Spring Break - w/ wife/infant

[smartyiak]

I turn to the collective for advice. Turns out I have a free week (Mar 30 - Apr 7) and trying to figure out where to go. Live on EC, but near PHL. Crux: Non-skiing (mostly) wife and 5mo old.

Requirements:
- real town (but not city). Want her to enjoi while I'm skiing, but also don't want "box stores are nice."
- lodging in town; I can take a bus to ski; harder for her to take transpo to do stuff
- would like to NOT rent a car...but can if necessary
- CONUS...although Canadia is prolly OK, Europa is too far.

Out:
Taos - love it...but long travel day and looking for something new
Bend - love it...soooooo far
Durango - love it, but been there
Park City - meh

CAVEAT: I refuse to pay more than $100/day for lift tix...a man has his principles!!!! Looking at AirBnB/Homeaway/VRBO, but will consider including lodging/tix if more cost effective.

Suggestions for town big enough for 5-6 days of touristy stuff...but not SLC big.
Banff? Tahoe area? Crested Butte?
Whatcha got?

[ncskier]

I turn to the collective for advice. Turns out I have a free week (Mar 30 - Apr 7) and trying to figure out where to go. Live on EC, but near PHL. Crux: Non-skiing (mostly) wife and 5mo old.

Requirements:
- real town (but not city). Want her to enjoi while I'm skiing, but also don't want "box stores are nice."
- lodging in town; I can take a bus to ski; harder for her to take transpo to do stuff
- would like to NOT rent a car...but can if necessary
- CONUS...although Canadia is prolly OK, Europa is too far.

Out:
Taos - love it...but long travel day and looking for something new
Bend - love it...soooooo far
Durango - love it, but been there
Park City - meh

CAVEAT: I refuse to pay more than $100/day for lift tix...a man has his principles!!!! Looking at AirBnB/Homeaway/VRBO, but will consider including lodging/tix if more cost effective.

Suggestions for town big enough for 5-6 days of touristy stuff...but not SLC big.
Banff? Tahoe area? Crested Butte?
Whatcha got?

I may pain me to say this, but Aspen checks all the boxes for a nice ski town that a non skiing spouse could enjoy. Your not going to get a $100 lift ticket, but I took the wife and kids their 5 years ago for spring break when they were 9 and 7 and we had a great time. Wife did her thing while I hit Highlands one day. Kids enjoyed the treehouse center and lesson at snowmass, the wife liked the high end hotels, the shopping and dining. I hit it the closing week so kids ski free. I know not in your case with an infant.
Bozeman with big sky and bridger may be a slightly less expensive version also.
I traveled with my first at 9 months old to Beaver Creek. Great memories of his first trip and while he didn't know what the heck was going on, it set up a precedent that goes on to this day.

[hatchgreenchile]

You been to Steamboat? You'll likely have spring conditions but it checks all the boxes.
They have late season pass deals - $179 and you are set up!

[GPP33]

We do CB for spring break. It’s a small town, lots of great walking and some cool shops but unless she likes walking around on Nordic trails she’ll have a hard time being entertained by the small business/shop area for 5 days. There’s a bus that runs to Gunny that might consume a day. Not sure if we’ll have snow by then though.

And chances of finding a sub $100 lift ticket at a resort with a good town at the base is probably zero unless you can find a spring multi day deal like mentioned at Steamboat. Breck was about $180 the other day.

[Dexter Rutecki]

Like NCSkier I was going to suggest Aspen as well. Tons of available condos available really cheap at that time. We got a place right around then a few years ago that was basically on the hill and I think we paid about $150/day, total. Makes up for the lift ticket expense, and the wife (who rarely skis) was very happy with the town.

Whistler. Your three other suggestions don't really have the 'town' part down for a non-skier, IMO.

[Sirshredalot]

You could go to Bozeman and take the bus to Bridger to ski. That gets you a real town and reasonable lift tickets. Flight from Philly with an infant has some suck potential, but probably no worse than anywhere else in the West other than SLC.

Snow has been abysmal in the Wasatch and Southwest CO this year. OTOH, maybe you are better off spending your money and vacation time elsewhere. OTOH, maybe now is your time to pounce on a spring break deal for Aspen, Telluride, or wherever, and hope that things shape up between now and March.

[muted]

- real town (but not city). Want her to enjoi while I'm skiing, but also don't want "box stores are nice."

What does she like to do when not skiing?

There's Bend, Banff, Whistler.

Does Big Sky offer shuttles to Yellowstone to do snowcat tours? if so, you could do a Bozeman/Big Sky combo trip. Otherwise not much to do in BS, in Bozeman you could be entertained for maybe two days.

[smartyiak]

You been to Steamboat? They have late season pass deals - $179 and you are set up!

Thanks! I didn't see the late season option...that sure makes it a front runner!

Like NCSkier I was going to suggest Aspen as well.

I knew Aspen would be mentioned...but then I'd be in Aspen!

[concretejungle]

Helena, MT. The best ski town in the state.

[Peruvian]

Reno could work. Most of the LT resorts offer shuttles for you and she could pull on the slots, visit the art museum, and shop around town for a few days.

Ultimately, her being stuck in one town for 5 days will get old though and you will have to cut your skiing short. Even if you stayed in Seattle, Denver, or SLC she would get bored after 5 days with an infant.

[BFD]

since you liked Durango that sets the bar pretty low. Go somewhere with hot springs women love that.

[muted]

Reno could work. Most of the LT resorts offer shuttles for you and she could pull on the slots, visit the art museum, and shop around town for a few days.

Ultimately, her being stuck in one town for 5 days will get old though and you will have to cut your skiing short. Even if you stayed in Seattle, Denver, or SLC she would get bored after 5 days with an infant.

Casinos with an infant sounds like a great idea.

[undertow2]

Since Bend is out I will third Steamboat... I am also on the east coast and use all of my vaca days in the winter and travel West to ski... I have been to most of the it resorts and hands down Steamboat is by far one of the best family ski resorts... I have taken the family their several times and it is always a hit... It ticks all if your boxes and their shuttle service will run your wife and little one all over the place... The town is awesome and the vibe is even better...

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[californiagrown]

shoulda bought a whistler edge card. a 5-Day card works out to under $70 US a day. The wife will enjoy the village for a few days, then can also go to squamish and Van when she gets bored.

[k2skier112]

Whistler, Mammoth, South Lake Tahoe and Steamboat

[Skidog]

unless you're planning on huge snowfalls in most of the west before your trip or are headed way up north, i'd opt for the wife points and take them to a warmer clime this time around...that will likely allow you to have more "you" time on the next ski vacation.

[Iowagriz]

Given the current snow year and forecast - Whitefish, Fernie, (could combo those two with a midweek move), Whistler, Bozeman

Colorado is looking bleak, same for Tahoe and SLC. Jackson could be good, but would want more snow between now and then.

[smartyiak]

unless you're planning on huge snowfalls in most of the west before your trip or are headed way up north, i'd opt for the wife points and take them to a warmer clime this time around...that will likely allow you to have more "you" time on the next ski vacation.

As someone who LOVES LOVES LOVES skiing spring bumps in the sun, I disagree.

Given the current snow year and forecast...Colorado is looking bleak, same for Tahoe and SLC...

I'm thinking that there's still plenty of time for the high pressure to break and bring the snow back down.

[hikesalot]

I also agree that it will be easier for smarty to ski this year - once the kid is moving around, he will be helping more with the kid.

Steamboat fits the bill. I personally like Jackson, but with a car. (sleigh ride on elk range, drive out of town to view the tetons, tram ride up and have a drink/snack at Corbet's cabin. Hang out at the base with a book and hot cocoa and watch the skiing out the big picture window, plus a day walking around town). Depends what your wife likes to do. I'm not a big shopper. Whereever you go, book her a massage (if she likes those).

[DBdude]

i know you said not a big city, but I would suggest seattle and get a rental car

[Viva]

i know you said not a big city, but I would suggest seattle and get a rental car

Or Hood River.

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[Timberridge]

Londonderry, VT.

[DBdude]

too funny

get a car and stay in rutland...

[Sirshredalot]

I'm thinking that there's still plenty of time for the high pressure to break and bring the snow back down.

True, but it hasn't happened yet and it's not happening tomorrow. At some point, the seasonal employees bail and you don't have the staff to get shit open if snow finally comes on March 1.

[BFD]

from the amount of dirt showing in the moguls now I doubt there will be any soft bumps to ski by the end of march. I am SW CO.