A Look Back....

Long before Deep Creek Lake became Western Maryland’s best kept secret, visitors still flocked to the mountains to visit Mountain Lake Park, a neighboring town of McHenry and Oakland. Of course, this was back in the late 1880’s when Methodist business men and churches were trying to find a new area to vacation. Drawn to Mountain Lake because of the fresh, clean mountain air, spectacular lush scenery, and convenience to the railroad, they developed the town and added a 22 acre man-made recreational lake that was used for swimming and boating. The town built an assembly hall that was quickly followed by the addition of rentable cottages, boarding houses, and hotels. The newly acquired town wanted to give vacationers a place of peaceful recreation that was far away from the frivolous and sinful recreations generally found in resort areas. The town promoted Christian principles which forbid those living or visiting the town to drink, gamble, play cards, dance or drink, even in one’s own home (I’m thinking this thought would not work so well today, especially on any given Sunday when the Steelers and Ravens are playing on TV.) If you wanted to participate in such evil misdeeds, you were encouraged to visit the neighboring town of Loch Lynn. Hence, the popular saying, "If you want to sin, go to Loch Lynn. For Jesus sake, go to Mountain Lake." Of course, the town today basically resembles Hometown USA but they do still encourage others to visit. Many of the homes that were built back then, were fashioned as large Victorian type homes that now often allow visitors to tour them. Other attractions, you may want to check out are the Simon Pearce glass blowing store where you can purchase some fabulous gifts and tour the company to see first hand how the glass is created. (www.simonpearce.com) Another attraction in the area is Louis DiCarlo’s Stained Glass Gallery. Lou is an award-winning designer and stained glass craftsman. Visitors are welcome to view his amazing showrooms or call for an appointment to take a stained glass gallery lesson. (http://www.stainedglassgallery.net/) Although the original built lake no longer exists, there is another lake in the park called Broadford Lake Park. It houses a small sandy beach and the lake can be used for swimming, fishing, orsmall paddling boats. It also has a tennis court, pavilions for picnics, and multiple playgrounds for the wee ones. A very fun place to visit in the summer. If you are in the area and looking for something a little different, I encourage you to take the short drive into Mountain Lake Park. If you are suffering from a sinful sweet tooth, cross over the railroad tracks and enjoy a peace of coconut cream pie @ The Loch Lynn Restaurant. Tell Sheila and Bridgette that we said “Hello”. In the meantime, slopes are open, snow is in the forecast, and Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations is ready to help you plan your mountain getaway. We can’t wait to see you at the lake!
http://www.deepcreekvacations.com

A new reason to love Wednesdays!!

To most people, Wednesday’s simply mean hump day. The day that puts you further away from Monday and closer to the weekend. Here, at Deep Creek Lake, Wednesday’s actually signifies more than that. It signifies an evening of casual yet elegant ambience. A night to indulge with a large selection of delectable, gourmet cuisine . A night to create a feast to your specific desires without the painstaking work of actually preparing it. Yes, that’s right, folks. We are talking about Pasta Mania night at The Four Seasons Restaurant. If you have never dined at the Four Seasons, I strongly recommend that you check it out. The restaurant itself is fashioned in elegant décor with votive candles accenting the tables. Offering some of the finest lakefront dining in the area, guests can enjoy their meal while taking in the exquisite lake and mountain views. Their menu consists of everything from steak and seafood to yummy appetizers such as calamari and Thai scallops. On Pasta Mania night, they set up a large buffet style station where guests get to choose their own pasta meal. By choose, I mean they offer a variety of different noodles, sauces, and toppings (lots of fresh veggies included). Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations employees and employers ventured out for a night on the town last Wednesday to check out the selection and I must say, we have nothing but positive things to say. The food was absolutely divine; the customer service stellar, and a great time was had by all. In the meantime, slopes are open, the sun is shining, and it is a great time to call for some fabulous last minute deals on your perfect vacation home. In the meantime, we can’t wait to see you at the lake!

Recently, nature decided to cooperate with us and brought to the mountaintop some very much coveted snow!! Skiing and snowboarding enthusiasts have been flockingly happily to Wisp Resort to get their snow groove on! I, on the other hand, decided to celebrate the holiday with some exciting indoor activity. Bowling!! Still lots of fun with way less chance of falling on my rear! The family and I gathered some good pals and headed to Par-Matt Lanes Bowling alley in Oakland for a day of competitive fun. (****See photo of silly boys being, well, silly! The best way to be, somedays, if you ask me!!) If you haven’t been there in awhile, you should stop in and check out some of the recent upgrades they have made to their lanes. They have made them more kid-friendly by putting up barriers in the gutters to avoid gutter balls. I must admit that I was tempted to use them but refrained. They also keep the kitchen running throughout the day and evening, offering everything from pizza to burgers, wings, nachos, etc. I personally give a big thumbs up with the hot wings! They are delish. If you are looking for some good old fashioned family fun, then I recommend you check out Par-Matt Lanes.
If you are looking for something with a little more flair to it, then you may want to check the McHenry Highland Festival’s annual Robert Burns Supper held this Saturday the 21st at Dutch’s at Silver Tree. Every year, Scots around the world and in Garrett County, gather together to celebrate the birth of Robert Burns, author of many Scot poems. They celebrate his life with entertainment such as readings of his poems and of course, bagpipes. Scottish delicacies such as Sheppard’s pie, shortbread, and haggis (I will let you google this one on your own. It’s sounds very, ummm, interesting). Of course, let’s not forget the whisky tasting (I have to wonder if this is a direct result of the haggis!) Tickets are only a mere $45 per person and can purchased on the McHenry Highland Festivals website, attached on here. Sounds like a guaranteed good time! Reports of fresh snow is on the way so be sure to call Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations for some great last minute deals on your vacation home! In the meantime, see you around the lake!!

Just shopping for the BEAR necessities!

Entering the month of January, finds life in the mountains to be all good. Temperatures are comfortable, the snow has finally arrived (with more to come this week) and life as we know has returned to normal. I decided to reward myself for surviving the holidays with a little shopping excursion. I decided to check out Bear Creek Trader’s located in Market Fresh Square in McHenry. When I walked into the shop, I was immediately in awe of the vast selection that was before it. If you need it, it is most likely here. The store boasts a spectacular arrangement of Deep Creek memorabilia, from key chains, jewelry, totes, towels, and the list goes on. It’s also an awesome place to shop for home décor with original and unique vases, wall clocks, signs, mirrors, and more. As most of us do when we go on vacation, we tend to forget to pack something. Need ski gloves for the slopes? Forget your beach towel or sunscreen? Maybe your visiting and plan to attend a baby shower but forgot the gift (hey, it could happen). Well, worry not, Bear Creek Traders offers all of this. They have wonderful kids’ displays throughout the shop as well. There is an area where the kids can pick out an arrangement of Deep Creek Rocks to take home as a souvenir or a row of really unique kid’s toys. If your glutton for punishment and really want to sugar them up then allow the kids to carouse the old fashioned candy counter. (Temptation is a weakness of mine and I gave in and got the huge pixie straw stick. I used to love these as a kid and believe it or not, the sugar rush is equally fun as an adult!) They also have a very impressive assortment of candles and candle décor. If you stop in soon, you can also take advantage of the After-Holidays special. I saw a lot of beautiful Christmas ornaments/ decorations that were marked 50% off. So, if you’re out and about and looking to shop local with a humungous variety of items, I suggest you check out Bear Creek Traders. Otherwise, don’t forget to contact Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations for your Martin Luther King holiday getaway. The snow if fresh, the air is crisp, and we can’t wait to see you here at the lake.

Here's to a Happy New Year!!

Snow was a welcome sight earlier this week as the area was covered in several inches of the fluffy white stuff. Wisp took advantage of the cold and started cranking out the snow in anticipation of all of the guests that will be coming into our area for the holidays. Currently they have over 10 trails open. If skiing and snowboarding are not your thing, don’t forget about the many other exciting activities that Wisp has to offer at this time of year. The ice skating rink is now a favorite place for the families to check out. Benches, dangling twinkle lights, a bonfire, and warm beverages add to the true winter wonderland experience. They also offer snow tubing, snowmobiling, and snow-shoeing tours. Basically anything involving snow that can be made into a fun and exciting activity, Wisp offers it. Throughout the weekend, All Earth Eco Tours will be giving snow-shoeing lessons at Swallow Falls State Park. I highly recommend that you check them out. Crede, the guide, is wonderful and really goes the extra mile to make sure you not only enjoy the tour but see many of nature’s wonders that we would normally miss or not notice. An additional bonus to all of our renters this holiday is to check out the brand new Garrett College Community Aquatic & Recreation Complex. They are offering visitors day passes to use during their stay. There you can swim in the Olympic sized pool, work out in the fitness facility, or use the big spa after a day of vigorously hitting the slope. Whether you are coming to the area to partake in some outdoor excursions or just getting away to relax for the holidays, we truly hope you enjoy your stay. From everyone here at Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations, we wish you a happy, healthy, safe and prosperous New Year! See you at the Lake!

Last Tuesday evening, the employees and employers of Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations celebrated their annual Holiday company party at Dutch’s at Silver Tree restaurant. A fabulous evening was had by all! This was my first time in the restaurant since it opened earlier this year although I had been hearing nothing but rave reviews from everyone. Our party was held downstairs in the lower level next to the bar. They had it cheerfully decorated for the holidays which added a wonderful ambience to the already festive atmosphere. We began our party with some sincere and heartfelt thanks from our employers. Chad, then in return, decided to be Chad and poke fun of the whole gang with his homemade videos. I have to give kudos where kudos are due. They were hilarious (check out some of them on our facebook page) but also very heartfelt. We had a buffet of food that was to die for. The prime rib was delish and everyone told me repeatedly that the twice baked potatoes were awesome (that’s what I get for trying to stay away from the carbs!). I also want to say what a fabulous job Dutch’s waiting staff did that evening. They were very on top of everything from refilling the water glasses, cleaning off dishes, or just getting you anything you needed. We concluded the holiday party with our annual Yankee Swap. It was a great deal of fun and it’s always interesting to see what you are going to take home with you. Perfect food, perfect setting, and perfect company made it a spectacular evening! Thanks once again to Dutch’s for your top notch service and to Joe, Jodi, and Chad for being the wonderful employers that you are! We are truly lucky to be part of such a wonderful team! In the meantime, as Wisp continues to crank out the fluffy goodness, we continue to fervently wish for snow (which seems to be working at the moment!), we look forward to seeing you at the lake!

You can have your (free) cake and eat it too! Happy Birthday Wisp!

After some beguiling weather, Mother Nature finally succumbed and realized that December + Garrett County = Snow! Lots of the wet, fluffy stuff blanketed the region on Thursday and I must say, it’s definitely breathtaking! Of course, this came just in the nick of time, as the ski enthusiasts are anxiously awaiting a turn to tackle the mountain. Next week marks the 56th birthday celebration of Wisp Resort! Hard to believe that back in the year 1955, what others saw as a simple cow pasture, was another man’s vision of something else entirely. Helmuth Heise opened the first ski trail, The Face, that year. It was accessible through a rope tow and one little log cabin served as the main lodge. Today, Wisp has 32 trails and 7 chairlifts! The official opening day is Saturday the 17th. Wisp will celebrate their birthday with significantly discounted lift tickets, rentals, and lessons, entertainment, games and even complimentary cake (you can’t go wrong with free cake!!) If you are like me and lack the ability to even stand on skis, let alone actually ski, don’t forget the snow tubing park and ice skating rink. There is definitely something for everyone. If you haven’t booked your winter getaway with Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations, then now is the time do us. Make sure you check out our e-brochure, http://www.deepcreekvacations.com/ for a full listing of all of our homes. As always, we are offering some fantastic ski packages so make sure you call to get the details. In the meantime, we look forward to seeing you on the slopes!