Greek Peak Mountain Resort

Great outdoor activity options for the whole family

Greek Peak Mountain Resort offers families plenty of things to do surrounded by beautiful scenery. Whether you like to ski, snowboard, snow tube or opt for some of the activities at the Adventure Center, Greek Peak has something for you.

My family and I visited this resort during ski season to check out their winter offerings. They also have options available during the warmer months as well. We stayed at Hope Lake Lodge right across the street from the ski slopes, so it was super convenient. You can walk down or take a free shuttle or even drive so that you're not lugging equipment farther than you'd like to. The parking lot is very close to the lodge area and the slopes so that you're also not walking a huge distance once you're here. The lot was a bit muddy, so be prepared for that, but it was adequate for what you need it for.

Our group was able to head into the lodge and ticketing area and get our lift passes and a rental ticket quickly and efficiently. It was a Thursday and it was not at all crowded, so this was a treat. The rental shop is a bit of a walk around the outside of the building which wasn't optimal, but the service there was great. This is also one of the places where helmets are not included in your equipment rental, which I don't like, but I guess if you're a helmet-hater you don't have to pay for what you don't use? I got a helmet because I don't need that worry, though :).

After we were equipped, we headed to the lifts and the slopes. The lines were tiny and the staff was helpful in getting us seated and on our way quickly. We found the slopes to be nice and wide and had a lot of fun navigating them and testing our skills. They had not had much snow at the mountain this year so they had challenges getting and keeping the trails maintained, but we were able to enjoy them nonetheless and thought they did a good job with what they had to work with. My snowboarding sons explored the trails and liked what they saw as well. Recently they added a faster lift to the area and folks seemed happy that they weren't spending so long getting back up the trails, which was nice. The newer management here seems dedicated to making and keeping things nice and updating the things that they can, so I'm sure there will be more improvements as time goes on. There are over 32 trails of varying terrain here, so there's sure to be an area to fit your needs. If you're a beginner, you can take lessons, too. I stopped by that area and saw folks of all ages learning how to handle themselves in the snow, saw them practice getting up the mountain again and get the hang of what they were doing. I would recommend a lesson should you not be sure of your skills, because they do seem to do a good job getting folks comfortable on the mountain.

There is a lodge here and food options should you need them. They have put in a new restaurant with both indoor and outdoor seating which was comfortable, warm, and bright to sit in. The food was decent as well and didn't make you feel like you were eating junk. There are also grab-and-go options should you not want to sit down for waitress service. You may also visit the Adventure Center for zip lining, the mountain coaster, a ropes course, euro bungy and snow tubing. There is also a playland for little ones 6 and under with a sand box, swing set and bounce house, but you must be there to supervise your kids. There are some fun options here for kids to take part in no matter what season it is.

I woud recommend visiting Greek Peak Mountain Resort for all of the enjoyable outdoor activity options that you can do as a family. Its a great opportunity to get out and get active as a group and explore this scenic area. Go for a long weekend or a quick getaway and give the kids some play time they'll really enjoy!

*Disclosure - My family and I were provided lift tickets, a rental and snow tubing tickets for the purpose of reviewing the resort and its offerings. No other compensation was provided, and the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.

Great resort for Families

Recently, our family took a short vacation at a new resort up in the Finger Lakes region of NY State. It's about a 4 hour drive from me, traveling west on Route 80 through Pennsylvania and up to New York. Scranton is at the midway point.

The resort is set among gently rolling hills and farmland. It's sort of a surprise when you come upon it in the midst of such an unassuming setting. Nearby is the downtown of Cortland where we stopped for lunch as soon as we got there. All over town were signs welcoming the NY Jets--they were in town for their training camp at the SUNY campus.

We lucked out in our lunch spot. Definitely check out Pita Gourmet on 41 Main Street. They have really good Lebanese dishes like falafel, gyros, and kebabs. My kids liked their fish sticks and fries. Prices were reasonable too.

At the resort we were greeted by their super friendly staff who gave us wristbands for our stay. This was our waterpark pass and room key. It was nice not to have to worry about your keys all the time and they're pretty laid back at the water park--they didn't check our wrists for them.

The entrance and lobby are beautiful--high arching ceiling and woodsy touches. It reminded me of the hotel we stayed at when in Disney World--Wilderness Lodge. They only just opened in December of 2009 so everything is brand spanking new.

There are 106 units with full kitchens and fireplaces. Our first room had a spiral staircase to a loft with two bunk beds. I knew our kids would be climbing that staircase (which had openings between the stairs) and I wouldn't be able to relax. So, we changed to a room that had just one floor and a Murphy bed in the living room.

I thought the rooms were comfy, clean, and more than adequate for our needs. It was nice to have a full kitchen, too! I don't think they were as luxurious as Grand Cascades Lodge but definitely better than Mineral Springs (see my review of Crystal Springs here).

After a quick change we headed to the 41,000 square foot indoor waterpark. It was much cleaner than the ones I've been to in NJ. Also, there were numerous lifeguards patrolling the area. Lifevests are provided for the kids. There is a water play structure (with the huge dump bucket on top), a smaller area for kids with slide, wave pool (mimics swimming in the ocean), and a pool that goes outdoors. In the back is a basketball area. The waterpark never got really crowded so it was really relaxing for us and the kids had a great time in the water.

It's heated to 84 degrees so no need to worry about getting cold. There are also the 3 story slides for the adventurous. Outside the waterpark are the typical arcade games. Also nearby is the Bearfoot Den Kids Activity Center. It was a very nice room with Wii gaming system, toys, etc. They will watch your kids for $10/hour per kid and they also have activities nightly from 6-8pm. That night they had a PJ and ice cream party. They are open every day from 9am to 5pm M-F and Sat/Sun 8 to 5:30pm. This is great if you want some alone time or if you want to hit the ski slopes in the winter.

While we were there they also had a local theater group come perform Alice in Wonderland on the back patio. In addition: a bouncy obstacle, table/lawn games, and storytime at night. Very kid friendly!

  Nearby is Hope Lake Park where you can rent a boat, do some fishing, or play on the beach. We walked towards it from the back of the hotel but could not get to it. It's a pretty long trail. I suggest you drive there if you want to check it out.

The only dining besides fast food at the waterpark is Acorn Grill. We had some clams and a salad. The food was good but a bit pricey. If you go into town on the main drag you can find Friendly's, Ponderosa, a fish fry place, etc. The restaurants on Main Street (where the Pita Gourmet is) are more upscale.

pictures here:
http://www.mirabest.com/mirabest/2010/08/hope-lake-lodge-at-greek-peak-mountain-resort.html
While my kids caught the show, I headed over to the onsite spa. I chose the Micro Exfoliation cascading waterfalls treatment first. Basically, you lie down on this souped up tub and get scrubbed with microbeads while water comes down from jets to wash it off. I felt silky smooth all over afterward!

Then, I had the 5 Element Aromatherapy massage. She used 5 different scents that were heavenly and very relaxing as she worked at my sore muscles. It was bliss for this mommy of three!

I highly recommend this place if you want a staycation that's very kid friendly. I imagine the fall is beautiful with the leaves changing all around. The Cortland apples are from this region and you can do apple picking at an orchard near there. The locals are so friendly and really accommodating. That was one of the nicest aspects of the trip!

In the winter you have a ski slope literally across the street (Greek Peak) so there's plenty to keep you occupied year round. I had the sense that the lodge is still "under the radar"....but once word gets out I'm sure they'll be busy. If your kids like water and you like cleanliness then this would definitely be worth the 4 hour ride!