Family Fun at Massanutten Resort, Virginia
By: Christy Paulen, Calendar Editor, FamiliesONLY
Categories: Family Fun
What a great place to take your entire family! Nestled in the Shenandoah Mountains outside Harrisonburg, Massanutten Resort has been providing family fun in all four seasons for over 40 years. My husband recently took our boys, ages 7 & 10, there for “Scout Day” (where they received discounted rates on skiing lessons and rentals for being a scout) and they loved the change of scenery.
Massanutten Resort is not just a winter destination, but offers numerous activities all year long. About a 2 and a half hour drive from Washington, DC, it is also a very scenic drive. Tip: instead of I-66 to I-81 S, take I-66 to US-340 S and take the scenic route down the Shenandoah Valley. It doesn’t take any more time and you’re sure to see some interesting sites.
Winter Fun: Skiing and Tubing
The skiing is great and so convenient! Anchored by the ski resort offering over 1100’ of vertical drop, 14 trails, and numerous lifts and even a terrain park, the resort is most popular in winter. The renowned “Slope Sliders” ski school for kids will help get everyone on the mountain, and Mom and Dad can enjoy live music at the lodge’s lounge on weekends. Tip: reservations are required. Call several weeks in advance to reserve Slope Sliders during holidays, including President’s Day. For those tired of skiing, the snow tubing run offers winter fun in two-hour increments, perfect for a day off of the slopes. My boys have gone snow tubing 2 times and would go back again and again-they had a blast!
Waterpark and More Fun
My husband and I took our family to the year-round waterpark over President’s Day and had a wonderful time! The waterpark offers 8 slides, a lazy river, a FlowRider, hot tubs, and a 1,000 gallon bucket that dumps every 5 minutes. Summertime adds the outdoor slides and pools as well. The waterpark is a separate charge so plan to spend most of the day there to make it worth it. The resort also features two recreation centers, Le Club and Woodstone Recreation Center. Both have large indoor pools, ping pong, arcade games, but Le Club has a huge basketball court with lots of baskets for some one-on-one with your little basketball fan. Rec center admission is included with hotel stays and timeshare rentals. We played basketball, ping pong and spent some time playing video games while we were there. Super fun!
Summer Fun
When the snow has melted, Massanutten offers several attractive additional recreational options. There is a golf course that runs right through the resort and has challenging elevation, and an executive course that is a bit more level. In the summer there is a go-cart track to energize the family, in addition to great hikes, tennis, mini-golf, spas and so much more. I recommend getting the family to Massanutten for a weekend or a week and create a fun family memory unlike any other in the mid-Atlantic! http://www.massresort.com/
Free weekly, kids events eNewsletter
Stay up-to-date on local child-friendly events and info with our FREE eNewsletter.