Planning for Next Winters Trips - Where to Take the Kids ?

[tjd]

Well, it's hot and humid here in CT, so what better time than now to start planning for next winter's vacation (presidents week). My two oldest kids (6 & 8 now) learned to ski this year and did their first diamonds by the end of the season. The youngest (4 now) did the 3's program at Sugarbush for 6 days. For the upcomign season, we have passes to Catamount for local skiing and will be up at Sugarbush for a week or so as well.

So now the question - where is the best resort to take them for an unforgettable awesome skiing experience ? It has to be very kid friendy and have a 4YO ski school. The little one will do the school while the big kids ski with the adults. A relative in CO suggested Breckenridge. I'm open to listening to everyone's ideas for trips within North America or Europe. I have about half a million frequent flyer miles, so the distance is not a problem, but I need to plan early to make this happen.

Thanks in advance to everyone for your thoughts and ideas.

Think Snow!

 

[Vortex]

Anytime I hear... needs to be kid friendly Waterville Valley would be a choice to consider. Great Lesson programs, all lifts end at 1 base lodge. The Village at the base offers fun family entertainment. Shuttle services availible. The town itself has a recreation center that have daily and weekly programs. Sleigh rides, fireworks. Alot of fun stuff my kids favorite is the Candy store in Town Square.. I usually ski Loon and bring my kids in to Waterville for activities. www.waterville.com
Good luck and have fun.

 

[Paul]

I'm looking to bring the wife and soon-to-be 5 yr old up to Smuggs this Feb. I hear the school there is really good.

Bretton Woods has a good kids program, but you'll be bored to tears....

 

[Vortex]

Smugglers notch programs always rate high. No 1st hand experience though.

 

[thetrailboss]

I've heard a lot of good things about Smuggler's Notch Programs for kids. They are always ranked up there...

As for adult terrain, though the lifts are really slow, the upper mountain terrain is really good from what I've heard...some good tough stuff one would not expect for a resort that has such as soft family image...

 

[awf170]

I've heard a lot of good things about Smuggler's Notch Programs for kids. They are always ranked up there...

As for adult terrain, though the lifts are really slow, the upper mountain terrain is really good from what I've heard...some good tough stuff one would not expect for a resort that has such as soft family image...

yepp they even have a triple black :roll:

 

[thetrailboss]

yepp they even have a triple black :roll:

Yeah, I'd say that's a bunch of crap...never skied there, so I really can't say...

 

[awf170]

for out west whistler seemed good but maybe a little to huge, i think they have good kids progams though... i have bad experiances with huge mountains out west as a little kid(11) though, at sunshine village i got lost skiing by myself,and i couldnt find my parents for like 2 hours, and they were ready to start a search for me, any place with multiple bases seems bad to kids, cause it seems like you always get split up some how
this brings up a memory of when i used to ski alone but couldnt reach or lift back up the bar so would just never put it down

 

[dmc]

yepp they even have a triple black :roll:

Yeah, I'd say that's a bunch of crap...never skied there, so I really can't say...

I hear it's pretty "hairy" from a friend who had a pass there for a cou[le of years...

 

[Treeliner]

yepp they even have a triple black :roll:

I always thought that was so funny, seems like such a blatantly obvious marketing scam to me. :lol:

But on the topic; you say distnace is not a problem, then I would recommend definitely going out west somewhere. You'll be going to Sugarbush and catamount frequently so the grandeur and scale of a resort out west could make for a very unforgettable experience (on the other hand it also might be intimidating for younger skiers as austin pointed out). I would take a look at Telluride. It would offer amazing views, great terrain, and has a really nice town (so I've heard, I haven't actually been there). I don't think Telluride is intimidating as a resort such as Vail would be either.

 

[awf170]

yepp they even have a triple black :roll:

I always thought that was so funny, seems like such a blatantly obvious marketing scam to me. :lol:

But on the topic; you say distnace is not a problem, then I would recommend definitely going out west somewhere. You'll be going to Sugarbush and catamount frequently so the grandeur and scale of a resort out west could make for a very unforgettable experience (on the other hand it also might be intimidating for younger skiers as austin pointed out). I would take a look at Telluride. It would offer amazing views, great terrain, and has a really nice town (so I've heard, I haven't actually been there). I don't think Telluride is intimidating as a resort such as Vail would be either.

the fly in might scare the kids though... or wife, my mom would never go because of that flight

 

[Talisman]

yepp they even have a triple black :roll:

Yeah, I'd say that's a bunch of crap...never skied there, so I really can't say...

I won't debate the marketing potential of a triple black diamond trail. I will say that if there is natural snow, Smuggs delivers a broad spectrum of skiing for all ski levels. The lifts are long doubles, but the fresh snow lasts a lot longer than areas with higher uphill capacity and Smuggs has a lot of fun secrets to discover.

For kid friendly western skiing, I recommend the Lake North Tahoe area, copious snow, lots of ski areas to choose from and typically sunny days. The flights to Renoe are pretty easy from the East and the drive time from the airport are short.

 

[awf170]

i typed in madonna ski lift and got this

must of done some sort of expansion to some neighboring peaks :wink: :wink:
heres a real pic looks pretty sick, also looks like u need rock skis

also looks like there is some chutes to the left of the peak
hey doesnt brettski always go there... where is he anyway?

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

yepp they even have a triple black :roll:

Yeah, I'd say that's a bunch of crap...never skied there, so I really can't say...

Bingo, why not 4 diamonds, 5 or 10? It's called the Black Hole and what it is is tight trees on relatively steep terrain. It's ok, but their back bowls offer alot better. That said, Smuggs is a great place for kids and expert skiers. After a good dump and all the wooded terrain is open, it's tuff to beat.

Shameless plug for Whiteface. Great skiing, seperate beginner area with it's own lodge, plus everything Lake Placid has to offer makes for a great family vacation.

 

[NHpowderhound]

Salt Lake City! Ok, you cant quite ski to your condo but you can ski at least 7(Alta,Snowbird,Brighton,Canyons,Park City,Deer Valey & Solitude) of North Americas best resorts in a half hour drive and go see a show,concert or basketball game in the same day! Deer Valley has some of the nicest amenities and most meticulously groomed and manicured slopes in the buissness. Also one of the highest priced lift tickets too! $71 !

http://www.deervalley.com/winter.jsp
((*
*))NHPH

 

[ChileMass]

Ski trips with kids require off-mountian stuff to do and lots of it to get through a week away from home. Pick a ski hill near a city or resort town that has a lot to do.

East Coast - Lake Placid is outstanding. Take the kids on a bobsled run and Mom can go shopping downtown. Lots of restaurants and events of all kinds all season. Tremblant and Orford in Quebec are great also, and the Canadian discount is not what it used to be, but it still helps. Tremblant is more expensive but more cosmopolitan. Orford is more a strictly family hill, but still a lot of fun.

US West - Probably the Park City region or Breckenridge in CO. All are very nice. Breck is has a bit more old-west feel, but Park City, Deer Valley and The Canyons are great if you want the ski and spa vacation. Just make sure your credit cards are paid down and you have alot of open balance to fill up.

Canada West - Whistler/Blackcomb supposedly has it all for families, singles, etc. I have been to all the resorts above multiple times each, but perhaps some of our AZ friends can give you the first-hand 411 on Whistler/Blackcomb.

Then again if you really want to impress Mom and your skiing friends, go to Zermatt. I have told the tale too many times on this site to bore everyone again, so PM if you want more details on it. Needless to say, for this 38-year skiing veteran, it will be the high point of my skiing career and will remain so until I have the chance to do it again.......

 

[awf170]

Salt Lake City! Ok, you cant quite ski to your condo but you can ski at least 7(Alta,Snowbird,Brighton,Canyons,Park City,Deer Valey & Solitude) of North Americas best resorts in a half hour drive and go see a show,concert or basketball game in the same day! Deer Valley has some of the nicest amenities and most meticulously groomed and manicured slopes in the buissness. Also one of the highest priced lift tickets too! $71 !

http://www.deervalley.com/winter.jsp
((*
*))NHPH

you sound like a commercial... but ya u are right SLC is awsome, alta i thought had awsome begginer/ intermiate terrian, and no ice(always nice when ur from the east), my mom loved alta.... snowbird is quite scary on the other hand... couldnt get her to ski there.... brighton looks like it has some good intermiate terrian. I wouldnt even bother with park city, thats just my opinion

 

[awf170]

Ski trips with kids require off-mountian stuff to do and lots of it to get through a week away from home. Pick a ski hill near a city or resort town that has a lot to do.

East Coast - Lake Placid is outstanding. Take the kids on a bobsled run and Mom can go shopping downtown. Lots of restaurants and events of all kinds all season. Tremblant and Orford in Quebec are great also, and the Canadian discount is not what it used to be, but it still helps. Tremblant is more expensive but more cosmopolitan. Orford is more a strictly family hill, but still a lot of fun.

US West - Probably the Park City region or Breckenridge in CO. All are very nice. Breck is has a bit more old-west feel, but Park City, Deer Valley and The Canyons are great if you want the ski and spa vacation. Just make sure your credit cards are paid down and you have alot of open balance to fill up.

Canada West - Whistler/Blackcomb supposedly has it all for families, singles, etc. I have been to all the resorts above multiple times each, but perhaps some of our AZ friends can give you the first-hand 411 on Whistler/Blackcomb.

Then again if you really want to impress Mom and your skiing friends, go to Zermatt. I have told the tale too many times on this site to bore everyone again, so PM if you want more details on it. Needless to say, for this 38-year skiing veteran, it will be the high point of my skiing career and will remain so until I have the chance to do it again.......

when i was that age(maybe a lil older) i didnt care about any other that off mountain stuff i just wanted to go skiing, at banff when we arrived at like 2 in the morning i was mad we didnt go skiing the next day

 

[dmc]

Check into Snowmass too...