As a family of 6 with all boys ages 4-12 years old we don't plan many vacations because let's face it, it's not really a vacation...it's called a TRIP! With the cost of traveling these days we knew we wanted to get away but nothing too far from home. With Ellicottville just 2 hours away from Rochester, that was just the distance for us (to tolerate a road trip with 4 kids). I had always thought of this area as a ski destination, but I was wrong (there I said it)! Holiday Valley had scenic views andall the amenities we needed to relax and be entertained.
We stayed at the Holiday Valley Tamarak Club, it was like checking into an apartment with 3-bedrooms, 3-bathrooms, a spacious kitchen, living room, 2 balconies and even our own laundry machine!! Boy did it make a difference having that space during this trip for our large family!
Looking back, I do wish I brought more food to make in the huge kitchen, but we honestly wanted to try out all the local restaurants as well.
Our first evening we tried out the Ellicottville Brewing Company right in the village, we really enjoyed the outdoor seating!
We realized after dinner walking in the village during the weekdays most shops are open 11am-5pm. We did get in some evening swimming time at the pool which my boys enjoyed very much and made them nice and tired for bedtime.
The first full day there we were able to get breakfast on-site and the kids played games on the activity deck, there was something for everyone!
Then we headed out to the Sky High Adventure Park right up the road, literally 1-minute driving time from our resort. There are specific height and age requirements which left our kids ages doing different activities. My 12- and 7-year-old were all about the ropes course...
And my 4- and 8-year-old did some Gem mining and brought home a huge back of shiny rocks!
We were all able to do the Sky Flier Mountain Coaster which we did several times over and over again, so much fun! They did have a cafeteria on-site to grab lunch, but we opted to try out another restaurant in the village.
After our lunch we then headed to the 3-pool complex which features a toddler pool, a lap pool and an activity pool with a slide and diving board and several multi-tiered sun decks. Reservations are suggested on weekdays and are required on weekends. If there are any unreserved spots left for the swim sessions, they will welcome walk-in customers. But weekends generally sell out, so it is advisable to reserve ahead. Pool guests will be given a wrist band so they can enter and exit the pool area during their session. This reserved area had wait staff to serve drinks…that was super nice for my husband and I!! The boys loved the water slide and the one pool that was pretty much all one depth that wasn’t over their head and not at “baby” depth either. We then ordered our dinner right from the hotel restaurant which was delicious and very convenient.
Friday morning, we took our time waking up, packed up our car and check out is at 11am. We went right into the village to do some shopping and opted for ice cream at The Tea Bar for our lunch!
On our way out of town to head back home we were told about a Griffis Sculpture Park to check out which the kids could climb on the sculptures and had some pretty views by a pond.
We had a great little family getaway thanks to the Ellicottville Chamber of Commerce, helping us plan our stay!
