{"id":5385,"date":"2009-07-27T13:06:10","date_gmt":"2009-07-27T17:06:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/?p=5385"},"modified":"2019-07-06T22:54:17","modified_gmt":"2019-07-07T02:54:17","slug":"skytop-lodge-review-pennsylvania","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/5385\/skytop-lodge-review-pennsylvania\/","title":{"rendered":"Skytop Lodge Review: Get to Higher Ground This Weekend"},"content":{"rendered":"

For city folk without alternative residency in the Hamptons, taking a break during any season can often just mean riding the red line to Brooklyn Heights for a stroll on the promenade. Peaceful and scenic as an outer borough may be, come Monday morning in Manhattan, you\u2019ll still be wishing you\u2019d answered that inner need-to-relax call a bit better.<\/p>\n

Perched in the Poconos, a tad over two hours west of New York City, there is a place completely deserving of the label \u201chidden gem.\u201d First opened in the late 1920s as a gentlemen\u2019s golf club, Skytop Lodge<\/a> is a National Trust Historic Hotel and 5,500-acre camp for both adults (women too) and children. While escaping to a resort in these mountainous Pennsylvania parts is no secret vacation idea, slipping into the easy tempo of Skytop will set your watch to a \u201cTime. Out.\u201d you\u2019ve never experienced before.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe first came here for a romantic getaway. Later on we brought our girls, and this weekend we’re doing both,\u201d said Debbie, who\u2019s been visiting Skytop with her husband Ted for 20 years. \u201cIt\u2019s a casual setting and we can do so many different kinds of activities, whether that’s with our now grown up daughters hiking and playing tennis or without them while we relax by the pool and they entertain themselves in the billiards room or the spa.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Staying in the Main Lodge, grab a corner table in the Windsor Dining Room<\/strong>, where an elegant formal vibe and a grilled Mojito swordfish steak hit the spot after a long week. (Jackets are required.) You\u2019ll be happy with your decision to tuck into bed early ahead of a full (albeit rejuvenating) plate of activities on Saturday.<\/p>\n

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If you’re in the mood for something other than lawn bowling or biking the scenic forest trails, there is always a geocaching or wilderness survival class (think edible plants and build-your-own emergency shelter) to make your trip truly memorable.<\/p>\n

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Saturday, 5:00 pm | Take a Relaxing Dip<\/strong>
\nTake a quick dip in the indoor or outdoor pool, then indulge in a refreshing tropical drink at the bar before dinner. “This weekend, we\u2019re here alone without the rest of the family. Just to be quiet and smell the pollution-free air,” said Elaine and Roger, residents of New Jersey and repeat visitors to Skytop. “We don\u2019t have to cook food, there are no dishes, no distractions, no drama.\u201d<\/p>\n

Saturday, 7:00 pm | A Heavenly Feast<\/strong>
\nThe 140-seat Lake View restaurant<\/strong> at the Inn at Skytop is a lovely option for families and couples and is slightly more casual and intimate than Windsor. Ask for a table by the window, which offers views of the golf course and lake. After sharing an antipasto plate of mortadella, Genoa salami, sopressatta, fresh mozzarella, and kalamata olives, cut into a charbroiled New York strip streak or the ricotta cheese ravioli, and top it off with a chocolate torte. The restaurant is a short shuttle ride or seven-minute stroll from the main lodge.<\/p>\n

Saturday, 9:00 pm | Stars in Your Eyes<\/strong>
\nStargazing with astronomer Rich Grebb is an occasion not to be missed. While the kids play ping-pong in the recreation room<\/strong>, explore the Pocono trails and learn about constellations, something we New Yorkers rarely get to see. Meet at the South Lawn Gazebo.<\/p>\n

Sunday, 9:00 am | \"\"

The weekend will be harder than usual to let go of, so make sure to take a last deep breath of mountain fresh air, which will leave you feeling energized and ready for the office Monday morning.<\/p>\n

How to get there:<\/strong> Consult our guide to renting Hybrids<\/a> or take the Martz Trailways bus from Port Authority to the Mount Pocono stop, where a Skytop Lodge shuttle will be waiting for you; make sure to call in advance of your arrival. See the website below to review upcoming Skytop events and information on fabulous deals. Rates start at $230\/night per couple, Monday through Thursday; breakfast is included. (Skytop Lodge address: One Skytop, Skytop, PA, 800.345.7759, skytop.com<\/a>)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For city folk without alternative residency in the Hamptons, taking a break during any season can often just mean riding the red line to Brooklyn Heights for a stroll on the promenade. Peaceful and scenic as an outer borough may be, come Monday morning in Manhattan, you\u2019ll still be wishing you\u2019d answered that inner need-to-relax […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":14366,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[784,747,315,770,911,774,789,849,316],"tags":[145,120,103,48,133,9,282,151,82,169],"class_list":{"0":"post-5385","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-adventure-activity-2","8":"category-bus-2","9":"category-day-trips","10":"category-food-drink","11":"category-poconos-pennsylvania-2","12":"category-restaurants-food-drink","13":"category-rock-climbing-adventure-activity-2","14":"category-shopping-2","15":"category-weekend-getaways","16":"tag-dining","17":"tag-family-fun","18":"tag-golf","19":"tag-historical-site","20":"tag-outdoors","21":"tag-reviews","22":"tag-romantic","23":"tag-spa","24":"tag-sports","25":"tag-weekend-getaway"},"acf":[],"mv":{"thumbnail_id":14366,"thumbnail_uri":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/DSC_0352-e1562468022197-350x197.jpg"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5385","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5385"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5385\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14366"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5385"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5385"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5385"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}