 |
|
|
|
|
An article in SKIING magazine November 1996 states "every year more people flock (to Holiday Valley) to its varied slopes and its Victorian Town than visit such skiing giants as Sun Valley, Telluride, or Jackson Hole" Come and experience, New York State's largest ski resort including a high-speed quad chair, whether you are a boarder, a freestyler, telemarker or just an "old-fashioned" skier. We have it all--not to mention Cross-country skiing. A private ski club--now who has heard of such a thing? Well, Holimont (HoliMont.com) is the largest private ski resort in North America with 1,200 families from New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Southern Ontario. Your innkeepers belong and would be pleased to sign you in for the pleasure of skiing on 40 slopes serviced by 7 chairs. Holimont boasts that there are no lift lines and that the skiers are under control. They too have room for all the winter sports.
Golf packages can be arranged by the innkeeper at several of the many nearby courses. The closest course is only a 5 minute drive (www.holidayvalley.com) and follows the lower contours of the ski hill. While you enjoy the 18 fairways, your partner may prefer to go antiquing or to lounge around the pool. Just a 10 minute scenic drive past HoliMont and over the hill, Elkdale Country Club is nestled into the valley, a particularly beautiful walk in any season. Picture yourself sitting on the shaded porch sipping your favorite beverage while gazing at the foliage on the hills and being quietly enchanted by a few happy children splashing in the pool. Within 45 minutes there are 6 interesting 18-hole golf courses: Cardinal Hill in Randolph, Penn Hill in Bradford, Pine Acres in Bradford, Cable Hollow in Frewsburg and Blueberry Hills in Frewsburg. Prices range for 18 holes from $35-49 on weekends, $27-42 on weekdays, and for those who prefer the exercise of walking many courses do not demand a cart. If you like golf try the 3 day golf lessons for $395 at the
Phil
Ritson-Mel Sole golf School. Amble over to the Nannen Arboretum before breakfast and listen to the birds chirping in the unusual trees, or be entranced by butterflies in the Herb Garden. Perhaps as you walk around the pond in the afternoon there will be a bridal party having pictures taken on the Japanese bridge to heaven after their magical marriage in one of the outdoor nature chapels. Hike up the hills of either of our local ski resorts and along the ridge where you can view the distant hills or look down on the quaint village. Perhaps startle a flock of wild turkeys or get a glimpse of a white-tailed deer leaping away through the forest..Descend via a cross country ski trail or the Finger Lakes Trail. Or go just a bit farther and see "Little Rock City" a geological phenomena. Challenge yourself with a day hike or a weeklong hike on the Finger Lakes Trail. This 564 mile long trail connects the Catskills with the Allegany Mountains by passing through & around Ellicottville and is just a mile from our Inn in several directions. Many hikers choose to make our home their base for "doing" this section of the trail right from Pennsylvania Map C1/M1 to C4 or M4. Imagine hiking all day and then soaking in bubbles inour antique claw foot tub and then lounging on our shaded Greek Revival Porch. The innkeepers have the maps you need for FLT and Allegany State Park which is just a 15 minute drive from the Inn and they have miles of trails which extend into Pennsylvania. Our Cattaraugus County is involved in Rails to Trails so stay tuned...
Mountain biking and ski resorts are the perfect match. Holiday Valley arranges for midweek races on some Wednesdays in the summer and a major raced called "Roots, Rocks, and Ridges". Allegany State Park has the Racoon Rally and that too brings about 500 racers. This year we had four guests who were on an Adventure Tour which included mountain biking, whitewater rafting, scaling down cliffs and more and they liked the area so much one couple from the New York City area came back two weeks later and bought a house to use as a vacation home. For the less competitive, there are trails with maps that the Innkeepers can provide that go up through Holiday Valley up to the logging roads and into the State Forest or for Allegany State Park. HoliMont is beginning to offer some Mountain Biking excursions to their members. The sport is certainly gaining in popularity. Our ski room on the main floor is now also used as a bike room and we provide the hose for cleaning you off! The Enchanted Mountain Stage Race has been held here on several occasions and that race brings world-class cyclists to the area. During the last Olympics, the Canadian Olympic team were here practicing just before their race in Atlanta. Cycling in Cattaraugus county is superb. The Innkeepers already have some special routes picked out that go to East Otto Country to visit the galleries there. The Rails to Trails concept is working here and there is planning going on right now to map out the numerous wonderful routes that can be made. Our county B&B group is working on the concept of Inn to Inn for cyclists and hikers. Keep tuned and we shall be updating this page as we progress. For those cross country cyclists from Seattle to Bar Harbor, right in the village we have Mud, Sweat and Gears, a great bicycle shop, and not only do we have shops and restaurants but we have a laundromat. Our Inn is right in the heart of the village and you will want to spend R&R here! |