The Best Local Staycation: Westgate Lakes Resort & Spa

If you are a large family like us and are looking local staycation, then Westgate Lakes Resort & Spa is the spot for you! Normally all 6 of us would do a staycation, but this time the 2 adult children had work and school and could not join us. Of all the parenting discussions out there…and for all 20 years of me being a mother, no one ever talks about what it’s like when your children become adults…simple things like a staycation are complicated and they likely can’t attend without a lot of pre-planning. It is so sad! But despite them not being able to join is, we had a blast.

At Westgate you receive all the comforts of a fully furnished vacation home with premium accommodations. There is a wide variety of villa size options (from a studio to a four bedroom villa), and the best part is that they are the same distance to the parks (if that is part of your staycation/vacation), but up to half the rate! #winningatlife when its budget friendly and fun!

We opted out of the theme parks for this staycation, so we wanted a resort that we could enjoy fully! Westgate did not disappoint. There is SO MUCH TO DO!

Plan Your Stay

We did a 2 day staycation in a one bedroom villa, so planning out what we were going to do was crucial so that we made the most of our stay. When I was researching the amenities, I was so impressed with all that there is to experience- it was kind of hard to narrow down what we were going to do. We wanted a low key staycation for the kids that would be super fun, and Westgate was the perfect match.

Here are some of the options we had to choose from:

• fishing
• renting a boat
• the pool
• water park
• mini golf
• game room
• full day excursions

The bet part? They even offer a ton of entertainment for the whole family:

• games
• super hero trivia
• crafts
• puzzles
• movies
• bingo

When we arrived on Friday, we took the boys to dinner at Draft’s Sports Bar and Grill before enjoying a quick dip in the pool. There was a private event at the pool located closest to us, so we walked the gorgeous path to one of the other 5 pools (there are 6 total on property!) By the time we explored, ate and swam, it was 10p, so we called it a night. They enjoyed playing in the jetted tub in our room for a good 30 minutes before bed…so I’d say it was a successful first night!

On Saturday we tried to sleep in a little, but that did not work out the way we planned! My husband got up at 7a and went to the onsite Starbucks to grab everyone breakfast. They boys planned out our day then we headed to the waterpark at 10a. The Tavern at the waterpark was great for mom and dad drinks and the snack bar had the perfect lunch options for the kids. Once the afternoon rains set in, I went for a hydrafacial and the boys “rested” and got cleaned up for mini golfing and dinner from Joe’s Pizza. After dinner, we went back to the game room/bowling for a little bit!

On Sunday we had breakfast and then checked out! We will definitely be back for another staycation…maybe for a few more days next time.

We could really spend a full week with all that they have to offer. 

There is so much more to do too. We didn’t even have time to explore it all:

• shuffleboard
• bike riding
• horseshoes
• playground
• volleyball courts
• excursions

We loved the relaxing environment and all of the options of things to do

• it is a bit overwhelming because there are so many choices, but it makes for a fun filled adventure
• the water park and night swimming at the pool were definitely the kids favorite things that we did
• they loved the game room, mini golf and bowling too
• the gorgeous path that connects the resort on the back side is beautiful to walk, bonus- you can see a fireworks show at night (I think it was Magic Kingdom)

The Food

We checked in late in the afternoon on Friday and headed to dinner. We were excited to learn that there are 6 dining options on property!
We weren’t lazy enough (yet) to do room service, and we were not ready to go to the pool (there is a poolside bar), so we had a choice of the sports bar and grill, pizza, or the bistro (which has Starbucks coffee for breakfast!, Hershey’s Ice Cream for dessert and even Jamba Juice!) There is also a marketplace and deli, but that is more snacks and to go items to keep the kids at bay.

Hit the Serenity Spa

This spa blew me away. It is FULL SERVICE! There are so many options, I was shocked by the variety!

They have salon services (in room no less), spa services, a fitness center, steam room, sauna, several kinds of massages and hydrafacials (which I LOVE!) and even kids services!! If we didn’t have the kids, we would have done an awesome couples massage!

I got the hydrafacial! I’ve had one before so I knew what to expect. It is a great facial to brighten and tighten the skin. They offer a few versions of the hydrafacial and I got the middle of the road treatment which did not have the lymphatic drainage portion that the deluxe has. After she exfoliated my skin, she put a serum with elastin and collagen followed by peptides and hyaluronic acid. My face was red for a few hours, but the glow was amazing! She also did a neck and shoulder massage too!

Enjoy the NEW Waterpark

The new Treasure Cove Water Park is incredible! You can spend the whole day there (10-7p daily) enjoying family-friendly fun. There’s something for everyone to enjoy and it is just steps away from the room. Our kids love the wave pool, lazy river and waterslides, but there is even a splash pad for the littles. The great part about Florida weather is that if a storm comes through, you can just head up to the room for a little afternoon relaxation and wait for the storm to pass. They even have private cabanas, a sun deck and a tavern with fun cocktails!

Top Tips

• plan your “things to do in advance” so that you are prepared and ready to go each day
• arrive for check in 30 minutes early or after 6p (it was VERY busy)
• plan around the weather for the water park and have a “back up plan” of what to do if it rains (there is plenty!)
• be sure to book your spa services in advance
• eat at Draft’s and plan to stay a while for the game room and bowling
• use the shuttle service to get around the resort or walk the path in the back (it is beautiful!)
• bring snacks and drinks (or get them at the marketplace- they have everything) because you have a full kitchen