There’s a chill in the air, the smell of wood fires and the crackle of dead leaves are filling our noses and ears, and we’ve all started to pull out our winter sweaters and boots. Yes, Thanksgiving and Christmas and presents and pie and champagne and all that are afoot, but for die-hard winter sports enthusiasts, these seasonal signals mean only one thing: time to plan a ski trip.
Most people expect to receive at least one invitation to a ski vacation each winter, whether it’s with family or friends, or even a bonding day trip with coworkers. Skiers relish every weekend in the powder, but here’s a dirty little secret: not everyone else does, too. Some people are simply not skiers.
So it can be very frustrating to decline countless invitations to what would probably be fun weekends, just because the chosen resort is concerned only with skiing and snowboarding. Luckily, many winter resorts have gotten into the business of offering a wide variety of winter activities, so that groups of people can all amuse themselves on or off the slopes. Whether you’re planning a girls’ weekend, a quick trip with the kids, or a romantic getaway, these resorts offer winter fun for everyone.
Sun Valley Resort, Sun Valley, Idaho
Located in south-central Idaho, Sun Valley has been a top-ranked skiing destination for seventy-five years, with plentiful trails for advanced and expert skiers, as well as trails and clinics for beginning skiers and snowboarders. Those who prefer not to barrel down a mountain can explore the village of Sun Valley (which includes shopping, a bowling alley, and a first-run movie theater), ice-skate, play hockey, go snowshoeing, or slide down the tubing hill. The Sun Valley resort also features a spa with massage, acupuncture, hot-stone therapy, and a heated outdoor pool. At night, sleigh rides are a great option for families, and older visitors can hang out at one of the many bars and restaurants in the village, offering entertainment such as the Winter Comedy Series, off-Broadway musicals, and live jazz.
Smugglers’ Notch Resort, Burlington, Vermont
This resort, which boasts Vermont’s second-highest annual snowfall, is brimming with activities that may ostensibly be for kids but that youth-minded adults will likely find stimulating, too. It was rated the number one family resort by IndependentTraveler.com, and besides dozens of skiing and snowboarding options, it features a dizzying array of other winter activities. Visitors can ice-skate, tube, or visit indoor pools and hot tubs, but Smugglers’ Notch also includes unexpected options, like dogsledding, winter hiking, and a year-round zipline tour of the forest canopy. There are also snowmobile tours of the area and an activity called airboarding that’s similar to a cold-weather version of boogie boarding. The resort features an indoor “Fun Zone” where kids of all ages can play miniature golf, frolic on slides and in a bouncy castle, run the forty-five-foot obstacle course, and game in the arcade. Older “kids” can have fun taking a painting, beading, or sculpting class, enjoying a cocktail in one of the resort’s many bars and restaurants, or enjoying the sights in nearby Burlington.
