Massanutten Resort in Massanutten, Virginia

*Originally published on 8/25/09


My roommate and I recently made the grueling 20 hour drive to the east coast. We spent the first half of the week at a timeshare one of his relatives owns. The housing is built like condos or duplexes, but it's all within a vast resort setting.

The housing is quite nice. There are 2 bedrooms, one with a queen and another with two twin beds, the sofa is also a pull out so there is plenty of room for everyone. The tv actually has RCA inputs so you can bring a video game console with you. They have a store where you can rent games, you can rent consoles as well, but that costs quite a bit of money. The internet is free and you don't need a password to sign on, though you do only get access for 24 hour blocks, then you have to click to agree to another 24 hour block of access.

There are all sorts of activities you can try out. They offer an activity card, it costs 100 bucks, but it reduces the cost of some of the activities. If you are staying for a full week, I'd say get one, but if you're only there for the weekend, it's not worth it.

They have all sorts of stuff to do, they have indoor and outdoor pools, a driving range, a few golf courses, tennis courts, an arcade, a gym, and all sorts of other activities. They literally have a whole menu of activities to choose from. My roommate and I were only there for 3 days so we didn't get to everything, but there is something for everyone.

The resort is up in the mountains so don't be surprised if you find yourself exhausted at the end of the day. For the first time since high school, I picked up a tennis racket and played again. Even with the frequent trips to the gym, I was still winded pretty quickly, just because the air is so thin. Even on days where we didn't do much in the way of physical activity, I found myself exhausted come 10 pm. It was pretty jarring.

Near the resort they have go-karts, a water park, and a mini-golf course. These cost extra and aren't part of the resort deal, but they are inexpensive and well worth the cost. Go-karts are always awesome times and if you go during the summer, you can't beat a trip to the water park. The tube slides are quite enjoyable. I suggest you get another person to go down with you on those, the one time I went solo, it wasn't quite as exhilarating as the others. My roommate expressed the same sentiment.

If you're looking for a place to get away for a few days, whether it be for a family vacation or just for a retreat away from the stresses of everyday life, you should check out this resort. I suspect it will do the trick. While I didn't get much writing done due to activities, I think it would make an excellent writer's retreat. It's a bit secluded and if you go by yourself, there won't be anything to bother you.