Family trip advice?

[ChileMass]

mitch - think about Stowe. Probably on the edge of your drive target, but a fantastic village with lots of slopeside condos and plenty to keep the kids and wife happy for days. Plus, you can drive to Bolton, the Bush, MRG, Jay, or Burke, if you somehow get bored with Stowe. And Burlington is only a few minutes away, too. Big fun.........

 

[mitchmac]

Y'know, Chile, I though about Stowe but I wasn't sure if there was any lodging at the mountain itself. I haven't been there in probably 20 years but I didn't recall any - not that I would have noticed them on those low-budget-lots-of-beers trips of my youth! Thanks for the tip, I'll be adding that to my list.....

 

[mitchmac]

I do NE family trips each year from Philly. My skiing profile sounds similar to yours while my wife is a low intermediate and I have two young kids (8 and 5) who do both ski school and ski with us. Both kids can ski greens and easier blues.

I have been to Stratton, Bretton Woods and Lake Placid the past couple years. Both Stratton and Bretton Woods would be much more enjoyable for your wife and daughter than Whiteface. You and your son won't like them as much as WF but I don't know that you would get bored at Stratton or BW. There is a lot of terrain at those mountains but they are clearly not as difficult as Whiteface. However, I think with the number of trails and variety you could still have a lot of fun - you may play in the bumps a little more, for example. You also can probably do some long runs with your wife and daughter or ride the lifts together and meet at the bottom as those mountains are more condusive to that type of thing.

One thing I want to dispell is that Stratton and Bretton Woods are super expensive compared to other places. It depends where you stay at those resorts. I am price sensitive and I have done Lift and Lodging packages with both places and they were substantially less than what I priced at Killington, Okemo and Smuggs for their resort properties when you factor everything in. I don't stay at the top properties on those resorts because to me a room is just a place for us to sleep. As long as it's clean, easily accessible to the mountain and has the amenities I want (like a pool for the kids and hotub for my wife and me), I'm fine staying in an older two floor "lodge" rather than the resorts newest upscale property.

One thing I dislike about Bretton Woods is that you are essentially captive to eateries run by the Mount Washington Hotel as there is nothing in that area other than the resort. You basically have a choice of about 5 places to eat unless you want a 1/2 hour drive. They vary in cost from cheap to expensive but you have limited options. Stratton you can eat in the restaurants in their village or take the short drive to Manchester where you have much more variety.

BTW, as to drive times - It took me 5.5 hours from Northern Philly Suburbs to Stratton and about 8 to Bretton Woods.

Thanks GolfingOwl, that's some pretty good info you got there. It seemed from some of the other posts that BW is a little on the pricey side but from what you're saying it's not that bad. My wife's volunteered to "run the numbers" so I'll toss that her way too. I like the idea that it's condusive to riding the lifts together and meeting somewhere - that's one of the things I thought WF was missing. (Although it is pretty cool to see the looks on the girls' faces when they ask you where you skied all day and you point to that summit off in the distance!!)

 

[GolfingOwl]

Thanks GolfingOwl, that's some pretty good info you got there. It seemed from some of the other posts that BW is a little on the pricey side but from what you're saying it's not that bad. My wife's volunteered to "run the numbers" so I'll toss that her way too. I like the idea that it's condusive to riding the lifts together and meeting somewhere - that's one of the things I thought WF was missing. (Although it is pretty cool to see the looks on the girls' faces when they ask you where you skied all day and you point to that summit off in the distance!!)

If you want more specifics on where we stayed, cost, etc.., feel free to PM me.

 

[RISkier]

Y'know, Chile, I though about Stowe but I wasn't sure if there was any lodging at the mountain itself. I haven't been there in probably 20 years but I didn't recall any - not that I would have noticed them on those low-budget-lots-of-beers trips of my youth! Thanks for the tip, I'll be adding that to my list.....

Until the Spruce base area is developed, Stowe has very little ski-in/ski out lodging. There's one lodge (don't recall the name off hand) near the Toll House double. If that's running it would be pretty convenient. They don't always run the Toll House Double. Most lodging, dining, and drinking options are either in town or scattered along 108. We really like Stowe but it's not a good choice if ski-in/out convenience is important.