I love the feeling of swishing down a mountain with the wind whistling by, and feeling the rush of my skis on the snow. This is an experience I shared with my sisters growing up and then in college with my friends. I finally got the chance to share this feeling with my daughter, as we took in the beauty and excitement of Camelback Mountain in Pennsylvania. We also learned about all of the other great activities Camelback has to offer and even tried some out!
Our first adventure was a skiing lesson for my daughter, since this was her first time being on skis. We geared up in the rental services with boots and skis (they also offer snowboards and helmets) and headed out to the slopes. She was so excited to try a new sport and get out on the snow! Camelback already had a nice covering of snow, with over 1,200 snowmaking guns working hard. The instructors had my daughter heading down the slope right away and she loved it! It was exhilarating for me, knowing that here was a fun, outdoor activity that we could enjoy together.
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Camelback has 38 trails, 16 lifts, and even offers ski-in/ski-out restaurants, so you can grab a meal without having to worry about your gear. With 166 acres of property, ski camps, snowtubing, a mountain coaster, ziplines and more, there is something to interest everyone in your family. The Pennsylvania Ski Areas Association (PSAA) helps promote skiing through Ski PA, which provides lots of information about skiing and other winter activities throughout Pennsylvania. You can find deals and information about events and plan a trip to our beautiful, neighboring state. There are discounted packages for first-time skiers/snowboarders that include: a beginner lift ticket, group lesson and complete rental equipment (Quantities are limited, so sign up soon!). Have 4th or 5th graders in your family? Ski PA has snowpasses that let them ski or snowboard free with a paying adult, up to three times.
After conquering the bunny slope and getting some great feedback from her instructor, we were hungry and looking for a hot drink. I like having selection when it comes to food, and not feel like its fast food or nothing, so having many choices, from a buffet, to pizza, to a grille, to enjoy makes Camelback a welcome respite after building up an appetite on the mountain. Another aspect that I loved is the Lodge at Camelback Resort. The room was comfortable and had a balcony, and the bathroom had fluffy towels (that's a signal to me that they know how to treat their guests). I was checking out the other amenities they offer and I'm already planning on visiting the luxury spa on my next trip there.
I really enjoyed getting to spend so much time exploring and having fun with my daughter doing things she'd (and sometimes I had) never tried before. Her love of the snow and swishing through it grew even more when we tried the Galactic Snowtubing. Camelback offers the largest snowtubing park in the country! At night, they light it up with lots of color and music to heighten the excitement. My daughter couldn't get enough of it and would have stayed all night if I let her.
This trip to Camelback brought my daughter and I closer together, allowing us to find common interests, enjoy new exciting activities, and really connect in a way we hadn't before, due to our busy schedules. It was a chance to bond, which is important to me since she'll be heading into the teen years soon. Seeing her enthusiasm for all of the fun things to do warmed my heart. Our bonding continued as we floated, splashed and played in the Aquatopia Indoor Waterpark. We spent the day with a few other publishers and their kids, and we all had a blast! I admit that my favorite was the Lost River, because I got to be, well, lazy just floating in the warm, relaxing water. After the thrill of speed on the slopes and in the tubing park, the waterslides were the perfect way to finish off our trip. Aquatopia has a transparent roof, so there's natural daylight making it feel like you're at the beach. It was voted the #1 waterpark in the U.S. in a USA Today poll, and offers 13 water slides, pools for all ages, the Bombora Flowrider for surfing, and much more.
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There is even more to do at Camelback, with an arcade, minigolf, and the K2 Climb, just to name a few. With so many options, and so much fun waiting to be enjoyed, I know we'll be back! Find out more about Camelback Mountain at www.skicamelback.com, and visit www.camelbackresort.com for information about the Lodge and Aquatopia.
Disclosure: SkiPA and Camelback Mountain hosted my family for the purposes of this review. All opinions are solely that of the author.
