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Long Weekends in New Jersey and the Northeast: 5 Fun and Family-Friendly Mini-Vacation Spots
Sometimes you want to go where no one knows your name, but alas, you have to take the kids with you, so why not have some fun! Going away in the winter is a lovely diversion from the routine that seems all the more routine when it’s dark and cold, and I do love the time away with my sweet family, even if I still have to wipe noses and cut up their meat. The conversations are often more lively, the whining more specific, the happy faces more frequent. It’s a good life.
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Here’s a list of some nearby – and further away – spots for a few days of skiing, camping, splashing and enjoying soft hotel sheets.
Water Fun
CoCo Key Water Resort (Mt. Laurel, NJ)
This indoor water-park and hotel is ideal for younger children, with a smaller scale play area and very attentive lifeguards. There’s a lazy river, kiddie wading pool, and lots of slides, all of which will keep your kids in swimming nirvana. Prices start at $159 a night for a family of four, with packages that include meals at $259. For more information call 877-494-2626.
Winter Fun
Mohonk Mountain House (New Paltz, NY)
This amazing historical landmark is not only incredible to look at, and sleep at, but it has a host of winter fun from snowshoeing to tubing to cross country skiing. It’s not easy on the wallet, but the cost of your trip includes all meals, afternoon tea, and many activities. Packages begin around $700 for a family of four, and in February kids eat and stay free! For more information call 845-255-1000.
Cedar Creek Campground (Bayville, NJ)
Bring some board games, books, and steaks for the grill to one of Cedar Creeks cozy winter cabins. They are heated, with hot water, toilet, shower and so on, but still simple. Nothing says serenity like the woods in winter, and the kids can build snowmen, or dirtmen, to their hearts content.
Mountain Creek (Vernon, NJ)
A very fun, New England-feeling ski lodge in North Jersey, Mountain Creek has heated pools, ski in/ski out accommodations, snow boarding, tubing, several charming restaurants and ski and stay packages that start around $500 for a family of four. For more information call 973-827-2000.
Far Away Fun
The Wildflower Inn (Lyndonville, Vt.)
This gorgeous inn, set on 570 acres of pristine Vermont loveliness, has all the fun things kids love, including a petting zoo, hay and sleigh rides, a skating rink and loads of room to run. You can book a package that includes meals, lodging and skiing at nearby Burke Mountain, or just enjoy the inn. Room rates for a family of four, begin at $179 and include a country breakfast. For more information call 800-627-8310.
Places featured in this article:
Mountain Creek and Grand Cascade Lodge at Crystal Springs Resort
Sarah Cavill - New Jersey writer
Sarah Cavill has lived in Hoboken and New York City since 2001, and every time she contemplates living elsewhere, she has palpitations about what the pizza might taste like and decides to stay. After having two children in two years, Sarah hung up her laptop, to hang out with them. The last 6 years have been a wonderful, boring, hilarious, bittersweet, happy time of making parenting mistakes (too. much. yelling), and parenting triumphs (I don't waaaaant to go to sleep. My book is tooooo good!). There were bursts of creative energy on her now decaying blog and then Mommy Poppins came along and here she is, sharing the wonders (really) of New Jersey. When not taking her family hiking at South Mountain Reservation, or trying to avoid the giant sneezing nose at the Liberty Science Center, she likes to cook, eat, cocktail with friends, poke around museums, watch lots and lots of movies (the sadder the better), and read every night (I don't want to go to sleep. My book is too good!). She hopes that her children will grow up to be independent thinking, open-hearted adventurers, and that, like one of their literary heroes Paulie Pastrami, they will offer compassion to those in need, work hard, finish what they start, laugh at themselves and cry with others.
Sarah previously worked at Baltimore magazine and the Baltimore Sun and freelanced for Media Bistro, City Magazine and CBSlocal.com, among others.
