Willow Valley Resort in Lancaster County, The Perfect Family Getaway

Willow Valley's Olde Fashioned Holiday Package includes a ride on the Santa
Express at Strasburg Railroad

Winter is just beginning, but already my family and I need a vacation. Sure, I can dream about throwing caution to the wind and charging thousands on the credit card for a tropical all-inclusive, but that's about as prudent as driving a Jet Ski into a hurricane. And with the holiday cheer cozily enveloping us, I'm thinking a traditional, old-fashioned, chestnuts-roasting-on-an-open-fire family vacay is what the APISS crew needs.

Thank goodness the Willow Valley Resort in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania is just a short drive away, offering fabulous family vacations for seriously bargain prices.

Indoor heated water park for kids at Willow Valley

We love staying at Willow Valley in the heart of Amish country and a mere two hours from our home on the Maryland-DC border. Since having kids, the Strasburg Rail Road and all of the family-friendly activities in Lancaster County have been our favorite weekend destination, and now Willow Valley is our favorite place to stay. The resort is close to an unbelievable array of kidtastic destinations like the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania and Dutch Wonderland.

Willow Valley itself is packed with fun right at the resort and is a destination in itself. And in November, December and January, Willow Valley ramps up the holiday fun and provides idyllic family vacations that don't require airfare for DC families. The prices at Willow Valley are incredible and the bundling of hotel, meals and kids activities makes booking a vacation here very easy on the budget. There is the Thanksgiving Weekend Package that still has room, kids stay and eat free packages, the Olde Fashioned Holiday weekend getaway package, Strasburg Rail Road packages and the always popular New Years Party Package with an indoor carnival for kids, dance for parents and families and options to drop off kids age 5 and up for activities without mom and dad.

New Years Eve carnival at Willow Valley

Cynthia Sikora, a mother of three boys age 17, 15 and 7 from Morganville, NJ remarked, "We're here with four other families, and for all of us and our kids, this place is the best find ever. The kids are having a ball exploring the place, taking advantage of the amenities and they're so busy that I get a chance to relax. It's good for a family like ours with kids at a variety of ages." I met Cynthia in the kids craft room, where her seven year old helped my four year old design one very cool pirate treasure map.

The young adult staff members that lead the children's activities are great with the kids. Jen Holliday of Lampeter, PA began working at Willow Valley in high school and is now a Recreation Assistant. Jen says, "I get to meet lots of people and lots of families come back year after year. You see great-grandparents with the great-grandkids and everyone is able to have fun together. The big celebrations at Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's and Easter are the best times. We just load the schedule with fun stuff for families."

Feeding animals at Willow Valley's on-site farm

On our recent trip to Willow Valley this fall, here is what my family and I enjoyed at the resort:

• 3 heated indoor pools and a heated indoor waterpark for the kids with slides and sprayers
  
• Breakfast and dinner buffets with delicious, wholesome food that appealed to both health-minded foodie parents and picky kids
  
• Family movie night on the golf course after dark, where we snuggled on blankets, ate popcorn and watched Peter Pan on the back of a barn
• Daily kids arts and crafts
  
• On-site working farm where the kids met the animals, gathered eggs and took a wagon ride
• Game room and arcade that rivaled Chuck E. Cheese and offers prizes of small toys and candy
  
• Helpful staff that answered any little question with cheer and kindness. One concierge went out of her way to find us the closest and most family-friendly Catholic Mass to attend on Sunday morning...not a small feat! There's also a non-denominational Sunday worship service at the resort in the chapel.

Train ride on the Strasburg Rail Road

Stuff offered at the resort that sounded awesome, but that we didn't personally experience:

• Family activities for elementary-teen aged kids like karaoke, scavenger hunts, dance party, bingo and pool games. Just like a cruise or all-inclusive, there's tons of options for family activities on-site that changes daily.
• 9-hole golf course and access to a nearby 18-hole
• Outdoor game courts
• On-site spa, with massages, facials, mani-pedis
• Complimentary bus tour of Lancaster County
  

So if you too are jonesing for a vacation, get thee to Lancaster County, PA and stay at the Willow Valley Resort. You won't come home tan, but you'll return relaxed, refreshed, utterly unphased about the expense, and with some beautiful family memories!