The elusive weekend getaway is something many people struggle to find. It can’t be too far away, but it needs to offer enough to keep you busy. In family friendly entertainment, the Split Rock Resort makes an excellent weekend getaway in the Poconos Mountains.
The Poconos makes a great all-season destination close to many of the East Coast’s biggest cities. In winter, you can carve turns at the Jack Frost Big Boulder ski resorts less than a 10 minute drive away. Our visit was in the early spring and we took the chance to catch up on some skiing. In the summer, there is zip lining and alpine coasters at Camelback Mountain Adventures, paintball, ATV riding and even hiking.
There are lots of things to do right on the Split Rock property. The highlight is the massive indoor H2Oooohh!! Waterpark located in the Town Center/Galleria. The waterpark features a wave pool, kiddie pool, Pennsylvania’s first indoor flow rider, two hot tubs and three different slides (four stories of vertical drop). The sprawling 53,000+ square foot indoor waterpark offers a great way to spend a day.
This resort is actually actually a Poconos success story. While some resorts in the area have gone downhill and many are totally abandoned, Split Rock is going through a massive renovation effort. The Town Center has been totally renovated and upgraded with a new movie theater, food court, and lobby. The guest rooms in the historic lodge have been upgraded. And more changes are to come.
We really didn’t know what to expect from the resort. We discovered a fantastic family-friendly weekend escape.
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Our Split Rock Resort Review
The Resort Property
The Resort: The resort occupies an edge of Lake Harmony in Pennsylvania’s Poconos Mountains. The resort is mixed use and has a lodge, condos and even private residences mixed together. Special note: The property is rustic, so watch out for deer running onto the roadways.
The Restaurants: There are a number of restaurants at the Split Rock Resort complex. At the Town Center/Galleria, there is a sit-down restaurant called the Split Rock Grill as well as the Galleria Market, which serves pizza by the slice as well as whole pizzas. Down on the shores of Lake Harmony, the Lake View Tavern is a fine dining restaurant with lake views. We had dinner at the Lake View Tavern one night and thought the food was very good.
The Lounge: The Rock Bar at the Town Center/Galleria and the Thirsty Moose Saloon at the Lodge will keep you well hydrated.
The Concierge: The front desk staff are able to help you with any special requests.
The Spa and Recreational Facilities: There is a full recreational complex at the Town Center/Galleria within the resort complex, including: three indoor tennis courts, a squash court, a full gym, and a bowling alley. The Town Center has an indoor pool and hot tub for guests.
Adjacent to the Town Center/Galleria is the H2Oooohh!! waterpark. There is an onsite golf course (Sunset Green), outdoor tennis courts, volleyball courts, basketball courts, miniature golf, and an outdoor pool.
Split Rock Resort Rooms
The Rooms: We stayed in a one-bedroom suite in the Willowbrook V building overlooking the golf course. Our room had a kitchen, dining room table that seated four, a couch and a fireplace in the main room. The bedroom with queen bed was separated by a closeable door. Of the living room was a small balcony with two small chairs.
Special note: There is no staff on site at the townhouse buildings. This became an issue for us when our room key card became demagnetized and we had to drive all the way back to the Town Center to get it fixed.
The Bed: The queen bed was perfect – not too firm and not too soft for our tastes.
The WiFi: The resort has excellent free wifi.
The Television: The room had a flat panel TV on a dresser opposite the bed. There was also a flat panel TV mounted above the fireplace in the living room.
The Bathroom
The Bathroom: The bathroom was very large. We had a shower and large Jacuzzi bathtub. The Jacuzzi tub is perfect for soaking after a long day skiing.
Visiting Split Rock Resort
The Cost: The one bedroom suites in the Willowbrook complex go from $132 per night.
The Location: The resort is located near the junction of I-80 and I-476 (the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike) in Pennsylvania’s Poconos Mountains. It’s about two hour drive west of New York City and an hour and a half drive north of Philadelphia.
The Transportation: The resort is best reached via private car and there is ample parking available at the resort.
The Airport Transfer: The resort is located 48 miles from the Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE). The nearest major airports are Newark Liberty International (EWR) and Philadelphia International (PHL) – both airports are exactly 102 miles from the resort.
The Address: 100 Moseywood Road, Lake Harmony, PA 18624
The Website: www.splitrockresort.com/ (Check latest prices here.)
The Final Verdict: A Split Rock Review
Whether you come in summer or winter, this Poconos resort is a great weekend escape, especially for families.
We were the guests of the resort and the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau. All opinions of the wet and relaxing are our own.
Lance Longwell is a travel writer and photographer who has published Travel Addicts since 2008, making it one of the oldest travel blogs. He is a life-long traveler, having visited all 50 of the United States by the time he graduated high school. Lance has continued his adventures by visiting 70 countries on 5 continents – all in search of the world’s perfect sausage. He’s a passionate foodie and enjoys hot springs and cultural oddities. When he’s not traveling (or writing about travel), you’ll find him photographing his hometown of Philadelphia.
JackT
Thursday 16th of February 2023
I was there the night the lodge burned down. I'll never forget it. I was in grade school.
Roger
Thursday 11th of June 2020
That was cool. I still remember the advertisement tune from when it used to come on during the daily 4:30 movie. I was to young to go there, but we did go a number of times To Action Park in neighboring Vernon Valley.