I originally visited Maumee Bay State Park Lodge a few years ago with a writers retreat group during a quiet weekend in early April and found it well-suited as host to a series of classes, breakout sessions and just slipping away to a cozy corner somewhere to write.
So what was it like when I recently revisited the state park resort near Toledo, Ohio during the height of a busy summer season?
I loved the opportunity to enjoy more of the lodge's recreational facilities and see how the experience differed from that quiet writers retreat.
This time, the weather was mostly clear and sunny. I enjoyed checking out the lodge's outdoor attractions like the 18-hole golf course, marina and Lake Erie beach. Most attractions are a very quick walk from the lodge, although bicycles and golf carts are also popular ways to get around the park.
I only had a couple of hours to explore the lodge on my own one afternoon, so I opted for taking one of the lodge's rental bikes for a ride around the park.
Geocachers will find lots of treasure to seek at Maumee Bay. I had time to grab one quick cache just off of the trail that circles the lodge during my bicycle ride, but there are more than a half dozen caches hidden inside of the park and others hidden just outside of the park.
New to geocaching? You rent a GPS and pick up some helpful hints for beginning cachers from the lodge's front desk.
I remember the food at my writers conference earning raves from everyone, which is difficult to pull off with a group meal that needs to meet a strict budget.
This time, I had a chance to sample the food at Maumee Bay's Water's Edge Restaurant and during a lakeside clam bake.
Chef Monica Jazwiecki served up imaginative dishes like a truly beautiful layered summer vegetable salad of locally grown zucchini, summer squash, baby eggplant and red onions with a parmesan crisp and dressed with tarragon vinaigrette, baby spinach, local heirloom tomatoes, roasted tomato dressing. Desserts like the grilled peaches and lemon basil ice cream with a pine nut crisp I had at the end of one dinner offered further evidence of her use of a wide range of flavors in unexpectedly great combinations.
Jazwiecki and her crew served up a classic meal for our clam bake that featured her seafood bisque, clams, sweet local corn on the cob, roasted potatoes and a whole steamed lobster (which was a great surprise treat for this lobster fan!).
I especially enjoyed watching the summer sun set from the lodge's expansive lawn fronting Lake Erie while our group enjoyed roasting s'mores over an open fire.
The lodge remained largely as I remember it from my first visit, but there was one change I particularly appreciated as someone whose work as a travel writer often sees me traveling with a computer or tablet to take notes, do a little research, write or edit photos during my travels.
Several years ago, you had to pay an Internet access of nearly $10 a day at the lodge, although I got a few dollars off of that as a conference discount when I was there with my writers group. The resort replaced those fees with a much smaller "tech fee" levied against rooms and cabins to cover costs for things like online access and local phone calls.
High charges for online access tacked on top of lodging charges is a personal peeve of many travelers, especially those who travel for business, so I'm glad to see this change at Maumee Bay.
This last trip was quick and packed with activity, but it was possible to grab a quiet moment enjoying the view from the patio of my lakeside room.
Even as the lodge hummed with activity, the resort's sprawling grounds and spacious facilities meant that you never felt as if it was overcrowded. The lodge rooms were a quiet retreat from the bustle of activity in the lobby, and over two dozen quiet sitting areas scattered through the lodge hallways and conference wing offered plenty of places for a quiet conversation or place to relax with a good book.
I look forward to seeing what new discoveries I'll make next time I revisit Maumee Bay.
Thanks to Xanterra Parks and Resorts and Maumee Bay State Park Lodge, which provided lodging, meals and on-site activities for my review, with no further compensation. I was free to express my own opinion about my stay and experiences, and the opinions expressed here are mine.
© Dominique King 2012 All rights reserved
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