Where We Have Been Archives - Two Kids and a Map

Tips for Visiting Glenwood Hot Springs Pool – Glenwood Springs, CO

May 20, 2013 By Jen 2 Comments

Glenwood Springs is a small town in the mountains of Colorado about two and half hours from Denver. What the town seems to be most known for is the hot springs pool. The Glenwood Hot Springs is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year and we were invited to check it out.

Visiting the hot springs is as easy as visiting your local public pool but there are some things you should know ahead of time. The hot springs are fed into pool areas that will resemble your public pools. They can get very crowded (we were there on a big celebration day as you will see in the pictures) but I think it is worth a visit to experience at least once. My children and I had fun comparing the hot springs to the much colder springs we have visited.

Parking is free but limited. Parking at the pool is free but there is not a lot of it on crowded days. Arriving early in the day will give you a better chance of decent parking.

Towels are available for rent but you will want to bring your own. Towels can be rented for $2.50 a piece but you will want to bring your own towels. The towels are a little rough and small compared to the beach towel you will bring from home.

You can bring a cooler but no alcohol is allowed. I love when attractions allow you to bring in your own food. There is food available for purchase, but you are also allowed to bring in a cooler with a picnic lunch. This will help defray some of the costs.

Lounge chairs are a hot commodity. If you can, bring a large blanket for the grassy area. Lounge chairs go quickly and people saved them with their stuff. We were able to grab one and that was plenty for us. We didn’t spend much time in the chair so it wasn’t a big deal. It was just chilly enough that sunbathing was the last thing on my mind! Lockers are available for rent if you need one.

Once you pay your entrance, you can come and go with a hand stamp. Admission into the hot springs pool is included with your hotel stay, but it can get very pricey if you are just visiting for the day. It can cost up to $20 per person on peak days. To get the most out of your money, you will want to plan your day around your visit. Start your visit in the morning and be sure to get your hand stamped before you leave. This will allow you to return in the afternoon or evening if you would like. The hot springs pool is just a short walk from many restaurants.

Prepare your kids for the sulfur smell. The smell isn’t very strong in the largest pool but it is still definitely there. It is a bit stronger in the therapy pool and if you drive around the building you will be hit by it. I didn’t think to prepare my children to expect the smell and that was a big mistake. What ensued were many bathroom jokes.

Access to the water slides (summer only) is an additional cost. You can purchase an all day pass to the water slides or just four rides for $4.75. We decided that was a little pricey and opted not to purchase water slide passes. It was easy enough to keep my elementary school aged children’s attention off of the slides. They are set off to the side and the slide does not drop you in the hot springs pool. The only time we had an issue was at the end of our visit when we walked right past the slides. The kids wanted to try them then but we just said no and made our way out!

*Thank you to Visit Glenwood for hosting some of our costs on this trip. All opinions are mine and mine alone.

This post is part of Travel Tips Tuesday with Suitcases and Sippy Cups and Walkingon Travels.

Filed Under: Colorado

Three Days in Downtown Denver, Colorado

May 16, 2013 By Jen 4 Comments

Denver, Colorado is one of the most fun and welcoming cities I have ever been to. When we moved here in November it was at the beginning of the ski season. My husband, a snowboarder, couldn’t wait to get his whole family sliding down the mountain. We spent most of our winter weekends exploring the mountain towns and ski resorts. When we weren’t driving back and forth on I-70, we spent our weekends unpacking boxes, getting used to a new school curriculum and finding our way around unfamiliar surroundings. Downtown Denver was not high on the priority list yet.

I was recently given the opportunity to stay as a guest at The Curtis Hotel, a Doubletree property, for two nights as a representative of Trekaroo. While we made the Curtis our home for two nights, we spent three days exploring a very small bit of what the downtown area of Denver has to offer. Three days is not enough time to hit all the highlights so we made a list of things we want to do over the summer and free weekends. Even though we have a list of things to do on return trips, we feel like we made the most of our three day adventure.

Day One – Arrive and Wander

We arrived shortly after 5:00 in the evening on a Friday night. After getting checked in and settled in our room, we did a little bit of hotel exploring. Our room at the Curtis was perfect for our family of four. I loved that there was a sofabed for the kids because we could fold it up while we were hanging out and have lots of room for them to play. The hotel was big fun for the kids and the best part of it was the elevator announcements made at each of the themed floors. See more of my thoughts on our stay at The Curtis.

When we could finally get to the first floor, we walked down the street to Sam’s No3 Diner. I had eaten here with my daughter a few weeks ago while we were at Mary Poppins downtown and she was excited to show it to her dad and brother. This restaurant was featured on Diners, Drive-In’s and Dives and has a huge menu. You can get breakfast at any time of the day but it will be hard to choose a favorite meal! I had the French Dip, my kids had French toast and my husband had a 2lb burrito. That is actually the name: 2lb combo burrito!

After dinner, we walked another block to the 16th Street Mall. There are mostly shops and restaurants, but we had fun wandering around and adding different restaurants to our list of places to try. Neither of my kids could walk past the pianos, a public piano art program called Your Keys to the City. These whimsical pianos are open for anyone who wants to play. After banging on the keys for a few minutes, we discovered two very talented young musicians playing another piano down the way. We stood and listened for awhile as they played an impromptu concert.

On our way back to the hotel, we took a detour to visit the Big Blue Bear at the Colorado Convention Center.

Day Two – A Self-Guided Walking Tour, Stand a Mile High and Try to Catch a Fly Ball

On Saturday morning, we actually had to race to a lacrosse game across town. When that finished, we returned our car to the hotel and started our day. We first walked to Larimer Square where we had lunch at Tom’s Urban 24. I was underwhelmed by the prices of our food (ahem, EIGHT dollars for a kid’s meal?) and the crowd of young Kentucky Derby fans slinging back the drinks, but I would like to return on a date night with my husband so I could give it a second chance. He was pleased with his meal and I liked the fun atmosphere. Larimer Square offers a number of places to eat and every single one I saw has been recommended to us at one point or another. From our booth at Tom’s, we saw the colorful sign for Rocket Fizz and it just called our names. Little did we know that it is quite the soda and candy store.

Rocket Fizz offers just about every candy you can think of. There are hundreds of soda choices and you probably won’t recognize some of them! We spent about thirty minutes picking out some treats to get us through a lengthy walk to the Capitol. We wanted to see the Capitol because we wanted to see the plaque that shows where you are standing exactly one mile above sea level.

We didn’t do a tour or go in because it was closed to the public on the weekends. After taking some pictures and running up and down the stairs, we walked through a Cinco de Mayo festival that was happening.

We made our way back to the hotel for a quick break before walking to the baseball stadium to see the Rockies play the Tampa Bay Rays. We bought our tickets at the gate and were still able to get $15 seats. I don’t recommend doing this because we had a hard time finding seats in our price point. The game was great and I will share more about that in a later post. After the game, we walked back to the hotel and everyone fell asleep quickly!

Day Three – Museums Galore

Denver has a number of museums that cover all sorts of topics. We decided to visit the History Colorado Center. The History Colorado Center can be completed in under two hours as long as it isn’t very crowded. Our favorite parts were the Denver A to Z exhibit and the Colorado Stories exhibit. It was great to learn more about all of the different moments in Colorado’s history. There is a lot that I didn’t know about our new home state. There is a lot of reading, much like most history museums, but the displays are brightly colored and the paragraphs are short. The museum is full of hands-on interactive exhibits that will help keep the kids busy while you read the signs. There is a ski jump simulation, a barn to gather eggs in, and games to play. After our visit to the museum, it was time to head back to the hotel to pick up the car. Your day doesn’t have to stop here though. The Denver Art Museum is just a few blocks away so you could make a full day of museum hopping.

We can’t wait to go back to the downtown area and explore Denver some more. Do you have any suggestions for activities we should put on our list for our next trip?

Interested in other three day itineraries? See our itineraries about Pensacola, Myrtle Beach, Asheville, and more.

Stop by Delicious Baby and Friday DayDreamin’ for fun travel posts!

Filed Under: Colorado, Itineraries

Tinker Bell’s Butterfly Garden at Epcot

May 3, 2013 By Jen 5 Comments

What a wonderful way to celebrate all things Tinker Bell. As we made our way out of the park to catch the airplane home, my mom and I noticed Tinker Bell’s Butterfly Garden. I am so glad that we decided to stop while we were guests of Disney at the Traveling Mom retreat. The fairy houses, butterflies and more were just wonderful. My daughter would have adored this spot in Epcot. It was the perfect taste of spring after spending a winter knee deep in snow and brown plants.

Stop by Delicious Baby and Friday DayDreamin’ for fun travel posts!

Filed Under: Disneyworld

Mary Poppins: The Musical

May 2, 2013 By Jen Leave a Comment

There are moments in a parent’s life that he or she looks forward to sharing with the children. For me, watching Mary Poppins together while curled up on the couch with a blanket and some popcorn was one of them. My daughter fell in love with Mary Poppins when we watched it together. She has memorized every song and we watch the movie often. I have wanted to see the Broadway production of Mary Poppins since Ashley Brown, a former student at the school in which I used to teach English, was in the starring role. Unfortunately, the show never came close enough to my city.

Since moving to Denver, I have been blown away by the theater offerings. When I saw that Mary Poppins was coming to the Buell Theater, I immediately bought tickets for my daughter and I. Our two tickets were $68 with fees and taxes. I purchased seats in the lowest price point and we were in the very last row of the Orchestra section. Thank you to the Buell Theater for upgrading our seats.

Mary Poppins, the musical, was a lovely adaptation. I was worried that my six year old would not be as interested in the musical adaptation as she was in the movie. Boy, was I wrong. We both sat mesmerized through the entire two and a half hours. When Mary Poppins flew in for the first time, Little S giggled with glee and checked to see if I was having as much fun as she was.

You will recognize many of your favorite Mary Poppins songs. At the same time, you will hear a few new tunes that weren’t in the movie. Those songs are just as catchy as the ones that we know and love.

When A Spoonful of Sugar started playing, Little S sang along softly. As I leaned over to tell her to sing in her head, I realized that everybody around us was mouthing the words, too. There is just something about Mary Poppins.

The costumes were amazing and the set designs were beautiful. My daughter and I both believe, hands down, that the best scene of the night was Step In Time with Mary Poppins, Bert, Jane, Michael and the Sweeps. As they tap danced around the stage, we felt like we were out on the rooftops with them. Another favorite scene was Jolly Holiday. Though we loved all the characters, we felt like Bert stole the show.

The Buell Theater was a great venue. I loved the little touches to welcome children to enjoy the arts. They offered booster seats for children and, while they aren’t the comfiest, they worked well for my daughter. Because we were there on a kid’s night, there were all sorts of activities and meet and greets. Two days before our show, we received a reminder email with links to a great Study Guide. The Study Guide is also available on the website.

We chose to arrive early to avoid the rush hour traffic in Downtown Denver so parking was not an issue. We parked in the Arts Complex Garage located directly across from the Buell. Special event pricing was ten dollars but it was worth not having to walk out in the snow at 10pm after the show. Because we arrived early, we didn’t have a problem finding a parking space. After parking, we walked two blocks to Sam’s Diner for a quick dinner before the show. The Buell is surrounded by great restaurants so you can plan a whole evening out or grab dessert and a drink after your show.

If you are in the Denver area, buy tickets to see Mary Poppins at the Buell Theater while it is here. Performance times are as follows: May 1 to May 5, 2013; Wed-Sat 7:30pm, Saturday 2pm; May 2 at 2pm; May 5 at 1pm and 6:30.

If you aren’t in Denver, find out when the show will be near you. It is worth the money. The people sitting behind us were watching the show for the seventh time. It really is that good.

Filed Under: Colorado, Products

Disney World without Kids

April 27, 2013 By Jen Leave a Comment

When one thinks of Disney World, they don’t always think of a place to visit without the kids. I did exactly that recently on a sponsored Traveling Mom retreat and I had a blast. My mom drove down to see me and we wandered the parks doing whatever we wanted. Disney World with kids is lots of fun, but I present to you some reasons why should think about hitting Disney World without them (shhh…don’t tell the kids!).

Eat whatever you want and you don’t have to share. Want a dole whip or an ice cream cone? Go right ahead and eat the Mickey Mouse ice cream. Nobody is going to want yours and you don’t have to share.

Ride what you want and skip the lines of the rides you want to skip. Sure, Winnie the Pooh is a fun ride and I love watching my daughter’s eyes light up as we hop in the honey pot. To be honest, I am glad my mom was okay with skipping the 75 minute line.

Getting ready to ride Peter Pan, our favorite ride!

Leave the parks when you want to. When you are only paying for one ticket, it is easy to justify a shorter day at the parks. My mom and I left before the fireworks show one night and headed to Downtown Disney to watch a movie we both wanted to see but didn’t have anyone to see it with back home.

Carry your purse or don’t even carry a bag at all. The whole time my mom and I were walking around Disney World, we both felt like we were forgetting something. We only had our small purses with our cameras and wallets. We didn’t have water bottles, snacks, Camelbaks that needed refilling, toys to entertain during lines, and souvenirs bought at every gift shop.

See that bed? I don’t have to share!

Go to bed early. Or go to bed very late. When at Disney World with my family, I always feel like we have to get our money’s worth. We plan to get there when the parks open and we shut them down. If we leave before the parks close or get there a few hours after they open, I always feel like we missed out. On the flip side of that, when my kids are tired and ready to go home we might not be.

I can take all the pictures I want because I am not carrying all that stuff.

What is your favorite part about going to Disney World without the kids?

*Some of my expenses were sponsored my Traveling Mom, Disney or Chevrolet during this retreat. As always, opinions are all mine.

Filed Under: Disneyworld

4 Things You Can Do in Breckenridge Off of the Slopes

April 15, 2013 By Jen 1 Comment

Breckenridge won me over with its Main Street and its lack of resort type setting and prices. When the Breckenridge Resort Chamber had us up to Breckenridge as their guests, I didn’t think that I would fall in love like I did.

Whether you love racing down the ski slopes or have decided that skiing isn’t for you, Breckenridge is still a great place to visit. There are plenty of activities off of the slopes to keep you busy during your visit.

Explore the Town

When we arrived in Breckenridge, I immediately fell in love with the town. It looked just like a ski town should look to me. Rustic buildings, snow covered sidewalks, and people with their ski pants swooshing along as they shop or look for a place to eat. Grab a cookie at Mary’s Mountain Cookies or a meal at one of the many restaurants. I recommend Fatty’s Pizzeria for a good pie. Pizza is a great family meal when you are trying to save money. Exploring Main Street is easy and when you are tired of walking pick up your hotel shuttle or the public bus.

Stay Outdoors

Just because you don’t want to head to slopes, doesn’t mean that you have to stay indoors. In the wintertime, snow activities abound. Go Nordic skiing or snowshoeing. Grab a tube and head to one of the nearby tubing hills.

If it is summertime, pick one of the many hiking trails and bring a picnic lunch with you. Go horseback riding or learn how to fish. Go mountain biking or take a scenic chairlift ride to see a bird’s eye view.

Visit a Museum or Take a Class

The younger children will enjoy a visit to the Mountain Top Children’s Museum where they can learn more about the Rocky Mountains and the animals that live in the mountains. They can learn about the human body, create a work of art, or build something new.

Take a workshop at the Fuqua Livery Stable in the Arts District. We took a great bag making class where each participant got to decorate a reusable bag. Adults and kids alike had fun coloring their bags and showing off their masterpieces.

Go for a Ride

Snowmobiling or dog sledding at Good Times Adventure is a great way to break up the ski day. Learn about dog sledding or take your snowmobile to the Continental Divide for some beautiful scenery. The Gold Runner Coaster was the perfect speed for my daughter and I. You control your own brakes so you can go as fast or as slow as you want to. If you are riding in the winter, bring your ski goggles with you because the wind can get very annoying. I couldn’t keep my eyes open during the ride because it was so windy. The Gold Runner coaster is open in the summer as well.

For a free activity, ride the Breck Connect from the parking lot to the peak where you will find the Gold Runner Coaster, skiing, and, in the summer, the Fun Park.

Filed Under: Colorado

Snowmobiling with Good Times Adventures

April 9, 2013 By Jen 3 Comments

Feeling the wind rush through my hair, hearing the roar of the snowmobile as we made our way through the trail, and stopping for a view from the Continental Divide made our first snowmobiling adventure a moment to remember.

Snowmobiling is one of those things I always wanted to try but I didn’t know how I would like it. When Breckenridge Resort Chamber shared that they had set up a complimentary snowmobiling tour with Good Times Adventures, I was thrilled. I couldn’t wait to get in the snow and give it a try. We learned a lot on our adventure and can’t wait to go back next season.

This snowmobile comes with hand warmers!

Wear your ski clothes. Ski pants, jacket, hat, gloves and base layers are all necessary on a cold day. Good Times Adventures offers snowsuits and boots to borrow if you don’t come dressed appropriately. We ended up borrowing the snow boots and I am glad that we did. The boots are very warm!

Getting there might be a little difficult in your own car so book transportation. The road slopes uphill and, from what we could tell, it isn’t paved all the way to Good Times Adventures. We were driving my car that was purchased in Florida where All Wheel Drive or 4WD is a splurge, not something it typically comes with. I was very concerned about getting there safely so we got a ride there and took the transportation offered home. It did not add that much more time to our day and we felt much more safe. On the way back into Breckenridge, we saw a car that had missed the turn and ended up in a ditch. It made me feel better about my decision to leave my car parked back at the condo.

Bring your camera. There are plenty of opportunities along the way to take pictures so you will want a good camera with you. I brought my DSLR and wore it around my neck under my jacket during the ride. I was glad that we had it to capture the moments that my cell phone might not have been able to.

Children can come along and will have a blast. My daughter in the front with my husband and my son rode in the back with me. Our kids screamed with delight for the entire two hour ride. They could not get enough. Bonus-Children under five are free!

The view from the Continental Divide

The 2 hour tour was plenty. I was concerned that the two hour tour wouldn’t be long enough for my adventurous kids but it most certainly was. We arrived back at the base still excited but tired enough to be finished with our adventure. The 2 hour tour goes to the Continental Divide and you will have a few minutes to take a break, get some pictures, and walk around a bit.

You break, you will likely pay for it. Make sure that you listen closely to directions and be safe. These are 2013 models and I didn’t want to be the proud new owner of a snowmobile that no longer worked!

Be aware that you may want to buy your own snowmobile. My husband didn’t think he would enjoy snowmobiling as much as he did. On our way home, all we could talk about was how much fun we had and how we can’t wait to try again.

Snowmobiling not your thing? Good Times Adventures also offers dog sledding. We will definitely be returning next year to try dog sledding.

*Thank you to Breckenridge Resort Chamber for hosting my family. Opinions are always mine and mine alone.

This post is part of Travel Tips Tuesday with Suitcases and Sippy Cups and Walkingon Travels.

Filed Under: Colorado

Falling in Love with Breckenridge, Colorado

April 8, 2013 By Jen Leave a Comment

*Thank you to Breckenridge Resort Chamber for hosting my family. All opinions are mine with no outside influence. I was not paid for this post nor was there an expectation to post.

Do you ever visit some place that you want to just put in your pocket and keep a secret from everyone else? You feel like if you share this great place with people, they will ruin it for you somehow? Even if it is already a popular destination, I still have those moments where I don’t want to tell anyone about it.

That is how I feel about Breckenridge, Colorado.

I don’t want to share how happy my kids were when they finished their art project at the Fuqua Livery Stable. I don’t want to share how Breckenridge will always be remembered fondly in my heart for being the first place my kids got to ski down the mountain with their daddy. I don’t want to share my new love for racing through the trees on a snowmobile and I definitely don’t want to share the feeling I had realizing that my husband and I were having our first date in three months while we skied on the slopes together.

We had such a great time in Breckenridge and I want to keep it close to me for fear that telling people will somehow ruin how amazing the place is. Silly, I know.

I didn’t expect to fall in love with Breckenridge. When we arrived I was disappointed at how spread out everything was. We were staying in a property that was a bus ride away from just about everything. We had trouble finding our way around. It snowed the entire time we were there and navigating the roads was a little difficult for us since we were still getting used to winter driving.

It was not love at first sight with Breckenridge but was rather a slow burn that turned into that heat you can’t get away from. I can’t get my mind off of Breckenridge and I can’t stop thinking about our next trip there. Despite that, I also haven’t been able to write about it and share my love for Breck with you but I think I am ready and this week I will share all of the things that made me fall hard for Breckenridge.

Filed Under: Colorado, Featured

Ski Loveland is an Affordable Option for Families

April 3, 2013 By Jen Leave a Comment

*Thank you to Loveland for hosting my family’s visit. As always, all opinions are mine and mine alone.

A small pair of hands struggled to pull up her ski pants in the dark. She hadn’t even taken her head off the pillow; she just reached down on the ground and grabbed her clothes. I am glad that I walked in as she was getting dressed. She had forgotten her base layers and it was going to be a cold day. We quickly moved the kids along so they were dressed and ready for the slopes and then we loaded up the car. Snacks? Check. Ski gloves and goggles? Check. Both kids strapped in the car with their seatbelts on? Check.

It was before 6am in the morning and the sun hadn’t even started to rise. I could hear the rustle of the ski pants as my children shifted around to get comfortable for the drive. We were hoping this early start would help us avoid the horrendous traffic that backs up on the path towards the ski Mecca. The weather was not going to be great either so we were hoping to beat the snow that slows traffic down even more. What does a 6am departure get you? Slopeside parking.

We were getting ready to Ski Loveland.

The Loveland Ski Area is one of the closest ski areas to our Denver suburb. It is before the tunnel so you can avoid the traffic that builds up there (well, only as long as the tunnel doesn’t close) and is only about 45 miles from the middle of Denver. When we had the opportunity to visit Loveland, we decided to just drive up for a day of skiing rather than stay the night. Loveland Ski Area is not a resort. There are no fancy ski in/ski out condos lining the Valley slope. It is a great place for both locals and travelers.

Beginning Your Day

We arrived just before 8am when the rental shop and ticket sales open up and the ski and ride school starts registration and check-in. Picking up our rentals was a smooth process because our children were already registered for a class. After you get checked-in for ski school, you walk down a short hallway that drops you off in the rental shop. You will want to arrive as early as possible if you are renting equipment because it gets crowded very quickly and can take up to an hour to get through the line and get your gear.

Meeting for ski and ride school was a little chaotic but it was definitely organized chaos. When you drop your child off, you find their level and leave them with an instructor. Both of my children were a solid Level II so I found the spot that fit and dropped them off. Once we knew they would be okay, my husband and I hit the Learning Area slope so that I could get used to having skis on my feet again.

The Loveland Valley Cafeteria

Unfortunately I hadn’t been feeling very well that week so after a couple of runs down the learning area and a little tumble (and the horrible visibility didn’t help much), I decided to take a break in the Loveland Valley Cafeteria while my husband took the shuttle to the Loveland Basin.

This mama gives up for the day.

I am glad that it worked out the way it did because it gave me the opportunity to bring you the best tip of the day. Apparently, because of Loveland’s location and its reasonable ski and ride school prices, there are lots of families that make the trip and stake out a spot in the Loveland Valley Cafeteria. The prime seating next to the large windows where you can watch some of the Ski and Ride classes are taken up by the moms, dads, and younger children who are not skiing and are very much camped out. There were seats saved, coolers full of lunch, and toddlers running around everywhere. At lunchtime, it got even more crowded as the families of skiers took a break from the slopes.

The Learning Area

Because we are in our inaugural ski season as a family, I am very interested in the beginner options. What do you do in between a couple of lessons and trying a more challenging green run? I like the option that Loveland offers with their Chairlift 7. This chairlift takes you to All Smiles and Take Off, both runs that are perfect for practicing beginners. It is also where my children took their very first lift all by themselves (without an adult!).

An Affordable Option

We have mentioned over and over about how skiing and snowboarding are both very expensive sports. Loveland offers a very affordable option with their 3 Class Pass. For only $289 for adults, you get three classes and a season pass. Children’s prices vary according to age. Loveland also participates in the Colorado Ski Gas Station Deal. With at least ten gallons of gas, you can get a Buy One Get One lift ticket. After much discussion and visiting a number of the ski resorts near us, we have decided that we are going to participate in the 3 Class Pass if it is offered in the 13-14 season. This will help our family save money on a sport that we have come to love and enjoy.

Filed Under: Colorado

Skiing on the East Coast: Snowshoe, West Virginia is Not Just a Big Hill

March 31, 2013 By Marissa 8 Comments

I am beyond thrilled to introduce a new contributor to Two Kids and a Map. Marissa P. and I have been traveling together since we were teeny tiny because we are sisters! She lives on the East Coast in Virginia and we have been writing together for a few years over at Threaded Together. I am so excited to introduce her as Two Kids and a Map’s East Coast Editor. With my move from the East to the West, she will be able to keep us informed with all those East Coast posts you have come to expect from Two Kids and a Map. We will learn more about Marissa and her travels next week, but here is her first post about skiing at Snowshoe, West Virginia.

While Jen has been bunny hopping all across the Colorado Rockies, I have been doing some skiing myself, on the other side of the country. Now, you West-Coasters may laugh in the face of our Blue Ridge Mountains, but I can tell you, they are nothing to scoff at when you are looking for a good day of fun in the snow.

My family and I spent the first weekend in March skiing and snowboarding at Snowshoe Mountain Resort in Snowshoe, West Virginia and it was positively gorgeous. We traveled there for a special military weekend and spent three nights in their resort and two full days of skiing. When we first booked the trip, we were keeping our fingers crossed that the man-made snow would be decent enough for our children to take lessons and for us to get our ski-fix. We were more than pleased when the snow Gods blessed our trip with not only a great snow base prior to our arrival, but also more than eight inches of snow falling during our stay! We spent four days walking around reveling in our luck!

This was the first time I had ever gone skiing stateside. Prior to this weekend my experience was limited to the Alps in Germany. Needless to say, I was a little wary about the excitement I would find skiing in Snowshoe. People repeatedly told me I was in for a disappointment and that the Blue Ridge Mountains were just a couple of hills compared to the Alps. I must admit, they were right about the hills, but wrong about the disappointment.

Apparently, Snowshoe is just about the best skiing and snowboarding conditions you’ll find on the East Coast. How do I know this if it is the first time I went skiing in the USA? I can’t speak from personal experience, but I can base my knowledge on the people I met while there. In my adventures on the slopes I spent a lot of time going up the lifts with perfect strangers. Perfect strangers from North Carolina, Kentucky, New York, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Missouri. Those are just some of the people I met. Each and every one of them had been to other mountains on the East Coast and all said this was the one to go to. The most lifts, the most trails, the best accommodations, etc. I am hoping to put their advice to the test in the coming years by traveling to the other mountains, but for now, I will accept it.

Maybe you should too. If you are new to Snowshoe, you may need a few pointers for your next trip.

Ten Snowshoe Travel Tips

Look for special deals.

Skiing and snowboarding are very expensive sports! I recommend traveling towards the end of the season. You are taking a chance with the snow conditions, but this is when you are going to get more bang for your buck. We saved double because they were offering a special discount to military families the weekend we traveled. Snowshoe also happens to be well known for their hiking and biking trails, and their year-round indoor/outdoor pool. So even if there is no snow on the ground, there is still plenty to do.

Get on their mailing list.

The resort emails deals like the $199 Ridiculous Pass (really, that was it’s name!). This season pass lift ticket was not only good for the rest of the 2013 season, but also for ALL of next season. Of course you only had 11 days to buy it and the offer started after our family had already booked tickets, but we forwarded the email onto a friend and they were able to take advantage of it.

DO THE RESEARCH AND BUY AS MUCH AS YOU CAN ONLINE.

Snowshoe’s prices are WAY lower online and they will not honor those prices over the phone. The only reason why I booked our hotel over the phone was because they do not honor the military discount online and the lodging was definitely cheaper with that discount. HOWEVER, everything else such as lift tickets, rentals and snowboarding school with the kids was cheaper online…even cheaper than the military discount over the phone. Also, do like the cable companies do and bundle bundle bundle! We cut our costs by bundling lift tickets with rentals, etc.

Stay as close to the Village as possible.

This is where the majority of the stores and restaurants are, the ski schools, and access to several lifts. We weren’t quite “ski-in-ski-out” but we were close – the TreeTop townhomes. It was less than a five minute walk into the Village, but honestly, I would have liked to be even closer. Both older kids (7 and 11) were in snowboarding school and had to be dropped off first thing in the morning. Then I would check on them at least once during the day. Then shop. Then pick the kids up. Then go to the pool (see below). Then maybe eat dinner in the Village. Then try to get Wi-Fi in Starbucks, then back to the townhouse…ALL while carrying my 16 pound baby on my back. In the cold. In the snow. Forget the skiing – that little hill between my lodging and the Village helped me lose about five pounds that weekend.

Stop at a grocery store on your way to the mountain and buy food in advance.

I don’t mean a grocery store in that area. Once you get close, you are really in no man’s land. There will be little to choose from and it will be expensive. We packed an empty cooler and purchased $75 worth of food about an hour or two away from Snowshoe. Eggs, juice, cereal, pasta, bread, peanut butter, etc. That $75 fed four adults and two and a half kids for four days and we still had plenty of leftovers. We saved a lot of money by only eating on the mountain twice (both dinners). To put it into perspective: I bought a 20 oz bottle of Sprite at one of the cafeteria style restaurants and it cost me over $3. I told the cashier it better be the best bottle of Sprite I had in my entire life. It wasn’t.

Since you will most likely eat on the mountain at least once, I highly recommend Foxfire Grill.

The pork barbeque was terrific! It was a perfect place for our whole group, baby included. I highly suggest you hop off the slopes a little early and beat the dinner rush. When I say dinner rush, I mean a 3 hour wait to be seated. We totally avoided that both nights just by getting to the restaurants slightly earlier than the average guest, around 4:30 – 5.

Try to arrive at the mountain at non-rush hour times.

We arrived early Friday afternoon. It was early enough that we beat the post-work rush. DO NOT arrive on Saturday unless you can’t avoid it. The lines were long and you are probably not going to get the best service during these times. Not to mention you run the risk of the shops being out of your size equipment. There were several times I looked at the people waiting in line and I was very happy I was not one of them. Oh…and don’t forget the Dramamine!!!! Those are some twisty roads leading up to the resort and we pulled over several times to deal with my motion sick son!

Prepare to have no cell phone service or Wi-Fi.

There is a SUPER COOL National Radio Astronomy Observatory about 30 minutes away, so Snowshoe is in a radio “quiet zone.” Wi-Fi is limited to Starbucks and a few hotels. And guess what, when 300 other people (exaggeration…maybe?) are all trying to check Facebook at Starbucks, nobody is really checking anything! My family really enjoyed this getaway from the hustle and bustle for a weekend, but yours may not. See here for more info.

Bring your swimsuits.

There is an indoor/outdoor pool with two hot tubs that is open year round (I believe). This is not for the feint of heart in 8 degree weather! I don’t care how much you try to heat a pool in those conditions, it is just not going to feel warm! However, I am so glad we took the time to go at least once, because I don’t think my children will ever forget swimming outside surrounded by snow.

Put your kids in ski/snowboarding school.

This was our kids’ first snow trip and I was on the fence about how long to put them in school. I highly recommend full days of school. The instructors were great and the kids had a blast and made new friends. Though I like to think of myself as a patient mom, I don’t think we all would have survived me trying to teach this skill to my children. We did two full days of school for each kid and it was worth every penny. I’m going to sneak a part two into this one – Tip the ski school instructor (even if only five bucks) This is not mandatory, but I sure felt like an idiot when all these other parents were tipping the instructors and I had NOTHING to give them. Ugh. I had no idea! Is this normal at all mountains???

So there you have it! I hope you have as much fun planning your trip as I did. There are several exciting things we didn’t have time to do. Next time we go, we will definitely try harder to make it to snow tubing and the night skiing over at Silver Creek (the other part of Snowshoe away from the Village). Or maybe even dare to try the zip line that goes through the Village. If only we weren’t so busy this weekend…it is the first weekend in April and it has snowed 19 inches in the last 7 days…

Marissa

This post is part of Travel Tips Tuesday with Suitcases and Sippy Cups and Walkingon Travels.

Filed Under: West Virginia