How to make ski vacations more fun for a non-skiier?

[Michellezil]

Ladies whose partner does NOT ski, any tips for making ski vacations more enticing for them?

I've been going alone but he is a bit bummed to be left behind all the time. My husband grew up in Virginia, and is very risk averse and is not interested in learning to ski for fear of getting hurt. I am working on convincing him to try cross country or snowshoeing with me this year. However, I love the sport and want our future kids to grow up learning. How can I make a ski vacation for fun for him? He is not a big drinker.

 

[Christy]

Go to a real ski town with lots of other things to do. Aspen, Telluride, Sun Valley (Ketchum)...(Sorry I didn't know eastern ski towns). Places with a museum, movie theater, plays, comedy, good restaurants, coffee shops, hot springs, nice walks, ask right out the front door...Even Whistler, which was built as a resort but has a ton to do. Stay in a place that he finds comfortable, whether that's a good hotel or a condo.

Without knowing the guy I wonder if this your best shot for seeing of he'll try a winter sport. Maybe being in a beautiful snowy place where everyone is having fun on snow will get him to try something.

A whole different tactic would be, if he can work remotely, can he come but work while you ski? So he doesn't feel he's blowing his vacation on a trip he's not really in to.

 

[Michellezil]

Thank you, those are great recs for aiming for a bigger ski town! I think he’d like the idea of hot springs, I’ll do some research to see where would be good spots for that. I agree with finding a way to get him outside. We love hiking together so I think shoeshoeing would be very doable. He’s a doctor so no working remotely unfortunately, that would have been ideal.

 

[santacruz skier]

I would consider going to Banff. The Canadian Rockies are beautiful, remind me a little of the Alps..... I would think there would be plenty to do in Banff. The Banff Springs Hotel is beautiful and there are thermal springs/pools that are wonderful.

 

[wernerslab]

At bigger resorts they usually have other activities to try and ways to get on the mountain via a gondola for non skiers. We have been several times to Winter Park in CO and they have had an apres ski at the restaurant at the top of the gondola, which was free to ride for my H. They also offer ski biking and lessons on what looks like tricycles with skis so more stable and maybe a little less fall prone. There is snowshoeing, evening snocat tours with hot chocolate which you xan do together. Many resorts I have been to have tubing too so you can take a non ski day and do that with kids. In the town near WP, there is a community gym with pool, sauna, exercise eqpt and for a small fee, my H could use it while we are at the slopes. I say.all this but in honesty, my H will go for a walk or stay at home reading while we are on the slopes. Those activities are just not very fun for him but sounds like your husband may enjoy that more. My son is now 14 and more often just the two of us go on ski trips. This works for us but H is retired so we don't have to worry about his work vacation time.

 

[marzNC]

Paging @DebbieSue

 

[Briski]

In Colorado, I’d consider going to Glenwood Springs. You can ski Sunlight (small independent) or Aspen or Beaver Creek a further afield. But there is also Glenwood Caverns and Adventure Park, three different Hot Springs, fishing, trails, climbing, ice climbing, a cute downtown, and Doc Holiday’s grave (along with other interesting history). It is also a train town with an Amtrak station. Which also has me thinking it would be fun to take the train and stop in the various ski towns along the way.

 

[ilovepugs]

Second the Banff recommendation - stay at either the Chateau Lake Louise or Banff Mineral Springs hotel. Both of them are Fairmont properties. Exceptionally comfortable, excellent food, and non-skiing activities galore. Banff Mineral Springs has better proximity to Banff town (Lake Louise doesn’t have much going on… but it does have ice skating and cross country on the lake and excursions), but if he’s looking to de-stress, there really is nothing like relaxing at one of these hotels.

 

[DebbieSue]

My DH learned to ski at 38 with me, was able to manage a green run and ride a chair with instructor as a bonus at first lesson and became a solid intermediate able to ski an occasional easy black as he learned with our kids. We skied as a family at small resorts in New England for a couple of weekends each year, then weeklong trip to Tremblant. It helped that he had experience XC skiing and skating and that his favorite part of XC was going downhill! But he gave up skiing maybe 8-10y ago after a fall in which he bonked his head, didn't enjoy trying to keep up with the kids, and switched to a more demanding job. He came on family trips to Snowmass and just worked, and now comes with me on some trips depending on what/who else will be there. He has come out for a single day on rental equipment as a tourist skier 3 times in past 8-10 years. He likes American history and railroad history, tunnel projects, hot springs, lift mechanics/riding gondolas etc etc. We like visiting local diners, beer and burger places and experiencing local culture.
Things we have done that I recommend.
Bozeman - Winter snowcoach tour to Yellowstone with overnight(s) in a lodge near Old Faithful. Nice hiking and winter is great for geysers and wildlife spotting. On the way in or out visit Chico Hot Springs and spend a night there. From Bozeman you can ski Bridger easily (20 min drive) and leave him in town; there is nothing but ski lodge at the base. In town there is natural hx museum with great dinosaur exhibit. Fun shops, cafes, bakeries, bars, XC skiing and snowshoeing are available nearby. You can then ski/stay at Big Sky (90min drive). It is possible for a non-skier to ride the tram to the summit which is spectacular on a blue sky day. Not much besides skiing at Big Sky itself.
Snowmass - Ski in out lodging, some nightlife, some activities like XC, bowling!, suited my family, or stay in Aspen itself. Snowmass does have a gondola served lodge mid mountain that hold nighttime festivities. Tubing nearby etc etc. There are dog-sled rides if that is of interest. On the way there you can visit Glenwood Springs. There's another hot spring place near carbondale I think, never been. If weather is good the drive from Denver to Snowmass is interesting with tunnels, railfoad etc. Some mining history and interesting towns.
Durango has nearby hot springs, interesting town, ski Purgatory. Did that before husband with friends one of whom didn't ski.
Mammoth or North Tahoe - again interesting drive in good weather. Historical sites en route. Towns with some local culture.
There are a fair number of Divas with non-skiing partners (including my DH) coming to Diva East at Lake Placid/Whiteface this year Feb 1-5. Charming town, Olympic history and venues, good xc, snowshoeing etc. That's a destination to consider. Heck, join us this year!!!

 

[Christy]

I'd consider weather when choosing a time to go, too. Banff like others suggested is such a beautiful place, but it gets frigid in winter. You probably aren't going to win someone over to the idea of a ski town vacation if it's single digits or colder. March or April would be a lot more comfortable.

 

[Jenny]

I'd consider weather when choosing a time to go, too. Banff like others suggested is such a beautiful place, but it gets frigid in winter. You probably aren't going to win someone over to the idea of a ski town vacation if it's single digits or colder. March or April would be a lot more comfortable.

Agreed! Sunshine is still the coldest place I’ve ever skied!

 

[Jilly]

I'll throw out Mont Ste Anne, Quebec City area. Lots of museums etc in old Quebec. Great food. If you stay at MSA, there are XC trails, snowshoe and dog sledding. Great French Canadian architecture if he's into that too.

 

[Michellezil]

These are all amazing suggestions and now I have a great list to draw from for trip ideas!

We decided on Banff and booked a week long trip for the end of Jan into Feb! I prepped him for COLD. We did have a fun trip to Fairbanks last October (a failed attempt to see the Aurora), so we have some experience hiking in freezing temps and had a great time. Worst comes to worst we have a nice hotel in Banff town site (Moose Hotel) with a rooftop hot tub area and spa, so we can relax a lot.

From my little research so far y’all were right that there’s so much to do there! Planning on getting us on XC skis one day, doing a couple of snow hikes and/or snowshoes to frozen waterfalls, the scenic gondola, and my lifetime bucket list dream as a former figure skater to go skating on wild ice (at the very least on Lake Louise!). I’ll also ski by myself a few days while he studies for exams at the hotel. The annual snow days festival will be happening that week too, so special events and snow sculptures on display throughout the town.

Thank you all for the inspiration! Will update how he does with the cold and snow activities after the trip

 

[ilovepugs]

Moose Hotel is an awesome choice! Have a great time!!

 

[Aerlind]

In Colorado, I’d consider going to Glenwood Springs. You can ski Sunlight (small independent) or Aspen or Beaver Creek a further afield. But there is also Glenwood Caverns and Adventure Park, three different Hot Springs, fishing, trails, climbing, ice climbing, a cute downtown, and Doc Holiday’s grave (along with other interesting history). It is also a train town with an Amtrak station. Which also has me thinking it would be fun to take the train and stop in the various ski towns along the way.

My mom and I took the train one spring from Denver to Glenwood. The only other ski town it really stops in is Winter Park…though Granby (which is right down the road and also a stop) has some cross-country ski opportunities.

It’s also both faster AND cheaper to drive up I-70….yes, even with ski traffic most days, it took 6 hours by train from Denver to Glenwood and it’s about 3 hours driving (without traffic).

These are all amazing suggestions and now I have a great list to draw from for trip ideas!

We decided on Banff and booked a week long trip for the end of Jan into Feb! I prepped him for COLD. We did have a fun trip to Fairbanks last October (a failed attempt to see the Aurora), so we have some experience hiking in freezing temps and had a great time. Worst comes to worst we have a nice hotel in Banff town site (Moose Hotel) with a rooftop hot tub area and spa, so we can relax a lot.

From my little research so far y’all were right that there’s so much to do there! Planning on getting us on XC skis one day, doing a couple of snow hikes and/or snowshoes to frozen waterfalls, the scenic gondola, and my lifetime bucket list dream as a former figure skater to go skating on wild ice (at the very least on Lake Louise!). I’ll also ski by myself a few days while he studies for exams at the hotel. The annual snow days festival will be happening that week too, so special events and snow sculptures on display throughout the town.

Thank you all for the inspiration! Will update how he does with the cold and snow activities after the trip

Find yourself an Aurora forecast source and keep an eye on it. While Jan/Feb is somewhat quieter on the space weather front, it’s right about when it starts ramping up, and if there’s a strongish storm it’s very possible to see Auroras at lower latitudes like Banff. I’ve seen it several times from my porch in southern Montana!

For future trips I’ll second a plug for Bozeman. You have Bridger and Big Sky both nearby (Someone above said Big Sky is 90 minutes from Bozeman: maybe in bad weather, but it’s much closer to 45-50 minutes. I live just under a 2-hour drive from Big Sky and have to drive to Bozeman to get there, and just getting to Bozeman is about an hour.) There’s Bozeman Hot springs right in town, and if you continue down highway 191 past Big Sky you can get to West Yellowstone, which has cross-country skiing, snow shoeing, and snowmobiling activities in addition to snow coaches into Yellowstone.

 

[polino991]

I totally get this. My partner isn't into skiing either because of the injury risk, but we still have a blast. Here is what works for us:

• Pick a town with a real vibe: Go somewhere like Park City or Whistler where there are tons of coffee shops, bookstores, and galleries. It makes it feel like a getaway, not just a "ski trip."
• The "Pedestrian" Pass: Most resorts sell a cheap pass just to ride the gondola. He can meet you at the top for lunch so he still gets those amazing mountain views without having to slide down.
• Hot springs or Spa: If he's not a drinker, focus on the relaxation side. Booking a place with a great outdoor pool or sauna is a game changer.
• Tubing: It’s super low stakes and fun, feels way safer than skiing but you still get to play in the snow together.

It's all about making sure he has his own "mission" for the day so he doesn't feel like he's just waiting around!

 

[ExpertOnBlueRuns]

These are all amazing suggestions and now I have a great list to draw from for trip ideas!

We decided on Banff and booked a week long trip for the end of Jan into Feb! I prepped him for COLD. We did have a fun trip to Fairbanks last October (a failed attempt to see the Aurora), so we have some experience hiking in freezing temps and had a great time. Worst comes to worst we have a nice hotel in Banff town site (Moose Hotel) with a rooftop hot tub area and spa, so we can relax a lot.

From my little research so far y’all were right that there’s so much to do there! Planning on getting us on XC skis one day, doing a couple of snow hikes and/or snowshoes to frozen waterfalls, the scenic gondola, and my lifetime bucket list dream as a former figure skater to go skating on wild ice (at the very least on Lake Louise!). I’ll also ski by myself a few days while he studies for exams at the hotel. The annual snow days festival will be happening that week too, so special events and snow sculptures on display throughout the town.

Thank you all for the inspiration! Will update how he does with the cold and snow activities after the trip

Formal figure skater here too! Just a heads up, I don’t think there is real ice skating on Lake Louise this year because they have gotten so much snow, that it’s been hard to keep it cleared. There were some kids who cleared small patches for informal small skating areas though Still definitely worth checking out! It’s breathtaking and you can walk out really really far on the lake. I saw families x-country skiing on the lake. The Fairmont Chateau set up a really cool ice sculpture area in front of the hotel with a fire pit in the middle and they were selling beverages.

Our favorite place to eat in Banff is Three Bears. In LL the Trailside Cafe is a great stop for breakfast burritos or sandwiches and coffee. We usually eat there before skiing at LL. If you’re skiing alone, check out the free mountain tours. They split up by ability/terrain. Have a great time!

 

[Zard]

I’m headed to Banff this year in March, without DH. He also doesn’t ski. I spend a lot of time in the winter in VT without him. When he has joined me for ski trips, namely around New England, Monte st. Anne, Tremblant and Breckenridge. He relaxed, reads, went to brewery/winerys, snowshoe together and now in vt he goes to indoor pickleball. I’ve tried to get him to try fat bikes but no luck so far.
I’m hoping to get to Taos one day and I think he’d join me for that trip.

 

[VickiK]

Paging @Olesya C

 

[Olesya C]

I think there are plenty of great recommendations above - Banff, Whistler and Aspen are all excellent choices. I second everyone's suggestions on picking a ski town with lots to do in addition to skiing. I agree with @DebbieSue that Lake Placid is an excellent destination in the East for a vacation with non-skiing partner, my husband and I both really like it there.