The ultimate Pennsylvania resort mixes outdoor retreat with relaxation. It’s also a foodie’s delight. Here’s why Nemacolin Resort should be your family’s next holiday destination.
I always like a good dose of history mixed with my holiday destination. I also like a place where I can dress up and have a romantic night out – with qualified childcare so my kids can stay comfortably in the suite while I share a glass of vino with my husband. That being said, I also love a cottage, woodsy retreat where my family can relax, enjoy the outdoors and have lots of space rather than being jammed inside of one room. While it may sound like I would need to visit three separate destinations to fulfill all these requests, there is an American resort that offers all of this and more.
Nemacolin Woodlands Resort is located in Farmington, Pennsylvania and has a storied history dating back to 1740. A trailblazer named Chief Nemacolin, a native Delaware Indian led an expedition through the area, carving a rugged trail through the Laurel Highlands between what is now Cumberland, Maryland and Brownsville, Pennsylvania. The trail eventually became a road and is now called Route 40. Nemacolin Woodlands Resort sits at the major mountain artery.
By the 1900s, the Laurel Highlands had become a popular retreat for wealthy industrialists and merchants from Pittsburgh. Summer homes built in the area include those by designer Frank Lloyd Wright, including his famed Fallingwater (which is only a short drive from the resort).
In 1949, Willard Rockwell began purchasing land that would eventually become Nemacolin Woodlands Resort. The property was originally a private game reserve for Rockwell and his friends to hunt. A Tudor lodge was constructed and over the years a golf course, tennis courts, swimming pool, restaurants, airstrip, townhouses and even lakes were added to the area.
In 1987, 550 acres of the property were sold to current owner Joseph A. Hardy III, founder of 84 Lumber Company. Along with his daughter Maggie, Hardy transformed the area into a (now 2,000 acre) world-class resort.
Get Active
Nemacolin Woodlands Resort is big on play for visitors of every age. It has two 18-hole golf courses, four swimming pools, squash and tennis courts, a Jeep Off-road driving academy, a field club with fly-fishing and a shooting academy, mountain bike rentals and mini golf. It also has a newly built Sundial Ski Lodge to host skiers in the winter and also offers a wide range of summer activities such as zip lining, a ropes course, and rock climbing.
The resort also hosts a wildlife academy, where animal lovers can visit zebras, white tigers, hyenas and more. Safari and nursery tours let guests get up close and personal with the animals and you can even get a chance to feed marshmallows to bears and raw meat to wolves and lions.
Relax
Nemacolin boasts two spas. The main Woodlands spa, which is more traditional, offers close to 100 treatments, a children’s spa and a full-service salon. The Holistic Healing Center located at the Falling Rock resort focuses on integrative methods designed to achieve life balance and wellness. “The Holistic Healing Centre is so much more than a spa,” says Alik Minikhanov, the lead therapist. The experience can be life changing.” The treatments focus on healing the body and spirit. For instance, the Acu-Vitality treatment uses a variety of techniques such as massage, acupuncture and energy work to balance the body and restore its ability to function at an optimal level. There are also yoga, tai chi and meditation classes to relax and restore your body.
The Rooms
The resort boasts three hotels, townhomes, private luxury homes and a camp ground so there’s something to suite everyone’s needs. The original Lodge is an English Tudor style hotel with the comfort of and English country inn. On a grander scale, there’s the Chateau Lafayette, inspired by the Ritz Paris. It has vaulted ceilings, crystal chandeliers and marble bathrooms. At the highest end of luxury is the Falling Rock boutique hotel. Inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright, the hotel has just 42 rooms, each with 24-hour butler service and non-stop amenities.
Families can find more space in the townhomes and luxury homes – which all have all the amenities of staying in a hotel with the space and privacy of a cottage. There are also 20 camping spots with wood burning fire pits for families who want the ultimate rustic experience.
The Food
Anyone who’s ever been disappointed by resort food is in for a treat. The restaurants range from casual tavern to fine dining at three elite restaurants that will make you feel more like you’re in the big city than a remote resort. Autumn is the most casual of the three and practices sustainable agriculture and uses local foods whenever possible. It also has a gluten-free menu.
Aqueous is located in the Falling Rock resort and designed in Frank Lloyd right-inspired motifs. The views of the golf course are spectacular and I encourage you to dine just before sunset for optimal viewing. It’s more of a traditional steak house and also offers a gluten-free menu.
At the high end of elegance is five-star Lautrec. It is only one of 28 restaurants in the world to hold both a Forbes Five-Star and AAA Five-Diamond award simultaneously. Influenced by European cuisine, the prix-fixe menu offers both four- and seven-course meals. It’s a true dining experience.
The Experience
The experience is really what Nemacolin is all about. You can mix the ultimate in high end with rustic sports and a relaxing spa. It’s the ultimate all-in-one destination.
