Let The Wild Rumpus Start!
Come sail away with us to the 7th Annual Winter Weekend in the Woods!
What is Weekend in the Woods? In our pre-kids days, it was an indulgent weekend of fun with like-minded people: cooking great food, a few whiskey, wine, and beer tastings, a hike in the woods, lots of games, and even more laughter.
Last time, it was a hybrid kids-and-adults event. This year, the weekend turns its focus to the kids (don't worry, there'll be some adult fun too). Let’s give the kids of St. Mary’s a little room to run wild, a chance to grow closer, and a weekend they’ll remember for years to come.
So get ready for a weekend dedicated to extreme fun and light-to-moderate mayhem. Scroll on to see where we're staying, what we're plotting, and to let us know if you're interested.
Who We Are
We're proud parents of two kids at St. Mary's, one in kindergarten and one in PK3, with another little one heading into Little Angels next year.
We love fun.
Details
Grand Bear Resort at Starved Rock 2643 IL Route 178, Utica, IL 61373
Across the street from the St. Louis Canyon Trail of Starved Rock State Park.
The Lodge
Grand Bear is a big timber lodge resort on the edge of the woods: cozy cabins, a full indoor water park, and an arcade, all in one place, so the rumpus goes on no matter what the weather does.
We usually rent 3–4 luxury cabins that are connected, so the whole pack can roam between them. That said, you're totally welcome to book your own room instead.
Cabin Details
Each Family Cabin is a three-story log cabin near the resort's ponds and woods. Here's what's inside one (and we usually rent 3–4 of them).
Master Bedroom
Second floor. King bed, queen sofa sleeper, whirlpool tub, and a private bathroom with shower.
Second Bedroom
Lower level. Two queen beds, TV, whirlpool hot tub, and a private bathroom.
Bunk Room
Two sets of twin-over-queen bunk beds, a dresser, and a TV. Kid headquarters.
Living & Kitchen
Vaulted ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows, a big-screen TV, two more queen sofa sleepers, a dining room, and a full kitchen with all the appliances, cookware, and dishes.
Plus 3 fireplaces, 2 whirlpool tubs, a full-size washer and dryer, Wi-Fi, a private patio, and a large balcony. Water park wristbands are included.
Grand Bear Falls Waterpark
24,000 sq ft indoor water park: wave pool, lazy river, a slide tower (48" min), Kids Splash Tower, kiddie pool & family slide, and a 15-person jacuzzi. Passes are included for overnight guests, with wristbands at check-in.
The Cave Arcade
A bear-den-sized arcade with 50+ games: skee-ball, hoops, racing, claw machines, kiddie rides, and a photo booth. Win tickets, trade them for prizes. Lower level, right by the water park.
Food
We usually cook, but with kids nowadays, who has time for that? We'll probably do a hybrid: maybe cook breakfast, order in lunch, and cook one dinner / order one dinner. It depends on what everyone wants to do, and it'll all be worked out ahead of time.
And no one goes hungry: over the years we've gotten very good at predicting food quantities for a large group.
Onsite Food
Not cooking that night? There are three spots right at the resort.
Jack's Place
Restaurant & bar with casual, classic American food for lunch and dinner, plus a breakfast buffet on Saturday and Sunday from 8 to 11am. Beer, wine, specialty and frozen cocktails, and a monthly themed drink menu.
Treetops Cafe
Just off the main lobby: coffee, breakfast, lunch, sweets, and ice cream. They make fresh sugar cones every evening, and the whole lobby smells like it.
J.H. Higby's
An 1890s-themed bar with specialty cocktails, draft beer, 30+ whiskeys and bourbons, and seasonal bites. Live sports and trivia nights.
Cost
Sleeping in the cabins with the pack.
Book your own room and just get in on the fun & food.
Either way, food, goodie bags, guidebooks, custom glassware, and much more are all part of the package.
The cost can fluctuate depending on how many people come and how we deal with food. We don't make any money on this: every dollar goes into the weekend, and we're doing it purely for the fun. It's all calculated in a massive spreadsheet (we've had a few years to perfect it), but this should give you a ballpark. We'll have a more accurate cost once we understand the interest.
The Fun
Extreme fun and light-to-moderate mayhem. Some possibilities we're plotting:
Kids Fun
Wild Rumpus Parade
Make crowns and scepters, then parade around. Every child gets a turn to lead with the golden scepter.
Great Woodland Creature Hunt
Find all the hidden creatures (stuffed animals), at least one for every child.
The Boat
Build a boat from cardboard boxes, color it wild, and pretend-sail to the island of adventure.
Campfire Story Adventure
An interactive story with the kids supplying roars, actions, and sound effects.
Build Your Wild Thing
Set out paper plates, faux fur, big googly eyes, horns, and stickers so each kid can create their own monster mask.
Max’s Boat Races
Kids decorate little boats, then blow them across shallow water trays to reach the island of the Wild Things.
Stomp the Monster Footprints
Tape giant footprints across the floor, leading kids through silly challenges: stomp five times, roar, spin, and tiptoe past a sleeping monster.
Pajama Glow Stick Dance Party
Lights off, glow sticks on, and everyone in their pajamas for one last wild dance before bed.
A Weekend-Long Mystery
Who ate the food? Whose giant footprints are these? Why is there fur on the ground… and where does it lead? Straight to a Wild Thing Confrontation!
Wild Thing Snowball Fight
The confrontation: a real "Wild Thing" straight from the book appears, and the kids throw snowballs until it's "knocked down."
Indoor Water Park
Did we mention they have an indoor water park? Wave pool, lazy river, slides, and splash zones for the little ones.
The Cave Arcade
50+ games, from skee-ball to claw machines to kiddie rides. Win tickets, trade them for prizes.
Adult Fun
Put the kids to sleep in one of the adjacent rooms, and bring the baby monitor over to have some adult fun.
Whiskey Tasting
A few good pours by the fire once the little ones are down.
Wine Tasting
Reds, whites, and strong opinions. Swirl, sip, and pretend we know what we're talking about.
Pre-made Cocktails
We'll have at least two cocktails mixed and ready to pour, so nobody has to play bartender.
A Wild Rumpus of Our Own
Just kidding, we'll be way too tired.
Custom Glassware
This year's 10 oz glasses are perfect for cocktails, wine, or whiskey, and they stack, too. Sip from them all weekend, then they're yours to keep.
Interested?
Tell us about your family and which weekends could work. We'll pick the dates that gather the biggest wild bunch. We would love for you and your family to come!
Feel free to text Marco instead of filling out this form, or if you have any questions in general.
You're in, wild thing!
We got your sign-up. We'll tally every family's dates and roar back soon with the winning weekend.
Until then… let the wild rumpus (planning) begin!