First VT trip with 5yr old - need recs

[HikenSki]

Hello all! With the colder weather we are getting that itch to start thinking about our first real ski trip with our 5yr old who really enjoyed learning last year and would be served well with all day camps this winter with similar kids he would have fun playing with vs Mom and Dad. We have Epic NE passes this year and are looking at the VT resorts, likely Okemo or Stowe, for a weeklong trip mid to late Feb. Looking for tips on places to stay and skiing with kiddo this first year. We are planning on driving from VA to avoid the hassle of flying with our own ski gear and a carseat. Any help/advice/tips from those of you who are familiar with these or other VT or NH resorts. DH and I are intermediate level skiers, used to the icey and firm PA/WV skiing conditions.
Thanks!

 

[marzNC]

Driving is definitely the way to go from northern VA to VT. I take I-81 to Scranton and go east from there to avoid DC/Baltimore and NJ/NYC traffic.

Keep in mind that the New England and NY schools have the entire week of Pres. Day off as winter break. Any Epic resort will be VERY busy that week. I did a ski safari one year based on using the Indy Pass while based in the Berkshires. Was curious to experience holiday weekend crowds . . . or not . . . but didn't realize many families had the entire week off.

My ski buddy who lives in the midwest did family trips to Smuggs when his daughter was growing up. She learned to ski there. The side of the mountain with slopeside lodging has plenty of terrain for little kids and intermediate parents who want to stay close. The trail to ski over from there to the other section is on the flat side in one direction but I don't remember having to walk. Only went to Smuggs once, on the day before a Diva East.

 

[wernerslab]

We live in PA. Friends of ours who had a daughter about your child's age really liked skiing Okemo. My son started at 10 (snowboard) and really enjoyed being in lessons all day and at the end of the day, if he had energy, we would try a few runs together so he could show me his ability! We are Ikon so he has had lessons at Killington(not his fav) and Sugarbush(he liked these) but his fav have been out west in CO.

 

[Trailside Trixie]

Bromley has a wonderful kids program that is half or full day. Many parents love it.

 

[marzNC]

We have Epic NE passes this year and are looking at the VT resorts, likely Okemo or Stowe, for a weeklong trip mid to late Feb.

DH and I are intermediate level skiers, used to the icey and firm PA/WV skiing conditions.

Understand that making use of your Epic NE passes is of interest. But if I were planning to drive north with a 5yo with adults mainly skiing blues and easy blacks when the kid is in ski school, I'd be considering Indy or independent resorts that have slopeside lodging. Driving distance would be a factor. While being farther north might be better for snow conditions, that's not necessarily going to be the case. Snowmaking reputation would be important. Overall cost would obviously be a factor as well.

Of the resorts I've skied at, the ones that come to mind are Jiminy Peak, Waterville Valley, Smuggs. Jay Peak, Bolton Valley, and Bromley might be worth researching as well.

PA/WV icy conditions are different from VT/NH icy conditions in my opinion. Have never seen "blue ice" in PA. Skiing in freezing rain at Blue Knob was easier than skiing frozen or hardpack groomers in VT/NH/ME.

The coldest days I've skied in New England have been at Stowe. Meaning single digits. Daytime highs can be in the teens in late February. Or could be in the 40s. With the high humidity, even mid-20s feels very cold.

 

[HikenSki]

Thanks for the heads-up on the Pres Day weekend. Good to know! We were really wanting to go out west but DH does not do well with altitude and going would require more days to acclimate, which we really won't have. So off to NE resorts. We've only skiied in PA and WV, so they are all new to us. We got Epic to allow us to ski at Whitetail and Liberty on weekends and partake in some lessons. We will take a look at the variety of resorts, maybe spend a few days at one and then a few days at another toss things up and give us an "off" day or break during the week.

 

[marzNC]

We were really wanting to go out west but DH does not do well with altitude and going would require more days to acclimate, which we really won't have.

What is the highest altitude where he can sleep decently?

Reason I ask is because one reason I did a ski safari to Idaho last season was because it's low altitude. @Ski Sine Fine (lives in the the DC metro area) has become very sensitive in the last decade or so. Her favorite resort is in Colorado but that doesn't work any more. Boise is not that hard to reach and has a nice size airport. We stayed in slopeside lodging at Tamarack. Did a couple day trips to Brundage, partially because we were using Indy. Both Tamarack and Brundage are on Indy. So it covered 4 days, plus a discount for a 3rd day that we used at Tamarack.

Tamarack is very family friendly. It's an important market for them. Even have free s'mores on weekend afternoons. Right when ski school for kids finishes up. Mostly people from Boise, but travelers with Indy are exploring it too. Some people drive from the PacNW while others fly into Boise.

TR Idaho ski safari March 7-14, 2025: Tamarack, Brundage, Bogus Basin

Had a very good time doing an Idaho ski safari with a small crew. From a skiing standpoint, my trip started at Sun Valley and ended at Brian Head in southern Utah. This trip report covers Tamarack, Brundage, and Bogus Basin, March 8-14. Fair to say I liked all of them for different reasons and...

www.theskidiva.com