Great Wolf Lodge – Williamsburg, VA

January 26, 2017

Last winter our family packed up the car and hit the road for a mini winter vacation to Splash Lagoon in Erie, PA. You can read all about it Here. The trip was not a total disaster as us adults had maybe subconsciously suspected, but instead a success! So much so, that we decided to make our joint family vacation an annual tradition, but mixing up the location a bit. An indoor water park in the middle of winter gave the kids some adventure out of the norm to look forward to and gave us adults an easy go-to trip idea that secretly makes us feel like kids again too.

It has been yet again a mild winter, despite my dear sister-in-law Amie’s wishes. She cringes as the temperature climbs and the sun comes out in January. A true winter bird, I think she even admitted traveling in this weather and lugging the kids in and out of our cars in warm temperatures versus blistering snow was actually quite nice.

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Deep Creek Lake, MD – Hidden Gems

August 23, 2016

My husband surprised me with a weekend away to celebrate the end of my 20’s and hello to my 30’s. A week ago I declared that August was my “Birthday Month,” and while he rolled his eyes and chuckled at my high-maintenanceness (is that a word?), he literally could not have made my leap into a new decade anymore special. Shout out – Thank you, Nathan!

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Surviving The Beach With Kids

August 15, 2016

I was going to title this Blog post – Beach Hacks or Tips for Beaching With Kids. SEO friendly post titles that get straight to the point of my message. But, as I reflect on our beach vacation (you can read all about it – Here) I realized, those titles, just won’t do.

No, sometimes, it is straight up survival mode around here. And, well, sand and waves, you really are no exception.

Children are tough little cookies and they require more work and attention when it comes to beach planning than I myself every did.

I pretty much took three things to the sandy shores – 1) a beach chair 2) a magazine 3) a cold beverage. I was set.

Yeah, not so much anymore. Thank goodness my in-laws rent an oceanfront home each year which saves us from completely thinking ahead, as we merely run across hot coals, I mean the sand, to the house for said items. But, while we do have that advantage to our stay, I still find the following beach tips necessary to share.

Zip Lock Baggie It

I have a Lifeproof cell phone case, but that does not mean I confidently leave my phone on my towel or in the cup of my beach car. No! I still zip lock baggie that baby. I even will throw extra bags in our cooler. They are great for holding a pacifier, snacks, random seashells found on the beach and that precious cell phone!
Baby Powder

Sprinkle some of this magic pixie dust on your little ones feet and legs to easily remove sand. It is much better than rubbing a towel against your child’s skin which can easily irritate.
Dig A Bed

I know, you are thinking… “What?” Laying a towel on the sand and climbing under the umbrella, while sounds appealing actually is the worse “mattress” you may sleep on in your life. Have you tried? It is hard! And, yet, you see parents do it over and over for their kids. Use the palm of your hand to scoop the sand left and right to create an indent (almost like a cradle). Then lay a towel over the sand and place child. We even do this for the older kids, creating mini recliners in the sand.
Pack Snacks… And Well!

Unless you want to make multiple runs from the ocean to your lodging, pack some great snacks. Always prepare to be on the beach for a length of time. Even if you are not! We pre-make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, gummies, pretzels, goldfish crackers, etc. Try to pack individual snacks so nothing goes to waste and you can accommodate multiple people.
Freeze Water Bottles & Use As Ice

This tip accompanies the tip above. Food safety is a must. Especially on a hot beach. Keep cold foods cold with frozen bottles of water. 1) They tend to last longer than heaping piles of ice and 2) They are multi-purpose. As they melt you eventually have water and we also use the bottles to cool down. Placing the bottle against the back of our necks for some instant relief.
Beach Towel

This Towel for the win! My sister-in-law, Abbey scored this great beach find. It repels sand! Yes. You read that correct.
Water Shoes

This was a total whim, but I am glad I purchased and packed. When we got to the beach we were greeted by lots and lots of jellyfish. They were in the water and all over the shore. Within the first hour, my oldest niece was stung three times and she never went in the water! I packed the shoes for the rough ocean floor but these provided some comfort and piece of mind for walking across the jellyfish invested shore. Try These or These!
Pack A Spray Bottle of Vinegar

For the fries, y’all! Just kidding. Hence the tip above and the jellyfish dilemma and possible stings. I had always heard, you pee on a jellyfish sting. I think that public form of medicine is looked down upon. Vinegar does the trick! We actually learned that from a lifeguard. Vinegar takes the sting out.
Reusable Shopping Bags

These make great beach bags! Coming from a self-proclaimed, “fashion girl” – skip the beach bag fashion. Unless you are in Saint-Tropez… no one cares! These are great for toting sandy towels and toys and they rinse up and dry great. Seriously, save your money.
5 Gallon Bucket

Can’t you tell from the photo above? My dear daughter and our young nieces and nephews enjoyed every single moment with this bucket! Fill that sucker up with ocean water and watch the kiddies frolic around it like it is a magic well or something. No, in all seriousness, it is great for quick washes of the hands and feet, for sand castle play and for even quick dunks from the sun.

Do you have a beach tip that I missed? If so, share in the comments section below. Happy beaching!

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Beaching In South Carolina

August 7, 2016

Things have been QUIET around here. Not like in the physical home form (oh, contrary) – I am talking about on the Blog Diggity.

We have been beaching it up for the past week in South Carolina. Shout out to the Palmetto State, you are beautiful.

Each year my husband’s side makes the pilgrimage for a week of fun, sun, laughter, crying, whining, food & drinks (oh, lots of drinks) and little to no relaxing. Yes, you read it right – little to no relaxing. What all vacations are made of!

Oh, and there were selfies. Lots and lots of selfies!

We take it in great stride. It has not always been this way and won’t always either. In fact, this is the 10th summer I have spent with his side ocean front and many, many years were spent staying out late, bar hopping, shopping for cute cover-ups and suits (for hours, not minutes), dining out often and staying on the beach from sun up to practically sundown.

8 Adults. 8 Children (Ages 7 and under) and 1 House. Yes, 1 house. What the hell are we thinking? I swear I question our sanity each year as we load up the SUV’s and truck, and place sleeping babies in their car seats and take bets on how long until – “Are we there yet?” begins or complete meltdowns and bribery take place. The trip is long, even for us adults. Although, the kids were champs, except for my nephew, Sam. I think he puked about 4 times along I-95. Just kidding. Not about the puke, but about the champ comment. In reality, he can take the crown for longest car ride ever for a car sick little boy.

My sister-in-law, Amie wins the most-creative-mom award for entertaining her kiddies with a small toy on the hour. Unlike Nathan and I who purchased a portable DVD player and three DVD’s and popped that sucker in the moment Lo made her first peep. Anyways, Amie shopped at the local Dollar General before we left and gift wrapped coloring books, stickers, small figures, etc and allowed the kids to select one as each hour passed – all 9 long hours. So, take note, fellow parents of little kids, as you plan a long roadtrip. Just calculate better. Amie missed an hour so we had to convenience them dinner was one of their gifts!

I made the point to someone that driving to South Carolina was sort of like having a baby. The trip is painful like delivery. The beach week is delightful like the baby and the whole experience is so worth it that you do it over and over again, forgetting the upfront pain (hence, why women have more than one child and why this growing family keeps going back for more and more).

The week flew by. But, it always does when you are on vacation. Time is never enough. You feel selfish for wanting more and yet deserving for not having enough. Or, at least we do! When you work so hard all year and await this one week yearly, you can feel selfish with your time and money. Vacation almost becomes a celebration of all your hard work.

And, while there were meltdowns, and there were fights over baby dolls and pacifiers and swim gear and sand toys, our 8 human beings are so lucky to have this experience and each other.

My daughter woke up screaming in pure joy each morning when she heard her cousins outside our bedroom door.

We also successfully went out for, wait for it – lunch. Which could have been like a tornado hitting a house but we managed to get through it with minimal wind damage. One child dive bombed off a chair sideways and most-creative-mom, Amie, turned into most-easily-persuaded-mom and then morphed into thank-the-heavens-you-think-of-this-crap-mom, purchasing cotton candy and rainbow popcorn PRE-lunch for us all to snack on at the table. I think for 2 minutes all of us were in our dining room seats eating, but as meltdowns began to occur an adult and child would pop-out. Hey, small victories, right? This was one.

Beaching-In-South-Carolina_BackwardsNHighHeels_Blog 4

The only proof we have that this happened.

Somehow we also managed a birthday party for the family “triplets.” Really a set of identical twin boys and an ornery red head girl who all shared their third birthday just days a part.

Beaching-In-South-Carolina_BackwardsNHighHeels_Blog 5

Someone get my daughter a slice of cake.

It helps that us adults enjoy our morning bloody marys and afternoon Corona’s with lime, because when the chaos hit a high and the majority of our children were whining like baby birds waiting for Momma Bird to drop a worm, we would look across the madness, open the refrigerator or uncork some wine and just laugh.

Beaching-In-South-Carolina_BackwardsNHighHeels_Blog 15

When all else fails, just stick your kid in a water filled bucket! 15 minutes of fun.

So, I am not refreshed for Monday morning – sorry, world! I am not richer – much poorer and I am not relaxed, oh the opposite – I am pretty beat.

I am; however, content, grateful and fulfilled.

We have given our Lo girl and along with our family, our 7 nieces and nephews some amazing memories. We do it all for the kids right? And, us too! We laughed much, we ate well, raised our glasses, got some serious tans (y’all I looked like Casper pre-vacation) and were able to carve out time some much needed family time.

Beaching-In-South-Carolina_BackwardsNHighHeels_Blog 7

P.S. – One twin boy and adult men missing. P.S.S. – I do not know why we packed clothes! Diaper and swimsuit week.

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First Family Road Trip to Splash Lagoon, PA

February 29, 2016

I am kicking back, relaxing and reflecting on the fact that we successfully researched, scheduled, traveled and experienced our first family vacation and guess what? We are actually not sleep deprived! Well, who am I kidding? We have a toddler so we are always sleep deprived, but honestly, my daughter slept better in the hotel room than her own crib. I told my husband, I am moving in or buying black out curtains and a really loud heating system.

By the way, the picture above? Yep! Only picture of our little family from the whole long weekend in Erie, Pennsylvania, centered around Splash Lagoon. Must. Get. Better. At. Photos.

We did not go on this little weekend alone. It was a joint weekend away that we shared with Nathan’s sister, Amie, her husband, Corey, and their four daughters, all under the age of 7. Yes, four daughters under 7. And, yes 5 children under 7, accompanied by 2 adults. We were outnumbered.

That whole concept at first was a little overwhelming. As we traveled by night, in a snowstorm, to our hotel, I am sure we weren’t all thinking, “Oh, this is going to be one expensive disaster.” No, not at all.

But, seriously, how can it be a disaster with these cuties?

So, we checked in around 7 pm, snapped an obligatory “group photo” for memories and decided to order in. The great thing about Splash Lagoon is that it does have three connecting hotels, as well as a connecting Sport Bar / Restaurant and a handful of local area restaurants that will deliver directly to your hotel room. It was super efficient and convenient.

Our first night in the hotel was perfect! Lo did so well. It helped too that our Hotel Rooms each came with a kitchen efficiency which included a mini refrigerator, freezer, microwave and sink. I was able to pack bottles, snacks, meals, etc that I need for our bedtime routine.

Our rooms were not side by side but close enough that we could bounce from each family’s room. Friday morning we got up and prepared to spend the day at the indoor waterpark.

These photos are terrible quality but I had to show off the excitement and the toddler’s new swimsuits. I bought them Here and would highly recommend this suit. Lo is fearless which makes me a nervous one in the water. She tried to swim out of my arms and face plants over and over trying to dunk her head. Semmer down child or I will have to start drinking at 9 am.

Anyways, Splash Lagoon was great! It occupied all of our children’s attention given their differing ages. This included us adults who built up the courage to tackle some “big kid” slides. To break it down a bit, the park includes multiple age appropriate pools, hot tubs, or play areas. There are water fountains that come out of the floors and water features with buckets and waterfalls in the pools. Slides for parents to take kids down, even for Lo! It may not have been pretty each time, but we did it and had fun.

They had a pool of basketball hoops and floating basketballs, a lazy river (we spent enough time to prune up!), more slides than you have time to wait in line and ride and a giant tree house that releases gallons of water over your head! Don’t worry, an alarm sounds minutes before so you can run to the action or if you are like me, scream like a child and run (no, walk super fast) to steer away.

After a few hours of play, we pushed the little ones to their nap time. I mean, seriously look at those eyes?

Not his. Hers.

We had passed test #1 with bedtime the night before but test #2 came in the form of our first hotel room nap experience. Lo is pretty routine with me and needs her crib at home. So, I was fearful that I would have one cranky baby who would refuse to go down. Little did I know high chlorine waters, mixed with hours of play does wonders. Test #2 success.

Lunch followed our nap, then we changed swimsuits. That is when I caught this little moment.

Someone likes herself!

We headed to one of the largest indoor wave pools I have ever seen, complete with wall murals, palm tress and large airplane style propeller ceiling fans that I am sure has something scientifically to do with the waves but I took it as recreating the sea breeze in your hair.

The lifeguards were on point. I got the whistle blown in my ear when I tried walking into the pool with Lo with no life vest. To be clear there were no waves and I was going to sit on the “shore.” They did provide complimentary wave pool life vest for the kids and good thing too because once the waves started I realized their concern.

We had reservations that evening at 5 pm (late night – whoop whoop!) at the connecting Sports Bar and Restaurant, Hooch & Blotto’s. The restaurant offers bowling complete with menu and craft beer options. Sold!

We ordered beer for the adults, juices for the littles and pizza for all. And, somehow among the missed afternoon nap (ouch!), free-range of bowling balls, 7 other lanes of restaurant guests, bowling lanes that just welcomed children to walk straight down to play with pins… we made it work, and work well. Heck we even tried to get another hour on the lane! Darn Birthday Party guests.

My daughter even made her first spare. Just kidding, no one can make splits!

Since, we only had an hour reservation, we took the kiddies to the arcade at Splash Lagoon to blow off some additional speed before bed.

I know, we acted liked we owned the place!

It was zero fun for us adults. Zero.

My daughter learned a valuable lesson on this trip.

1 ticket gets your nothing, NOTHING, at any arcade. Sorry about your luck, kid!

Full Day #2 in Erie, PA was reserved for sightseeing.

We packed the kids in the car, swung through a Krisy Kreme doughnut for the kids (yeah, right, it was totally for us Moms!) and headed to Presque Isle State Park. We are outdoorsy people so it was cool to see the Bay frozen in spots with ice fisherman and the island’s Lighthouses, but if it wasn’t 28 degrees out we would have explored more.

We did get to walk part of the sandy beaches of Lake Erie and see the ice. I could imagine that summers would be a blast, and apparently the beaches of Presque Isle turn up some great sea glass!

We met a Ranger who shared that the park receives more visitors per year than Yellowstone!

Afterwards, we stumbled upon this gem, The Brewerie. This Brew Pub opened in 2006 and is situated in the historic Erie Union Station which opened in 1927. The food was great and so was the building. It was actually fascinating. We snapped the picture below just to prove that we had accomplished this much of our trip so far and were actually SITTING down for lunch. No takeout, no drive thru, hello, new, children, we like you. We think we will keep all of you.

The guys then departed us to explore the area and waterways in the region a bit more, so Amie and I took the kids downtown to The ExpERIEnce Children’s Museum. Children 1 and under are free and general admission is $7. It is a super affordable experience and engaging for the children (and us Moms)! Our 5 littles had so much fun!

The OldTowne Village was my favorite, I mean the kids!

They even had a mini Wegman’s complete with a Meat Counter, Sushi Counter, Produce and Bread section, coffee station, circulars and check out.

We learned about Aerodynamics. Just kidding. We pushed plastic balls across the floor.

I would highly recommend this museum! Mommy approved.

The day ended with a return to our hotel, nap engagement which failed miserably in both hotel rooms and a return to Splash Lagoon for an evening swim, treetop canopy tour and a wild animal show.

Super pale. I know!

When Sunday morning arrived, Lo be like, “No! I don’t want to go.” I agreed.

It was a great weekend! I highly recommend all the locations highlighted in the blog post. I also highly recommend letting your guard down, quit worrying and have fun. I think all 5 of our kids surprised us with how well they handled the hotel, the water park and the whole trip.

If you have any questions, please leave them below or email me. Glad to assist with recommendations, etc.

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Oh, Hey Pittsburgh, Hey…

April 3, 2014

So, if you have been a friendly visitor to my Blog since I started the first of the year, you may have read my Weekend Warriors – Deep Creek Lake post. There you would have uncovered a little fact about me and that is that I love spontaneous weekend trips. While I won’t shy away from a vacation opportunity when it presents itself, sometimes I get the most giddy over just a weekend or even a night somewhere new.

Earlier in the year Nathan and I got our hands on some Pittsburgh Penguins tickets… literally!

So, we set out to make a day and night of our time in Pittsburgh. Lately, work has been getting the best of me with some crazy hours and for Nathan, who has a landscape business, this long winter of plowing and the impending Spring rush had us both longing for just a quick getaway. Sometimes it is all you need to clear your mind and get back on track.

We headed straight for the CONSOL Energy Center in hopes of parking the car and getting in some pre-game action. I would highly recommend the Blue Line Grille, which is where we ended up. It is directly across the street from CONSOL.

TIP: The Blue Line Grille was packed! But, we learned they offer Bar only service on the 4th Floor. Instead of waiting in the crowds in the restaurant, head up to the 4th Floor. The views are great and service is quick!

After a quick drink, we raced across the street to our main event. The CONSOL is beautiful!! Clean, sleek and impressive.

TIP: Be careful if you carry a clutch and it has a zipper. This goes for just walking around in life, in general. What does that mean you ask? Well all I can say is that I seriously said a nice prayer of thanks when I realized I lost my car key in the CONSOL and thankful found it! Talk about complete panic and buzz kill. I transferred my phone, ID, lip gloss, some cash and car key lock to my clutch so we didn’t have to worry about my key set. I walked across the street from the bar and up about three sets of escalators, around half the arena, stopped in a bathroom and then met my husband at a concession stand for goodies. I mean I love food! It was only when I giddy from excitement for a night away and the thrill of my first Penguins game did I notice my clutch was unzipped. No big deal right? ID, check, Lip Gloss, check (whew for that one), cell phone, check, Car Key, Car Key, CAR KEY. All belongings were intake except for my car key. You know the key to get in the car after the game, drive to hotel, check in with luggage and continue with trip? I panicked. My husband chuckled. I wish I had his carefree attitude. I distinctly remembered going into the bathroom and hearing something hit the ground. So, I raced back to bathroom, through crowds of people and sure enough. There was my key starter laying in the bathroom stall. Pure relief! So, note to self: Make sure you ALWAYS zip up your clutch.

Once the game was over we headed to the Parking Lot to get our car and head to the Fairmont Pittsburgh where we were staying. Oh, and Penguins won in overtime! Great first game.

TIP: If you choose to stay at the Fairmont, just Valet your car at the hotel before the game. It is a few blocks, but we could have easily walked to the hotel quicker than the traffic we sat in after the game. There are some other hotels very close to CONSOL, but we enjoy the Fairmont, which leads me to accommodations.

Photo credit: http://www.worldarchitecturenews.com

We LOVE the Fairmont Pittsburgh! The staff is gracious and helpful, the accommodations are sleek and beautiful and the location is very convenient. Working in the Hospitality Industry, I am pretty picky regarding accommodations and the Fairmont is top-notch! Some of my favorite room features are the in-room Keurig and the very comfortable beds. I adore their spa product line, Le Labo Rose 31, which includes Shampoo, Conditioner, Shower Gel, a Body Bar and a cute hair cap. I think the packaging sells me more than anything!

The Pittsburgh Penguins game brought us to the city, but I was equally excited to venture out to explore the food scene. I have been eyeing up Pittsburgh’s MEAT AND POTATOES, located on Penn Avenue, for some time now.

TIP: Make reservations early! Don’t wing it like us. Or, if you do, cross your fingers that it works out in favor as it did for us.

We waited until we checked-in to decide on dinner and make plans, which resulted in a, “We can seat you at 10:00 pm, or you can come in and enjoy first come, first serve at the bar.” We had the hostess write our name down for 10:00 pm and took our chances. No luck! The place was packed and there were other hovering vultures like ourselves, eyeing up the prey, or fellow bar diners. Which diner would leave first?

We decided to keep our reservation and explore Penn Avenue and the surrounding area for some cocktails and appetizers. Luckily, we snagged two bar seats at Six Penn Kitchen and ordered a round of drinks and some delicious appetizers! I would highly recommend their Smoked Chicken Wings appetizer. They are coasted in a Gogujan hot sauce, garnished with sesame carrots and served with white miso aioli. Delicious!

Before we knew it, 10:00 pm had rolled around and I think by this point I was skipping to the restaurant. MEAT AND POTATOES did not disappoint. I repeat… did not disappoint. In fact, after we filled our bellies my husband said to me, “I think that is the best meal I have ever eaten!” I agreed! The Waitress suggested their Tartare appetizer. Dry aged strip with smoked eggs, chili, seaweed aioli and peanuts. The raw beef scared us yet intrigued us so we did what anyone would do… we ordered.

Amazing! Oh, my entree… well that was delicious too. I ordered the Wagyu Flat Iron which is served over Anson Mills nori grits. I have never been a grits girl but this flavor combination was wonderful and the beef was cooked to perfection.

TIP: This one is simple… Just go to MEAT AND POTATOES. You will not be disappointed.

Overall, I could talk Pittsburgh up even more. It is a great city. My overall suggestion, tackle the city in small bites. Plan multiple trips and make plans to experience different portions. There really is an endless list of possibilities. Check out VisitPittsburgh.com to learn more about the city and plan your itinerary. If you love Pittsburgh like we do, then share your favorite locations for lodging, dining, nightlife and sightseeing below.

And, because I love food and travel… I had to share!

Weekend Warriors – Deep Creek Lake

February 11, 2014

When it comes to jumping on a plane and seeing the world… I am no traveler. It is kind of sad, but anyone who knows me well, knows I am not the biggest fan of flying. I mean, my poor husband actually almost obliged to me cancelling our Honeymoon a day before our flight, which was already delayed a week from the scheduled departure (that is another story for another day) to opt for a good ol’ fashion roadtrip. I like cars. Let’s just keep it at that.

Therefore, when you decide to live life seeing the world through the comforts of your car… many may see it as limiting your possibilities. Now I don’t argue, I agree; however, I have learned that there is so much to see and explore in the United States and even more specifically throughout the Eastern United States, that my thoughts of limited possibilities, well they aren’t so limited.

Nathan and I have become quite the Weekend Warriors in our neck of the woods. We use to be better at it but stresses and responsibilities from work tend to get in the way sometimes. While friends and family chat about their upcoming travels to far away tropical islands… we tend to get slightly jealous. I mean I am a sucker for the ocean, sand and a Margarita in my hand and then my mind switches to airports and security and rushing to get to my flight and I am quickly back to my own reality. However, we have found over the years that traveling is what you make of it. Some of our BEST trips have been spur of the moment weekend getaways to Baltimore, MD to catch an Orioles Game followed by a mini food and beverage tour of Fells Point or a random weekend away to a quaint Chesapeake Bay town filled with sightseeing, great seafood and Bloody Marys.

I plan on sharing some of our favorite roadtrip spots in upcoming posts but for now I focus on one that is in our backyard… Deep Creek Lake, Maryland. For the past six years, my in-laws have chose to forgo individual birthday gifts for their children and their spouses and instead rent a Lake House for a long weekend. It is even complete with a birthday cake for us all to share. It was a great idea that originated a few years ago and has now grown into a welcomed tradition.

This year we dug a little deeper into the mountain for a cabin that was off the main roads and as a great surprise to us had a priceless view of the Lake.

View from our cabin in Deep Creek Lake

The first year we came we had just one little one, my niece, Ava, but now our little one is already five and our nieces and nephews have grown by four more!

My niece, Ava.

Brinnley Boo

The Twins and Baby Graysen.

The weekend included some skiers taking to the Mountain at Wisp Resort, a pizza take-out competition between Ledo’s and Brenda’s (my vote went to Ledo’s), some Winter Olympics action… oh, wait you thought I meant on TV? No, this weekend including our very own Luge construction on the mountainside, an Italian Dinner complete with homemade Spaghetti meat sauce and meatballs and some general downtime.

Luge Action

As I mentioned, I am blessed that Deep Creek Lake is just 40-minutes away from where I live, so we travel to the area quite a bit. In fact, we even were married there! Over the years our ski weekends have evolved. From multiple days skiing at Wisp to bar hopping along the Lake and from hiking nearby Swallow Falls State Park to local shopping at our favorite boutiques. The beauty of Deep Creek Lake is really that the area has so much to offer the traveler, and as our family expands, it is comforting to know that we can still come to same place for our travel.

If you are planning on making a trip to Deep Creek Lake during the winter here are my “Must Do” suggestions…

Rent a Home, Condo or Townhome. There are many Vacation Realities in Deep Creek Lake; however, we tend to go with Railey’s year after year. They have a great house selection and are super friendly!
Make some time to experience Wisp Resort. They really have some great winter amenities, especially if you are looking for a weekend with some adventure. From Skiing and Boarding to Snow Tubing, from Ice Skating to Snowmobiling and much more.
Food, Food & More Food. I love dining out! Especially at non-chain restaurants that are locally owned. You just get a great feeling and in my opinion, the food is usually much better. So, here are my winter Deep Creek dining suggestions – 1) Mountain State Brewing Co. – Hands down favorite! They brew their own beer and make the best flatbread pizzas. Try the Amber Ale – it is the best! 2) Black Bear Tavern – Don’t be fooled by the local bar feel. They make a Portobello Mushroom stuffed by Crab that is absolutely out of this world! 3) Canoe On The Run – Breakfast or Lunch that is healthy and quality driven – well this is the place. They do have a menu but what I really love is the chalkboard on the wall that lists out their daily specials, which change.
Nature at its’ finest. Winter at Deep Creek Lake is beautiful. From the frozen lake to the snow covered woodlands, it is truly a relaxing place. Get outdoors at Swallow Falls State Park (below is a picture from Ski Weekend 2013) or visit the hiking trails and Discovery Center at Deep Creek State Park.
Swallow Falls
Shop Local. If you have time to get out and spend some money I highly recommend visiting School House Earth, which features everything from dips, oils and sauces to home decor and paintings. Plus, take the kids, because they have a petting zoo complete with Llamas! I also enjoy FireFly Farms located in nearby Accident, Maryland, but I also love cheese, and if you do too – trust me stop! Finally, if time permits, head into downtown Oakland, Maryland. They have boutiques and many antique shops that just make browsing or hopefully buying fun.

Share your favorite Deep Creek Lake gems by commenting below, and happy traveling.

Zip Lock Baggie It

Baby Powder

Dig A Bed

Pack Snacks… And Well!

Freeze Water Bottles & Use As Ice

Beach Towel

Water Shoes

Pack A Spray Bottle of Vinegar

Reusable Shopping Bags

5 Gallon Bucket