Turning Stone: The Perfect Getaway
Beau and I couldn't think if we had taken a mini getaway together since having Chloe in 2017. It's always been with the kiddos or the entire family and somehow we forgot about just us two. Suddenly, in no time it seemed, we had an overnight booked at a not-so-far-away escape in Verona, NY at Turning Stone Resort Casino. I was giddy the whole ride there and I think Beau may have chuckled at me a few times. What? I like dating my husband!
Turning Stone Resort Casino is under 3 hours away from the Buffalo area. We felt like we were going somewhere without having to spend all day getting there AND it literally is the 90E until the Turning Stone exit. After getting the babies situated, we left at 9:30am on the dot and arrived at 12:10pm (with a bathroom and coffee break, of course). We were booked to stay at The Lodge and upon arrival, we were greeted by valet and luggage service to take our things and park our car. The Lodge is reminiscent of an Adirondack mixed with Native American influences and has tons of natural light, a beautiful warm fireplace, and has a quiet and cozy feel.
Once checked in, we headed to our spa appointments first as our luggage was taken to our suite. Within The Lodge is one of two spas at Turning Stone called Ska:ná:, which is the Oneida word for 'peace'. As soon as you walked in, the scent was relaxing and clean and you could sit at the warm firepit that was designed after a loghome seating area. Once you check in, you can choose to have lunch ready for you after your treatments so we checked off what we both would like and picked a delivery time of 2pm. Both Beau and I had the 50 minute Ska:ná: Harmony Massage which was incredibly relaxing and the perfect way to kick off our weekend. The spa has lockers, showers, hair styling amenities, private bathrooms, and tea throughout the space. Two quiet rooms for pre and post appointment are available for relaxing as long as you want. A woman's sauna and steam room are connected and a co-ed mineral pool as well. Beau said his favorite part was using the sauna, steam, and mineral pool after his massage with a cold shower in between, the way that Ska:ná: encourages the 'Balancing Waters Ritual'. *bring your swimsuits!
We walked up to our suite which was a two room, king bed space with a beautiful tub and walk-in shower and a balcony that overlooked the open courtyard space of The Lodge. Lighting was nice and low which continued the vibe of relaxation and quietness. We relaxed for a bit and changed for dinner reservations.The Lodge is connected to the casino, restaurants, and The Tower (another hotel space which includes the Fitness Club) so you do not have to walk outside in colder temps. Turning Stone is busy, colorful and clean. The casino is centralized with jut-offs to restaurants, the event center, and nightclubs. We wandered the whole space, grabbing coffee at Opals, peeking our heads in to every themed-restaurant we could, and peering through nightclub doors that wouldn't open until late. We spotted the Bingo hall which, to be honest, we want to hit up next time we visit. lol! If our show had ended early enough, we totally would've done Boogie Bingo that night! #old? #NoJustFun
Dinner was at TS Steakhouse which had beautiful 21st-story views of the grounds and dark lighting. The place was filled and without a reservation, you would be waiting a long while. We hadn't been to a true steakhouse in quite some time so this was a treat. We probably could've stayed there all night just grazing. Everything from the artisanal cheese board to filet to banana bread pudding was phenomenal. You always know when you are at a top-rated restaurant when the full-service is impeccable. (shout out to Kirston, our server)After dinner, we had tickets to see Hozier in the event center which is only an escalator ride up from the main level. We were 10 rows back and loved that the venue was filled with an array of people from all ages and styles. The performance was AMAZING and we were so glad we were able to see him and his group perform. True musicians, right there!
We walked on over to the Upstate Tavern post-show for a boozy milkshake (we found out they used to make them non-al but don't anymore- dang!) and back down to the Food Hall where Beau ordered a late night snack with strawberry milkshake at Bun Heaven to take back to our room. As we walked back through the casino, we popped on to some slots and just had a silly ol' time but didn't luck out with any big wins (this time!). And as much as we wanted to pretend we were 25 again, we also knew how much we wanted to relax. Getting back to our room at midnight, we found our turn down service had visited and we probably fell asleep within five minutes of laying down.
In the morning, we had breakfast reservations at Wildflowers (inside The Lodge) and took our time chatting away and not caring about the time. We secretly wished we could have snuck in another spa appointment...pedicure? Facial? Anything so we could do another round of the sauna and steam again! It was so nice to just BE together, relax, and talk. How lucky were we that we got to experience this getaway that was so close to home yet felt as if we had escaped.
The time flew and as we drove back to Buffalo, we were so glad we had the chance to spend some time alone and explore a place we had never been before. Add this to the list of fun places to visit! If you're looking for a getaway that isn't too far, something different, and definitely entertaining then book your trip at Turning Stone. We promise you're going to have a blast!
Fun tips for your visit to Turning Stone:
-book The Lodge if you want a quiet escape-bring your swimsuit for post-spa appointments at Ska:ná: so you can use the added amenities-make dinner/breakfast reservations in advance just to be on the safe side-one night is perfect but two may be even more fun!-see when events are so you don't miss your favorite artist-buy the shower steam mist in the Ska:ná: shop to take home-hop around to different restaurants for a drink and an app or dessert so ou can try several places! Thank you to Turning Stone for inviting us out!