24 Things to Do at Primland Resort with Kids

If you love the outdoors and mountain views, I have a hidden gem of a resort you must experience. Primland  Resort is a 12,000 acre resort in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Our family spent 3 nights there in the beginning of March of 2016.

Once you enter the Primland gate, you will travel 7 miles, about a 15 minute drive, and you will pass mountain homes, acres of Rhododendrons, streams, hiking trails, a few deer and if lucky wild turkey.

On top of the mountain, you will find the lodge, an Inn that looks like something from Europe with a silo on the side. Well, this is no silo, but an observatory to experience the unaltered night skies. More to come later. Why should you visit Primland Resort, here are the 24  things to do at Primland with Kids, most apply to adults too?

24 Things to Do at Primland Resort with Kids

24 Things to Do at Primland Resort with Kids

Primland is developing constantly as it started as a lumber business, transitioned to a hunting property and then in 2009, opened its lodge. Among the 12,000 acres, guests have a variety of activities to choose from.

24 Things to Do at Primland Resort with Kids

We have picked the top 24 things we loved about Primland and why you and your family should visit. These are not necessarily in order of our favorites!

1. Accommodations for Large Families

Our family was housed in the Mountain Home, White Tail Home, about 10 minutes from the Lodge. A spacious but rustic home with all the amenities you will need for a family stay. The homes come with wifi, daily maid service, washer dryer, TV’s, and most common kitchen accessories to make meals.

Our home came with a ping pong table too. The furniture is eclectic but set the stage for a mountain getaway. Even the mountain homes provide BVLGARI toiletries. This is really not roughing it! There are several different mountain homes available and they accommodate from 2 to 20 people.

 

The side of our house…

 

 

Now view from back windows…

 

I advise if you are driving in be sure to pack all your food items as there is not a grocery store close to the resort nor any shops on the property

If you are flying in, just contact guest services before you arrive and they will happily stock your home with the items you need. Nothing like homemade biscuits and yummy homemade granola with no effort on your part. Check out the other great accommodation options at Primland.

2. Shooting Sports:

If hunting is your thing, you can find skeet shooting, Quail and Pheasant hunts and seasonal deer hunts. You can practice your skills on the Sporting clay Course. On our shooting activity, we had Alex who was so patient with all of us and a great teacher and guide.

 

Maybe you want to tone it down,you can hit at the Bow and Air Rifle Range to hone your skills and have fun shooting at targets and balloons. The kids and adults had an amazing time there. This was a great family activity.

3. Primland GOLF:

If hunting is not your forte, they offer a golf course, where you can play a round of golf, take lessons or just practice on their range. Kids of all ages are welcome and The Golf Pro was patient during our family golf lesson.

GOlf lessons

4. Hiking

There are several trails of different difficulty and length on the property that will keep you entertained and get the kids tired. Be sure to grab a map and some water for a nature walk in God’s Country.

hiking trails primland

5. Fishing at Primland Resort 

From renting rods and hitting one of their stocked ponds to grabbing a guide to teach you to fly fish, even the novice fisherman will have a blast. These smiles say it all. You will not get these reactions from any technology out there. Primland also has several creeks for you to test your fly fishing skills.

Primland Fishing

 

6. WIFI or not…

In fact one of the things I love is that there is no cell or wifi service on the majority of the property, so you can check out. Kids can’t be snap chatting but experiencing the outdoors with their head up and not down in their phones. Primland realizes you can’t totally escape reality so you will find great wifi in the lodges, homes and activity center. I promise the only reason you need you phone is to take pictures.

7. Recreational Terrain Vehicle or RTV-

There is not better way to explore 12,000 acres than on a side by side RTV. Parents can drive their kids around the amazing terrain and even ride thru some creeks. We took an hour ride which was perfect for both the kids and parents. We saw deer, lots of quail and in the summer you might sight a black bear.

RTV primland

RTV Primland 2

8. Restaurants

This vacation we decided to have breakfast in the home and venture out to the 4 restaurants on the property for dinners. On select nights you can enjoy a country buffet at the Stables Saloon  the entire family will enjoy. During high season, this dinner will also include some live bluegrass.

Primland dining options

The 19th Pub is another casual restaurant located in the Lodge. Here you will find the amazing moonshine drinks, be sure to hit happy hour for half price moonshine cocktails. Trust me you don’t want to miss trying one of these. There were several dining options that appealed to our family, ironically everyone but myself ordered their freshly ground burgers.

I chose the shrimp and grits, which was flavorful and had a generous amount of shrimp on the plate. Don’t forget to start your meal with pig candy! Pig Candy is the sweetest bacon you will ever try with a small kick of cayenne. The cheese puffs were a big hit as well. If you have room for dessert, one order of the peanut butter pie will satisfy a family of 5.

If you get hungry during the day while taking advantage of the outdoor activities,  and you are near the activity center, drop into the Woodland Grill for a great selection of sandwich options.

For the true dining experience, Elements is your foodie destination. Using as many local ingredients as possible, their menu could change weekly. I was told they forage for mushrooms in the summer as well as supply the restaurant from their own gardens. This is fine dining at its best. The servers are extremely friendly and very helpful in describing the dishes and recommending something to satisfy your taste. I had deep fried quail and arctic char. Both wonderful dishes.

9. S’MORES on Terrace:

Even if you decide to eat at your mountain home, head up to the lodge after dinner, and ask for an s’mores kit. Then head to the outdoor fire pit to roast your marshmallows and enjoy the starry filled nights. (During Inclement weather I was told you can also make them inside the great hall fireplace.)

Primland Resort

10. Afternoon Tea at Primland:

Another great food freebie at Primland Resort is Afternoon Tea. If you happen to be near the lodge from  3-4 pm each evening , head to the great room, and grab a cup of tea and a cookie for a mid-afternoon break.

primland tea

For reference, here is the great room:

great Hall prim land

 

11. Game Room:

If the kids need a break from the outdoors or you find yourself in some bad weather, hit the Game Room in the lodge. There you will find video games, a pool and ping pong table for your use. Mom and Dad hit the moonshine happy hour first and then played a game of pool with the kids. Win-win for our family.

12. Star Walk:

Do not go home without scheduling a star walk. Available once the sun sets,  this is one activity you will regret missing. Open to all ages, you will find a very knowledgeable guide explaining and laser pointing constellations in the seasonal sky.

Their telescope will take images of things you cannot see with your naked eye that will be telecasted on large TVs. There are chairs all along the edge of the observatory, I recommend standing up and moving with the dome opening.

observatory primland

star walk primland

 

13. Escape from Kids at the SPA at Primland:

After a long day of outdoor activity, the Spa might be calling your name. The PRIMLAND Spa is small but has an American Indian Influence. I had a signature massage with hot stones. Brenda, my masseuse, recognized right away that I had a tight hip just by the way I was standing. The massage was one of the best I have had and was complemented by a steam and quick dip in the hot tub.

primland spa

There is also a small indoor pool connected to the spa that kids can enjoy as well.

 

Primland pool

14. Movie Theatre:

There is also a movie theatre in the lodge that you can rent out for your family or enjoy one of their scheduled movie nights. We had the place to our self and could choose anything off Netflix. They offer complimentary drinks and popcorn but we were too full to try this.

Other activities offered at Primland we did not have time to experience:

15. Geocaching
16. Paddleboard
17. Kayaking
18. Disc Golf
19. Corn hall and Horse Shoe
20. Seasonal kid programs and crafts

21. Horseback riding 

22. Tree Climbing
23. Road and Mountain Bike rentals (I would bring bikes next time you can take a trail from most mountain homes to the lodge without riding on a road. )

24. Junior Nationalist Program and various guided nature tours

Even with kids, we found a chance to have a few romantic moments.

finding romance Primland

OVERALL IMPRESSION:  There are not many places that you can flip flop from golf, to hunting to fishing to fine dining without leaving the property. All the staff were especially helpful and very patient with my children. The whole family would agree we would give PRIMLAND 6/5 stars.

I could imagine myself going back with the family or just with my husband for a romantic getaway. There is something for everyone and you will not be disappointed. Heck if you are, just let any of the workers know and they will help find a solution but it might just be you don’t know how to relax!! We had too many amazing photos to share, if you wish to see more of our vacation check out Primland vacation adventure photos.

BOOK YOUR MOUNTAIN VACATION NOW!!

24 Things to Do at Primland Resort with Kids

This is an amazing family vacation idea. No matter where you go, if you are traveling with kids be sure to read Here are our Top Tips For Surviving Family Vacations and Packing Tips for Traveling With Kids

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