We're looking to take the family (wife, 3 year-old and 12 year-old) skiing for 4 days during spring break. We've never been skiing before, so I was hoping to get some advice on where to go that's family-friendly as well as beginner-friendly. We had heard that Breckenridge was good for families. Of course, we'd also like some place that is budget-friendly. I don't really know how ski rentals, equipment, lifts, etc. work so it would be nice to have a good idea on what all of that will cost. Thanks in advance!
Are you in TX? Try CO first. I learned to ski at Durango. Winter Park is also great and both are "bargain" ski areas compared to the Vail/Aspen types.
Breckenridge is where I learned to ski as a little nino. I highly recommend it for families with younger kids and beginners.
I first learned in Taos NM. The next time I went was Winterpark CO. I loved Winterpark. I was obviously still a beginner.
A buddy of mine usually goes there every year. He just got there (Sunday),but learned that his skis apparently didn't make the trip off the plane.
Breckenridge is definitely the place to go. That is where I learned to ski and it is still my favorite. It is a very large mountain (not as big as Vail), with a lot of variety in the difficulty in runs. There are a lot of blacks on the top and backsides, but a lot of blues and greens on peaks 9 and 7. It probably has the highest quantity of beginner runs. They have very good instructors there, I am still good friends with the person that taught my family. There is also a school for small children such as 3 year old at the base of the mountain. I was never in it but I hear good things. The food on the mountain ain't bad either. But what I think sets Breck apart is the town, it is the best of the Colorado ski towns imo. A lot of family restaurants and things to do. I would recommend staying at he Beaver Run Resort. It can get expensive but not usually any moreso that the other places in town. It is the most convenient place to stay because you can walk outside, put on your skis, and be on the slopes. The ski school is right in front of the hotel and they have a free shuttle that will take you anywhere in town. I'm going to school in Colorado right now but have not been able to make it up to Breck yet, but I cant wait.
Here's some advice. Since you and your family have never been skiing, I highly advise you to take lessons your first day. You will undoubtedly fall a lot your first day or two (or three, or four..) so it is worth it to have at least someone teach you how to go down the mountain. Sometimes, they'll have specials where you get a discount on lift tickets on the day of your lesson. They also teach you not to make a fool of yourself, or much worse, injure yourself when getting off the lift. As far as equipment, you will need to rent skis and boots. I am assuming you have clothing, but if you don't, make sure you wear waterproof gear. If you can , borrow from someone. If you can't, then I recommend going to somewhere cheap like TJ MAX or Ross to get discounted gear. You can also try craigslist or ebay. You don't know if you'll like skiing, so it doesnt make sense to goto somewhere like REI to buy overpriced clothing. You might not look the most stylish, but who cares, you're a beginner anyway and most likely will look like a clumsy giraffe on the mountain. The way skiing works is much like going to an amusement park. You have to buy a lift ticket to be able to ride the lifts that take you onto the mountain. These tickets can go anywhere from $30-$90. You can also buy half day tickets if you wake up around 11am, and would like to ski until close. A lift ticket guarantees you access to the entire resort and all their ski trails. Like an amusement park, food will be expensive on the mountain (think movie theatre prices), so some people will bring their own food in a backpack or bag. Or, if you can get by without eating a meal, just bring a few granola bars. If you are set on going to Breck, then you will have a good time since it caters to all skill levels. However, tickets will run you around $80/day for an adult. This can be expensive, and you may want to look at somewhere cheaper like arapahoe basin or keystone. You don't want to go too cheap either because then you'll be stuck on going down 1 or 2 trails your whole trip which can get boring. As far as lodging, I like to get a ski in/out lodge because i'm lazy and like to be right next to the slope. This is usually more expensive but super convenient, trust me. You can also book through the resort website which can be cheap sometimes if you look are lucky, but in my experience, they haven't been. Another option would be find a lodge that a private owner is renting out. These places can be pretty nice, and sometimes at great prices depending on when you go. Usually, these homes will be on the bus route to the resort. Being close to the bus route will save you some money too since places like Breck are starting charge for parking. you can search vrbo.com or something similar for private homes. Hope this helps.
They had an accident up there during xmas when I was in Silverstar, BC. One of the ski lifts collapsed, and a bunch of people were injured and I believe there was a fatality. It was crazy cold those weeks. A Houstonian....me was there every day on the slopes though when the Canadians couldn't bare the cold.
I remember you saying that in another thread...I was in Vancouver that same weekend. Even Vancouver got an unusual amount of snow that weekend. ...and for those of you wanting to go skiing in BC, the Canadian dollar is really low compared to the US dollar these days...around 20% lower than July 2008.
Yep, crazy stuff. We were lucky to get out of Seattle that night. I was snowboarding in -4 degrees Fahrenheit. And it was like -11 or so at night, crazy cold the first weekend. It is a great time to visit Canada if you can afford the trip up there. Our condo was amazing, and was only $800 for the week, including ski passes for every day. We stayed at the Silverstar resort, had a brand new 2 bedroom (one with 2 bunk beds, the other with a queen size bed), a couch bed in the living room, a full kitchen, and dining room too. Great deal, will think about doing it again.
Brighton in Utah. It doesn't have the crowds or the $90 lift tickets of the big name resorts. Lodging in Salt Lake is pretty reasonable compared to Breck, etc. The snow in Utah is as good as it gets. That said. Wherever you go on spring break, there will be big crowds. If you were going any time other than spring break, I would also recommend Wolf Creek in Colorado. Great snow, reasonable prices. And small crowds. Except spring Break and Christmas. Also, why skiing it's so 70s. Try snowboarding.
I've always heard angelfire in NM is cost effective, but I myself have never been...maybe I should look into this year...
Whoa! Didn't expect to see this one (it's 30 minutes from where I live). I actually haven't even went there yet though . I've only went skiing and snowboarding in BC and Alberta - I'd recommend Big White (Kelowna, BC), Blackcomb-Whistler (Whistler, BC), Mount Washington (Vancouver Island, BC), or Lake Louise (AB).
