How to Keep Your New Year’s Resolutions at Canaan Valley Resort

It is easy to make new year’s resolutions but often difficult to keep your new year’s resolutions. With a number of winter activities to experience, therapeutic facilities to enjoy, and variety of food options to sample, Canaan Valley Resort struck me as a most convenient place to keep your new year’s resolutions.

That realization struck me this past weekend—the first weekend of the young year—while I was on a group press trip sponsored by Canaan Valley Resort.

Below are some common resolutions along with my recommendations to keep your new year’s resolutions when staying at Canaan Valley Resort.

Keep Your New Year’s Resolutions at Canaan Valley Resort

Lose Weight at Canaan Valley Resort

Skiing burns a lot of calories and Canaan Valley Resort is a great place for skiing. Located in the highest US mountain valley east of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, they have 47 ski trails including Timber Trail, which is a mile and a quarter long. 80% of the runs are categorized for avid skiers (36% for intermediate and 44% for advanced/expert skiers).

ski lift at Canaan Valley ski resort
ski lift at Canaan Valley ski resort

The resort also has a fitness center, pool, hot tub, and sauna—free for resort guests—to further support your weight loss goals.

fitness center at Canaan Valley ski resort
fitness center at Canaan Valley ski resort

Eat Healthy at Canaan Valley Resort

Dining options are varied so you can have something light and healthy while your kids and friends chow on chicken fingers and fries. The Seasons Cafe offers lighter, healthier options than the resort (restaurant and lounge) and ski area (food court and pub). The steaks we ate in the Hickory Dining Room at Canaan Valley Resort were phenomenal; one of the tastiest filet mignons I have had and my son loved his NY strip steak.

Learn a New Skill

Canaan Valley Resort accommodates skiers of all abilities, including beginners (like me). The qualified (and very patient) ski instructors from the on-site ski school trained my group in the essential techniques to glide, step, slow, stop, and, most importantly for me, get up after falling. January is Learn to Ski Month and I did—sort of. In addition to skiing, the resort offers snow tubing, cross country skiing, and ice skating.

McCool Travel: keep your new year's resolutions at Canaan Valley Resort
Canaan Valley Resort ski area bunny slope

Treat Yourself at Canaan Valley Resort

You will feel a sense of relaxation the moment you step into the elegant Canaan Valley Resort lobby, remodeled in 2013. Staying at the resort feels more like, well, a resort than it does a state park.

McCool Travel: keep your new year's resolutions at Canaan Valley Resort
Canaan Valley Resort lobby

The rooms have very comfortable beds and pillows (I love nice hotel pillows!), wonderful shower (another feature I love), blazing complimentary wi-fi, modern flat screen TVs—although I only turned my TV on for 5 minutes during my three day visit, just to check on a football playoff game.

McCool Travel: keep your new year's resolutions at Canaan Valley Resort
Canaan Valley Resort room

The pool and hot tub are very popular during late afternoon and evening. Spa treatments, like a deep tissue massage after hitting the slopes, are available by appointment.

McCool Travel: keep your new year's resolutions at Canaan Valley Resort.
Canaan Valley Resort pool and hot tub

Once you check in to the resort, you can relax and have a car-free vacation. Shuttle buses run continuously between the resort, ski lodge, tube run, and recreation center (cross country skiing).

Young children (ages 2-6) can enjoy a full day, half day, or hour at the Kidz Korner. Reservations need to be made at least 7 days prior to the session.

Spend Less

Canaan Valley Resort is one of the rare US ski resorts operated as a state park. That means the ski rates are lower than nearby privately operated ski resorts. Further discounted rates are available to military (active and retired), college students and faculty, emergency personnel and health providers, and anyone affected by school cancellations (students, faculty, and parents).

What are some of your new year’s resolutions? How are you going to keep your resolutions?


During Non-Ski Season

Canaan Valley Resort is a four season, year round destination. During the rest of the year, when the ski runs are closed, the park is a great place for hiking, biking, golfing, and other outdoor activities. Nearby Blackwater Falls State Park is a magnificent stop and the Canaan Valley is gorgeous with autumn colors during the fall.

Getting There

Between my home and Canaan Valley Resort (about 175 miles each way), I drove a brand new 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe, compliments of Drive Shop; for a 10 day test drive. Thankfully, the Santa Fe started right away in subzero wind chill (air temp was 4 degrees).

McCool Travel: keep your new year's resolutions at Canaan Valley Resort
2017 Hyundai Santa Fe at Canaan Valley Resort

My son cranked his side to 85 degrees while I suffered at 74 so that I would not fall asleep. The touch button to lock 4 wheel drive mode is really convenient when the curvy mountain roads looked a little slick. I was pleasantly surprised to get 25 MPG for the mostly highway drive home, especially because the sticker shows 22 MPG average for highway trips. My son’s snowboard easily fit inside, without rearranging the split bucket back seats. So handy! This was a great ski vehicle.

Have you been to Canaan Valley Resort? What were some of your favorite things to do there?

For your next Canaan Valley trip also see  Fun Things To Do In Hagerstown and Things To Do In Shenandoah Valley

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6 thoughts on “How to Keep Your New Year’s Resolutions at Canaan Valley Resort”

  1. I like how you turned a stay at the resort into a perfect way to keep one’s New Year’s resolutions! I can definitely see how easy (ahem) it would be with all the facilities on offer and some outdoor activities as well.

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