Tremblant or Stowe?

[HMSCster]

Ok, I'll admit it. I have been all over the map trying to decide where to take the family for a trip the last week of March this year. I've considered Keystone, Park City, Breck, Smugs, Killington, Stowe, and Mount Tremblant. You all have given me many other wonderful suggestions too like Cranford NH. But I think I have narrowed it down to Tremblant or Stowe because they seem *on paper only* to have the most to do for non-skiers and as hubs has said... his idea of a vacation is on the beach. So, even if there are tons of great winter things to do, he's not interested in much more than tubing and perhaps ice skating with the family.... So, with that in mind.. a few questions for those that have gotten to this part of the post ...
1) If you have been to both Stowe and Tremblant, what did you think of each?
2) How easy (and cheap from DC) to fly to Tremblant? Anyone drive it? Anyone able to compare the two drives?
3) Is it worth taking a few days in Montreal? If so, how many days skiing versus doing other stuff? We are a pretty up for trying new things as a family so while skiing is my #1, I am sure the rest are open other adventures.

Thanks all for reading this post. And for those who have helped narrow the field on where to go, thank you too! I have been all over the place this year, LOL!

 

[ski diva]

Both are excellent choices. The skiing is great and you won't go wrong at either one. That said, if I were you, I'd pick Tremblant for a variety of reasons.

First, conditions. If you're going the end of March, I think you'd have a better chance for finding good snow at Tremblant. It's farther north and much colder than Stowe. The end of March can really go either way; it can be really good or really bad in the Northeast. I think Tremblant is safer.

Second, ambience. You'd be going to another country -- which is always cool -- and there's a heavy French influence that permeates everything at Tremblant, most especially the food (get crepes and poutine). Tremblant also has a nice base village with lots of shops and restaurants, which is lots of fun to explore. So that's a plus.

Third, travel. Driving to either one from DC sounds like a real slog. It'd be super easy to fly to Montreal, rent a car, and drive to Tremblant. Yes, you could do the same with Stowe -- fly into Burlington and rent a car to get to the ski area -- but going into Montreal would probably really please your non-skiing husband. It's a fun city, and I'm sure you'd have a great time.

As for non-skiing activities, I don't know much about those, since my main focus has always been just skiing. Stowe has a cute little town to explore, but Tremblant has the base village. And both have ice skating. Someone else may be able to help with that.

@Jilly here skis at Tremblant regularly, so I think she'd be a great resource. Paging @Jilly!

 

[Jilly]

OMG....pack it up and get here!! Check and see if you can fly into Tremblant itself. Not sure who all is flying here. It changes every year.

To drive yourself, it'll be a good days drive. 2 drivers would be great!!

Now a con....the last week of March has a major holiday...Good Friday. If it's sunny and warm...this place will be a zoo on Friday. But some of the passes are not allowed that day.

Pro's - Ski Diva has said it all.

Non skiing - Snowshoeing, maybe skating (depends on temperatures), Spa's, especially spa Scandinave, shopping(?) and naturally eating!!

Yes to spending a few days in Montreal. It's a great city.

 

[marzNC]

Easy answer . . . go to Tremblant and spend at least a day in Montreal. Especially for a late season trip.

As long as the kid is pretty good about long drives, I'd drive. But keep in mind that I don't mind driving long days even solo.

The drive north to Tremblant is a lot simpler than getting to Stowe. I've done the drive up to Lake Placid for years (800 miles from my house), usually in the summer but when my daughter was at North Country School I drove up several times during the winter. Usually go north on I-81 to I-88 to I-87 to avoid DC, Baltimore, and NJ traffic. The Northway, I-87, is in good shape since they've been resurfacing various sections in the last few years. I've driven up to Stowe from NC. Eventually involves driving on 2-lane highways in VT no matter what route you choose.

I've thoroughly enjoyed any trip to Québec. Growing up in NYC, my family drove up there multiple times. I've done a few trips as an adult as well. Bonus is that French is actually my best non-English language.

 

[HMSCster]

Woot! Thanks for the info. Flights don't seem too terrible, which is good. Any suggestions on where to stay or to avoid staying?

 

[marzNC]

There is a thread by @jthree that will get you started.

September 2022

Help Needed: - Mont Tremblant- trip planning advice

Hi everyone, I'm looking to plan a family ski trip at the end of February. (Not President's week, the week after-- we're lucky that my daughter's school vacation week is different than the typical US schedule). We are looking for somewhere to go for the whole week, and somewhere we can get to...

www.theskidiva.com

 

[Jilly]

Woot! Thanks for the info. Flights don't seem too terrible, which is good. Any suggestions on where to stay or to avoid staying?

How many people? Condo or hotel? Air BnB?

 

[HMSCster]

There is a thread by @jthree that will get you started.

September 2022

Help Needed: - Mont Tremblant- trip planning advice

Hi everyone, I'm looking to plan a family ski trip at the end of February. (Not President's week, the week after-- we're lucky that my daughter's school vacation week is different than the typical US schedule). We are looking for somewhere to go for the whole week, and somewhere we can get to...

www.theskidiva.com

Thanks! That thread was very helpful. I did see many places listed as ski in/out that appeared to be more seasonal. So, I'll pay better attention to the maps.

@Jilly W are a family of 4 (I used to ski blacks and doubles when I was younger) now I ski with the my 10 and 13 year olds who are just in the cusp of parallel skiing (hoping we get them there before this trip). They do greens and are excited to do some more blues this season since last season was a bust. They will take a lesson or two to give me time to really explore the mountain.

As for preferences on where to stay... We are looking for a 2 bed condo. The convenience of breakfast on site and flexibility to do a few dinners with board games and movies is really relaxing for us. Bonus would be a pool. Since we are flying, in trying to figure out if a rental is necessary. I had been checking vrbo.

Also, how many ski days would you recommend? Since it's the end of the season would you buy lift tickets up front? If I recall Tremblant is on one of the passes, but this would be it last trip of the season.

 

[marzNC]

If I recall Tremblant is on one of the passes, but this would be it last trip of the season.

Tremblant is on Ikon. It's also owned by Alterra, which owns Snowshoe.

The deadline for buying any Ikon pass is coming up very soon in mid-December. For 4 days of skiing, Ikon Base could work or a 4-day Ikon. Session Pass. But you need to do the math to be sure.

Since we are flying, in trying to figure out if a rental is necessary.

If you want to explore Montreal, my guess is that having a rental car would make it much easier.

Note that there are small ski areas between Montreal and Tremblant. Presumably with lower lift ticket prices. With a car, spending a day at one of those could be an option. I had a good time night skiing at Mont Sante-Sauver as part of an early season trip to visit @SkiBam a while back. Have been considering how to get back when more of Tremblant is open.

 

[nopoleskier]

Mt Tremblant.. I love https://www.lessuitestremblant.com/fr/hotels-condos/sommet-des-neiges/ been here 2x, beats all the hotels condos that are down at the bottom of the cobblestone street, for me was deadly in ski boots with snow on it. Sommet you can walk from ski locker out to the gondola. Lots of good food in the neighborhood too so you don't have to cook every night! We stopped at an IGA before getting to the Mt for lower cost supplies- We skied Whiteface then drove up the next day..

 

[Jilly]

And the Sommet des Neige has a pool. Has a board game area. And it's definitely ski in and ski out. You're right at the lift.

Tremblant is on the Ikon pass. You can get lift tickets ahead on the website if you don't have that pass.

 

[HMSCster]

I see some condos that say they are a 10 min. walk to the Gondola. Does that mean a 10 min walk in ski boots? Or do people wear regular shoes and change in a base lodge or something? Do you take the gondola to get the main part of the ski slope? Please excuse, if that's kind of a dumb question or something answered in another thread that I missed.

 

[HMSCster]

Ok, one more question... if you were to tack on a day or two for sightseeing in and around Montreal what would you do? Thanks again for the fantastic advice!

Maybe I'll get to see some of you on the mountain when we go.

 

[Jilly]

I suspect that is 10 min in ski boots. There really isn't a base lodge on the south side like you are probably used to. If people are driving, then they usually park on the north side as there is day lodge there. From the parking lot you can use the Cabriolet. It's an open gondola. That drops you off at upper base where the gondola is.

This is a link to a friends Air BnB. No pool thought..Judy

 

[marzNC]

Ok, one more question... if you were to tack on a day or two for sightseeing in and around Montreal what would you do? Thanks again for the fantastic advice!

Maybe I'll get to see some of you on the mountain when we go.

What I remember most from a field trip I did in the advanced French class in 8th grade was being at the top of Mont Royal. It probably made a difference that there was snow on the ground. The teacher drove four middle school kids the two hours from from North Country School in Lake Placid.

We also had tea in the cafe on the top floor of an art museum.

Looks like there are quite a few walking tours, which could be fun if the weather is nice.

 

[HMSCster]

I suspect that is 10 min in ski boots. There really isn't a base lodge on the south side like you are probably used to. If people are driving, then they usually park on the north side as there is day lodge there. From the parking lot you can use the Cabriolet. It's an open gondola. That drops you off at upper base where the gondola is.

This is a link to a friends Air BnB. No pool thought..Judy

Thanks for the link. The Air BnB looks great. It's just not available for our dates. With the walking, I'm going to need to the that one through. My kids are not used to that. Honestly,neither am I so, any tools on making that more pleasant?

 

[Jilly]

Stay in the pedestrian village. Sommet de Neige, Lodge de la Montagne, Marriot, Holiday Inn, Johannsen, Deslaurier, Chouettes (like the link). All are a short walk to the Gondola.

 

[marzNC]

Thanks for the link. The Air BnB looks great. It's just not available for our dates. With the walking, I'm going to need to the that one through. My kids are not used to that. Honestly,neither am I so, any tools on making that more pleasant?

When walking in ski boots for any distance that takes more than a few minutes at a destination resort, my standard approach is to have Cat Tracks on my boots, and my skis in The Ski Pack. Got the Ski Pack at Snowbound Expo 2022 and love it. Used it the most when I was staying slopeside at Taos, which is close but still requires walking about 5 minutes on brick (heated) to the main base.

If I'm using a small backpack that day, I put that in front when using the Ski Pack.

Have posted this elsewhere too . . . this is the inventor of The Ski Pack at the booth at Snowbound 2023. Her mother sewed up the first version as part of a school project when she was in 4th grade. Got to hear the story of the family going skiing the first time with all four kids equipped with the kid-size version. She's in 8th grade now. I bought a second one because my daughter was jealous I had one to hike up the Alta Lodge hill in April when the rope tow was buried and not running.

 

[Tvan]

I’ve skied both and I would choose Tremblant. Staying in the village means that you can park once and not move the car all week. There are lots of lodging options, fun restaurants and interesting things to do. The skiing is great - there is something for everyone at every level. I really loved Tremblant!

Stowe is fun, but the mountain road access can be a bottleneck between the town and the slopes. There are restaurants in the mountain, but not a lot, so you’ll likely need to drive to town for variety. I enjoyed Stowe, but really loved Tremblant more.

 

[HMSCster]

I suspect that is 10 min in ski boots. There really isn't a base lodge on the south side like you are probably used to. If people are driving, then they usually park on the north side as there is day lodge there. From the parking lot you can use the Cabriolet. It's an open gondola. That drops you off at upper base where the gondola is.

This is a link to a friends Air BnB. No pool thought..Judy

Thanks for the link. The Air BnB looks great. It's just not available for our dates. With the walking, I'm going to need to the that one through. My kids are not used to that. Honestly,neither am I so, any tools on making that more pleasant

Stay in the pedestrian village. Sommet de Neige, Lodge de la Montagne, Marriot, Holiday Inn, Johannsen, Deslaurier, Chouettes (like the link). All are a short walk to the Gondola.

Will do!

When walking in ski boots for any distance that takes more than a few minutes at a destination resort, my standard approach is to have Cat Tracks on my boots, and my skis in The Ski Pack. Got the Ski Pack at Snowbound Expo 2022 and love it. Used it the most when I was staying slopeside at Taos, which is close but still requires walking about 5 minutes on brick (heated) to the main base.

If I'm using a small backpack that day, I put that in front when using the Ski Pack.

Have posted this elsewhere too . . . this is the inventor of The Ski Pack at the booth at Snowbound 2023. Her mother sewed up the first version as part of a school project when she was in 4th grade. Got to hear the story of the family going skiing the first time with all four kids equipped with the kid-size version. She's in 8th grade now. I bought a second one because my daughter was jealous I had one to hike up the Alta Lodge hill in April when the rope tow was buried and not running.
View attachment 21981

That's brilliant!!!! I am going to look for that. Thanks!