Crystal Springs Resort: Getaway a Stone’s Throw Away
Let’s be honest—sometimes we just don’t feel like taking a long trip with our family. That’s why Crystal Springs Resort, located just 43 miles outside New York City, can make a great getaway option for which no boarding pass is required.
With 4,000 sprawling acres, Crystal Springs has a multitude of activities plus extraordinary pool options year-round.
The Resort
Lodgings are broken up into two buildings which are four minutes apart.
The AAA 4-diamond Grand Cascades Lodge has many rooms with kitchens. It’s also just an elevator ride down to the Biosphere pool, a heated biosphere (complete with large fish tank adjacent to the pool!) with tropical plants and a large slide perfect for the four feet and up crowd.
Grand Cascades also includes the luxurious Reflections Spa, which has a signature “Wine Cellar” treatment using wine-themed treatments such as a Crushed Cabernet scrub.
Minerals Hotel has a family-friendly 9-hole golf course, and both indoor and outdoor pools. It also has a large rock-climbing wall and a brand new arcade.
The Food
There are ten dining venues at Crystal Springs, but for a travelling family with small children, the best choices are to likely spend most of their time either in the Crystal Tavern or Biosphere Café next to the pool.
The Café has the bonus of offering gelato and frozen cocktails, and has family movie nights on a large screen. Crystal Tavern offers some childhood staple items on its children’s menu (all items are $12) such as hamburgers, pasta, chicken tenders and grilled cheese. All children’s food options come with a choice of fries or berries on the side.
Also, Grand Cascades Lodge offers the Chef’s Garden, which provides not only veggies for the upscale Restaurant Latour, but also for resort cocktails that the Resort mixologist uses to make his own infusions of vermouth and gin, staples in the construction of innovative and memorable libations.
Adventures and Activities
Golf is a main attraction here! With six championship caliber courses, Crystal Springs Resort is the Northeast’s largest golf destination. There are two 9-hole courses, Minerals and Cascades, which are ideal fairways for the whole family.
Some other aspects of the courses for children are oversized cups for ease of putting, junior tees, kid’s sized rental clubs, 4-seater golf carts and lessons.
Minerals Hotel also offers a rock-climbing wall and recently opened Minerals Game Lounge, which features PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Oculus VR, and, you don’t need a reservation. Their hours are 10am-10pm. The cost is by time spent in the lounge. 30 Minutes costs $15, 60 Minutes is $20.
Minerals Hotel is also home to the relaxing Elements Spa.
Packing Essentials
Bathing suits, goggles, flip-flops to get from room to pool, and water wings (if children are not swimming on their own yet) are all items to remember. Plus, don’t forget golf clubs, either adult or child sized, from home if you don’t want to rent.
A day outfit (for hiking, or play) plus at least one slightly-more dressed up dinner outfit can be thrown into your bag as well.
