Ideal ski towns for the future factoring in all issues?

[NYDB]

Haven't really followed and when I did people were talking about Pennsylvania ski towns which turned me off a bit.......

But I have to throw Manchester VT into the mix. Might be too small for some for sure but is has a lot of cultural activities, shopping, restaurants, housing stock etc. It is 15 minutes to Bromley and Stratton, 25 from Magic, 45 Okemo, 50 Mt Snow, 1:20 to Killington. Gore, Sugarbush are MRG are around 2 hours. VAST, Catamount trail, x-c areas, snowshoes areas. Lakes, ponds, streams, AT/LT and other hiking. Trail and gravel biking.

Need more activity? Saratoga Springs and Albany under 1:30, Burlington 2:30, and NYC 4. Of course there are too many NY'ers on holiday weekends - nothings perfect. Arguing my portfolio as they say - we have a condo at Bromley and are likely to buy a house and retire to Manchester. When we bought the condo it was mostly for skiing, then it was skiing/summer/foliage, and now after 75%+ of the past 9 months up there its the place we want to be.

As for # of days skiing, I can now envision 100 since I am slope side (or short drive to Magic) and can ski for an hour or so. To be sure these are not "days" of skiing but I really enjoyed getting out just about everyday for several long stretches this winter - even if for only a 1/2 dozen runs. And NOT skiing on Saturday after 10:30/11 and NOT skiing on major holidays. Yes I got spoiled.

I don't know. All those dying outlet malls and shops? That whole town just seems like a tourist trap to me. Plus MT equinox just to the west makes it dark at 2- 3 pm nov-jan. At least the book store is nice. I never got much of a 'culture' vibe from Manchester either.

Late summer / Fall it is a beautiful spot though.

For me to retire to a place in VT it would have to be closer to more abundant and consistent snow and better skiing. Like Sugarbush / Stowe. Burlington seems nice.

Southern VT just seems like it doesn't get the snow anymore. It is only an average year once every 5 years and its below average the other 4. But the average snow fall amounts the mountains report never changes.

 

[KustyTheKlown]

i also think of manchester as a tourist shopping town. wouldn't want to live there. if i lived in soVT it would be right by the bottom of magic in Londonderry. peru near bromley is also ok. having manchester near-ish for shopping and services is good, but wouldn't wanna be in it.

 

[jaytrem]

At least Manchester has Pinball!!!

Pinball Arcade in Manchester, Vermont

Manchester Vermont's Pastime Pinball is more than an arcade. Play your way through 80 years of pinball -- from old school electro-mechanical games to today's technologically advanced machines. Plus a snack bar featuring vintage arcade games, video tables and Vermont craft beer and hard cider!

pastimepinball.com

 

[KustyTheKlown]

my girlfriend and i stayed in the equinox once. its on my dad's starwood points timeshare thing and he had points to burn that would have otherwise expired. the hotel was having some heating issue and to combat it they were keeping all of the doors of unoccupied rooms open. i don't remember the specifics. what i do remember was that this bougie ass couple who were just ahead of us checking in were fucking OUTRAGED and really let the poor son of a bitch working the reception desk have it. apparently 'this place was much nicer 10 years ago'. lol.

we thought it was nice. the pool/hot-tub/spa situation was nice. it was far nicer than my rutland roadside motels.

also, digger had a big story about how vt has been housing homeless in motels during covid. which explains why my roadway inns and econolodges have largely disappeared from booking sites. I've upgraded to the comfort inn. the difference between a $60 room and a $95 room is immense.

 

[NYDB]

Comfort Inn in Rutland is a great spot. Plenty of food options within stumbling distance of CJ's.

 

[Smellytele]

Comfort Inn in Rutland is a great spot. Plenty of food options within stumbling distance of CJ's.

Rutland hotels are good for meth heads and junkies

 

[KustyTheKlown]

Comfort Inn in Rutland is a great spot. Plenty of food options within stumbling distance of CJ's.

ive never actually been inside CJs, it looks like a real locals bar where everyone would turn their heads and stare at me if i walked in.

the comfort inn is actually very nice. newly renovated. super clean. its the same price as the days inn and is much nicer. the days inn is decrepit, and there's always a car parked in the first spot with a confederate flag sticker, so i assume it belongs to staff and it makes me feel icky

 

[raisingarizona]

my girlfriend and i stayed in the equinox once. its on my dad's starwood points timeshare thing and he had points to burn that would have otherwise expired. the hotel was having some heating issue and to combat it they were keeping all of the doors of unoccupied rooms open. i don't remember the specifics. what i do remember was that this bougie ass couple who were just ahead of us checking in were fucking OUTRAGED and really let the poor son of a bitch working the reception desk have it. apparently 'this place was much nicer 10 years ago'. lol.

we thought it was nice. the pool/hot-tub/spa situation was nice. it was far nicer than my rutland roadside motels.

also, digger had a big story about how vt has been housing homeless in motels during covid. which explains why my roadway inns and econolodges have largely disappeared from booking sites. I've upgraded to the comfort inn. the difference between a $60 room and a $95 room is immense.

People that abuse low wage workers really suck.

 

[dblskifanatic]

People that abuse low wage workers really suck.

Right? The front facing person more than likely cannot fix much for you since they probably do not control the purse strings! Like calling a call center, they can fix little shit but they are not authorized to make the big changes you need!

 

[raisingarizona]

Right? The front facing person more than likely cannot fix much for you since they probably do not control the purse strings! Like calling a call center, they can fix little shit but they are not authorized to make the big changes you need!

Yeah, it’s generally someone throwing a temper tantrum because they aren’t getting their way or assholes just being bullies.

Can you imagine working at the ticket desk in an airport? That would be brutal.

 

[NYDB]

ive never actually been inside CJs, it looks like a real locals bar where everyone would turn their heads and stare at me if i walked in.

the comfort inn is actually very nice. newly renovated. super clean. its the same price as the days inn and is much nicer. the days inn is decrepit, and there's always a car parked in the first spot with a confederate flag sticker, so i assume it belongs to staff and it makes me feel icky

let the tourists hit mcgraths and the pickle. cj,s is the real deal. Try it sometime.

 

[Blowhard]

This topic came up in a different thread. Although I still have a decent way to go, I'm curious to hear your thoughts on great places to settle down after the kids are in college and in retirement. Some of the obvious ones to me haven't been affordable in years so I'm curious about up and coming or alternative type places. Places like Park City, Telluride, Aspen, Jackson, etc. are just plain unaffordable these days.

I mentioned Saratoga Springs, NY. It's probably on the expensive side if you live right in town, but to me, it has a lot going for it. It's a college town so it remains young and vibrant. It has a bustling downtown area full of restaurants, shops, and bars. The track makes things really fun and interesting in the summer. The performing arts center gets great shows. Albany is 30 minutes away for bigger city things and an airport. Quick access to outdoor recreation and Gore is one hour away.

I am going to read this entire thread. I am mid 50s, kids in college, step kids on the way. We have a place on one of the lakes just north of ludlow. 5' to okemo, 15' to killington. I ski Backcountry a lot. This winter, I spent much of this winter up there since I WFH. We are thinking that we'd keep the lake house (small), rent it part time (as we do now) and buy a bigger place further out with property when we sell our suburban NY house. Actually saw a nice property recently that abuts Magic Mtn, but too soon for us. THE biggest part of this is where do the kids go? #1 is graduating this year and going to the Boston area. If they all end up in the Northeast, VT makes sense for us, only issue is the high Income taxes.

One thing I have noticed watching weather more these past few years is that there IS much more snow consistently from Killington north and it just gets more pronounced as you move north.

I like the Saratoga idea and saw that one person mentioned Queensbury. I Drove there from VT on Sunday for my 1st shot of Pfizer. I noticed on the northern suburbs the # of newer very nice homes, golf courses, etc. There is GREAT MTB in the VT valley east of there on the NE side of Lake St Catherine, and I am sure in the NY side as well. Other areas I am looking at are the Mad River Valley and the area SW of Woodstock. The culture that you get from a college town would come from a longer shlep to Burlington or Hanover NH. Have to remember that you have lots of music and other festivals at all the ski areas, so with the exception of shows, culture is present in the mountains.

I have a friend who left Westchester NY and got a place in Hebert City UT. Definitely more affordable. He's 15' from Park City Parking and about 45 to Alta. I've actually got 3 people on my Strava feed living there. This area is on my list. Also thinking of a condo in AZ or NM for shoulder season warmth.

 

[VTKilarney]

The area between Saratoga and Lake George is underrated, in my opinion. You are close to city, culture, and nature. The area has a lot more going on in the summer than Vermont does, especially if you like concerts. The only real gripe would be taxes.

 

[Warp Daddy]

The area between Saratoga and Lake George is underrated, in my opinion. You are close to city, culture, and nature. The area has a lot more going on in the summer than Vermont does, especially if you like concerts. The only real gripe would be taxes.

Spot on analysis: QUEENSBURY !

 

[gladerider]

NH sounds very interesting

never thought about it until a few mentioned it on this thread.
hanover, keene, lebannon and concord. how are these places for retirement?

 

[Newpylong]

I live in Enfield NH (abuts Lebanon and Hanover). While I can't say anything about retirement, if you like being outdoors it's hard to beat this area (the "Upper Valley NH/VT"). We are 20 minutes from either Lebanon or New London shopping/food. Enfield is like 20% water and there are thousands of acres of Land Trust and/or State,Town land to hike and snowmobile. I am 30 minutes from Ragged and Sunapee. 50 minutes from Killington. Same town as Whaleback if they ever get their sh*t together. 89 goes through town and 91 is 4 exits north. Fairly quick hop over to I93 as well. 2 hours from Boston, 1.5 to the Seacoast.

Not a ski town by any means, but tough to beat in my eyes coupled with lower NH taxes. The town is well run and has a solid regional school system. No wonder property is flying right now in the area.

 

[gladerider]

yeah. hanover/lebannon seems great on the map logistically to all the major hills.

looks like properties are flying everywhere in the country for some reason. how is the restaurant scene nearby? do you guys to go Dartmouth area for that?

 

[Newpylong]

We rarely if ever go to Hanover (Dartmouth) for anything, but lots of folks here do. We have a couple local restaurants here in town (nothing fancy) we try to do the most business with otherwise we go to Lebanon or New London. Both have ample options. Lebanon is more the business center of the region and New London is more your New England town and the architecture and style restaurants reflect that.

 

[VTKilarney]

NH sounds very interesting

never thought about it until a few mentioned it on this thread.
hanover, keene, lebannon and concord. how are these places for retirement?

The problem with Hanover/Lebanon is that, for being in northern New England, you really aren't near any decent sized ski areas.

1.5 hours to Loon.
1.1 hours to Magic Mountain.
1 hour to Killington
1 hour to Okemo

Hanover/Lebanon makes sense if you only plan on skiing 15 or so days a year.

I prefer Plymouth. Plymouth is much closer to skiing, has a heck of a concert venue in town, is on the doorstep of the Lakes Region, and is close to Concord/Manchester.

 

[JDMRoma]

The problem with Hanover/Lebanon is that, for being in northern New England, you really aren't near any decent sized ski areas.

1.5 hours to Loon.
1.1 hours to Magic Mountain.
1 hour to Killington
1 hour to Okemo

Hanover/Lebanon makes sense if you only plan on skiing 15 or so days a year.

I prefer Plymouth. Plymouth is much closer to skiing, has a heck of a concert venue in town, is on the doorstep of the Lakes Region, and is close to Concord/Manchester.

Plymouth State College, nope ! Go north ! Campton or Thornton look to be where I want to be at some point.