Planning first family trip to Northeast - where to go??

[RossiSkier]

OKEMO FAMILY MOUNTAIN

Okemo is a great place for beginners and for families and there's lots and lots of places to stay. Mount Snow is also family friendly but not as much as Okemo.

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

Smuggs, Tremblant, Okemo are all good choices. I’d like to give a vote to Whiteface/Lake Placid. Great skiing and tons of things to do at night. Your 2 boys would love Bowl Winkles (arcade, bowling alley and laser tag) and Avalanche Adventure (Indoor caving, rock climbing, and minature golf). Also skating, dog sled rides, tobogganing onto Mirror Lake…I’ll stop here. Lots of places for the wife to shop too.

 

[rdmpe]

Thank you so much for all of the input! We finally decided to go for the big trip to Tremblant. This is less of a hardcore ski trip and more of a family / kids trip, so terrain will be fine at Tremblant. I have bookmarked the other sites tho so we'll have info for the next trip, maybe a spring ski trip.

I didn't see any info about Tremblant having facilities to fly in, I'll have to ask about that.

 

[gladerider]

Thank you so much for all of the input! We finally decided to go for the big trip to Tremblant. This is less of a hardcore ski trip and more of a family / kids trip, so terrain will be fine at Tremblant. I have bookmarked the other sites tho so we'll have info for the next trip, maybe a spring ski trip.

I didn't see any info about Tremblant having facilities to fly in, I'll have to ask about that.

The same reason why I go. When are you going? I am taking my family again this year ( 3 years in a row ) during the Presidents week. My kids are off for a week from school.

About the airport, they have one in the resort, but I found out that it only leaves out of Duval international airport. There is also a shuttle.

Your wife and kids will love it. Depending on when you go, it can be really cold, though..........

Have fun.

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

Gladerider, Ur sure right about the temps at Tremblant, I was there with my family last year during Pres. week too and it was bitter. Didn't stop us from having a great time though. I know this is a long shot, but one late afternoon in the hot tub I was talking with a family from NJ who had been their the year before. U didn't happen to stay at the Sheraton did U?

 

[rdmpe]

We're arriving the evening of Feb. 9th. We are flying into the nearest international airport - can't remember the name. But I think we will have to take a shuttle over to Tremblant.

I haven't called about the shuttle service yet, but depending on the cost and timing, I may just rent a car if it is about the same money. Have to give them a call...

Terrain-wise I'll probably be limited to blue and groomed runs cuz I'll be trying skis for the first time. I've snowboarded for many years, water ski, surf, rollerskate all my life, etc. so I'm sure I'll pick it up alright. Just figured it will be better to ski with the rest of the family, especially when there may be some fairly flat terrain involved with the ski in/out and such. Will also allow me to help with the kids skiing I think. I do love boarding though, may rent one for a day. I have one but am leaving it at home...

 

[tirolerpeter]

Trmblant

rdmpe sounds like a plan. Take a lesson and save yourself some "transition" time from the other sports you have mentioned. I once took a 16 year old nephew on his first ski trip. He had played ice hockey for about 5 or 6 years. I never let him assume a snowplow stance when I got him on skiis. I told him to think of the skiis as simply wider skates, stay forward, and to follow in my tracks and do what I did. Whenever we rode up a lift I simply pointed out all the mistakes that others were making. He went from greens to double blacks in three hours! He was in total control the entire time. I was amazed. Have a blast with your family. I miss the days when my kids were little and we did a lot of trips together. They are now 21, 25 and 28, but freqently remind me of the great times we often had.

 

[gladerider]

Gladerider, Ur sure right about the temps at Tremblant, I was there with my family last year during Pres. week too and it was bitter. Didn't stop us from having a great time though. I know this is a long shot, but one late afternoon in the hot tub I was talking with a family from NJ who had been their the year before. U didn't happen to stay at the Sheraton did U?

highpeaksdrifter, I stayed at the 'La Tour des Voyageurs'. There is a hot-tub in the hotel. I was there every afternoon. So, if you were there, I maybe the one.

If you are heading up there again, maybe we will bump into each other. I am arriving on Feb. 20. :beer:

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

highpeaksdrifter, I stayed at the 'La Tour des Voyageurs'. There is a hot-tub in the hotel. I was there every afternoon. So, if you were there, I maybe the one.

If you are heading up there again, maybe we will bump into each other. I am arriving on Feb. 20. :beer:[/quote]

Gladerider, I'd like to bump into you for some runs and some beers, but we had a change of plans. I was all set to take the family to Tremblant when a friend of mine put together a trip to Summit County, Co. so I'm headed there.

Based on your name I'm thinkin you like the trees; me too. Those glades on The Edge are pretty good don't you think? I hope you and your family have a great trip.

 

[gladerider]

Based on your name I'm thinkin you like the trees; me too. Those glades on The Edge are pretty good don't you think? I hope you and your family have a great trip.

I absolutely love it. I hope you have a lotta fun in CO. 8)

 

[beswift]

Tremblant

Depending on when you go, it can be really cold, though..........

Have fun.

When I ski and stay in Northern N.H., Vt. and Me. , I listen to Quebec Radio and watch Montreal T.V. On top of that I used to stay often Spring and Summer at a Gorham Motel which was run by Cannucks. I am always amazed at how cold it is in Quebec. It is very rare when it is colder in New England than it is in Canada. In addition the woman who runs the Motel once told me how many days they had temps up there below -30 (at -35 both scales, C and F, co-incide) the previous winter, I was shocked!!! The opposite would be true for the summers there. They are hotter than ours (but shorter)!!!

 

[goldsbar]

I'd stick to going out West if I lived in Florida. Sure, the NE resorts can be great (Sugarbush, etc. can top some of the Western resorts). Problem is, the weather odds are against you.

To answer your question, I'd go with Sugarbush as it has the quaint(sp?) Vermont charm with trails for all abilities. I love Whiteface and agree with another poster that the town has plenty to do. But, the intermediate terrain can be a bit lacking and over skied as a result.

 

[beswift]

goldsbar The guy already made his choice as he posted. I think he made the wrong choice of Mt. Tremblant. He'll get a French Canadian experience, not a New England experience.