fllady

I hope I'm not breaking any etiquette rules, but I am wondering about trips to VT in addition to my post about CO. Or anywhere on the East Coast actually. I forgot about some of the places over here (I'm in NJ). We (my family when I was little) used to camp in VT in warmer months, and go to the Alpine Slide which was so much fun!

Can anyone recommend any family resorts on the East Coast for us to take our 2 year old in Jan or Feb? My husband will ski, and I might try it, but we'd like some other things to do too (sleigh rides, shopping, etc). I have never, ever done a cold weather trip, being a Jersey Shore girl, so any advice or tips would be appreciated. TIA!

zootsi

Since I'm an ex-Jersey Shore person, I'll try and answer your questions. The firsr place that comes to mind for Vt might be the Woodstock Inn. Woodstock is a very charming village that attacts a lot of New York / New Jersey families looking for a nice getaway. Several good restaurants in town, and fair amount of interesting shops. The Inn offers sleighrides and other outdoor activites. For downhill skiing, Killington is less than 1/2 hout away, and the smaller Suicide Six (which is run by the Woodstock inn) is about 20 minutes. From Woodstock, you can also vist Hanover NH which also has lots of good restaurants and shops.

fllady

Thanks so much! That sounds great.

bennnie

You might consider looking into Smugglers Notch. I've never been so this isn't an endorsement but I have received some brochures and they advertise themselves as a very family friendly place with daycare for the little one so you and your DH may get some together time.

dfrostnh

The further north you go, the better chance of having good snow. The Golden Eagle Resort in Stowe was one of the nicest accomodations we've ever had. We chose something like a mini-suite which was a very large room, sitting area, and gas fireplace. The buildings are set back from the road so you would have plenty of room to build a snowman, etc. For your family I would highly recommend a mini kitchen. Stowe is a very family oriented town.

amaclise

Okemo ski resort is also considered very family friendly and is worth checking out.

Also the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe VT is a classic.

It is not necessarily the case that the better snow is farther north. There is a snow belt through central VT that actually gets the most snow because it is generally a few degress warmer.

cynstalker

Another thought is the Manchester, VT area. There's 2 ski areas (or 3?) in the vicinity - Stratton, Bromley, and possibly Haystack (I'm not sure what's going on with them right now). At any rate, Manchester is a great town for designer outlets, and has some lovely hotels and dining choices. The Equinox is very nice, but a little pricey. There are sleigh rides available in that area too. Wilmington VT is not far for some funky-ski shopping. Both towns are lots of fun!

Wherever you choose, there's a risk of no snow, but the resorts are pretty good at making enough for the slopes.

You're from Jersey, so you understand about dressing properly for the weather (layers, with the first layer being something to wick moisture away from your skin).

Vermont is really beautiful after a fresh snowfall - and there's nothing like sitting by a fire watching a nor-easter raging outside. If you're lucky, the day after the storm will be a clear day: the white snow laying on the boughs of the evergreen trees against a crystal-blue sky is one of natures most beautiful sights. And when it's been a particularly heavy snow that cloaks the branches of the trees that have lost their leaves in white, it creates a lace that beats out any made by human hands.

Cyn

bon100

Stowe, in Northern Vt, is perfect for families because the mountain offers great skiing for all levels. And there are things to do with the kids if they don't feel like skiing.