I do not even know where to begin. Me and a few other bloggers were selected to review Refreshing Mountain. They are located in Lancaster, Pa area. I took the whole family to check out the activities they had planned for us. When we arrived we were just blown away by the cleanliness of the grounds. They have 80 acres of land and it was just clean and "refreshing". Even the air felt a little cleaner. You can tell the difference just being here that it was special. We checked into the Office and were greeted by the very friendly staff. We were early so we took our itinerary and decided to walk around the grounds a bit.
They have a huge Pool area, Cafe, Basketball Court, Playground, and etc. When it turned 10 am we were to begin our activities. The first one was called the "Giant Swing", which you are harness to a cord and pulled up to the top of the pole. When you are told, you must pull on the Orange cord and you go swinging! It was so cool that my 6 yr old son was the first to want to volunteer, but his father went first. (check out the videos below) After everyone had a turn to experience the swing we went to the next adventure.
The Climbing Tower was the next thing on the agenda and they had so many different levels you could choose from. They had one for small children, easy level, medium level and Extreme Level. They also had a Race Wall so you could challenge a friend up the wall to see who was the fastest to ring the bell. That was very fun to watch people try and race up the wall. (check out the video below)
We then had a tour of the grounds and the cabins which I must say were absolutely beautiful. When you walk in, you would think they were brand new, but the rooms are suprisingly, 6 yrs old! They all had a very new smell and look. We were told that they make sure everything is always in tip-top shape and you could tell. The cabins were very spacious, included a Living Room, huge dining room table, kitchen stocked with pots, pans, utensils, 2 bedrooms (1 queen, 4 bunk beds), Wifi, and Microwave. There is no Television in the rooms.
We were then treated to a Delicious Free Buffet lunch! Then we were off to explore the Wildlife. They have a Reptile Center which was pretty cool. We got to see a Rattlesnake and it was pretty neat since a lot of us never seen or heard one before. They had a Boa, Baby Alligator, Gecko, Frogs and etc. We then went back outside and they brought out a small and big Tortoise.
Baby Alligator
Boa
We then headed over to the "Elevated Obstacle Course" which was pretty terrifying for me. I am afraid of Heights but I said I would do things differently in 2019 so I was going to do it. The Obstacle course consists of three different height levels. The first level is high off the ground but is suitable for 5 yr old. The second level is much higher and is suitable for 8 yr olds, the third level is pretty extreme, we did not get to experience that level (which I was ok with). I was traumatized just on level one. You are completely harnessed and they teach you how to maneuver the cord through the course. I just have to say, I was so scared at certain points that the staff was so encouraging and caring. I remember feeling like I couldn't do it, and the one staff member stated that he would come to help me get through it. (See Pics Below)
Our last activity of the day was "Flying V Run" (Ziplining). I was terrified, but I was determined to do it and check it off my bucket list. We were the last family to go up and I had such a numb feeling I wanted to scream and run away. When it was our turn to go up, I wanted to go first to get it over with. When I stood up on the box as he hooked up my cords, I wanted to get off and run. He assured me I would be ok and I could do it, so I sat and was off to the other end of the woods where another staff member would get me on the platform. Remember this is a Flying V so we have to do the other part. I watched as the rest of my family zipped over to me and got anxiety when my 6 yr old was coming. I kept thinking just hold on, omg, just hold on. To my surprise, he was absolutely fine, haha. He loved it so much that when we were done, they asked if anyone wanted to go again and he jumped at the opportunity.
My Final Thoughts
This was an absolutely amazing experience. There is something for everyone and you get to learn a little about yourself in the process. We will be planning a stay here in the coming months. I highly recommend visiting Refreshing Mountain as a family vacation!
About Refreshing Family Fun & Adventure
Refreshing Mountain is a year-round retreat and adventure center providing family-friendly fun and refreshment for over 30 years in Lancaster County, PA. We provide facilities and services for large group retreats and rent cabins for overnight getaways. We also provide a variety of outdoor adventures, day field trips and corporate team building events with activities including zipline canopy tours, climbing tower, problem solving challenges and much more. Our center is built on 80 acres of beautiful Pennsylvania woodland and is conveniently located just 25 minutes north of Lancaster, 30 minutes east of Hershey and 90 minutes west of Philadelphia. Come and be refreshed!
Boa
