Western Mass Family Ski Area
 

Which mountain would you recommend for a family Butternut or Jimminy Peak?

We were absolutely spoiled last year (our first family trip skiing) by having the oppostunity to use a friend's ski on/off two bedroom condo in Aspen. This year we have to go to a wedding in NYC during president's week and would love to add in about two nights at a mountain we can drive to. I don't ski, so I want the lodgings to be clean and attractive. A kitchen would be great. The kids are 12, 10 and 5.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Would recommend Jiminy but it is more for experienced skiers and will be more expensive. Butternut is a more family skiing area - lot less trails and not as steep.

Either one will be extremely busy that week and may even be booked solid.

I have only been to Jimminy Peak, but it is fine for families. They have a good set of non-sking things to do, like tubing and (I think) ice skating.

Do be aware that that is school vacation week in New England, and everywhere will be packed -- the smaller places like Jimminy will be slightly less crazy, though. You might want to try upstate New York since they don't have break that week -- my brother loves Gore Mt., north of Albany.

I'm sure you're aware that these places won't be anything like Aspen!

I've stayed at Jiminy 3 times over the past 10 years (always in summer). As for the quality of lodging, the lodge at Jiminy Peak is perfectly adequate, although definitely not striving to be 5*.

The main building (which is quite large and can involve a long walk to your room) is all one bedroom suites with kitchenettes -- spacious enough for 5 if the kids don't mind sharing the living room. We were there 6 months ago (June 2007) and they had recently re-furbished the suites, so everythinng was pretty clean and fresh.

That part of Massachussets is very quaint and pretty. If you do go there, I'd recommend exploring Williamstown or some of the other surrounding towns.

I'll post a couple sites/articles you may want to check out:

http://familyskiresorts.net

www.bootsnall.com

http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/01/11...pes/11ski.html

Thank you so much. I'll follow up on these leads.