While my kids desperately wanted to jet off somewhere tropical for spring break this year, it simply wasn't an option for us this time. Feeling ALL of the mom guilt that ensues when your kids are telling you where EVERYONE else was traveling to, I decided a mini staycation was in order and booked us the next best thing to an island vacation - an indoor waterpark overnight visit to Kalahari Resort in the Poconos.
We were not hosted for this stay, it was simply a part of our family's spring break vacation plans. All opinions expressed were unsolicited in my honest review of staycation options closer to home.
This was our family's first trip to Kalahari, although we've had several previous indoor waterpark trips to the Great Wolf Lodge, Aquatopia at Camelback Resort and the Kartrite in New York.
Overall it was a fabulous 18 hours - we had a lot of laughs and all the kids in our crew (ages from 7-14) were very happy.
One of my favorite things about Kalahari compared to the other waterpark resorts we've been to was the variety of food.
 | We ate at Sortino's Italian Kitchen the first night and everything was delicious, perfectly portioned and reasonably priced. The service was also excellent. |
On our way out on departure day, after a 2nd exhausting but fun day at the waterpark, we sat down at Cinco Ninos off the lobby. They were super accommodating as my son lost the vote to eat at neighboring burger restaurant, B-Lux Grill & Bar, but he was able to order off of their menu while sitting with us at Cinco Ninos - that was a huge win! The food here was also excellent and beautifully presented. Prices were pleasantly affordable and the giant margarita (which was just a regular sized, classic margarita served in a fancy glass) certainly made it feel like vacation!
We also ate lunch both days at Cafe Mirage, accessible from the waterpark. The food and service here were not nearly as great as the rest of our meals. Offerings were limited and consisted of your standard theme park fare. It was a bit disappointing to not have more options inside the waterpark as this seemed to be the only place you could grab regular food and it was a whole process to walk there and exit the waterpark every time one of the kids wanted something. The food here was overpriced for what you were getting, the only exception being the wings - which were great quality, plentiful and reasonably priced considering their market value.
BUT - I've made you wait long enough for the highlight of our Kalahari culinary adventure. The biggest surprise on this trip was the Great Karoo Marketplace Buffet.
Buffets get a bad rap, however a little dark secret of mine is that I LOVE them! But, I don't care for the price tag of a buffet when traveling with kids. They NEVER eat enough to justify it, which is why we almost passed it up. I had brought muffins, yogurt and bananas with us to have in our room for breakfast and told them we'd grab a few other items from the lobby market after we got ready for the day. What I wasn't anticipating was the unbelievable variety the breakfast buffet offered. This was not your standard single egg choice with some sides. I made the mistake of taking one of the kids in with me while I took some photos anticipating I would write up a resort review for the site. I literally could not deny my child's starstruck eyes. And, if I'm being honest, the little kid in me totally wanted that buffet!
Here are 5 reasons you should break down like I did and try out the Great Karoo Marketplace Buffet for breakfast on your stay at Kalahari Resort.
1. The Bloody Mary and Mimosa Bar. I didn't actually get to try it, since I knew I would pay for it heading into another day at the waterpark, but boy was it tempting!
2. Sprinkle Pancakes. What a smart move! What kid isn't going to beg for sprinkle pancakes?
3. Starfruit. Nothing gives off tropical vacation vibes like having starfruit for breakfast!
4. Not just breakfast foods. The breakfast buffet also had other kid favorites (and adults who like to act like kids favorites) such as chicken bites, pizza -both cheese and breakfast pizza, corn dog nuggets and mac and cheese triangles. I felt better about all the carbs my kids were inhaling when I saw them also eating chicken!
5. Plenty of healthy options. I generally don't eat breakfast because I try, most days, to fast until late morning. I was happy to throw that plan out the window for vacation, and was pleasantly surprised that there were plenty of healthy options I could choose from. The yogurt bar was a real treat with lots of toppings (and they had pudding which the kids enjoyed layering up with all sorts of fancy ingredients). There was a wonderful fresh fruit section, and oatmeal bar and a made-to-order omelette station. I was absolutely just as excited about the buffet as the kids were!
The buffet's cost is $24.99 for adults and $14.99 for kids.
I still feel the kids pricing is a bit high for breakfast, considering that no matter how many "more bites" I made them take, they were still hungry in the waterpark less than 2hrs later. But I am chalking it up to an experience they definitely don't get in our normal routine and so it's a vacation "luxury" they will not soon forget!
