Skytop Lodge GR
Skytop, PA (near Scranton)
Sorry, no hedge maze here.
1929, Robert White
Men's 6256, 70.2, 121, 71
June 2012 golf package rates start around $870 for 2 players. Summer room rates at the orignal lodge run upwards of $500/night.
4-1/2 stars by Golf Digest
Directions: From Scranton, take I-84 going E, get off at Exit 7 and turn S onto Route 397, drive 12 miles to the course, look for the resort entrance on the right. Fees: ~$45 Wknd.
Fat Guy Notes: My friend Deb has been taking family vacations at Skytop annually for 15 years, both on and off seaon. She says, "It's pricey, but the all-inclusive price tag includes all meals, and it's pretty good food too. Lots of activities winter or summer. Their small ski area avoids the lift lines of larger nearby resorts, but it's still only one mountain over from Camelback for more adventurous skiers, or to hit Camelback Beach waterpark during summer. Skytop also has hiking, dog sledding, downhill, cross country, indoor and outdoor pools, on-site restaurants, archery, biking, golf, kayaking, and more. Basically, wake up and pick an activity for the day. Lodging options include the 'Shining-like' lodge, the new Inn, or cottages with washer/dryer for daily drying of ski clothes."
Per Philadelphia Golf Monthly, Skytop Lodge is one of the Poconos premeir destinations. Originally developed in the 1920's as a private retreat, and set among 5,500 acres of wilderness. There's an abundance of recreational activities: lawn bowling, hiking, fishing, boating, and trap shooting. The 170-room Lodge resembles a Dutch colonial manor overlooking a 75-acre lake and surrounded by beautiful gardens. The high ceiling and huge stone fireplace in the main lobby reveal a relaxed atmosphere.
The course is set on a mountaintop with few elevation changes, making it an easy walk. Wide, inviting fairways prelude tricky approaches to small, well-bunkered greens.
Skytop recently underwent a $10.2 million renovation project at the resort. The rooms at the main lodge have been updated, a new inn was added, designed as a self-contained golf resort, featuring 22 rooms, restaurant, meeting room, and a deli. Course improvements include a new irrigation system, range, and 2 new holes have given the front side some teeth.
Where To Booze & Grub On-Site: Skytop's Tap Room is an English-style pub, or your kids will love bellying up to the counter at the old-school-drug-store style Tea Room. For dinner, hit the casual Lake View Restaurant, or the more formal Windsor Dining Room (jackets required).
The twin cities of Wilkes-Barre and Scranton (15 miles away) are the nearest semblances of civilization outside the resort. Yes, Scranton is the town where NBC's The Office is set.
Best Bar, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton: Office fans will head straight for Poor Richard's Pub. The Philly Inquirer says go for microbrews at Lion Brewery (Wilkes-Barre, www.lionsbrewery.com). Or hit the local outpost of the regional Kildare's Irish Pub chain, a Disney-esque version of the Irish pub. If it's more of a waterfront tiki bar kinda day, head for Cooper's Seafood Waterfront and Cabana Tiki Bar (304 Kennedy Blvd, Pittston, www.coopers-seafood.com).
Where To Grub, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton: For breakfast, the Philly Inquirer says go to the Glider Diner (890 Providence, Scranton, www.gliderdiner.com). For lunch, the Inquirer digs Coney Island Lunch (510 Lackawanna Ace, Scranton, www.texas-weiner.com) for a 1950's time warp so complete it extends to the menu prices for their chili-covered hotdogs ($1.95). Or check out one of the many pizzerias in Scranton's Old Forge neighborhood, known (hopefully somewhat fecitiously) as the "Pizza Capital Of The World", although "Pizza Capital Of The Poconos" would certainly be a true statement. The Inquirer likes the pie at Revello's Cafe (502 S Main), or 10Best.com gives a nod to Alfredo's Pizza Cafe (1040 S Washington). For dinner, go for authentic Thai at Thai Rak Thai (349 Adams Ave, www.thairakthai.com). Bring your own bottle, and order the beef salad and spicy stir fry. After a Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Yankees game in nearby Moscow, PA, try the Old Brooke Inn (State Hwy 307) for Continental and Italian fare. 10Best.com ranks Old Brooke as the top restaurant in the area, a "diamond in the rough" with "steaks that are better than Ruth Chris at half the price." For a more Brazilian steak experience, dine at Ipanema Grill, where flavorful meat is carved from skewers tableside, and they serve great Sangria. For wings, a foodie blog I found recommended The Patch in Dunmore with 10 different sauces on the menu, Mickey Gannon's- also a fave of Ralph's Roadmap of Wings, but avoid Tuesday wing night when the quality suffers from too much volume, The Loading Dock also in Dunmore, The Donkey Cafe in North Scranton, The Glass Onion in East Scranton, or The Clubhouse on the Upper South Side.
Further Distractions, Wilkes Barre/Scranton: Fans of The Office can take The Office Fan Tour of Scranton, which run once a month on a Saturday (www.theofficeconvention.com/newmail/). Maxim digs Mountain Streams Mini Golf at the Lahey Family Fun Park in Scraton. This par-51 course trades typical wacky mini-golf for some of the most challenging putts ever. Carved out of PA's Endless Mountains, it's got almost 35 feet of elevation changes, a huge waterfall, and fast-flowing streams. The only talking clown here will be you. Catch minor league sports with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Yankees (www.wbsyankees.com) or the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (www.wbspenguins.com). Then check out Steamtown, a nation historic monument dedicated to steam engines.