1. Home
  2. Travel
  3. Family Vacations

Ski Resort Choices for Families - in six regions

By Teresa Plowright, About.com

1 of 8

Ski Resort Choices for Families - intro

short-cut to: New England, Pennsylvania, New York State, Colorado, Utah, Canada.

Forget "Old Man Winter": for families who ski or board, "Winter" is a buff guy in gortex, and a chance to get onto pure white slopes under bright blue skies.

So, where to go?

Often the answer's to simply Go Local: if there's a ski resort in driving distance, load up the gear and head for the hills.

Still, sometimes local has limitations. Such as:

  • vertical lift: as kids get older, the family may crave those long blue runs that bigger mountains serve up.
  • quality of the snow: for most of us, ice is not nice, and champagne powder is sweet.
  • kids' programs: some ski resorts go all out with teen programs, or deluxe child-care centers.
So let's check out some ski resort choices in different areas. The Rocky Mountain ranges are the main fly-to destinations, plus BC's even-bigger Whistler-Blackcomb resort.

Keep in mind, when choosing a ski resort:

• Sometimes non-celebrity places can be star-quality for families. They may not have the glitz, they may be a bit off the beaten track; but you get uncrowded slopes, lower prices, manageable size, friendly ambiance.

• you can find all kinds of extra fun: snow-shoeing, snowmobiling, sleigh rides, ice skating, family games, movie nights, even dog-sledding.

• if timing's tight, be wary of places that require connector flights into small airports. (Such flights add $ to the vacation too.)

• Finally: for any ski resort, be sure to read recent visitor comments (at a site like TripAdvisor.com.)

--On to region #1: New England

Index: Ski Resort Choices for Families - in six regions

  1. Ski Resort Choices for Families - intro
  2. New England: Vermont, Maine, NH
  3. Pennsylvania
  4. New York State
  5. Family Ski Resort Choices: Colorado
  6. Utah
  7. Canada
  8. More...

1 of 8

Explore Family Vacations

More from About.com

  1. Home
  2. Travel
  3. Family Vacations
  4. Great Outdoors
  5. Ski Vacations
  6. Find a Ski Resort
  7. Ski Resort Choices for Families, in six regions

©2008 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.