I don't know if there's already a thread on this topic, so I apologise if I'm being lazy...

We are thinking that we might be brave enough to attempt a family ski holiday with our two young children.

Has anybody been skiing here with a primary and pre-schooler in this country?

Any recommendations?

My husband is a good skiier, but I'm a beginning. (I've been a couple times, the last time many years ago in the beginners' class at Alpe d'huez...) Nevertheless, I enjoyed it and we thought it would be a fun holiday, if we found the right kind of place that was good for families. My husband and I have never been skiing together before.

Is the atmosphere the same as in the Alps?

Sugerloaf ain't a bad spot...bloomin' expensive though...and apart from whats on the slopes, there's bugger all there really, so not quite the alps, can't speak for anywhere else though.

Sunday River's pretty good. That being said I'm a crap skier who's more into the Apres ski than hurting myself down a mountain.

You could always try Mammoth Mountain...that's a good place to go.

Which State do you live in, Warksgirl?

Are you likely to drive to a ski resort or to fly to the pistes? That will help with suggestions!

(PS. Which part of Warwickshire are you from? I'm originally from Coventry - which was in Warwickshire until taken over by the quango that is the West Midlands metropolitan county... . I know Warwickshire very well indeed as I used to work in all the main town centres).

Hi,

I'm in suburban Chicago, so we'll be flying. My husband has some romantic notion of someday doing an old-fashioned drive around the country (Route 66, etc.), but at the moment, that's not very practical. It's certainly out of the question for a trip to the mountains with two young children!

We were living in south Warwickshire, near Stratford. It was a beautiful part of the country. Stratford had it's good points, but unfortunately, too many tourists for my taste, especially all of the coaches up from London trying to squeeze it in with an excursion to The Cotswolds, kids going to the RSC, etc... (after surviving the pains of studying Shakespeare in school, who'd have thought it?)

But, loved the area.

look at Chrystal Mountain in Northern Michigan
it's like 6 hours drive from Chicago.

I honestly hadn't considered Northern Michigan. But after seeing that pic of your house, maybe we could just ski in your garden!

... or maybe Boyne Mountain / Highlands (both have loads of slopes for everyone) also Nubs Nob (yeah thats really what its called) best skiing in the north west for years and years running.
ooooo better tell ya theyre near Petoskey/ Harbor Springs Michigan ..about 8 hours from chicago or a hour flight to Pellston.

considered cross-country skiing?
That's popular...and also a lot cheaper to...

Hi Englishmum and Warksgirl

I worked in Coventry for 14 years and lived in Nuneaton. Not so posh as Stratford area! Nuneaton is the working class area of Warwickshire! Worked in Warwick/Stratford for a year too. Warksgirl, where in suburban Chicago are you?

Maggie

Stratford is a lovely area. It should be; I'm convinced most of our council taxes went towards bloody flower baskets and displays!!!! It was one of the worst-rated district councils in the country... (but never mind...)

I'm out in the Fox River Valley, Geneva area. Some might argue whether or not it's suburbia, but you know how everything just sprawls here. Coming from rural Warks, hubby thought that because it's more "open" around here, it would make for an easier transition.

Where are you?

We're in Cary which is also on the Fox River. We have friends in Geneva. It is a nice area to live in. Cary is about an hour north up Randle Road.

I worked at Warwick Hospital that had a satelite hospital in Stratford. I also worked at Walsgrave and Coventry & Warwick Hospital and Rugby St Cross Hospital. If you know the area you will have heard of Walsgrave, love it or hate it! The Flower displays in Nuneaton are what made it look half decent as there wasn't anything else there! Ah, Britain in Bloom! At least Stratford and Warwick had some beautiful buildings!

Maggie

I'm in a leafy suburb approx 18 miles west of Manhatten.

Maggs - I have cousins who live in Whitestone, Nuneaton. I also worked there and in that weird town called Atherstone.....it's like Royston Vasey from "The League of Gentlemen" LOL!

Every single time I go 'home' to stay with my sister in Coventry, I have at least one trip to S-o-Avon...I love it there (used to work in Bridge St from time to time). We were in one of the motorboats a few weeks ago, admiring all the fabulous houses in Tiddington and I mused about perhaps buying one of those chalets at the campsites alongside the river....

Anyway.....back to the topic!

We have been on family Christmas skiing holidays at Lake Tahoe in California (Heavenly and Sierra at Tahoe ski resorts....free buses to the slopes) and last Christmas we went to Whistler in Canada - an easy drive from Vancouver.

All these places have excellent facilities for children; eg. lessons, tubing, nursery/babysitting as well as lessons for adults at all levels of ability.

Whistler has a lovely village to it and lots of things to do; you can go on a sleigh ride with a pony or even with the huskies. I was treated to a massage (Xmas gift from husband) at the Fairmount hotel but we had an excellent deal at the Holiday Inn apartment complex in the village. I'm a very slow and cautious skiier so we just take walkie talkies to keep track of each other...!

You do have to do your research on where to stay; friends of ours flew from London to stay in Stowe, Vermont. It was pretty, but they said there was nothing to do once the slopes closed for the day.....many American ski centres tend to mainly cater for day trippers so there is little or no apres-ski.....which is why Whistler is so good....it's one of the best places if not *the* best place in North America, according to our 'Reuters' Best Places to Ski book.

My husband is going to take our son away at Spring Break...they're thinking of going to Aspen, Colorado...husband skis, son snowboards at breakneck speed!

PS: Do check out the listings for ski resorts (where to stay) here:

http:www.tripadvisor.com (just type in the names of ski resorts in the search engine. We booked the Holiday Inn apartment after reading favourable reviews...it was a great place to stay - we booked it directly on the Holiday Inn website as they had a special rate $79 per night at Xmas last year!)

For some reason we don't get a lot of skiers in the Florida mountains