The kids and your significant other want to head to the slopes, but you’re thinking you won’t have much fun in the snow.
Maybe, like me, you can’t this year. (I’m rehabbing from knee surgery.) Maybe you just don’t like snow sports. It isn’t necessary to sacrifice your vacation to please your family.
No, I’m not suggesting you and the other non-skiers and -riders go elsewhere, though that is always an option. The good news is that these days, and especially this spring, you will find as much to do off the slopes as on, while scoring a good deal on lodging and lift tickets for everyone else.
There’s so much to do that the snow sports lovers in your family may clamor for a day off the slopes to join you dog sledding, fat biking, taking a cooking or yoga class, challenging themselves in an escape room, or touring local museums. Of course, there are also plenty of spas, shops, and restaurants to suit every palate.
Jackson Hole, Wyoming, with nonstop flights from 13 cities, is celebrating spring with free live music, lodging deals, and plenty of off-the-slope fun, including guided snowmobile or snow coach tours to Yellowstone National Park. There are also eco snowshoe tours. Take a sleigh ride at the National Elk Refuge, or ride the legendary Jackson Hole Aerial Tram: In 12 minutes, you’ll ascend 4,139 feet as you enjoy 360-degree views of the Tetons and Jackson Hole valley. At the top, grab a waffle at Corbet’s.
How about including a hot springs soak in the itinerary? At Astoria Hot Springs Park on the banks of the Snake River, you can soak in the shadow of the Tetons surrounded by a 95-acre park. Those heading to Steamboat, Colorado, inevitably plan a trip to the Strawberry Park Hot Springs about 6 1/2 miles outside of town or, closer to town, Old Town Hot Springs, complete with two water slides and a climbing wall.
Glenwood Springs, Colorado, 45 minutes from Aspen, is famous for its hot springs, including the world’s largest hot springs swimming pool and Iron Mountain Hot Springs with pools overlooking the Colorado River.
Stowe, Vermont, is the quintessential New England ski town and the birthplace of alpine skiing. Stowe’s extensive trail system is a great destination for other winter activities, including snowshoeing, dog sledding, fat biking, and sleigh rides. Stop at the Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum to learn the history of skiing and riding in the Green Mountain State.
