This article is part of Jmore’s May/June 2021 Travel Issue featuring nearby getaways for the not-so-accidental tourist.
It’s been a couple of years since I spent a magical three days at the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort. But the memories are still fresh and special.
Located just 3½ hours from Baltimore in the southwestern Pennsylvania community of Farmington, the 2,000-acre resort is a wonderful destination for families, couples, “boys” and “girls” getaways, and anyone craving a safe and luxurious vacation.
Due to COVID-19, the resort is taking careful precautions right now, including social distancing in bars and restaurants, temperature checks upon arrival and mask-wearing in public spaces.
The first thing you’ll notice when you arrive at the resort is its beauty. Gorgeous flowers surround the Chateau, the resort’s main hotel, which is designed after the Ritz in Paris.
Treat yourself to a stay at the glitzy Chateau or choose between the resort’s many other lodging options.
We stayed at The Lodge, a more casual hotel that is simple but still elegant. There’s also The Homes at Nemacolin, which are equipped with kitchens and plenty of room for family and groups; The Estates, super-upscale homes that can also accommodate many people; and Falling Rock, a luxury boutique hotel offering stylish Art Deco interiors and personalized butler service! You rang?
Falling Rock was inspired by the work of renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright, whose designed homes Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob are a short drive from the resort.
And speaking about Wright, visiting Fallingwater — which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places — was a highlight of my trip to Nemacolin. Built by Wright in 1935 as a retreat for the Kaufmann family, owners of Pittsburgh’s largest department store, the home and its 469-acre grounds were donated to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy in 1963.
Although the inside of Fallingwater is currently closed to tours, it’s expected to reopen when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania determine that it is safe to do so. In any case, the home’s setting alone is worth the trip. Built on top of a waterfall, the grounds and the sounds there are absolutely spectacular.
Back at the resort, there is no shortage of things to do, no matter your age, interests and energy level. Nemacolin has a luxurious spa and wellness center that includes a fitness area, salon, swimming pool and holistic healing center that offers various spa services as well as massage, acupuncture and bodywork.
Golfers will love the resort’s two Pete Dye-designed courses, while the ropes course will attract visitors young and old. There is also a casino, bowling alley, art classes, bicycle rentals, paintball and even an onsite wildlife habitat.
As far as dining goes, you can’t do better than Nemacolin’s four restaurants. Rockwell’s a classic steakhouse; Barattolo, a relatively casual Italian eatery; Aqueous, a Frank Lloyd Wright-themed seafood restaurant; and Lautrec, one of only 32 Forbes Five-Star and AAA Five-Diamond restaurants in the world! Not only is the food at Lautrec incredible, you’ll be dining among the six first-print lithographs by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec on display in the restaurant.
If you prefer more casual eateries or just want a snack to hold you over, check out the ultra-chilled Tavern, which serves baked goods, coffee and smoothies. Above all, don’t miss PJ’s Ice Cream Parlor. The kids will love it!
Nemacolin is rather pricey, but check its website (nemacolin.com) for some discounted packages.
After more than a year in quarantine, we all deserve some R&R somewhere special.
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