Looking for snowy vacation destinations

[tarmand]

Okay, so Katrina and Rita killed my long weekend in WDW that was scheduled for this weekend. My husband has mentioned taking a week long vacation either Thanksgiving week or the week between Christmas and New Years. So, our delima is where should we go?

Here are out requirements:

Snow - not blizzard, though
Mountains
Family Activities
Great Restaurants and shopping
Reasonable airfare would be a plus

We are both leaning toward Colorado Springs but the airfare is outrageous. We could fly to Denver and drive down, but airfare is still $250/person. Man, Southwest has me spoiled with their low airfare, but since they have limited their service out of New Orleans, we will have to use another airline. I'll probably break down and pay the $250, but I wanted to get other ideas first.

 

[Tiggerkeeper]

We ski Breckenridge and Vail that time of year but airfares are always HIGH. There are plenty of things to do both places and the snow is great fun!!
Breckenridge has lot of shops probably more reasonably priced than Vail. But one year in Vail we took a snowmobile ride at night across the Vail Ridge that was breathtaking. We also went ice skating at an outside rink that was pretty cool. There are family things to do you just have to research.

Living in SC we don't see snow...ice maybe but rarely snow!

Have a great time wherever you end up going!!

 

[palmtreegirl]

Found this on a google search-

http://www.thefamilytravelfiles.com/ski/best.asp#bestsnow

The best family Snow Places in North America

1. Whistler/Blackcomb, Whistler, British Colombia
2. Keystone Resort, Keystone, Colorado
3. Jay Peak Ski Resort, Jay, Vermont
4. Gray Rocks Resort, Mont Tremblant, Quebec
5. Mont Sainte-Anne, Beaupré, Quebec
6. Smugglers' Notch Resort, Smugglers' Notch, Vermont
7. Killington Ski and Summer Resort, Killington, Vermont
8. Big Sky of Montana, Big Sky, Montana
9. Breckenridge Ski Resort, Breckenridge, Colorado
10. Stoneham Mountain Resort, Stoneham, Quebec

Honorable Mention

11. Mount Snow, Mount Snow, Vermont
12. Deerhurst Resort, Huntsville, Ontario
13. Northstar-at-Tahoe, Truckee, California
14. Park City Mountain Resort, Park City, Utah
15. Shanty Creek, Bellaire, Michigan

 

[tarmand]

We ski Breckinridge and Vail that time of year but airfares are always HIGH. There are plenty of things to do both places and the snow is great fun!!
Breckinridge has lot of shops probably more reasonably priced than Vail. But one year in Vail we took a snowmobile ride at night across the Vail Ridge that was breathtaking. We also went ice skating at an outside rink that was pretty cool. There are family things to do you just have to research.

Living in SC we don't see snow...ice maybe but rarely snow!

Have a great time wherever you end up going!!

We usually go to Lake Tahoe, but since we have a toddler, I told my husband that Harrah's wasn't exactly where we needed to spend a week! He usually gambles and I shop, but now that we have Emily, we want to do more things that a nearly two-year old would enjoy. I checked into Vail and the air fare was crazy. $250 isn't that bad. We've paid $350 to go to Tahoe in the past, but it was just two fares then so it didn't hurt as much.

 

[Sandy V.]

I live just north of Colorado Springs; we always fly in and out of Denver because the fares are so much cheaper and you get direct flights more often.

I think that Tiggerkeeper's suggestion of Breckinridge and Vail are good ones. There are lots of winter activities in both communities. Your difficulty will be in finding lodging because things book up quickly during the times you're looking at.

Not a whole heck of a lot to do in Colorado Springs in the winter, at least in my opinion. It's a better summer destination.

If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask!

 

[diznygirl]

Although there are better snowy resorts, I thought I'd throw out some in Southern California. Big Bear and Lake Arrowhead are very nice places, and have the added benefit of being maybe a 2 hour drive from Disneyland!

 

[foolishmortal]

Come visit Denver!!!!

Oh can always drive to the other places in Colorado easily from Denver. In the time of year you are talking hotel rooms will prob be cheaper in Denver than the mountain towns also.

 

[Microcell]

Come visit Denver!!!!

Oh can always drive to the other places in Colorado easily from Denver. In the time of year you are talking hotel rooms will prob be cheaper in Denver than the mountain towns also.

and Denver is only about 90 minutes away from Breckenridge. There is a town would not be as pricey as Breckenridge, or Vail, but very close (under 20 miles) and that is Frisco. But don't stay at the Holiday Inn there, it is a dump! I liked Breckenridge, very cozy, but Vail seems to have the posh air to it that I am not fond of. Amazing what will fit into those little mountain towns.

Denver is at the foot of the mountains, and has tons to do there- Notibly Casa Bonita- they have cliff divers there, but the food is not very good. Ambiance, tons of it, and all your toddler's type!
There is a great Aquarium there, science center, shopping- Cherry Creek area. To be a little more in the mountains but close to Denver, Golden is good too.

We stayed in mountain towns for the first time this last summer and I do prefer it to Denver. Be prepared for a sad sight, you know when you are hitting Denver again, because you can see the smog in the distance when you drive toward the city.

 

[hydster]

Come to Utah! We have great skiing and loads of family friendly things to do. We have 13 different ski resorts. 7 of them within 20 min of the Salt Lake International Airport and 1 of them is about 40 min away. Park City is a fun town with some great shopping but the nice thing is you can stay in the city and drive to the resorts in less than 20 min. Denver is usually pretty pricey to fly into due to that massive airport (and I know because my brother lives in Littleton). There is Brighton, Alta, Solitude, Snowbird, Park City, Deer Valley, The Canyons and Sundance (Robert Redford owns this resort).

 

[grinningghost]

Come to New York! Great snow vacations here. Elicottville, NY is probably the best kept secret in the world if you're a snow person. Great skiing (I don't ski, but know lots of people who do and love it), quaint shops, restaurants, pubs.

And then there's the Adirondack Mountains. Beautiful, beautiful country.

http://www.ellicottvilleny.com/home_noflash.asp

 

[malibuconlee]

I second going to Utah.

 

[tone.def]

Whistler, British Columbia or Banff, Alberta. The beauty will take your breath away!

Blue Mountain in Collingwood, Ontario is great as is Mt. Tremblant in Quebec.

 

[CharlesTD]

Okay, so Katrina and Rita killed my long weekend in WDW that was scheduled for this weekend. My husband has mentioned taking a week long vacation either Thanksgiving week or the week between Christmas and New Years. So, our delima is where should we go?

Here are out requirements:

Snow - not blizzard, though
Mountains
Family Activities
Great Restaurants and shopping
Reasonable airfare would be a plus

We are both leaning toward Colorado Springs but the airfare is outrageous. We could fly to Denver and drive down, but airfare is still $250/person. Man, Southwest has me spoiled with their low airfare, but since they have limited their service out of New Orleans, we will have to use another airline. I'll probably break down and pay the $250, but I wanted to get other ideas first.

Look at Montreal or Banff or Quebec City would be my suggestions.

 

[swilphil]

Fly into Denver, and then drive to the resort of your choice. Keystone is the most family friendly of the resorts, and it is owned by the same people who own Vail and Beaver Creek. I like Breckenridge, too, but have only been there in the summer. All of the resorts have websites that you can check out to see which you like best.

 

[Jen_in_NH]

Bretton Woods / Mt Washington Hotel.

The skiing is great, the shopping in Conway is good (and tax free ). It's beautiful up here, and the airfare into Manchester NH is usually cheap.

Jen

 

[golfgal]

Whistler, British Columbia or Banff, Alberta. The beauty will take your breath away!

.

These places would get MY vote, especially Banff, incredible!

 

[bajanswife]

I'm interested in a winter vacation during Christmas holidays one year as well - are all of these suggestions pretty much guaranteed to have snow at some point during December/early January? It's a long way for us to go to find no snow!

 

[golfgal]

I'm interested in a winter vacation during Christmas holidays one year as well - are all of these suggestions pretty much guaranteed to have snow at some point during December/early January? It's a long way for us to go to find no snow!

The places in Canada are in the mountains as are Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge in CO so there is probably a 98% chance they will have snow then. There is always going to be the odd year, like we had last year, where there might not be any snow. We usually average about 75 inches or so of snow and we had 9" total last year.

 

[swilphil]

The places in Canada are in the mountains as are Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge in CO so there is probably a 98% chance they will have snow then. There is always going to be the odd year, like we had last year, where there might not be any snow. We usually average about 75 inches or so of snow and we had 9" total last year.

I don't know about Canada, but I'd guess that the places mentioned in Colorado are more like 99 or 99.9 percent likely to have snow in December and January. I know they used have the ability to make artifical snow, so no matter what you will get snow.

 

[golfgal]

I don't know about Canada, but I'd guess that the places mentioned in Colorado are more like 99 or 99.9 percent likely to have snow in December and January. I know they used have the ability to make artifical snow, so no matter what you will get snow.

I forgot about making snow. I just wanted to give the possibility of there being a freekishly warm winter with the % I listed.