay-cation, offering a safe respite for special moments in your life. Read more about the resort’s winter activities and offerings, and book HERE.
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