Which Is the Best Ski Resort in Colorado, USA?

· Breckenridge is a picturesque Victorian mountain town

· Main Street is lined with boutique shops, independent coffee shops, bars & restaurants

· Breckenridge is well-known for its nightlife and offers a range of restaurants from affordable to fine dining of every genre.

· Everything is close together in Breckenridge and you can walk nearly everywhere or take the free shuttle if it’s chilly or uphill!

· The slopes, lifts and ski school at Peak 9 come right down into town just by Main Street.

· The gondola runs from the centre of town up to Peak and 7 and onto Peak 8

· Peak 7 has mostly blue runs, perfect for intermediates

· Peak 8 has a newly built base area & is home to a variety of green, blue and black runs

· Peak 9 has some good beginner runs, plus other terrain

· Peak 10 has some fantastic tree & mogul skiing

· The Imperial Super chair is the highest chairlift in North America and accesses some fantastic black diamond and double black runs

· Peak 6 is being opened this year with new runs & 2 new lifts

Vail Ski Resort

· Designed in an alpine style Vail has 2 main pedestrian base villages “Vail Village” & “Lionshead Village” with gondolas rising up from each.

· The pedestrian villages have a large variety of shops (including the obligatory fur coats), restaurants & bars to stroll around, plus ice rink & fountains, although Vail village is livelier at night.

· Golden Peak base area is 5-7 minute’s walk from Vail Village and is home to the main children’s ski school (there is ski school in Lionshead too).

· There is also some accommodation in East Vail, a less expensive residential area about 15 mins bus ride from the slopes. West Vail also has some larger homes.

· Vail is the largest single resort in the USA and is famous for its 7 legendary back bowls with fantastic powder after a snowstorm. There is so much terrain though in Vail it takes a while to cover it all and mid-Vail is an area which shouldn’t be overlooked.

Aspen / Snowmass Ski Resort

· Aspen / Snowmass is known as the “power of 4″ and consists of the 4 mountains of Aspen, Snowmass, Buttermilk & Aspen Highlands, all interconnected by bus.

· All 4 resorts are on the same lift pass and Aspen being Aspen you can even arrange for your skis to be transferred to a different mountain for the next day’s skiing so they’re ready & waiting for you.

· Aspen town itself is well-known for its sophisticated, lively & varied nightlife

· Aspen has a plethora of restaurants, bars, designer shops, art galleries to choose from, plus has an ice skating rink & even a rugby field right in the middle.

· The rich & famous often frequent Aspen, so people watching is a sport in itself here

· Aspen mountain has a gondola from the middle of town and consists of blue runs and above but is not really for beginners.

· Snowmass has the most skiing of the 4 areas, but is a little quieter especially at night.

· Snowmass is great for families with its new ski school & childcare centre “The Treehouse” & has tons of ski in, ski out accommodation, making getting to the skiing very convenient.

· Snowmass is a huge ski area, covering every type of terrain. It even has a people mover lift which the locals call the “skittles” to take you from the base area to the mall area part way up the mountain

· Buttermilk is the beginner mountain and home to the X-games, Aspen Highland has advanced & expert including hike to terrain.

Beaver Creek Ski Resort

· “Not exactly roughing it” is their slogan and that pretty much says it all

· Guests skiing in Beaver Creek are spoilt by the escalators taking you up to the slopes so you don’t have to walk up the steps, the chaps unloading your skis from the ski bus and the complimentary freshly baked cookies at 3pm each afternoon.

· On the same lift pass as Vail Beaver Creek is only about 20 minutes away

· Beaver Creek has a quiet sophistication and is slightly more reserved than the flashier Vail. It is home to the rich & famous and ex-presidents and celebrities have their homes here.

· Beaver Creek Village is compact and designed around the ice rink and has a high standard of restaurants, boutique shops, galleries & bars.

· It has some good ski in, ski out accommodation including The Osprey, Beaver Creek, which is the closest hotel to a chairlift in North America.

· Bachelor Gulch is the second base area at Beaver Creek with the Ritz Carlton Hotel and its outdoor pool at the bottom of the slopes & other ski in, ski out accommodation.

· The third area of Beaver Creek ski resort is Arrowhead. The town of Avon 10 minutes outside Beaver Creek has more affordable accommodation and has a gondola which goes up to Beaver Creek Landing, from where skiers can take another lift to access the Beaver Creek ski area.

· Beaver Creek seems to groom its intermediate slopes non-stop, plus is host to the “Birds of Prey” world cup race, which is ski-able but not for the faint-hearted!

Steamboat Springs Ski Resort

· The historic town of Steamboat is about 10 minutes drive from the main ski area.

· The town has a western feel to it with shops selling cowboy boots & hats, amongst the sophisticated restaurants

· The strawberry hot springs are natural mineral springs, just a few minute’s drive from Steamboat and are a must after some strenuous skiing.

· The ski area has 6 peaks of world-class skiing, including some fantastic glade skiing.

· Steamboat coined the name “Champagne powder” and is incredible on a powder day

· The base of the ski area is developing more and more each year and there is now the main area around the gondola and Ski Times Square just a little further along.

· There are some top-notch ski in, ski out places to stay at the base with every amenity you could imagine.

· Steamboat is pretty family friendly & offers free children’s lift passes with an adult pass, a nice touch.

Winter Park Ski Resort

· Winter Park is a down to earth town, more low-key than many of the other ski resorts and thus good value for money.

· They say that the only time you see a fur coat in Winter Park is when it’s on the animals!

· The town is where most of the shops, bars & restaurants are, set along its main street and has quieter nightlife, some late night bars, but no clubs as such.

· The base area is about 10 minutes drive or bus from town and is the closest resort to Denver.

· Winter Park Resort is known as Colorado’s favourite, is where many Coloradans learnt to ski and is still very popular with local residents

· A skiers mountain Winter Park has the most consistent snow year after year, 30 feet or so.

· Winter Park Resort consists of the main base area at Winter Park with its beginner area, intermediate & advanced runs, Mary Jane, famous for its epic moguls, Vasquez Ridge a quieter area, with blue and black runs, Parsenn Bowl, above treeline with intermediate & advanced skiing & the Cirque for expert skiers. If you’re into tree skiing, there is some fantastic natural terrain on Eagle Wind.

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Top Ski Resorts in Virginia

Ski resorts in Virginia don’t normally jump into your mind when first considering a family ski vacation. Normally, one might think of the towering peaks found in Colorado, Utah, or New Mexico and begin to set their sights on some of the popular ski resorts found there. However, for families on the East Coast or Eastern area of the Country, the time and price involved to go to those places might be a bit too much, particularly if you allow a little more time for you to acclimate yourself to the higher elevation.

Although the mountains are not quite as tall, the good news is that you have many fine ski resorts within the Eastern United States, offering fun for your family, and Virginia has a lot of them. The reality is, the Mid-Atlantic area has plenty of ski resorts, many of which are four season resorts that include fun activities all year-long. To better acquaint you as to what all is available, here is some information on a few of the top ski resorts located in Virginia.

Wintergreen Ski Resort – Wintergreen, Virginia
Probably Virginia’s most varied ski resort; its situated within 11,000 acres of pristine forest within the eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is located within Central Virginia only 1 hour 30 minutes from Richmond, Va. and approximately three hours from Washington, D.C. and North Carolina. Rising to an elevation of 3,515 feet, Wintergreen offers 26 slopes and trails, of which 14 are lighted for night skiing. The longest run is 1.4 miles, which has a vertical drop of 1,003 feet. The ski terrain mix includes approximately 23% beginner slopes, 35% intermediate, and 42% advanced/expert runs. On top of the ski runs, the resort includes 2 terrain parks and 2 tubing parks, so whether its skiing, snowboarding, or snow tubing which you enjoy most, there is a little something for all.

Massanutten Ski Resort – Massanutten, Virginia
This ski resort can be found about 10 miles east of Harrisonburg, VA, within the northwestern region of Virginia, on the tip of Massanutten Mountain with an elevation of 2,880 feet. Serving guests from Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley and the Washington D.C. area, Massanutten offers 8 ski lifts and 14 trails, and all of these are lighted for night skiing. The ski terrain mix is approximately 30% beginner runs, 35% intermediate, and 35% advanced runs, having a vertical drop of 1,110 feet. The resort includes 2 terrain parks for skiers and snowboarders and they also host Virginia’s first snow tubing park, which opened in 1998 and contains a 900 foot long tubing hill. In addition, there’s an ice skating facility at Massanutten, which accommodates close to 132 skaters at one time.

The Homestead Ski Area – Hot Springs, Virginia
Virginia’s first skiing resort, The Homestead has operated since 1959 and is particularly famous for its wide slopes along with a great learning area. Its located off of Interstate 81 and Route 64, and merely several miles from the West Virginia border in the Allegheny Mountains. For skiers and snowboarders, the summit is 3200 feet having a vertical drop of 700 feet. The resort offers 9 trails or runs and the terrain mix is 33% beginner runs, 33% intermediate, and 34% advanced runs, with night skiing on Saturday nights. The resort has a terrain park to offer additional challenge and excitement to both skiers and snowboarders. Off the slopes there’s still ample winter fun with ice skating, snow tubing and snowmobile tours. After the fun day of activities, relax by the fire in the Mountain Lodge to warm-up and share some of the highlights of your day with loved ones.

Bryce Ski Resort – Basye, Virginia
This ski resort is very nice for first time skiers or snowboarders and wins high marks for being a family friendly ski resort. It is located in the heart of Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, tucked on a low-lying ridge between the Allegheny and Blue Ridge Mountains towards the West Virginia border. Bryce will be the closest Virginia ski resort to Washington D.C. and it is just A couple of hours away. The summit is 1750 feet having a vertical drop of 500 feet. You’ll find 8 ski runs or trails and the longest run is 3500 feet. If you are a parent or loved one who wants to watch your kids ski, then the mountain layout is great. All slopes funnel down to one central area at the base, so it’s simple to spot your children while enjoying a mug of coffee. The terrain mix is roughly 34% beginner runs, 33% intermediate and 33% advanced runs. The bottom slopes do a good job of accommodating beginners, nonetheless the upper slopes still offer challenging terrain for intermediate or advanced skiers and snowboarders. Tubing is extremely popular at this resort and their Ridge Runner’s Tubing Park offers 800 foot long snow tubing lanes to deliver fun for the whole family.

Whether it’s a quick weekend trip to the mountains to ski or snowboard, or an extended ski vacation, your family is certain to enjoy yourself. There is nothing like enjoying good quality family time amongst beautiful mountain scenery, where you can either discover how to ski or snowboard the first time or continue to challenge yourself and hone your skill. After having a day on the slopes there is nothing like enjoying a good meal and relaxing with family around a roaring fire to share stories about the day and mention both the good runs and the wipe-outs.

Hopefully this information about several of the ski resorts in Virginia is useful and gives you a better appreciation for the area. Especially for those of you who are in the Eastern United States, definitely consider Virginia when planning your upcoming ski vacation. Most important, make sure to plan family getaways like these each year. Our children grow up so quickly, and before we know it they are gone and out on their own, so make sure and create these special times and memories that last a lifetime. Have a good time and stay safe

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